4ever Discovering
A Step into Paradise: Langkawi Island
I Don’t Know About You, But This is My Kind of Vacation!
With 5 days off of school, Emily and I knew we didn’t want to spend our extra long weekend in Taiwan. We figured this was a great opportunity to check another country off of our list and head to Malaysia. From Taipei, it was about a 5 hour flight to Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. We definitely wanted to see this city, but we would be back in a few days. Instead we spent the night sleeping in the airport (which is never fun), and spent our first 3 days of our holiday in Langkawi. This is a hidden gem in Southeast Asia. Not many tourists travel here, so it is very cheap and untouched. There aren’t any tourist traps, and you really can see the true culture of the island. It is located in the north of Malaysia, and is a very short boat ride away to Thailand. This would be a great area to backpack, but unfortunately a 5 day holiday was not enough time! We will have to wait until summer to come back.
We started our trip off in Malaysia by renting a car from the airport. Because it is so small and untouristy, there are no forms of public transportation available. Your only option is to walk (which isn’t very realistic), or to take a taxi everywhere (not very cost efficient). Thus, it was a unanimous decision to rent a car, especially after we heard how cheap it would be. There were four of us travelling, so a car was the perfect option for everyone to sit comfortably with our backpacks. Renting it cost the equivalent of 12 Canadian dollars each (FOR 3 DAYS). I can’t even begin to tell you how amazed I was with the price of everything here. It was a backpacker’s paradise! The only slight problem with renting this car was when we learned you drive on the opposite side of the road in Malaysia. I must admit, it was super weird to drive on the left hand side, especially when making a left turn. But, after about 5 minutes your body adjusts to the change. It was a bit scary at first, but we all managed a turn at driving successfully. On the plus side, it was always a good laugh when we mixed up the windshield wiper buttons and signals. They were switched so every time I went to signal to make a turn, the windshield wipers would start. I’m sure it was the quite the sight for the locals to see!
The best part about renting a car was the freedom that came with it. When Emily and I travel, we usually don’t have the luxury of a renting anything to take us around the city. We have to rely on public transportation or our own two feet to help us. In Langkawi, we were able to see the entire island because we just drove around. Just like in Singapore, we were hit with rain every afternoon (just the side effect of living in a tropical location). So during the rainfall, that was our cue to explore. We were able to see many monkeys on the side of the road (and stop for pictures of course), and see different beaches around the island. The most famous beach is Pentai Cenang; this is probably the most touristy part of the island. This is where the food prices might be a little steeper than other spots, and where you can do all of your souvenir shopping (all at very low prices). I couldn’t believe it when I could buy a dress for $8 Canadian! I was glad I brought an empty backpack to stuff all of my souvenirs into!
On our trip to Langkawi, we found ourselves busy every day. The first day we got a little lost and ended up just driving around for a while. We were almost to the north part of the island when we realized we needed to stop for gas. That meant turning around and finding the nearest station (when you don’t drive for so long, you forget about those things lol). Along the way, we stopped in at a local restaurant where we ate a lot of food for a little price. We ordered 4 different dishes and split everything. Then, came the delicious dessert we found. They were triangular rice balls, stuffed with bananas and coconut. I don’t know how they made them or what was really in them; all I know is that they were delicious and I’m glad we ran into this little restaurant. It’s always nice to eat traditional food in a new country (no matter how tempting McDonald’s is).
During our stay, we also got the chance to go ziplining at Skytrex Adventure Park. I read about this place online before we came, and one girl had said it only costs $13 American. I didn’t really believe her until I went for myself and did the conversion. I kid you not, for 2 hours at an adventure park, we paid less than $20. I’m telling you, this is the place to come if you are looking for a cheap holiday! We chose the ‘Intermediate’ course (which was just more ziplining), and had an absolute blast! The rain held up so we kept dry, and climbed trees like we were Tarzan and Jane. Afterwards, we headed back to the beach for some afternoon fun. Unfortunately, when we got to the beach, the rain started. We mostly found ourselves swimming in the rain, but then found shelter at a beach bar (never a bad choice). We drank a few margaritas, and watched the rain clouds pass. We then decided it was time to go banana boating. Again, when the prices are so cheap, it’s hard to say no! I’m not sure if it was the best decision to go a few margaritas deep, but it was a blast either way! Let’s just say the alcohol makes you fall off a little easier than you normally would LOL.
Our trip to Langkawi was just what we were looking for: a relaxing beach getaway. Emily and I chose to go to China over our last long holiday, so we never got the chance to escape into the sunshine. Langkawi was the perfect remedy for our mid-semester stress. The food was amazing, everything was so cheap, and the views were incredible. After our banana boat excursion, we saw the most AMAZING sunset ever; the sky was illuminated purple. I wasn’t sure if it was the margaritas affecting my vision, or if it was real life! I have never seen a sunset as surreal as the one in Langkawi. That alone is enough reason to give this place a visit! It is also where you want to be if you are on a budget. Emily found a 50 Ringgit bill in the sand one day, and it fed four of us lunch and dinner for the whole day. That is the equivalent of $10 Canadian dollars. That means we got 8 meals for $10; I still can’t believe it!
I encourage everyone to give Langkawi a chance! You are advised not to go during April and May (rainy season), but if you are like us, you will still have an incredible time. It hasn’t really been discovered yet by tourists, but I’m sure within the next 5 years it will be a lot more busy! So remember, if you choose to come visit here, make sure to eat, drink, and shop your little heart out. And don’t be afraid to rent a car; it isn’t as scary as you think driving on the lefthand side!
