Langkawi Island…Kuah
Mon 29th Sept
The alarm went off at 07:10. A good night’s sleep considering it was a travel day. Packed, and 40 minutes later was collecting my cash deposit from Ang. A 10 minute walk to the ferry terminal.
I was on the 08:20; less than 15 minutes crossing. At the bus ticket office I was told the morning bus was cancelled and the next one was at 4pm. Back to the original plan to catch the 10:35 train. Unfortunately the Perlis train station at Arau is nearly 20kms from the Kuala Perlis ferry terminal…oh well, but I’d rather keep moving.
An hour and a half to Arau station. I haven’t figured out my Grab app yet, but there was a Grab available to take me the half hour to the ferry at a cost of 20RM. I made it with 15 minutes to spare for the 1pm ferry, with the ticket costing 35RM. Total cost 2+9.50+20+35 =66RM…or less than £12.
1 hour ferry to Kuah. I took a sightseeing walk in the direction of the town, until I started getting too hot and tired and looking for a hotel became a priority. I had a very nice tee taree first.
Nearby was Langkawi Baron Htl which was nice, but I carried on in case I could improve on it. 2 were more expensive and 2 others were locked up, so I ended up back at Baron at a rate of 70RM. I paid for 2 nights at a rate of £12 per night for a very decent room.
I changed out of my shirt and as it was after 4pm , I walked over the bridge opposite and into the town centre to look for a bar. Kyle had told me abut the Duty free shops, and they did offer an amazing discount. One of them doubled up as a bar, and I had a couple of draught Tigers. Nice music, nice atmosphere and I was captivated by the choice of alcohol on the shelves.
I then went back to the area where I had the tea, and had 2 very tasty chicken wraps with chips. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it’s easier just to say ‘yes’.. Nice and very filling.
I had another wander in town to get used to the streets and choice of shops before buying 2 Carlsberg special brew 500ml cans for 4.2RM each…or 75pence…crazy price.
Back to my room to shower and reflect on the day. Not a good start with a bus cancellation and having to change my plans, but it got back on track by just catching the 1pm ferry…otherwise it would’ve been a 2 hour wait for the next one.
It started raining in Perlis, and was heavy whilst on the ferry but had stopped by the time we reached Kuah. Kuah seems pretty quiet, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings.
I can only stay one more day in this hotel because it’s fully booked from Oct 1st. That’s okay, I’ll just head to the beach..!!
Tues 30th Sept
I like my room…good choice. Cloudy sky but at least no rain. I went up the road for a tea, and then for a 15 minute walk to find an ATM. It was just to the left of the doorway in a shopping centre and I was looking straight ahead and missed it initially.!! I drew out 1,000RM.
I checked out some clothes shops because I needed a new shirt. I walked around slowly and ended up at the MAHA Tower. The name is taken from the Malay word meaning ‘almighty’ and looks like a smaller version of the Eiffel tower. It’s possible to go up and get good views of Kuah.
Then I popped into a CelcomDigi shop to check on my Sim balances and to get a better understanding of topping up/expiry dates. I found a clothes shop and a suitable shirt. My requirments were that it was slightly dark with a pattern and a pocket. I went for a nice stripey short sleeved blue one and I got the price down from 39 to 35RM…so, just over £6.
From there it was over to the Food market for some lunch. I asked for help in taking the right quantity of food from the individual trays of meats and vegetables. I asked for 8RM worth…and for that I got lots of rice plus beef ‘curry’ plus vegs. Obviously the meat is more expensive than the vegs, but there is no indication of price. I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it…!!
Back at Baron I sat on a balcony for 20 minutes while there was a bit of sun. I showered and headed to the pub wearing my new shirt.
I had a couple of beers then went for a tea. From there to a pub next door to where I was earlier. I had 2 beers then offered a free tot of whiskey, which I accepted. The hospitality of these people is amazing.
Back to my room in Kuah for the last time. I’ve enjoyed my stay here. There’s a funky pink and blue hotel which has terrible reviews; one complained about the distance to the beach…yes, about a half hour drive, how could you get that wrong ??!!
I like the town as it sort of reminds me of Tanga …wide streets with not much traffic, and not too many people about.
