Langkawi: The Eagle Has Landed Again....

Been to Langkawi for holidays, twice with family (during schooling days) & twice with the Akurians. Check my previous posts on 2009 & 2010. I always have a strange, warm feeling towards the island & this made me itching to go back there ever since. Got back there last September & was looking to check out places never been visited before. Flew to the island in a Malindo Air flight for the first time from Subang airport. A must-do thing irrregardless how many times u visit the island, is to view the sunset. There are many places around the island to check this out. Went to Pantai Cenang on same evening to have the magnificient view.

Sunset at Pantai Cenang

Took a visit to Langkawi Underwater World the next day morning. Surprisingly, although a smaller place, the varieties of marine life there are comparable to SEA Aquarium Singapore. Next is to Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells). Pretty steep 500m walk up the stairs, reminding me of the last trip to Kinabalu. Once reached, u see some multiple ponds, probably that's why the name. Had I bring my spare clothes, I could have dipped myself into the chilling cool water.


One of the Happy Feet movie character



Telaga Tujuh waterfall (Seven Wells)

At top of the waterfall

Stayed in this new boutique styled Fave Hotel, situated between the popular Cenang beach & the quieter, serene Tengah beach. Simple & elegant, that's the words to describe the hotel. For the budget conscious first timers who want to stay at affordable hotels at "happening" place, then Cenang beach area is for u. This place has changed so much since my last time. Ranging 5-stars to budget, there's at least 20 hotels along this coast I think. Food?? With choices ranging from Thai, Malay, Indian, Chinese, English, Italian, Spanish, Arabic etc, all foods are available within walking distance from the hotel at reasonable prices.

This is what makes me love Langkawi !!! Beers sold at super kao kao cheap price. U drink as if there's no tomorrow !!!

Grilled Lobster with Garlic  - Served in one of many seafood restaurants sprouted all over the island

Chilling at the hotel swimming pool, I just wish the time can stop right there !!!

There are many tours available & we took this half day Payar island snorkeling tour at MYR 90.00/pax. Bus picked us up to the jetty point, where we took the 1 hour ferry ride to a platform base, located just off Payar island. Choices of marine lives here are rather limited. but still enjoyable when u have fishes swimming to u immediately when u put your feet into the water.

The platform base

Surrounded by tropical fishes

Took the flight home on the next day. Being an outdoor person, I still find the island yet to be fully explored when there's still many other tours tried such as sunset cruise, the eagle feeding tour, hiking, jet-ski at swamp area etc. Next trip perhaps??

Resurrection...

I know, I know this blog seems dead and almost one year since the last post and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 everyone !!! At least, Im here and making efforts to resurrect it rite? What make me to do this again? Not really sure but judging from daily hits received despite da blog being dead for a year, its kinda encouraging here to revive it again. Posting a review the year 2011 below, and yes Maj, this seems like ur format and yes, i said it is. At least it gave me an inspiration to write again after a year hiatus..:)

Beginning the rainy new 2011 year in Cherating with the usual Akurians gang

With the management team of ma current company. Got a news of being promoted to manager. Been a roller coaster ride really as there's many things need to be done to improve the team but still hanging on there....Pray for me

At Great Wall of China, Beijing during annual trip with family & close family friends

Best activity enjoyed: Going "jalan jalan cari makan" all over the country which I called a food haven. Posted the photos on my FB album

Enjoying King of Fruits at a durian farm in Penang. This has to be one of the best random decision I've ever made, driving all the way to Pearl of Orient with buddy just to have a taste of it. It's now been announced as an annual pilgrimage trip

Brother got married to a wonderful lady on Boxing Day. Great wedding celebration & the best wedding dinner I've attended. Welcome to the family, Janice !!

Ending the year with "u know who" gang at the place where its all begins, Pangkor. Seems routined now but I personally enjoyed every moment really peeps & thank you for allowing me to be myself....:)

It's Langkawi...Again !!!

Another long overdue post on the annual Akurians' trip last December. This time, again to Langkawi. Still can't figure out why we went back to the same place. Personally, I felt the island has much to offer & we've yet to fully explore all places yet. Same quartet plus Paul, Emma & Eriq this time.

At the hotel pool

Arrived there on New Year eve and checked into this Langkawi Boutique Resort at Cenang beach. For RM 150.00 per nite, room pretty big with 2 queen-size beds although the whole hotel looked a bit runned down. No complaint about the pool though. With its man-made waterfall & lagoon styled design, we guys just need to have a dip. Later, we joined the gals at the beach across the street to witness the best sunset scene I've ever seen on Malaysian shore. Truly amazing to see how the sky changed to some unimagined colours within minutes. Had delicious seafood dinner at restaurant nearby before joining the New Year eve party, held along the Cenang beach. Thousands, especially the expatriates thronged the beach to watch reggae band performance, fire-show, some lantern lighting activity & of course fireworks. Typical Patong style.

