Langkawi Island - Mangrove Tour (Final Part)

While we were waiting for the guys and Ash at the Fish Farm, our boatman told us that for another RM100, we could extend the tour by another hour and he would take out to the open sea as well as visit some of the surrounding islands. He said going out to the open sea is a totally different experience compared to the mangrove. As tempting as it might sound, we decided not to go for it because it was way too hot in the mid day sun. If the weather was cooler or more cloudy, we might have taken up that offer.

After they have finished with their Fish Farm tour, we were ready to head out to see the eagles! Our boatman told us that this section of the river was wider and doesn't have that many bends, therefore he would pick up speed and told us to grab on to the rails and hold on tight. Check out the short vid that I took (no, I wasn't holding on to the rails...it was fast, but not THAT fast :P). Please excuse the lil typo at the end of the vid...I know :P I only realized it after I uploaded it onto YouTube.

Boy, that was fun! At certain times, our boat was literally flying above the water. What a thrill! After about 10 minutes or so, our boatman slowed down and turned into what seemed like a lagoon. There were tall trees and high cliffs all around us. He told us that this was the eagle feeding site.

When we first arrived, I looked up and saw maybe one or two eagles flying above us. I was thinking to myself, is that all? I hope there would be more eagles or else, I'll be pretty disappointed. Our boatman explained to us that two types of eagles can be found in Langkawi. The Brahminy Kite Eagle and the White Bellied Sea Eagle. The Kilim mangrove area has been their home since about 40 years ago. The Brahminy Kite Eagle lives in the tall mangrove trees while the White Bellied Sea Eagles would have it's nest up in the sea cliffs. Remember the picture of the huge eagle that we took on our first day in Langkawi? Well, thats the Brahminy Kite Eagle and Langkawi is named after it's reddish brown feathers.

While he was talking about the eagles, he was also making lots of noise with his boat motor. He explained that the noise attracts the eagles and it was like a signal to get them to come out. They would usually feed the eagles chicken skin or chicken parts, so when the eagles hear the motor sound, they know that it's feeding time! True enough, more and more eagles started appearing. Before we knew it, the sky was just filled with eagles and they started to swoop down towards the water to grab it's food. I seriously have never seen so many eagles together at the same time before. Photos doesn't really do justice at how cool it was, so I took a short video clip too. Check it out!

Wasn't that just awesome? If you are ever in Langkawi, you should totally go for the Mangrove Tour. From the thousands of bats at the Bat Cave to the shooting/spitting Archer Fish at the Fish Farm and now this. It was really an interesting experience. After the tour, we went back to the hotel to check out, ate some lunch, did some last minute shopping and soon, it was time to head to the airport to fly to Penang! We were in Penang for a week to celebrate Chinese New Year as well as my Dad's 60th Birthday. Will have more posts in the future about the stuff we did and all the things that we ate in Penang :P Overall, our short vacation in Langkawi was superb. Fun places to visit, cheap booze and chocolates, yummy fresh seafood and most importantly, time well spent with the family. That was indeed the best part of the whole trip =D Thanks mom and dad for planning and sponsoring such an awesome vacation!

Langkawi Island - Mangrove Tour (Part II)

After coming out from the Bat Cave, we hopped onto our speedboat and we're off again! We went back the route we came from, pass the Kilim Jetty and before we knew it, the river grew wider and there wasn't as many tall mangrove trees around anymore. It was mostly limestone caves with high cliffs and some trees (of course). Looks like we were heading nearer to the open sea.

We also passed by quite a number of small yachts and sail boats. I'm guessing they dock their boats in the calm waters whenever they are not out sailing in the open waters. After a couple more turns, we saw this floating pontoon like structure ahead of us. Our boatman told us that it was the Kilim Fish Farm.

By the time we arrived at the Fish Farm, it was already almost mid day and it was scorching hot. My mom and I were not really interested to brave the super hot sun to visit some smelly fish farm so we decided to stay in the cooling shade of our boat :P So, it was just Kevin, Ash and my dad this time around. After getting off the boat, they were greeted by a 'tour guide' and they were brought to an area of pontoon walkways with man made cages filled with various kinds of fishes.

