LANGKAWI, Dec 23 — I had no inclination to visit Langkawi Island again, having been there twice before and left feeling a tad disappointed by the lack of excitement at the time 18 years ago.
Fast forward to this year when an email from a friend made me throw all reservations and scepticism to the wind, and prompted me to purchase tickets with all the usual sense of rush that I would get at the thought of a getaway—and this time, I was not disappointed.
Although much has changed, starting with the recently refurbished international airport, some things remain the same.
The slow pace of the island is evident with cars travelling at 50 km/hour, and people sauntering from one place to the next.
Padi fields with the customary water buffaloes and cranes still continue to dot the island landscape. Blue-green hills still loom majestically in the horizon—scenes which have inspired countless artists and most, if not all schoolchildren of my generation at least, when landscape was the theme du jour in art class.
All this provides a welcoming and refreshing change from the usual concrete structures that a city girl encounters on a daily basis.
However, as my the taxi progressed towards Kuah town, new structures quickly made themselves known; a stretch of new shops lined the main road that traversed through Kuah town.
A large Old Town Coffee complex loomed as my taxi trundled along, followed by the equally large duty free complex, McDonalds, and Starbucks to name a few modern-day conveniences which marred the serenity of the kampong idyll.
There are other quirky shops like the English Tea House, Red Tomato, and the Mexican restaurant that have also mushroomed to claim their place on Langkawi soil.
Onwards to Pantai Cenang, many more shops, eateries, homestays, spas and hotels continue to greet visitors.
These are a mix of foreign- and locally-owned businesses, albeit by local I mean they are either owned by KL expats or non-native residents who, like their foreign counterparts, have chosen to stay put in Langkawi, and make it their home.
My hotel is located just five minutes from the pretty little cove right at the end of Pantai Cenang on the south-west coast of the island, about 20 minutes away from the airport, and 15 minutes from Kuah town.
Ambong Ambong is an elegant retreat with 11 villas nestled in the lush emerald green hills of the island.
The owners are avid nature lovers and have put a lot of thought into the design and construction of the place, giving due respect to Mother Nature.
The hotel is built especially for nature lovers, and weary city slickers who crave for a peaceful sanctuary without being completely cut off from civilisation. While ensuring that all their guests are provided with the creature comforts of a five-star resort, the owners also made a conscious effort to ensure that the whole resort is designed in a sustainable way using environmentally-friendly materials
Guests can enjoy a spectacular view of the Andaman Sea and a canopy of lush rainforest with its unique flora and fauna guaranteed to thrill. Eagles, gibbons, macaques, giant black squirrels, moths, are just some of the animals that can easily be sighted during one’s stay at the delightful Ambong Ambong.
The pristine Cenang beach with its pretty cove and clear azure waters is but a 5 minutes’ walk away from the hotel for those who are able to tear themselves away from their cottage.
The staff members are friendly and helpful, and the owners are lovely, charming and knowledgeable of all things Langkawi, and can provide the best advice on activities, history, and cultural insight into the island.
The resort has a pool of its own as well as an Ayurvedic treatment and spa facility. At the foot of the resort is an award-winning Japanese restaurant whose Japanese chef was formerly employed by the The Andaman Langkawi.
Like some of his compatriots, Chef Katsuji Takabayashi fell in love with Langkawi and decided to make it his home. And, like most Japanese chefs, Chef Takabayashi only works with fresh produce waiting to be transformed through his artistic culinary skills and talent into delectable dishes for his customers.
The sashimi, kaisen, tempura, and cold soba dishes were beautifully prepared, but the highlight of the meal was the selection of home-made ice-cream that Takabayashi-san makes himself.
Away from Ambong Ambong, the other notable hotels in the vicinity are La Pari Pari and the über chic Bon Ton resort. La Pari Pari is also located on the Pantai Tengah stretch and boasts 12 rooms over one and a half acres of lush land. Owned and run by two girls who left the city for the island life, it offers its guests a swimming pool, a resident restaurant called the fatCUPID, a gift shop, landscaped garden, and a tree house to bring out the inner child in their guests.
Bon Ton resort has made a name for itself as a stylish boutique hotel in Langkawi with eight antique-styled Malay villas, and a celebrated fusion restaurant called Nam. The resort is set amidst coconut trees, sprawling grounds and sandy white beaches.
The villas were transplanted from different parts of Malaysia, meticulously restored and refurbished by the owner and proprietor extraordinaire into the chic and stylish villas that they are today. Not content with a thriving business to run, the owner has embarked on a notable CSR-initiative to set up an animal shelter to house the island’s strays.
These boutique hotels are but a few of the nice changes added to the relatively unspoiled natural and historical attractions that Langkawi has to offer. There is plenty to keep visitors busy from the usual aquatic sports and expeditions to mangrove safaris, cycling adventures, bird watching and other outdoor fun and activities.
What I did not have time to discover is the island’s party scene. But I’m sure, if I had looked hard enough, I would have been led to an underground party scene not made known to the uninitiated, a mission that I have set for myself for my next visit.
Langkawi has got something to offer to everyone and I just can’t wait for my next visit to what is now (to me at least) the isle du jour.