Sunset shot as seen at Cenang beach without any touch of Adobe

Scene on New Year Eve in Cenang beach

This trip around, we decided to go beach hopping, other than where we went during the previous visit. Next morning, we went to the secluded Pasir Tengkorak beach at the other side of the island. Beautiful turquoise coloured water with clean, unhabited beach. Maj said it's frequented by locals only. Thus, not many people around & still unspoilt. Sincerely hope it will stays like this till the next visit again. Later, went hanging out besides the Temurun waterfall, located 5 minutes drive away. The water is so crystal clear that it's almost looked non-existent. Next stop to Pasir Hitam (Black Sand) beach. With name like that, no further explanation required on what's the attraction available.

Serene & quiet - Pasir Tengkorak beach

Skinny dip in lagoon like this is sooo tempting. Almost did it

They said the water is so clean that u can drink it straight away

And finally to Tanjung Rhu beach where Shangri-la & Four Seasons are located. Here, u can see a wonderful work of nature where u can walk to the island nearby on foot when it's low tide. It's as if there's treasures to be uncovered at the island and the secret path has been unlocked for us to reach there. We had dinner at a Russian USSR restaurant at Telaga Harbour before got back to hotel. We went to Kuah town for shopping the next morning before going back to KL in the afternoon.

The gang at Tanjung Rhu beach

On the long beach stretch

Notice the naturally made walkway to the island

Telaga Harbour at night with multiple choices of international restaurants

Made a promise to myself that i shall be back to the island to finish the tours of other attractions in the island. There are still eagle feeding, sunset cruise, Payar island snorkelling, island hopping & others...Who's joining me ehh??

Langkawi Langkawi

Okay, Akurians..this is the wayyyyy toooooo long for me to call tis an overdue post. But its better late than never rite?? This is the 2nd edition of annual Akurians reunion trip held in Langkawi last 29th-31st Dec 2008. Some of u may suggest might as well spend the New Year Eve on the island. Excellent idea in fact but being true frens we are, we adapted the timing to the schedule of certain someone, who ffk in the end...P Anyhow, we go ahead with only 4 persons this time; Maj, Nei, Ray & myself.

Got ourselves a rented Hyundai Accent at rate of RM 200.00 flat for 3 days duration once arrived (pretty cheap I would say during tis triple peak season) & checked into the Aseania Resort hotel. This hotel is strategically situated at the junction between the Kwai-Loh invaded Cenang beach & the serene Tengah beach. Room is pretty comfy, air-con working nicely & hot water available...way better than Pangkor rooms and swimming pool is sooo tempting that u just wanna jump into it even with your clothes on. No prize for guessing what's the first thing we did after checking in. There's mini jacuzzi, water slides, giant mushrooms falls, man-made waterfalls & even man-made rivers, all in one. Being camwhores we are, I can safely say 1/4 of total photos taken for tis trip are scenes from tis swimming pool....

Pantai Cenang. Sundecks need to be rented with separate pricing for umbrellas

See me practicing the new Zen exercise - floating over the water

Freaked out over an uninvited guest emerging from the pool

1st day dinner was at a Spanish restaurant, Tapaz, one of the many multi-fusion restaurants at the Telaga Harbour situated just in front of countless millionaires' toys (we called them yachts in proper term) parked at the harbour. The harbour's ambience makes you truly feel like one of the rich & famous, coupled with oldies music played by live band whole nite long. And yes, the ex-PM Dr.M's owned bakery's The Loaf was located here as well. Next day stop is to Langkawi Oriental Village where we took the cable car ride to Mount Matcinchang. Here placed an overhead skybridge, which should be highlighted in Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering.

Millionaires' toys parked at Telaga Harbour

Langkawi Oriental Village

The Skybridge - not for the faint hearted

Akurians with the Skybridge at the back

Looking at the height & condition of the hanging bridge, even AJ Hacketts will probably need to think twice before introducing bungy jumping here. When it's windy, u can really feel the bridge is moving. Later, we took the car for round island trip before stopped by at Pantai Pasir Hitam (Black Sand beach). Understand the sand colour here is due to natural cause & not oil leak or whatever. Went to Kuah town for shopping after that. The whole island is duty free, in case u dunno. The wide range of chocolates & liquors here certainly put the airport duty free shops to shame. Bought few cans of foreign beers for testing, costing only approx RM 2.50 each. You see, a can of beer here is way cheaper than a bottle of mineral water. Eagle Square is a must for all visitors to this island especially during dusk. Photo enthusiasts will be thrilled at the heavenly sight of the sunset.

The quiet & serene Black Sand beach, notice the colour of the sand

The island mascot at Eagle Square

Scenic sunset, as if the Light shining down from Heaven

Despite of being in late twenties, all of us seems to have the tendency to jump around whenever we posed, no thanks to the inaugural jump we had in pangkor last time..:) Had seafood dinner at Cenang beach before testing all liquors/beers in the room. Next morning, we took the morning walk to Tengah beach where lots, lots & lots of camwhoring shots taken before lunch along Cenang beach. Later, we catched the evening flight back to KL, just in time for New Year Eve celebrations.

We jumped at the pool, familiar sight huh??

at the beach....

on the Skybridge, some 652 metres above sea level.....

and even on room beds...