According to them, their guide was really funny and told a lot of jokes. Not only did they get to look at the fishes from afar, they also got some hands on time with a few of the fishes. Here is Kevin with the guide at the Archer Fish cage. The guide placed a tiny piece of bread on Kevin's finger and without missing a beat, the fish shot a spray of water and it hit the piece of bread, spot on. According to the guide, the fish would sometimes jump up and get the bread too. Kevin was pretty amazed at how accurate it's aim was, especially from under water.

Here is my dad and Ash with the horseshoe crab. Not only were they given the opportunity hold the horseshoe crab but the guide also placed the horseshoe crab on their hands and head for a 'massage'. I guess it must be some sort of Fish Farm guide humor. :P

Ahhh this is pretty cool. This is the Stingray cage. It was quite an experience for Kevin to actually get a chance to touch and pet a Stingray. I think he looks pretty nervous here. I would be too, those guys are hugggeee! Apart from learning about fishes at the farm, there is also a restaurant where you can have lunch or dinner. We didn't have lunch there but from what I hear, the prices can be a little steep. You can basically get seafood just as fresh from the seafood restaurants in town for half it's price. There is also a small sundry store where you can buy snacks, ice cream and drinks as well as a restroom (not so sure about the cleanliness though). Next stop on the tour - Eagle feeding! Woohoo!

Langkawi Island - Mangrove Tour (Part I)

On the last day of our trip to Langkawi, we thought that it would be a good experience to go on a tour of the Kilim River mangrove. The tour would allow us to explore the Kilim River ecosystem by boat, with stops at the Bat Cave, Fish Farm as well as witness some Eagle Feeding. There are many tour companies around Langkawi offering such packages, with prices ranging from about RM80 til up to RM200 per person! We know that all the tours cover the same things and they start from the same place. So, the cheapest way to go about this is to go to the source, the Kilim River Jetty itself. This way, you can eliminate all the middle men and deal directly with the boat operators.

Getting to the Kilim Jetty is pretty simple. From Kuah town, just head towards Galeria Perdana. Once you pass Galeria Perdana, keep a look out for small signs saying 'Kilim Jetty' or 'Kilim Geopark'. Once you see the sign, turn into that small road and it will lead you to the jetty. There are ample parking spaces in front of the jetty. The best time to go would be either early in the morning or late in the evening. We were told that that's the best time to spot wildlife and of course, it won't be that hot.

The price is pretty much fixed (so don't bother trying to bargain), RM150 per boat for a 1 hour tour which includes stops at the Bat Cave, Fish Farm and Eagle Feeding. You can fit up to 8 people per boat, so if you have a small party, you should just hang around and try to share a boat with other tourist. Since there are 5 of us, we just decided to get one whole boat to ourselves. Only RM30 per person, not too bad at all.

After paying the boat operator, we were off! It was pretty interesting to navigate through the twist and turns of the mangrove, with tall trees and abundent wildlife. We saw some kingfishers while we were there and if you are lucky, you would be able to spot a few monkeys as well. After a short 10 minute ride, we saw the pier of the Bat Cave ahead of us.

The Bat Cave actually consist of two caves. The smaller cave is only approx 270 square meters, with a low roof and the bigger cave is about 750 square meters, with a 10m high roof and is about 60m long. As the name suggest, the Bat Cave is home to four different species of fruit and insectivorous bats. Unknown to many, Malaysia has a high species diversity of bats, with 117 different species (20 species of fruit bats and 97 species of insect bats). One would also be able to have a breathtaking view of many stalactites and stalagmites formations in the caves.

The entrance to the cave is just a short walk from the pier. There is a wooden platform that runs throughout the entire length of the cave, so it's pretty safe and you can stay dry at all times. However, it can be quite dark inside, especially on cloudy days. So, it would be wise to bring along a powerful flashlight to fully enjoy the experience. You can rent a flashlight at the pier for RM1 before you head out to the caves.