Langkawi…Pantai Cenang
Wed 1st Oct
Awoke at 08:00. Washed, packed…and by 09:00 I was up the road having a tea. Back to Baron to check out and have the receptionist help me with booking a Grab. An excellent app, but the first time using it was a bit tricky.
I saved 4RM by waiting an extra 5 minutes for a taxi !! The cost was 17RM for the half hour journey…£3..cheap. I was dropped off on the beach road at Cenang by 10:15. I took a couple of pics of the beach then got back on the main road to look for accommodation.
Generally the hotels were more than I was prepared to pay. And then I bumped into Kyle and after a quick chat I found the Rainbow Lodge where he was staying.
It looked good and I paid 357RM for a week..no hot water, but I’m used to that from my E Africa travels. And no a/c, just a fan, to save a little…so that’s £9 a day.
The room wasn’t ready, so I passed a bit of time over a couple of teas at a restaurant down the road. There was a little walk along the main road to familiarise myself with the surroundings. I was back at Rainbow before 13:30 but couldn’t get into my room after 14:30…after the people had checked out.
Very nice room; very happy with it…no. 8 at the end of a row of rooms and away from reception and the bar/socialising area. It was nice to get out of my jeans and into shorts.
Down the road is the restaurant where I have my morning tea. I needed food so I got some help with the buffet system. Chicken, rice and 2 veg dishes came to a total of 8RM…about £1.50. I headed towards the beach and the Kalut beach bar.
Not a very auspicious start. I reached there at 15:45 but it didn’t officially open until 16:00 because of it being the low season. That wasn’t a problem, but renovations were going on…varnishing tables and stools, repairs to bits of the wood structure which made it noisy.
I took a couple of beach pics then bought a bucket of 6 Chang small cans for 64RM. In the meantime a couple of speakers were set up on the sand and they started playing some good music. Tables and a few chairs were laid out on the sand; I tried to get as far away from the noise as possible.
An hour later Kyle arrived, and we were chatting and drinking until about 8pm. We returned to Rainbow and joined the other 5 guys/guests for more chatting and drinking. Those guys consume a huge amout of beer.
The bar and restaurant area which is part of Rainbow is big and very smart. It was shut during the day so I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. Enough was enough and I went to my room to sleep.
A good first day in Pantai Cenang .
Thurs 2nd Oct
A good sleep. But daybreak through the window/shutters is reflected in a big mirror on the opposite wall, so definitely wearing an eye mask in future. Off to my restaurant for my breakfast teas.
On to the beach for 10:30 to lie in the sun for an hour; a very hot morning. I walked to the other end of the beach which is a bit more crowded and where the water sports start from. I cut in to the main road and walked slowly back to Rainbow taking in all the shops.
The guys were there; they’d already started drinking. I politely declined…. In my room I washed my stripey shirt and hung it outside. I then went for a buffet lunch at 13:30; am getting the hang of it. Was hoping to buy 10RM worth of food but it came to 12RM..!! Minor…tasted good.
Not much happened during the rest of the day. Back to Rainbow to relax. I caught up with Kyle. I headed towards Kalut, but first exploring a very nice residential area with smart houses and little guest houses. I reached Kalut after 4pm.
Of course all the tables and bean bags came out but I sat on a plastic chair. Good music. The place filled up. I had my bucket of Chang; Chang means elephant. I stayed around for the beautiful sunset…stunning.
Back to Rainbow as it was getting dark. There was none of the group outside chatting, so I sat inside the bar with my 2 beers. Then to my room to relax…a good day, and I’m learning to relax properly.
Fri 3rd Oct
A good sleep. Got going after 09:30; had a quick chat with 3 of the Brits. Interesting to hear accounts of what issues can be encountered on your travels. Am certainly glad I am focused on one country and not crossing country borders in the region.
I went for my 2 teas. I went to the beach for a swim. There was hardly anyone around. The sky was very overcast which made for a nice change. It had rained heavily in the early hours. The water was calm and was a very nice temperature. I didn’t feel stressed ( like I would in EA ) about leaving my bag on the beach.
