Ever a family favourite, we went back to Langkawi this Deepavali long weekend. This island holds a nostalgic feeling for me as it was the first place I went to for a holiday when I moved to Penang, the first place Asraf and I went away to, and somewhere I have spent many memorable moments from hen parties, new years parties and family holidays. It’s always an easy breezy time on Langkawi!
Over the years, Cenang has become less beach bar backpacker and more high end hotel. It feels like the soul of Pantai Cenang has been lost a little with the replacement of the make shift beach shacks selling beers from an ice bucket with the Park Royal Hotel and whatever other big names are in the pipe line. Construction all along this stretch of coast is noisy, dusty and an eye sore. We prefer what is left of Pantai Tengah, right down the end near the food truck area and Dash beach club. Here you can still enjoy the sunset without being run over by a truck pulling jet skid.
We stayed at Villa Temak, which I would definitely recommend. It is a quiet space filled with bungalows and tree houses and a pool. No food on site and no daily housekeeping, but the rooms are clean and big.
First night we got stormed out on the beach and got absolutely soaked. An extreme tropical storm hit and we were stranded under a small roof watching some Russian women drinking wine in the rain, howling with laughter about it.
Luckily, the next day we woke up to blue skies, got in the rental car and went to find Pantai Kok. When we got there, it had disappeared behind a construction site. A theme was emerging here. We did eventually find our way round and the beach is still beautiful, you just have to listen to the pounding of building work behind you as you stare out across the water.
After this, we drove to Temurun Waterfall, a spot we have never been to. We went because we have never been, and we don’t know why! This waterfall is pretty mesmerising. It is huge and the walk up to it is very easy. On the way there are various natural pools you could swim in, but we opted to go all the way to the top and swim at the base of the waterfall. Aside from the monkeys, it was a calming place to be. There weren’t many people and everyone was just minding their own business.
This was an unexpectedly beautiful find and I am not sure why it has taken me 9 years to go there.
In the evening, we got the sunset we wanted the previous evening. We enjoyed a drink on the beach and ate at Fat Cupid, a long standing fave. We actually entered a different restaurant down the road and then Asraf changed his mind at the table, concerned about missing Fat Cupid. One beef rendang later and he knew he made the right choice.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens to Langkawi in the future as it really seems to be developing quickly. Hopefully it can maintain its charm and beauty as it remains one of our most visited spots in Malaysia.