Check out the magnificent stalactites and stalagmites formations! Initially when we first entered the cave, we didn't want to use any flash photography, because we didn't want to disturb the bats. Therefore, we couldn't really get very good photos. Most of them turned out all green and grainy, like the photo above. We also commented that there were not many bats around, maybe because it was too dark and we couldn't really see them. After a while, I realized that everybody else was using flash photography, so I decided to join them. Check out this pic!

YESSSSS....those are alll bats!!! OMG! I was totally grossed out when I saw that photo on my camera view finder. Thousands and thousands of bats, all hanging above us. Now I was pretty glad that we were in semi darkness. If not, I wouldn't even want to go into the cave! I knew that my mom and Ashley were really freaked out, just by being in the cave. So, I didn't show any of them the photo until after we were out of the cave and out in the bright sunlight. Ewwwww...so gross.

Here is another one. Look at how terrified Ashley looked, and that was even before they knew there were so many bats hanging above them. At certain parts of the cave, the ceiling was really low and I bet, the bats were just mere inches above our heads. Sooo gross! Thinking of it now still makes my spine tingle! :P

Ahhhh he looks relieved to be getting out of the cave and out in the sun! I would say that as much as it was gross, it was a pretty good experience. Now it's time for us to hop back into the boat and head out to the Fish Farm. Stay tune...all that and more in the next post.

Palm View Seafood Restaurant

After a whole day of sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel to rest up for a bit before dinner. My parents and Ashley went down to the beach for a swim and also to redeem their welcome drink from the poolside bar (I believe it was some Lemongrass drink). Kevin, who was still trying to recover from jet lag, was totally knocked out cold and I spent the remaining afternoon surfing the net in our nice A/C room (the jet lag didn't really bother me but I was having a tough time adjusting to the heat). It was good just to relax! :D

By the time we finally got ready to head out to dinner, it was pretty late in the evening. We decided to return to Pantai Cenang and try another one of the seafood restaurants there. There were quite a lot to choose from but we ended up going to Palm View Seafood Restaurant. I guess we were attracted by the bright lights and red lanterns :PJust like all of the seafood restaurants along Pantai Cenang, Palm View Seafood has a host of different live seafood to choose from. Since we didn't get our crab fix from Orkid Ria the night before, we were really looking forward to some yummy crabs that night. The lady told us that a new fresh batch of crabs just arrived and she brought us to a back room to pick out a few. I guess that was the first mistake of the night. When the waitress brings you to a 'special room' to pick out seafood, you know that it wasn't going to be cheap!

The waitress also kept on 'promoting' the mantis prawns. She said that it was very fresh and they just brought in some new stock earlier that day. So we agreed to go take a look at it. While we were out there choosing our seafood, we changed our minds about the mantis prawns and said that we would like regular prawns instead (cos the only way they would cook mantis prawns is to steam it and we wanted butter prawns). The waitress wasn't too happy and gave an excuse that the kitchen was too busy and they won't have time to make butter prawns, so we should just get the mantis prawns instead. We know that it's just an excuse because, A: how can the kitchen be too busy? The restaurant wasn't even half full and B: mantis prawns cost about 3 times more than regular prawns! So, if she were to sell us regular prawns, she would make less money. In the end, we didn't really want to argue with her and picked out a few mantis prawns. Check out the size of the prawn!

So, apart from crabs and mantis prawns, what else did we order? Well, we ordered a plate of sea scallops cooked with shark fin (yes I do eat shark fin and I'm not ashamed of it!), shitake mushrooms, garlic and superior stock. It was pretty good actually. The stock was really sweet and yummy.

We also shared a plate of Hokkien Fried Noodles. It wasn't as nice as the noodles from Orkid Ria but it was alright. They used a lot more dark soy sauce and there wasn't as much shrimp and meat in this noodles. I guess it could have been worse, so no complains here.