I dried off first, then walked to the little point at the end of the beach, passed the smarter hotels at around £200 per night. There wasn’t much to see so I turned back, and especially when I saw some dark clouds not far away.
I was lucky, because not long after I got into my room, there was a heavy rain storm. It only lasted half an hour, and by then it was about 2pm and I went for lunch. It was the usual mix of rice, a couple of veg, and something with an egg, and some pasta. I topped it off with chilli sauce. Very tasty for 9RM…less than £2.
Back to my room. Followed by a walk the length of the high street to find an ATM. Not that I needed it immediately, but was just getting my bearings. One conclusion was that all the Duty free shops were on the opposite side of town to where I was staying, so I couldn’t carry a case back to Rainbow.
I hung around at Rainbow for a bit. Then it started to rain, so I was glad I didn’t go to Kalut. Kyle reappeared and we spent the next few hours drinking and chatting at Rainbow as the rain was heavy and didn’t let up. He went off on his motorbike and I went to my room.
Sat 4th Oct
I put my blue shirt to soak then went for my tea. I just had one cup then returned to my room to finish washing. I went for my second cup then passed through Kalut to the beach.
It was a nice day…some wispy clouds but very hot. I lay in the sun for nearly an hour and a half; I realised later that I got a bit burnt despite already having a suntan. After a shower I went for a buffet lunch at the usual place. I was only charged 8RM…I thought I had 10RMs worth…a difference in a few pence, so no big deal.
From there I walked up the ‘high’ street/main road to the new construction at the end. I must explain that there’s only one main road with a few offshoots. The big resort hotels are on that road, with some actually on the beach front. The smaller lodge/homestay/inn/motel are a bit further in, but only 5 – 10 minutes walk from the beach.
I went just beyond the new constructions…one is apartments, the other a hotel shaped like a boat. On the way back I stoppped for a coffee. I also stopped at a barbershop off the high street and negotiated a reduced haircut for sometime in the next 2 weeks. He agreed to reduce from 25 to 15RM; I’ll see if he remembers.
That was it for the day. The sun was getting hotter and hotter after 4pm and I decided not to go to Kalut. Being a Saturday there was a party and a good atmosphere in the bar at Rainbow. But I sat outsided with my friends, having a good chat and buying each other beers.
After dark while they went out for food I went to the corner shop for a couple of cans and a packet of crisps. I returned to my room and had a long phone call with Phil.
I thought the room would be excessively hot after the hot day, but the fan is enough.
Sun 5th Oct
Had a good night’s sleep. Went down the road for my 2 teas. Back to the room briefly. Walked up the main street to near the end for a coffee. Looked for Bryan’s bar, without any luck.
Back to Rainbow to relax. Tried a different food…next to where I usually go, a new place had opened. I had their chicken pad thai for 12RM (just over £2).. so bloody yummy. They do satay chicken as well…I can’t wait.
16:30…I headed for the beach. I tried Ah Chong bar where a can was 8 instead of 10RM at Kalut. I didn’t like the music so went over to Kalut. I didn’t realise they had a Happy hour…so my 6 cans of chang that usually cost 64, only cost 48RM. That makes Kalut more appealing after 5pm.
I transferred to the bean bags as the sun started going down. Then mats began to be laid on the sand in front of Kalut, and I correctly assumed it was for the fire show. It began after dark with twirling lit batons and some acrobatics. Fun to watch.
I left before it finished; I’m sure I’ll see it again. I went to a duty free shop for a couple of cans of beer and a packet of crisps. I got back to Rainbow as the others were going out. I was left a little vodka to sample.
I had a Tiger beer from the bar…watched the first half of a premier league match…and went to my room.
Mon 6th Oct
Wow, I got up really late…09:30. Went for my 2 tea breakfast. I looked for Kyle briefly; he said he was going to the laundrette, but never reappeared.
I went to my room to get ‘things’ for the beach and hand my room key over to enable the room to be cleaned.
I had a swim as soon as I arrived at the beach. The tide was in and the water was lovely. I lay in the sun until I felt too hot. Back at Rainbow I was given my key; the room looked/felt nice and fresh. I showered and walked the length of the main street to my usual coffee place.