Collections of beers & liquors. All the beers suxx, except for Budweiser maybe....Tiger is da best !!!

Trip this around truly lived up just like what I expected earlier. Fun in the sun with great company. Never mind the small number of people, it's the quality times spent with people ur comfortable with that matters. So peeps, start look around for places for 3rd edition ya...Enough said bout the island, to the officials of Langkawi Tourism Board if ur reading this, can I demand a commision of sorts for promoting the island here???

Pangkor Escapade 2007

It takes me days to think about wat to write bout tis trip. Not that it's boring but it was a blast!!! Just too many great stuffs in the trip that deserve mention. I was even thinking into writing in parts. Well, Stef :=) pressured & told me that to start updating very soon, no one pressured me as much as u..:) just jk & ok here it goes...

Went to Pangkor on 30th with old skool frens; Ray+ his gal Evon, Theva, Maj & Nei. We drove to Teluk Intan & brought the gang to sample the Abdullah mee rebus in town (claimed by Star newspaper to be the best in Teluk Intan!!) Got booed & "finger flashed" instead by the gang for the food & I still dunno the actual reason. Went to Lumut & board the ferry to the island. We ended up in tis Seaview Hotel & first thing impressed me is the surprisingly clean beachfront. Apparently, hotel was owned by an ex Thomas Cup badminton winner, Dato Tan Yee Khan, who was a fren of Ray's someone's someone that we've got a bargain deal of RM 100 per pax/day for 3 days 2 nite stay (inclusive of 3 meals each day !!!)

The gang outside Leaning Clock Tower in Teluk Intan

Ray's mum (who also on holiday there) greeted us at the entrance & told us to have lunch. The advise is to take only the dishes & forget the rice. Weird advise indeed & I wondered why. When dishes arrived, I finally understand. We were served 5 BIG portions of superfresh seafood dishes + soup + dessert. Got the hint that tis will be a "filling" trip. In the evening, went walking along the beach, climbing trees, swimming in the sea & the sunset was a scene not to be missed if ur in Pangkor. Dinner were served with 5 BIG dishes+ 1 bonus dish from the owner...lasted the nite with poker games(& I shall review that 3 diamonds rule again) +Smirnoff I brought.

Picturesque view of sunset

The next day morning saw us go island-hopping, snorkelling, sunbathing, making transsexual being with sand & trying to be photogenic around rocks. Lunch were served with yet another 5 seafood dishes as if the ocean was belong to the owner. At tis time, we were damn sure the amount we paid were for the food while rooms were FOC. In evening, went for tis unique watersport ride (only available in Pangkor), called the Airhead. Tis is where u need to lie down on your front on the float while holding on tightly to the grips. Mind you...tis is scarily more terrifying than banana boat !!! Swimming in the pool was the next best thing to do to relax our still-shocked minds after the ride.

Hooray !!! Finally, Nei agrees to swim after much persuasion..

Pity the big sized fella but notice size of his..ummm.

More Airhead rides?? Nooo...

After dinner, the beachfront cafe has the DJ spinning songs for the New Year eve celebration. Guess the DJ has a thing for cha-cha that he played them every 2 songs and u cud see all the aunties happily dancing to the tunes. By 10pm, songs were slowly changed into more techno tunes (no thanks to Nei's request) & by now, all the Ah Piau's & Ah Moi's were jiggling around. The area was packed with ppl and we were happily dancing away & little that I knew that the rest of the peeps has somethin in their sleeves for me. At the count of 3-2-1, I was surrounded by the gang (even Ray's parent were part of them!!!)& snow sprayed to me at point blank range. By the end of the fireworks, I was soaking with snows all over with ppl staring, probably unsure wat transpired...damn u guys for tis attack and tis shall make it unforgettable for long time to come. Talked cock bout the golden old days while sipping away the whole bottle of Smirnoff.

Nowhere to hide !! Being attacked from all areas !!!

Realised that I lost my digicam in the next morning. Tried hard to remember where do I put it & asked hotel staffs. Most probably, on our poker table the previous nite. Not sure wat's the feeling like. Funny cos I remembered to bring my Smirnoff(an empty bottle indeed!!!) back to room but not the digicam !!!! Sad bcos all photos taken are gone forever. Stupid me....& it's still painful till today lerr whenever think bout tis. Upon checked out, went to buy seafood foodstuffs at Lumut & back to Teluk Intan to buy "tau sar" & other biscuits. Tis time, brought the gang to have mamak fare at M.Gulam Rasul. No finger flashing or boos tis time for the food (especially the fried chicken) were tasty. Highly recommended for anyone stopping by Teluk Intan.

Despite few pullouts & minor hiccups (sorry for your car Theva, but glad ur there), glad we've managed to make it happen. Been talking bout tis for donkey years & it's only got seriously discussed 2 months back. And it was a great way to celebrate special occasion with the ppl ur comfortable with, whereby u can be urself without pretending. A memorable trip doesn't necessarily spent in a 5-star hotel in exotic location. It's the people who make it unforgettable by spending time together doing common interests. Sense of humour is a MUST too. There's bound to have more of tis after this escapade....& it's just the beginning.