Ahhh the controversial mantis prawns :P It was steamed with Chinese herbs and topped with cilantro. It's funny that they should call it a prawn. In my opinion, the meat tasted more like a lobster instead of a prawn. This dish was pretty good too. You couldn't really taste the Chinese herbs (it just enough to compliment the prawns) at all and the meat was firm and fresh.

Here we go. The piece de resistance! Sweet and Sour Chili Crab. Mmm mmm mmmmm. We have been waiting to eat this for the longest time and boy, I'm glad we were not disappointed. We finally got our dose of crabs! The crabs were indeed very fresh and the sweet and sour sauce was good too. Definitely worth the wait. Generally the food in Palm View is pretty good and the seafood is fresh. You just have to be careful when ordering. If not, you will end up with a really big bill at the end of the night.The waitresses would just try and push the most expensive dishes. So, do not get swayed by the waitresses, order what you want to eat and not what they try to 'recommend'. With that in mind, I'm pretty sure you will have a good meal in Palm Ville Seafood.

Palm View Seafood Restaurant
Lot 1584 Pantai Cenang,
Langkawi 07000,
Kedah
Tel: (604) 955 9008

The Loaf - Telaga Harbour Park, Langkawi

After the Oriental Village, we headed towards Pantai Kok to check out Telaga Harbour Park. Langkawi is well known as a major sailing and yachting destination, so it is no suprise that many marinas can be found all over the island. However, Telaga Harbour is one of the more popular ones and is said to be the most beautiful. From the moment we got there, I can see the reason why. The whole marina is landscaped and designed to resemble a Mediterranean-style harbour town of the French Riviera, with beautiful luxury yachts docked at the harbour. For a split second, I forgot that I was actually in Malaysia! Of course, the amazing view of the Andaman Sea as well as the Mt Matchingcang range reminded me that yes, we are still in Langkawi :D

Perdana Quay is the place to go if you are looking to wine and dine in Telaga Harbour Park. There are many restaurants (mostly high end ones) for you to choose from. Since we were there in the afternoon, there wasn't much activity going on. I can just imagine how it will be like when the sun goes down. With awesome views of the Andaman Sea, you can choose to dine al fresco or inside. I can't remember exactly all the restaurants that is there but I know that there is a Russian (Restaurant USSR), Seafood (Pulau Pulau Seafood) and Italian (Mare Blue) restaurant. Of course, the famous Loaf Bakery & Bistro is also located at Perdana Quay.

I have heard so much about The Loaf that we just had to go check it out. Opened in 2006, this is the original branch of The Loaf (there is now a branch in Pavillion, KL too). Owned by Malaysia's 4th Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir, The Loaf is well known for it's bread and pastries that are baked using traditional Japanese techniques.

Check out the almost full basket of pastries that we picked out (RM4 - RM7 a piece)! I must say that they don't come cheap but they sure taste awesome :P Apart from it being a bakery, The Loaf is also a dine in cafe with a full ala carte menu. If you are ever around the area during breakfast, it is said that you have to try Tun Dr Mahathir's favorite breakfast set (RM22). It consist of a bowl of fragrant mutton curry, two soft boiled eggs and chunky toasted bread. Sounds good to me!

Another 'must have' when you are at The Loaf are their Mini Uhu! Uh!s. Mini what??? What's that? :P Well, let's just say they are little cups of heaven! They are tiny cup cake size cheese cakes, available in many different flavors. I believe there are 20 flavors in total, some with wacky names like Coco Loco and Glitzy Strawberries. There are also some 'Malaysianized' flavors like Splendid Kaya, Refreshing Longan, Enticing Rouge (air bandung) and of course, Durian Obsession. These tiny cheese cakes don't come cheap though. A single cup cost RM3.20, 1/2 a dozen is RM16.50 and a dozen will set you back RM31.90! I guess it's worth it if you are a big cheese cake fan :D I'm glad we stopped by The Loaf to pick up some snacks. The pastries were yummy and even though it's a little bit on the expensive side, I think it's well worth it. Maybe we should have brunch there the next time we are in Langkawi!

