Walk in Paradise - Langkawi

Langkawi Island - All that I can say is its a "postcard island" or "wall paper island".  Every corner of the island is like a wallpaper which keeps telling you "Come fall in Love".

I had read so much about Langkawi that I was longing to set my foot on this island for long time now. And that day finally arrived. Shriks and I boarded Air-Asia flight in afternoon. Mere one hour journey and I was in the skies of Langkawi. Unfortunately I couldn't get a window seat. Had it not been a flight journey, I would have never boarded it without a window seat. !!!! 

I mean it because everyone who had window seat couldn't take their eyes off the view outside, Air hostess words of wearing seat belt as landing of flight was due was going in deaf ears, like they were   buying time from her " Madam Ek minute dekh lene do bus, Ek minute" I am co-relating it because I got "window seat" when I flew back and what I saw was mesmerising !!!!

Getting out of the flight was one hilarious incident, half of people sitting at the back of the flight waiting for the flight door to open and while other half sitting in the front had already deboarded the flight !!!! We came out of the front door only to find ground staff knocking on the back door !!! something gone wrong and we were ROTFL..... Thank God they didn't tell us in middle of our journey "Bhai sab please jara dakhka dena, engine mein kuch kharabi hai"  

We were greeted by heavy rain showers at the airport only to be informed by ground staff that rains don't shower for more than 10minutes and soon sun would be out of the clouds. Tropical climate advantage not like in Mumbai where rains don't stop for days. 

We hired a cab "no bargain, fixed price" types from the airport. On our way we passed through rice fields, lush green fields. We had "wow" words coming from mouth very often then not. 

I had done booking in motel, bang opposite Pentai Cenang beach and most happening place in Langkawi. Other places are also fun but more crowd here, more fun here and it didn't let me down even for a second.

I don't know swimming but I cannot resist getting in sea water or any pool, Here I was in one big pool !! I was off to the beach for a dip, I promise I would have never come out of the water if sun had not set. Rainbow sunset, people doing parasailing and water surfing on jetski boat, beach bars lit in dark, who would want to come out of warm water with mild waves hitting the shores. It was more then I had wanted. 

Shriks not wanting to go in sea water in evening, meanwhile said would check some tours that we could do in next 2 days.It was later I came to know that he was also keen to find if he was going to starve for 2days without veg food or no. I always carry my motto " Survival of the fittest", In Shriks words I am "Brasht Brahmin" but I believe if I was here for fun, njoying the place then food will not disrupt my fun, I can survive on fruits that will for sure be available in any part of the world, scrambled eggs or chicken is also fine with me if veg option is not available.Shrik's a ghaspus guy

Langkawi is a small stretch of island that can be covered in one hour drive from North to South and best part is you can get cars, bikes, bicycle, tricycles on rent. Saw most of people in groups prefer hiring cars and you can drive as much and visit everywhere you want.  

While on our evening walk, For next day we had zeroed in on "Island Hopping tour" for day 1 which was for 5hours and then we had entire evening on the beach.  Dinner time it was now !!! Luckily for Shriks, one restoran (Malay word for eatery) bang opposite our motel had veg food options available which included dosas, Uttapam's. Shriks had all the smile on his face !!!! 

On our walk after dinner we came across one nariyal pani wala, selling coconuts weighing nothing less than 5kgs !!!! I decided to try one, My tummy cried in pain "Bus kar bhai, pila pila ke marega" but coconut water was no way close to getting over. Finally I somehow managed to finish it when nariyal pani wala said "Sir should I peel the coconut skin for you, I could only tell him no pleaseeeeee I will be back tomorrow with more empty stomach !!!!! 

 

In the morning, Sleeping bum Shriks barely managed to reach breakfast table at 8.50am while pickup was at 9am for the tour. On our tour in speed boat our first stop was Dayang Bunting Geoforest park.

Its a forest park which has a huge sweet water lake in middle of it while the mountains covering it are surrounded by sea water. After quick dip, we were off for a walk around park on walking bridge connecting entire park, capturing some breathtaking pics on the way.

 Our next stop was eagle feeding ground where in middle of sea, they throw chicken pieces in water and eagles come to feed on it from nearby forest. It was WOW capture in our lens .... On the way we also got glimpse of a mountain which has shape of a pregnant lady sleeping with baby belly. Nature at its best. !!!!!

Our next stop was now at a beach where we could relax or take a dip in water before our journey back to Langkawi main island. Entire journey was through some amazing rock formation in middle of Andaman Sea. 

Andaman sea is so famous for some breathtaking beauty, some gorgeous rock formation in middle of sea, I had seen the same in Phuket in Thailand trip and now again here in Langkawi. It was disheartening that India which also has islands in Andaman sea and is not promoting such places whereas Phuket, Langkawi are world best tourist spots !!!! 

