The fresh fruit is amazing in this part of the world...one of our favorites that we discovered in Langkawi was the Mangosteen. Dark purple thick skin with sweet white fruit on the inside.
Langkawi is a popular vacation spot for Malaysians wanting to escape Penang for a few days or for a holiday weekend and it is a nice stop over for those wanting to cross the Thai-Malaysian border. (Jon and I mainly chose this route due to the states recommendation to avoid crossing the border at Hat Yai, although we later met several fellow travelers who crossed here without any problems.)
We discovered many of the hotels to be overpriced, especially compared to what you got for less in Thailand. However, using the method of one person sitting with the bags and the other searching for a hotel Jon finally found a great spot only a few hours later--the White Lodge (Pantai (Malay for beach) Cenang). You wont find it in the Lonely Planet or online yet because it recently opened and they are still completing some work before they set up a website. For 70 ringets (RM) a night the room was the nicest room yet...very boutiquey...huge room with a queen size comfy bed with soft, beautiful linens and a lovely bathroom. The room was super clean and came with fresh flowers every day even in the toilet! What it does lack right now is a real reception area, common area, and landscaping. It is also located some distance from the center of Cenang Beach but we still think it is the best place to stay and the best value.
Jons 30th Birthday....
The day before I sent Jon para-sailing and although the thrill was short-lived, it was an awesome experience for both of us...I got some cool video that well have to show everyone later. We had a great italian dinner at TJs that night and talked to the British owner for quite some time. She was super sweet and gave us helpful tips. She also treated us to a glass of Benedictine after we finished the famous Banoffee Pie (it is mentioned in the movie--Love Actually.)
The day of his b-day we rented a car (50 RM all day--best place is the small internet cafe combo travel agency just a few doors north of TJs on the right--look for cars parked with wipers up in air) and toured the island. It took Jon most of the day to get used to a) driving on the wrong side of the road, b) driving manually with stick shift on the left and c) switching on the turn signal and not the windshield wipers! Ha! GT (good times)! One of the highlights of our trip so far was the gondola ride up 3,000 feet from the Oriental Village. The village is not worth your time except you must walk thru to get to the gondola ride. It really is an awesome view!!
For dinner we followed the owner of TJs suggestion...Bon Ton Resort. It is owned and run by an Aussie woman who also runs an animal shelter on the property. The resort comprises of several renovated 18th century traditional Malay houses so it has a ton of character and lots of beautiful cats running around. We ordered the seafood platter and it was delicious. The staff were first class and they made Jons b-day special with a special cheesecake and loud singing which other patrons joined in on!!
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