The Loaf Bakery & Bistro
Lot No C9 Perdana Quay,
Telaga Harbour Park,
Pantai Kok, 07000 Langkawi,
Kedah, Malaysia
Tel: (604) 959 4866
Fax: (604) 959 4803

Langkawi Island - Langkawi Cable Car

Our ride on the Langkawi Cable Car was the highlight of our visit to the Oriental Village. It officially opened in 2003 and it's one of Langkawi Island's newest and most popular attraction. We boarded the cable car gondola from the Base Station at the Oriental Village. Each gondola can hold up to six adults. A round trip ticket would set you back RM25 (approx US$8) for adults and RM18 (approx US$5.50) for children. There is a discount for Malaysians though. All you need to do is show them your MYKAD and it's only RM15 for round trip tickets.

The total length (from Base Station to Top Station) is about 2.2km (1.4 miles) and the trip takes about 30 minutes. The ride itself from the Base Station to Middle Station is pretty cool. You will get an opportunity to glide over the rainforest while taking in the panoramic views of the surrounding islands and the Andaman Sea. If you look hard enough, you will be able to see the Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) waterfalls. On good days, you can also sometimes catch a glimpse of wildlife like monkeys, hornbills, eagles as well as other birds.

The Langkawi Cable Car has also been endorsed by the Malaysian Book of Records as the "The Longest Free Span Single Rope Cable Car – 919.5 meter (in total length)". Oh and a little warning for those of you who are afraid of heights. It also holds another record. At 42 degrees, the Langkawi Cable Car has one of the steepest gradient in the world!

There is an intermediate Cable Car station between the Base and Top Station. The journey from the Base Station to Middle Station covers 1,700 meters in length and the Middle Station at an elevation of 650m above sea level. Upon arriving at the Middle Station, we were able to walk onto viewing platforms where we got an awesome panoramic view of sea as well as the opportunity to view the unique rock formations of the Matchingcang Mountain Range up close. Check out the vid that I took from the Middle Station. Boy, it was such a windy day!

From the Middle Station, we could also see the Top Station as well as the Curve Hanging Bridge. The bridge was opened in 2005 and since then, it's unique design has won many reputable awards worldwide. I must say that the bridge is definitely not for the faint hearted. It is a 125m curve pedestrian bridge that goes across a deep chasm, linking the Top Station with the Machincang mountain range. Just looking at it gives me goosebumps! :P

Alrighty, it's time to board the cable car gondola again for a quick ride upwards to the Top Station! The distance between the Middle and Top Station is a mere 450 meters away. Woohoo! Off to the Curve Hanging Bridge we go!

After a short cable car ride, we are at the Top Station. A short walk up a few flights of stairs took us to two viewing platforms, at the top of Mt Matchingcang. At 708m above sea level, it provides an awesome 360 degree panoramic view of the islands surrounding Langkawi Island and Kedah. On really clear days, you can even see Thailand from there! The view was truly breathtaking. There is also a cafe where you can purchase light refreshments as well as a traditional massage parlour up at the viewing platforms. Next stop, the Curve Hanging Bridge!

To get to the Curve Hanging Bridge, one has to trek downhill for a short distance. There is no shade and with the direct mid day sun above you, it can be quite tedious. If you think the trek down is bad, wait til you try to climb back up. It's alright for younger people but the older folks and those that are not exactly fit can find it to be a little taxing. Cardio baby, cardio! With that said, I must admit that the experience on the Curve Hanging Bridge itself was worth all that trekking! It's totally awesome! However, if you are afraid of heights, this can be quite a terrifying experience. With a hanging bridge over such a deep chasm, looking over the railings of the bridge can give any person (not just those who are afraid of heights) white knuckles! :P Overall, we had a great time at the Oriental Village as well as a fun ride up the Cable Car. From the Oriental Village, we went to get a snack at the most famous bakery in Langkawi. Know where that is? Stay tuned to find out!