 

Back to the hotel in afternoon, Shriks went for a quick afternoon nap while I not wanting to miss another opportunity to be in sea waves was off to Pentai Cenang beach. Shriks joined me later in the afternoon on the beach. The sunset again was breathtaking with colours changing with as sun dipped behind the mountains. 

On our evening walk again, we were off to our Nariyal pani wala friend, This time we were empty stomach, Coconut milk shake blended with ice cream,coconut skin, coconut milk and ice was mouth watering. I would be at least be a millionaire in few years if I started a shop in Mumbai.

 

Next day we were back on another tour called "Mangroves tour".  Again on speed boat journey amidst some amazing rock mountains in middle of sea, we first got glimpse of a fish trawler, catching fish and at the same time cleaning the catch in boiling water and drying it, all on same trawler.

On our next stop, we were off in middle of mangroves jungle to watch some multicoloured crabs on shore of mangroves. Lovely small colourful crabs. Feeding eagles with chicken pieces on the way, we  went to crocodile cave. Of course no crocs inside but we could pass through the caves in our boat as it was low tide. Now it was time for Monkey island, with monkeys swimming in water towards the boat to get bread pieces from us.

Wee moved to a fishing village which was very close to Thai border as we got message on our mobile phone, welcome to Thailand.

 We got a glimpse of variety of fish, with one particular palm sized fish which actually can spit water upto 3 feet to catch a insect. we tried by rolling bread pieced on our fingers and pointing it on the fish tank. One amazing crab had a shape of horse shoe also called horse shoe crab.

We noticed some beautiful yacht's anchored near the village and our guide informed the owners come here once every six months to sail in their yachts across Andaman sea else it lies anchored illegally as this was in Thailand border. We also visited bat cave full of bats hanging from the wall, lizard shape rock in the cave. We nearly missed a snake passing by but luckily it was non poisonous.

Back on our way, we stopped at floating restaurant in middle of sea for lunch. One incident happened which by far is my most embarrassing moment ever. From morning since we got pick up from our hotels and in our entire tour, we were in group along with couple and their teen age son. Couple had been watching us since tour begin but I and Shriks didn't take note of. And the world knows when two people talk in Gujarati, its full of abuses and we were no exception. And we also didn't really care as no one to understand it. While having our lunch at the floating restaurant, the lady started conversation with us and Fuck !!!! we realised that they were also Gujarati's settled in Canada and had roots in Mumbai suburb of Santacruz. What a moment !!! I actually dropped my ciggy !! From then on deciding to first check for any sign of Indians around before opening the mouth.

Back at the hotel, we changed and were back at the beach with our last evening in Langkawi, we did para sailing on the beach. One moment which just cannot be described in words.Up in the air with amazing sunset in background. It was like all PAISA VASOOL. Sunset again didn't disappoint us with magnificent shades of sunset I could ever capture in my lens.  We squeezed some time to visit famous Langkawi underwater aquarium which has numerous species of sea, multicolored corals and Jackass Penguins.

 

Next morning, it was time for world famous cable car ride in Langkawi, At oriental village at 10am which is base for cable car journey in Langkawi. Again as in Genting, journey was amazing in cable car at at height of 700 feet above sealevel, We were in clouds. View was just awesome.Again we had little disappointment with suspension bridge between two mountains was closed for maintenance.But  our journey was full of so much excitement and fun that it was overlooked. And Shriks rightly said visit to suspension bridge and capturing those first moments with life partners in future would be one  excuse to come back again here.

With total of 2300 pics captured and infinite memorable moments in heart. I bid au revoir to Shriks who flew to Singapore directly to meet his fiance and while I write this blog, he is back home in London. I flew to KL where I did my last minute shopping and also was able to visit Petronas twin tower in the morning for which I got up quite early, I was was standing in queue half asleep at 5am for spot tickets.

My journey was about to end but not without some anticlimax incident at KL airport where AirAsia would not allow my oversized baggage unless I paid excess luggage charge. So moving some luggage to my hand luggage and standing in queue 4times to make sure it was within limits !!! 

Only to find that after my luggage was gone, Airasia crew would not allow my purchases made from dutyfree shops at Langkawi in hand luggage saying this should have gone with your checkin luggage and not in hand luggage. Loosing my cool and with some hot arguments and intervention from security staff, I was finally allowed and I bid adios to Malaysia.

One hell of a memorable trip finally coming to an end.

Kuala Lumpur was so vibrant, so exciting, so much to see and experience.

Genting Highland was awesome and unbelieveable with unlimited fun.

Langkawi was one enchanting and mesmerising trip.