Back in my room I relaxed a little before going down the road for a chicken satay at the pad thai restaurant. Thought it bound to be good but I was very wrong. The chicken was ok, if a little lacking in flavour. The sauce was very disappointing…not only runny, but didn’t have a peanutty taste about it. Oh well, now I know where not to go.
At the end of the road I turned right and decided that was an exploration for another day. I went to Ah Chong bar for a couple before going along the beach to Kalut.
I don’t get to Kalut before 5pm when happy hour starts. They know now that I’ll ask for a bucket of chang. Talked briefly with an Aussie couple. Kyle arrived and we got front row bean bags. A nice evening chatting and watching the fire display. It goes on for about an hour.
Before returning to Rainbow I picked up crisps and a can from duty free. I sat inside the Rainbow bar listening to music and watching whatever was on TV. There was a birthday celebration going on too.
That was it…then back to my room.
Tues 7th Oct
After breakfast I turned right and popped into Laman Padi (on the main road)…probably by the back/side entrance. It wasn’t planned, but looked quite interesting and I’ll definitely go back. It’s an open air museum exploring the history of rice cultivation with guided tours and hands on activities…another day.
At the next road junction I took a left along smaller roads to a narrow piece of land sticking out into the bay. A few local eateries…nothing exciting. I didn’t stay long, and on the way back I stopped at a nice café/restaurant called Smiling Buffalo for a latte.
I took a more direct route back…still passed lots of boats moored in the waterways leading to the sea. I presume they are all fishing boats, but like at Penang, there was nobody around.
I was exactly where I wanted to be…at the start of the beach…so I had a fairly straight walk to my part of the beach. For half that distance I walked in front of Pelangi Beach Resort…what an extraordinarily massive hotel.
I lay in the sun for about 45 minutes before going for a shower. I chatted a bit with Addy, the Rainbow owner. Then a bit with Kyle. I went for a buffet lunch later than usual…about 15:30. As usual I probably put a little too much chilli sauce…!! I discovered that another place very close by, opens at 18:00. Definitely giving it a try.
I went over to Ah Chong then to Kalut. Met Kyle. The Rainbow bar was closed. Everywhere in the area was closed. I had one can in my room; I drank that as I was talking to Phil. Approaching midnight and I needed to sleep.
Wed 8th Oct
I thought I was going to the rice museum, but everything seemed to slow down. After my teas I chilled at Rainbow. I went up the road to my coffee place. I headed to the beach then went to the shopping centre for my 1,000 ATM draw down. Then back to Rainbow, and I got chatting with the guys.
It was gone 5pm so I went straight to Kalut; Kyle was already there. Then Maria and James joined us. After a bucket and a wonderful sunset, I went for dinner . I don’t know what I had but it was amazing and only cost 10RM…less than £2.
Back to Rainbow. A quick drink at the bar then back to my room to sleep.
Thurs 9th Oct
Another late wake up, followed by 2 teas.
It rained. A walk to the end of the high street for my coffee. I chilled. Walked back along the beach. Met up with the ‘crew’ at Rainbow. Spoke with Addy and got a deal of 41RM per day for my next couple of weeks at Rainbow. That’s just over £7 per day …so, very happy with that.
I walked with Maria up to the top of the road and along to the rice cultivation museum. There was nobody around and we couldn’t find an office to ask about opening times/tours, but it’s a huge area and very relaxing to walk around.
Went down to Kalut to meet Kyle. Eventually Maria joined us. There was a helluva rainstorm but which only lasted 30 minutes.
Thursday is the only day that the food Market is open and we went there for dinner. Very interesting place made up of lots of stalls selling all manner of foods. I had a folded roti/chapati type of thing with chicken inside; it reminded me of a Zanzibar mix.
On the way back, just a few minutes from Rainbow we stopped at a bar which happened to have a live band about to start playing. Well, they were absolutely brilliant, playing mainly reggae style music. Fantastic…I even danced a little bit.
The rain came down again and we took cover inside the bar. Again, the rain didn’t last long and we returned to Rainbow.
Fri 10th Oct
Another comfortable night. There are some noisy residents but my fan blocks out all their noise. I counted my money and I enough to pay Ida the 615RM up to 29th. So, checkout is the 30th.