Langkawi Island - Oriental Village

We woke up bright and early (not because we are early risers, but coz we were still jet lagged :P) and headed to the hotel's coffee house for some breakfast. It was great that we could dine al fresco, since the sun was just rising and it wasn't that hot yet. Ahhh, having breakfast by the sea, with the cool breeze blowing on our faces and sounds of waves crashing on the shore. What a life! It's great to be on vacation. Oh and for those of you planning to stay in Frangipani in the future, you HAVE to check out their omelet station. The chef makes the most awesome omelets ever! If you don't believe me, ask Ashley. She told us that she was planning to get TWO helpings of omelets the next day! Anyways, after filling up our tummies, we headed out to explore the island.

For our first stop, we decided to check out the Oriental Village. The Oriental Village is located in the Burau Bay area, at the foothills of the (Gunung) Machingcang Mountain Range. The Machincang Mountain Range is the oldest rock formation in Malaysia and is the first UNESCO GeoPark in South-East Asia. The Oriental Village is made up of small shops and restaurants, built around a beautiful lake and is also the base station for the Langkawi Cable Car ride. The Langkawi Geopark Hotel is also located inside the Oriental Village. How much does it cost to get in? Well, entrance to the Oriental Village is free! However, you have to buy tickets to participate in various activities offered inside the village.

Ahhhh, here is the map of the Oriental Village. So, what's there to do here? Lots! Of course the main attraction is the cable car (will blog more about that in the next post). Apart from that, you can also visit the Langkawi Geopark Information Center. It is a small air-conditioned gallery where you can find pre historic stones, dating as far back as one billion years (I personally don't agree with this fact, but that's what the sign says). If this is not exactly your thing, you can also find many shops selling all kinds of duty free items and souvenirs in the Oriental Village. There are also many 'entertainers' walking around the village, ranging from snake charmers, silat (Malay martial art) masters, jugglers to caricature artists. If you are an animal lover, you can also visit the mini zoo where you can feed deer, rabbits, fishes and ducks. Entrance is free and you can buy a packet of animal food for RM1 (approx US$0.31). Oh and for those of you seeking a little adventure, you can go for an elephant ride in the secondary forest of the Matchingcang Mountain Range. Quad bikes and ATVs are also available for rental.

Are there any food available in the Oriental Village? Sure there is! There are all types of dining choices available in the Oriental Village. If you are looking for a snack, you can pick up drinks and ice cream from the many souvenir shops. There is also an inexpensive food court called "Kopitiam" where you can get noodle or rice dishes for around RM3 - RM8 (approx US$0.90 - US$2.50) per plate. There are also some nice sit down restaurants available in the Oriental Village. Among the more popular ones are Krathong (a Thai restaurant) and Mizumi, a Japanese restaurant run by the Berjaya Resort and Spa.

The Oriental Village is indeed a well planned tourist attraction. There is lots to do for everyone. If only the weather wasn't so hot and humid, we would have done so much more (maybe we should have rented a segway and zoomed around, instead of walking :P). Check out the Matchingcang Mountain Range and the beautiful lake behind us. It looks almost like a picture out from a postcard. Ahhh well, it's time to take the cable car up 708m above sea-level to the viewing platform at the top of Mt Matchingcang. Will blog about it in my next post. Stay tuned!

Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant - Pantai Cenang

After picking up my mom and sister from the airport and resting up for a bit at the hotel, we decided to head out to Pantai Cenang in search of a good seafood restaurant for dinner. Pantai Cenang is one of the more popular stretch of beach in Langkawi and it's lined with many restaurants, hotels and shops. It's practically dead in the daytime but when the sun goes down, it comes alive with tourist flocking to the many seafood restaurants and pubs around that area.

