Tanjung Rhu, Langkawi – Barbra Stuter

Located about 19 miles off the mainland coast of Malaysia in the Andaman Sea, lies the beautiful island of Langkawi. One in an archipelago of 104 islands (99 at high tide), Langkawi is by far the largest and one of the only inhabited. I hesitate to tell you the best time to go, but you will find the best weather from about November to April, as the island is largely sheltered from the winter monsoons by the mountains of Peninsular Malaysia. The hot dry weather also brings high season with its bigger crowds and higher prices, so I much prefer the rest of the year! Even during rainy season the days are largely sunny, with the rain appearing along with spectacular thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. The feel and scenery really reminded me of Koh Samui, Thailand.


Casa Del Mar, Langkawi – Barbra Stuter

Last time I was on Langkawi, I stayed at the Casa Del Mar on Pantai Cenang. Pantai Cenang is one of the best beaches on Langkawi; 1.2 miles long, wide and central to all the action. There are many beach front resorts within walking distance to a variety of restaurants and happening nightlife. It also has the finest sand on the island which as it turned out was perfect for sandcastle building.

Before I get into my sand castle building story, you must understand that Malaysia is one of the most religious countries in the Muslim world. Over 60% of the total population is Muslim and Islam is the official religion. As you might expect, the majority of the population is very conservative, especially when it comes to female attire. You will see many Arab couples vacationing here, with the women wearing hijab that fully cover from head to toe leaving only a slit for the eyes, on the beach or off. In fact, I saw one couple wading into the water, he in his swimsuit, she wearing a full black head to toe berka. It was surreal and incredibly romantic all at the same time as they waded out into the sea hand in hand. On the beach there is more acceptance of Western behaviors and western bikinis, but you still will get the odd glance from locals and visiting Arabs both male and female, of course.

While building the sand sculptures pictured in my slide show, I was very involved in my construction and not particularly paying attention to my surroundings. As I was completing a very tall obelisk I heard a very deep voice asking; “What is this place?” I looked up and surrounding me and my creation were seven or eight men wearing slacks, long sleeved shirts and street shoes. I, as it turns out, do not have on a hijab. Instead, I have on my hat and a very small bikini. I might have also been drinking a beer. I swallowed audibly as “What is this place?” was repeated.


Langkawi Sand Sculptures – Barbra Stuter

Somehow I managed to convey that it was an imaginary place and not modeled after any location or specific structures. With nods of understanding they ambled off down the beach. Whew. As I watched them walk away, I had visions of what happens to immodest women dancing in my head. In case you are wondering where the obelisk is in my picture, I knocked it over trying to finish it while my hands were still shaking. The funniest part was that the next morning when the tractor was out on the beach grooming the sand, he skirted the whole way around the sand complex, and it remained intact for several days.

Another great daytime activity is to kayak out to one of the nearby uninhabited islands. The tiny pulau Rebak Kecil is only about a 20 minute paddle, and has a nice deserted white sandy beach that you can observe busy Pantai Cenang from. There is great beachcombing here with hundreds of flat, translucent shells (see slideshow) that seem just to magically deposit themselves on top of the fine sand. I didn’t know the name of this island until doing research, and had been referring to it as “Ant Farm Island” (AFI), due to the large number of GIANT ants under the trees. I do not recommend a picnic on AFI. Of course, if Pantai Cenang doesn’t sound like your style, there are plenty of beach options, what with Langkawi being an island and all. Here is a list of my other favorites and a bit of their personality.

Pantai Kok
To the north of Pantai Cenang is a beautiful protected bay that is the home of Pantai Kok. Very remote, and nicely secluded, you are sure to have the beach mostly to yourself. This is also an area with limestone caves for exploring, which you can do with the help of a local guide.
Tanjung Rhu
Tanjung Rhu, located on the very northern tip of the island, is also known as the ‘Casuarina Beach’. See here for a picture of a Casuarina tree. The waters here are shallow, the fine sandy beach very wide and during low tide it is sometimes possible to walk to nearby islands.
Datai Bay
Some of the most beautiful and expensive hotels on the island are along this secluded bay. You can see pictures of this beautiful and quiet beach in my slideshow, but sadly not a hotel review! I think that the frosty beverage I had at the Andaman was about the same as my breakfast for four at Rafi’s Place. On a clear day, you can spot Thailand from here, as well as many other islands dotting the horizon.
Burau Bay
This west coast beach has lots of very picturesque rock outcroppings and several five-star hotels. This is the closest beach to Oriental Village, the jumping off point for the cable car to Gunung Mat Cincang, Langkawi’s second highest peak. Burau Island offers a great destination for bird watching, as it is the roosting place for migratory birds.

Getting here and more information
The easiest way is probably a flight from either KL (five flights daily) or Singapore (one per day) on Asia Air. The flights are cheap and are usually within about an hour of being on time. A great location for more information is the wikitravel entry for Langkawi, which you can find right here.

Source: Examiner.com