3 years ago, our trip to Langkawi was planned out of the blue. It was a short and memorable trip, might have been one of the best trips I ever had. Let me walk you through this trip to lively Langkawi!

Langkawi is an island located in peninsular Malaysia. The day we landed there, the first thing I observed in the thirty minutes of the drive to our Airbnb was…FIELDS. Endless acres of paddy fields. Along with the farmers working tirelessly in those vibrant green rice farms, I spotted many scarecrows crafted creatively to……..yes! Scare away the crows. This instantly reminded me of India, and our cab driver enriched us with a lot of new information on rice, coconut, and rubber plantations. I was mesmerized by the raw beauty and serenity around me, and I knew immediately that I was going to enjoy every moment of my 3-day trip.

By the time we reached our Airbnb, it was almost dark. It was difficult to locate the exact location of the villa. Finally, we figured out a sharp turn and drove on a bumpy road to reach the villa. Ok, I’m not going to lie The villa creeped me out a bit. It was a quaint, little villa near the quiet part of the forest. It almost, almost seemed semi-haunted, somewhat like an abandoned mansion. I overheard my mom whispering to our family friends that the place looked nothing like the pictures they had referred to while booking the place. We were greeted by a middle-aged man who carried our luggage into the house. The interior was not as creepy as the exterior. The villa housed big windows, gorgeous chandeliers, comfortable couches, and enormous beds. It was surrounded by a full-length balcony that extended around the entire house. As we were terribly hungry, we grabbed our dinner and planned for the next day’s adventures. The next morning, I got a clearer view of the villa, quietly nestled in nature’s lap. I missed my friends and wished they were here because the place was perfect for a scavenger hunt game. I stepped into the balcony and saw a big, wobbly picnic table laid with a heavenly breakfast. Every morning, Prata, fried rice, boiled eggs, fresh homemade jam, and buttered bread with creamy milk would be set out for us by the caretaker. And the icing on the cake was this big Golden retriever, with a big bushy tail greeting me every morning.

On the first day, we visited the Geoforest park. There were several boat rentals available to explore the mangroves. The boat ride was quite vexatious for me, given the fact that I was not a confident swimmer then. What if the boat toppled? I was terrified at how the boat rocked every time there was a huge wave, and that resulted in me clinging to my father. Eventually, I relaxed and enjoyed the cool mist. Em laughed in delight, letting the spray hit her face. The mangrove forest was hideous. The guide did not take us inside. Apparently, the roots of mangroves are so entangled, they can capsize a boat! I was also surprised that mangroves housed so many creatures, from the gentlest to the most poisonous animals. The swift motion of eagles plummeting down from the sky to catch their prey made me admire the predator’s skill. We saw some ancient caves, some with stalagmites, and also spotted the vertical hills. After the boat ride, as we walked back, we saw a load of monkeys of every size (one baby monkey completely resembled Em in its behavior), and I clutched my food, hoping they wouldn’t steal it. However, I could not save my 100-plus bottle😉. In the evening we visited Pantai Cenang (Pantai possibly means beach) and the dinner with a view of the sunset was an absolutely delightful experience. The sunset was breathtaking, and we silently watched the last crimson vestiges of the sun fade away while enjoying the delicious local cuisines.

The next day, we visited the Langkawi Sky Cab. The ride in the cable car was fascinating. We spent the next few hours in the cable car. The view was awe-inspiring with the Machincang mountain range at the backdrop. We captured nearly a bazillion photos. When we reached the highest station, I felt that I could actually touch at least a few fluffy clouds. We could see the whole Langkawi from there. And when I looked down, I nearly screamed. I found myself standing on a glass floor and my feet went numb. I thought it would break! The walk on the sky bridge was thrilling. We could see all the greenery and the swaying treetops in the gentle breeze. Although the view was breathtaking, I had butterflies in my stomach throughout. My parents were excitedly discussing about a Bollywood movie being shot at that location featuring Shahrukh Khan. I could not relate to the excitement but I definitely enjoyed the conversation. By the end of the day, I was drop-dead tired and just wanted to retire in undisturbed slumber.

The next day, was the best part of the trip. We were visiting the Tanjung Rhu beach. It was scorching hot but that did not matter because the beach was pristine, the water was Prussian blue, and the spotlessly white sand was perfect to play with sand toys. Em played with her sand toys and was covered from head to toe in sand. I actually thought that she was a sandman (not a snowman). I collected many shells, played with a frisbee, and enjoyed the cool water. I was extremely disappointed that we had to leave, but my parents promised to bring us there again.

With the current pandemic situation, these memories are the best treasures. Have you ever been to Langkawi? Did you enjoy the beauty of it? And most of all, did a monkey EVER steal your food? Tell me in the comments below!

Signing off…