No visit to Langkawi is complete without a seafood dinner (we had seafood almost everyday we were there :P). There were quite a number of seafood restaurants to choose from but we decided to go to Orkid Ria. That restaurant has been around for the longest time. I remember eating in Orkid Ria as a child whenever we visited Langkawi, way back in the day. Of course it was in another location and way smaller, but the food is still the same. Good fresh seafood! The decor of the place has changed too, from a simple open air shop lot to fancy lights and cafe style tables and chairs.

What I really like about Orkid Ria is the fresh seafood. You can walk up to the front, pick your seafood and the waiter will suggest various ways to cook it. Here are some of the different fishes available that night and pictures of the various ways they can cook the fish.

Here is Ashley looking at the lobsters and tiger prawns. Lobsters and other seafood are generally cheaper in Langkawi, compared to bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur. Man, check out the size of the tiger prawn! It's almost as big as the lobsters :P The only disappointment of the night was when we wanted to order crabs but we were told that they didn't have any crabs that night. What a downer! :( Oh well, there are other nights I guess...

Wanna see what we ordered? Well, we had a Grilled Snapper with some sort of sweet sauce. We initially wanted grilled stingray but they didn't have any available. So, the waiter picked out a decent size snapper for us. That was a good choice. The fish was really fresh and good. It was still alive when the waiter picked it out! Cooking fish can sometimes be a little tricky - there is a very fine line between uncooked and overcooked. Guess what? This fish was amazing! It was grilled to perfection, with crispy skin and the flesh was firm and moist. Yummy!

We wanted to try some sort of shellfish, so we ordered some Bamboo Clams (aka Razor Clams). Some places have really tiny and thin clams but the ones we got that night was huge. It was as thick as my finger, really big and juicy (the clams, not my finger!). Also, unlike most places, it didn't come with any shell. I just hate it when there are tiny pieces of shell all over the place. So, this is good. Very good.

What else did we order? Ahhh, a plate of steamed prawns with egg. This is really good. A light and delicate dish, with prawns lightly steamed with egg, soy sauce and Chinese wine. It is then topped with fresh ginger, shallots, coriander, and fried garlic. Again, the prawns were really fresh and super sweet. Another thumbs up for this dish.

As a filler, we order some Hokkien Fried Mee Hoon (rice noodles). It's fried with some shrimps, fish cake, chicken slices, mustard greens and topped with some fried onions. It's also good, not super great and not bad either. Nothing to complain or rave about I guess. It's just fried noodles :P

Overall, we had an awesome dinner. Yummy fresh seafood and great company! What else can a person ask for? I must admit that it's not exactly cheap but the quality of the food makes up for it. Judging from the smiling faces of everybody in the photo, I must say that they too agree with me that it was a good dinner!

Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant
Lot 1225, Pantai Cenang
Mukim Kedawang, 07000 Langkawi
Kedah, Malaysia
Tel: (604) 955-4128
Fax: (604) 955-3128

Langkawi Island - Playing Tourist with Dad

While we were back in Malaysia during Chinese New Year (well, a week before CNY), we took a short trip to Langkawi with my parents and sister. It's been a while since we all went on a family vacation, so we were really looking forward to this. Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, about 30 km northwest of the coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main island (Langkawi Island) is only about a 45 mins flight away from Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. It is also accessible by high speed air conditioned boats from Kuala Kedah (RM23, 105 minutes), Kuala Perlis (RM18, 75 minutes) and Penang Island (RM60, 165 minutes). Oh and before I forget, Langkawi is also a duty free island! Yup, that's right...it means cheap alcohol and imported chocolates! A can of beer cost less than a bottle of water or soda in Langkawi! Beautiful beaches, amazing sunsets, cheap chocolates and booze...what more could a person ask for? :D

Kevin and I took the first flight out from KL (I believe it was a 7am flight) and my dad flew in from Penang about an hour later. My mom and sister only flew in later that afternoon because my sister could only leave after school. Car rentals are really cheap in Langkawi (because it's a duty free island) and we managed to rent a MPV for the three days we were there. A small compact car (Myvi or Kancil) is only about RM50 per day during the low season. How much did we pay for our Toyota Avanza? I don't know, we got our Toyota Avanza for FREE! One of my cousin's friend managed to hook us up with a rental company and he paid for everything (thanks Robert, we really appreciate it!). We picked up the MPV from the airport and drove to our hotel to check in. We stayed at The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa. My dad managed to get a good rate (again, some friend's son hooked us up) for that resort. We only paid RM350 nett per night as opposed to the rack rate of RM600++. What a good deal!

