The Langkawi Experience

Langkawi Permata Kedah (or simply Langkawi to many), is an archipelago of 99 islands (104 during low tide) in the Andaman Sea, separated from mainland Malaysia by the Straits of Malacca.  It belongs to the Malaysian state of Kedah and is listed in Unesco's Global Network of National Geoparks.

Langkawi International Airport (IATA code LGK) serves as the main entry point by air into the island.  Flying from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur took about an hour.

taken @ Langkawi International Airport (August 2, 2011)

We bought a taxi coupon as soon as we cleared immigration.  Taxicabs in Langkawi do not have meters and operate on fixed charges based on destination.  Fare to Cenang, the most popular area among tourists, is pegged at 18 ringgits (about USD6.50).

The chalet-type accommodation by the beach at AB Motel along Pantai Cenang cost RM120 a night, but since we were staying for 3 nights and it was off-season, the receptionist charged only RM300 for the entire stay.

AB Motel

the lobby

AB motel operates a convenience store and  offers daily bike rentals and island-hopping tours to guests and non-guests.

It also has a restaurant that, like most restaurants in Langkawi, did not open until after lunch time in observance of Ramadhan, so I settled for daily breakfast of coffee, cup noodles and roti (bread).

Pantai Cenang 

(Chenang Beach), the most popular beach in Langkawi according to locals, was a few meters away from our accommodation.  Tourists were noticeably scarce.  I felt a sense of desolation  because I suddenly thought of Boracay and its vibrance. But Boracay is unique and has its own character, and it will be the subject of another post. And I shouldn't digress.

southern tip of Cenang Beach

northern tip of the beach, which is about a 2-km stretch of fine white-beige sand

Oriental Village

An Asian-themed village featuring Malaysian, Cambodian and Thai architecture located some 15 kilometers north of Cenang in the Burau Bay area, Oriental Village is a recreational facility with a beautiful lake, set against a picturesque mountain backdrop.  It is where the cable car ride is located.

main entrance

Langkawi Cable Car & Sky Bridge

After my first cable car experience in Ocean Park in Hong Kong in 1993, I swore to myself I will never ride  one again.  But things have changed. I began to conquer my dread for heights by trying ziplines and somehow my fear abated.  Having done a prior research on Langkawi cable car's construction and safety also helped.  I decided to ride for the second time.

the base station in the Oriental Village complex

A major attraction in Langkawi, the Panorama Langkawi Cable Car, gives one an exhilarating ride from Oriental Village to the top of Mount Mat Cinang, the second highest peak in the island.

modern, new gondolas 

I began to hold my breath when our gondola started to gain altitude and looked at where we started.

Oriental Village and the Andaman Sea viewed from the car.

I closed my eyes most of the time during the glide from the base station to the middle station which spanned about 1 kilometer. This stretch also had the steepest grade at 42 degrees! I thanked the gods silently when we reached the middle station.

the middle station

the 42-degree incline

 Another nearby attraction, Telaga Tujuh waterfalls, came into view during the final glide to the peak of Mount Mat Cinang.

The cars passed over the rainforest of Gunung Mat Cinang, and the lush greenery despite the fog and rain was truly spectacular.

At the summit of Mount Mat Cinang (700 metes above sea level) was the cable-stayed pedestrian bridge called, well, Sky Bridge. It was closed at the time due to inclement weather conditions.

the Sky Bridge as seen from the observatory deck, middle station.

As we began the descent, my heart started to race again and wished the gondolas were equipped with parachutes and other life-saving devices should anything disastrous happened!  Overall, the 2.2km. 30-minute ride was enjoyable.  The MR30 (USD10.50) fee was worth it. Will I ever ride a cable car again? Abso-bloody-lutely!

Laman Padi


Laman Padi, located a few hundred meters north of Pantai Cenang, is a complex showcasing Malaysia's agriculture history and development, primarily rice production.  It offers a peaceful and rural ambiance in contrast to the party-like atmosphere in nearby Cenang beach.  Entrance to the facility was free.

Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls


About 800 meters away from Oriental Village, Telaga Tujuh is located in Mount Mat Cinang.  The hike (on paved trail)  to the waterfalls itself took about 15 minutes. 

Ayurvedic Massage


Being a sucker for massages,  I decided, on our last night in Langkawi, to try one of the much hyped-about Ayurvedic treatments offered by Sri-Lankan born Vaidya Nithi Subramaniam.  I chose Abhyanga, which was a panchakarma treatment. It was essentially an invigorating 90-minute full body massage using hot aromatic herbs and oils.  Since Nithi was somewhere else, I was assigned a different vaidya from Sabah.