Another guest, Argentine Julie, had a packet of Mate ‘mix’….it’s a caffeine-rich infused herbal drink. Julie asked if anyone had a thermos, and I immediately lent her the little one that Judith gave me. Julie put hot water in it to enable her to top up the cup with the herbal leaves. And she also had the metal ‘straw’ to drink through. Good fun.
I walked with Maria to my coffee restaurant at the end of the high street. Then we walked back along the beach. A brief respite at Rainbow then down to Kalut for a Chang bucket.
I went alone to Jomakan for dinner. I don’t know what I ate but it was delicious. It consisted of squid in a tasty sauce with rice. Earlier in the day I found time to call into a duty free shop and buy a bottle of Absolut vodka for 43RM..£7.50.
There was no one else around at the lodge when I got back, so I had a couple of tots of vodka and went back to my room.
Sat 11th Oct.
I had rained very heavily during the night. After a catch-up with friends in the communal area, I went for my 2 teas. On my return to the lodge we all chatted for a while.
At about 12:30, Kyle, Maria and myself walked about 15 minutes to a restaurant that Maria recommended for food quality at a cheap price. It was good food and my plate only came to 4RM. On the way back we passed through the rice fields/museum and checked tour prices and schedules. We decided it probably wasn’t worth doing.
The days are getting lazier. I went for my black coffee. I didn’t need to eat after my big lunch. After 4pm it was time to go to Ah Chong. Heavy rain prevented us from going to Kalut, but it’s nice having the bar at Rainbow to shelter in, and right next to our rooms. Of course during the day there’s all the banter in the communal area as well.
Sun 12th Oct
The roti place that Maria goes to is closed Fri-Sun, so we went up the high street in search of roti. The first place was too expensive, and we ended up at my daily coffee place. The egg roti with a spicy sauce was tasty.
From there we walked all the way to the neighbouring beach…probably 2 separate beaches. The sand was white, and on one beach it was fine and loose…more akin to the Diani sand.
It was nice to see more of the islands, and from a different angle. There were water sports as well, and a series of little restaurants. I think a few hotels; I will go back again. We had a swim before heading back.
Then the usual routine but with slight variations. After Rainbow Maria and I walked to the main road at the back and bought some little snacks. Then a different route back to the ‘high’ street. A visit to Ah Chong was followed by a visit to Kalut. I messaged Kyle to say we’d arrived, and he soon joined us.
We watched some of the fire show before going back to Rainbow. The rest of the evening was spent in the bar. I didn’t have a dinner.
Mon 13th Oct
Julie was leaving at midday, and I left her and Maria chatting while I went for my teas and onwards to the beach. It was a sunny/hot morning so I sunbathed for about an hour.
Maria joined me and we walked to the end of the beach, passed Pelangi beach resort, to the road that goes towards the Smiling Buffalo. But went to the traffic lights as though we were heading into town. We stopped for lunch; mine came to 4RM again.
Then it was back around to Rainbow. The usual banter ensued…this time with James and Geoff. Kyle, Maria and myself went to Ah Chong; we stayed there for a few cans of Tiger and didn’t go on to Kalut.
At about 8pm Maria went back to Rainbow while I went with Kyle and Hal (another Brit) to Cinnamons bar; it was fun to go somewhere different. We each had a pint then returned to Rainbow. Another hour was spent in their bar before I went to my room. I was out later than usual…but another good day.
Tues 14th Oct
There was nobody outside when I left my room so I went straight for my teas. On returning, Kyle was on his laptop. The one slightly annoying thing was that I appeared to have lost my cap the night before.
I went walkabout with a view to looking around for a replacement cap, getting a light breakfast, and drawing money from an ATM. I bumped into Maria who said my coffee restaurant was closed.
In fact lots of shops were closed; I discovered it’s common practice for quite a lot of places to close on Tuesdays and Fridays. I saw a black cap with no logos for only 5RM, but I didn’t bite the bullet and buy it. On my way back I couldn’t remember which shop I saw it in.