After checking in, we still had a whole day to check out the island before my mom and sister arrive. We decided to play tourist and drove around the island, stopping at various tourist spots. Armed with a map of the island, we were off! Our first stop was Awana Porto Malai (since it was pretty close to our hotel).

Awana Porto Malai is a hotel located at the south most tip of Langkawi. With it's Mediterranean influence architecture and long boardwalk with amazing views of the lagoon, Awana Porto Malai is indeed a beautiful place. We also enjoyed looking at all the nice yachts that were docked at the marina. The yacht 'Jalur Gemilang' belonging to Dato Azlan Mansor (1st Malaysian to sail solo around the globe) is supposed to be docked there too.

Our next stop was The Field of Burnt Rice. Here is Kevin, standing in front of the famous spot. So, what's the story behind this place and why is it so famous? Well, soon after the death of Mahsuri, the Siamese invaded Langkawi Island. The chief of the Langkawi army came up with a great plan. He ordered all the villages to collect all their paddy harvest and burn it at this spot. This was done so that the Siamese could not get a hold of the paddy, which was the main reason for the invasion. With that, Langkawi was free from the Siamese! Legend has it that remnants of the burnt rice could still be seen at this spot up til today.

Kevin and I in front of the home of Ku Halim (just next to the field of burnt rice). It is an example of a typical traditional Malay home. No real story behind this, we just thought that it would be cool to take a photo in front of a traditional Malay house! Oh, and if you are looking for cheap sarongs, Malay foodstuff and traditional Malay gamat (sea cucumber used in medicinal remedies), you can pick some up at the bazaar just outside this compound.

Our next stop is the Kota Mahsuri Cultural Center. This is where the tomb of Mahsuri lays. How can you visit Langkawi and not visit the tomb of Mahsuri, right? Well, wrong! I must say that we had such a horrible experience there. Firstly, we now have to pay to get in (it used to be free!). Well, I don't mind paying if it was a token sum but it's RM 5 for Malaysians and RM10 for Foreigners. On top of that, we have to pay RM3 to bring in our camera. RM23 in total just to get in. I asked the person at the counter, apart from the tomb, what else is in there? She said oh there are traditional dances as well as traditional Malay music demonstrations in there. Hmmm, maybe it's worth the RM23 then? Wellllll, no! I then asked her what time those performances are and she just laughed. She didn't know how to answer me. She then turned and asked another guy and he too laugh! I really don't see what's so funny. In the end, I found out that there are NO SUCH PERFORMANCES! It's supposed to be part of the whole 'experience' (which explains the expensive tickets) but I guess they don't have that anymore. So, RM23 just to see a tomb, no thank you! Also, we asked them for directions to The Loaf (will blog about that later) and they gave us the wrong directions! Not a few miles off but they lead us to the other side of the island! Boy, I was so mad at those people.

After a disappointing stop at Kota Mahsuri, we headed to Langkawi Legends Park and Eagle Square (Dataran Lang) which is located near the Kuah Jetty. No visit to Langkawi is complete without a picture in front of the huge eagle! Standing at over 12 meters tall, it's definitely a sight to behold. The name Langkawi is derived from the word "helang", which means eagle and the old Malay old "kawi", which means reddish brown. Hence, Langkawi means reddish brown eagle! By then, it was almost time to head over to the airport to pick my mom and sister up. We made a quick stop at the duty free shop at Underwater World to pick up some beer and continued on to the airport. Want to know what we ate for dinner that night? Will blog more about that the next time!