Ayurvedic center which is along Pantai Cenang, right next to Laman Padi.

The treatment room, with ensuite bathroom.

As soon as I was ushered into the room, I was stupefied when my vaidya instructed me to strip myself of every piece of garment, for me to truly enjoy  the benefits of the treatment. I have never been massaged fully exposed, so the loincloth the vaidya put on me has decidedly allayed my discomfort.

My tarzan costume.

I slipped into a trance-like state during the massage, with every marma of my body stimulated.  It was sublime, sensual, nirvana-healing. The massage was followed by  herbal wash, which signified the end of the ayurvedic session.

the herbal wash room

Other ayurvedic treatments offered:  shiro dhara, udwarthanam, vashpaswedanam, navarakizhi, as well as   some medical treatments.

another treatment room

The cost of my treatment was RM165 (about USD 60.00), which I though was rather steep.  With the proliferation of spas, massage clinics and reflexology centers in Baguio and around the Philippines, this first, will probably be my last ayurvedic experience. 

Ancient Angkor

Angkor Archaelogical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits on a land area of more than 400 square kilometers, and one, by any stretch of the imagination, can't visit all the temples and ruins within the complex in a day.  But we decided to buy the one-day unlimited pass for USD20.00 as we wanted to see only the most important and most famous of the temples.

Angkor Wat 


The world's largest religious building was first on our itinerary, as this is located in Central Angkor.

A very serene and picturesque  lake surrounding the moat surrounding the temple greeted us on arrival. We were also greeted by Cambodians, young and old alike, offering bikes for rent, postcards, bracelets and other Angkor memorabilia and souvenir items.

 Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, and is considered as the most sublime of all the Khmer temples. It also was a city in its own, serving as the capital in ancient Angkor.

Main entrance - Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat gives full expression to religious symbolism. It was built in dedication to Vishnu. The temple is a microcosm of the Hindu universe.

Entrance to the moat.

The moat which surrounds the temple, represents mythical oceans surrounding the earth and the succession of concentric galleries represents the mountain ranges around Mt. Meru, home of the gods.

Pathway to the moat entrance.

Moat entrance.

View of Angkor Wat from the moat.

Angkor Wat undergoing restoration process.

The gallery of Bas-Reliefs.

The towers represent mountain peaks.

Young buddhist monks on the temple grounds.

The ascent to the shrine is a fairly convincing representation of climbing a real mountain.

The Central Tower viewed from the courtyard of the 2nd level.

The bas-reliefs, carvings on the temple's exterior walls.

One of the basins in the cruciform cloister.

 The tower design represents a Khmer architectural masterpiece, rich in detail, and in fine proportion.

Stone windows with lathe-turned balusters.

Angkor Wat is truly the apogee of classical Khmer construction.

Angkor Thom - Bayon Temple


Angkor Thom, with an area of 9 square kilometers.  was one of the largest Khmer cities, built in the late 12th century, by King Jayavarman VII.

The Bayon Temple, located at the center of Angkor Thom, served as the State Temple of Jayavarman VII.

Bayon Temple

Ta Prohm


Located in Eastern Angkor, Ta Prohm has the reputation of being the location for Angelina Jolie's movie "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider".  To this day, locals refer to it as the Tomb Raider Temple. Ta Prohm is in fact a temple-monastery.

Ta Prohm is one temple which was left in its natural state, to show how most of Angkor looked on its "discovery" in the 19th century.

Entrance gate.

One of the gopuras, back of which was where Lara Croft was shot.

The trees whose roots have grown intertwined with the ruins, are what make Ta Prohm unique and special.

Elephant Terrace


In Central Angkor and within the Angkor Thom complex, near Angkor Wat, the Elephant Terrace was the foundation for royal reception pavilions.

Its modern name was derived from the carvings on the wall, which stretches 300 meters in length.

Ta Keo

Ta Keo is also located in Eastern Angkor.  It was built entirely of sandstone in the late 10th century by King Jayavarman V.

The temple features five massive towers which is a representation on earth of five-peaked Mount Meru, home of the gods.

Angkor in a day gave me a glimpse not only of the grand Khmer design, style and architecture, but also an insight into the hindu pantheon which encompasses the epic of the triumph of good over evil.

The temples were destined for the immortal gods. They have survived to the present day. With sturdy materials they were built in, and the massive restoration efforts of the French, these magnificent temples will survive for a longer time.