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Our last day in Thailand saw us cycling off towards the ferry port 10km out of Satun, it was a small port, with mostly western travellers waiting for the ferry boat to the Malaysian Island Resort of Langkawi. Purchasing the tickets and completing immigration was moderately quick and easy, though seeing the ferry boat (more of a passenger speed boat) was more of a concern, hmm… just where are the bikes going to go! The crew had obvisously dealt with bikes in the past and simply lashed them down on the roof! Lashed down and ready to cycle in a new country we took our seats and was whisked away to the Island of Langkawi, some 90 minutes away.
Pulao Langkawi is Malaysia’s premier island retreat – brimming with luxurious 5 star golf and beach resorts, it is certainly not a budget destination! Much of its popularity is due to its duty-free status – so you are never too far from a glitzy shopping mall!! Langkawi is also known as the ‘Island of Legends’ – in true Malay fashion almost every major landmark (lake, river, waterfall, peak) has a myth associated with it – and each story hijacked by tourist authorities to promote the island! Just across from the ferry port is an enormous 60ft statue of a red eagle – the amblem of the island – and a lush lanscaped park with statues depicting the legends from around the island.
We kept away from the expensive beaches and resort areas, and found a decently priced hotel in the town near the port. The island is fairly large, and getting around by taxi quite pricey. So we rented a scooter for the day (a steal at 30 RM a day – approx 5 pounds, including petrol).
We then whizzed off to the Underwater World on the other side of the island – an impressive indoor aquarium that we had heard much about. The entry fees (just like everything else on the island) were EXORBITANT – but we weren’t disappointed. Inside is an impressive collection of fresh water and tropical fish, including some very rare species of sea horses as well as sharks, sting rays, morays, penguins (held in a sub-zero pen), seals, anaconda snakes, flamingos and parrots, and lots of other creatures. Highly recommend it.
After the Underwater World we rode off (Sedef holding for dear life at the back – those who know how fast Nic drives would know why), to a nearby crocodile farm. We didn’t have very high expectations – perhaps one or two big crocs at best, and plenty of juveniles, and was rather pleasantly surprised. There must have been at least 500 crocodiles there – most of them mature adults and MASSIVE (over 6m long). We got there just in time to watch the feeding show – or should we say feeding frenzy!! There was one crocodile there called Snubby which was born with a jaw malformation and had to be isolated from the others and fed like a baby!
After the crocodile farm we had a look at other sights around the island including a rather disappointing black (?) sand beach, and then rode up to the highest summit on the island to watch the sunset…