And yes, where I was hoping to have a roti and coffee was indeed closed. And the ATM I was hoping to use was no longer there..!!! Oh well, back to Rainbow to relax. Kyle and I took a walk to a superstore about 10 minutes away where every single item sold for 2.80RM…50pence. Whether kitchen equipment, cleaning fluids or toothpaste…incredible.
By 2 ish I was pretty hungry. On my to the restaurant by the rice cultivation, I stopped at a roadside cafe and bought a couple of samosa like things for 1RM. The restaurant was running out of food and I only had rice with a vegetable dish and sauces. At least the meal only cost 1RM. That’s all I had to eat the whole day, so food cost was 35pence !!!
I walked back along the beach, then onto the high street looking for my replacement cap. At 4pm I arrived at Ah Chong. It was nearly an hour before Kyle arrived. I had just finished 2 small beers, so we went along to Kalut. I needed to nip back to Ah Chong because I had left my phone on charge.
It was after 5pm but the sun was still very hot. We started on our buckets, and then Maria and Miranda joined us. A great evening of stories/chats, and from about 7 – 8pm there was the fire show.
As the Rainbow bar was closed, we went to Cinnamons. Confirmation that there was no sign of my cap.
We were having such a fun evening. I was tired of beer and had a couple of rums and pineapple instead. I was feeling very generous and picked up the whole tab of 139RM…£25.
Back to Rainbow. I didn’t chat long as I was expecting a call from Phil. We didn’t talk long as the connection was bad. I soon fell asleep…
Wed 15th Oct
I went for my usual tea and then on to the beach. It was a hot morning. The day included a walk up the high street, where I drew out 1,000RM. I had my coffee at the end restaurant. I looked into more shops for a new cap. I think I will have to pay 20RM.
I returned to Rainbow then went to the cheap restaurant that I’ve used quite alot. Getting there just before 3pm meant I just got some food before it closed. After 4pm I went to Ah Chong…then Maria joined me. Then Kyle, Hal and Rohan came along.
We made it to Kalut just before 6pm, in time for the happy hour bucket. It clouded over and there was amazing thunder and lightening, followed by heavy rain.
Then to the Rainbow bar and to bed.
Thurs 16th Oct
I didn’t get out of my room until 09:30. Maria came with me to my tea place. Then we walked along the beach passed Pelangi resort to the ‘jetty’ area, where we had rotis as a late breakfast. The view was wonderful…across the boats moored in the bay, and to the mountains in the distance. We were also looking towards the airport, so could see the planes just before landing and just after take off.
Back slowly to Rainbow along the beach, enjoying the view and a particularly clear sea water. Miranda had already left for Indonesia. I went on a cap purchase mission. I’ve narrowed down what I’m going to buy…a dark grey one this time.
Not long after I got to Ah Chong, it started to rain. This time it didn’t relent. After my 2 beers I unfurled my umbrella and walked along the beach to Kalut. Hal was there, so at least someone to talk to. The heavy rain lasted at least an hour, and once it died down, Kyle made an appearance.
We went from there to the night market. What a selection of foods. I had a bbqd chicken on a skewer which was absolutely delicious. We went from there to the bar just up from Rainbow; there was a live band playing a mix of reggae and other 80s music… absolutely fantastic. So many beers… a great evening…I went to my room and crashed. !!!
Fri 17th Oct.
My tea place…Amani…was closed. The snack place in the other direction was also closed. My cheap meal place near the traffic lights was closed, but the big restaurant at the traffic lights was open for tea.
Then I found the clinic just passed the lights and enquired about the whooping cough vaccination. They would have to order it in and would cost between 35 & 45 pounds. I decided against it mainly because it would / could take too long to arrive.
I walked back along the beach and onto the High street. I did lots of walking and exploring different routes. A quiet/slow day. Hal left for Sarawak. I had my usual coffee.
But at 4pm Kyle and I tried a new bar near the start of the next beach. I thought that Red Sky was further away but actually didn’t take me long to get there. The drinks were cheap…only around 3.50RM for a half pint glass.
Red Sky made a nice change. As the end of happy hour at Kalut was approaching, I got a lift on Kyle’s motorbike and we got there in 5 minutes. We spent a nice evening, including the fire show. I was tired and went straight to my room.