Traveling through Southeast Asia and overstayed your welcome in one place or another? Here are 5 expat friendly cities in Thailand that may welcome you with open arms. Maybe not the top destinations for expatriates in … [Read More...]
The Island Drum is a Southeast Asia based travel blog as well as a source for information about Langkawi, Malaysia and the surrounding areas. For Langkawi Information check out This Week in Langkawi and Langkawi Sights & Food. For more inside scoops and travel inspired blogs and reviews, be sure to visit The Island Drum Blog. If you need any other information, feel free to contact us!
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Thrifting Langkawi Style: Best of Langkawi Bundle & Thrift Shops
Although I’m very familiar with thrift shops, I’d never heard about bundle shops until I moved to Southeast Asia. My first encounter was at the Greenway Night Market in Hat Yai, Thailand. Stall after stall of piles of clothes … [Read More...]
Should You Take the Plunge at Splash Out Langkawi Waterpark? Yes!
Splash Out Langkawi Waterpark had so many starts and stops I had almost forgotten about them. Officially opening in December 2019, it was only a few months later that all of Langkawi was in ‘lockdown’. Nothing worse than a … [Read More...]
8 Cool (and Ethical) Things to Do in Phuket
The list of things to do in Phuket, Thailand can include a lot of oh-so-typical as well as not-so-ethical options. My brief introduction, years ago, left me unimpressed and certainly in no hurry to return. Pretty much just … [Read More...]
12 Langkawi Picnic Spots Loved by Locals
Who doesn’t love a picnic, am I right? Picnics in Langkawi are especially popular with the island's local residents. From dramatic waterfall locations to nearly empty beaches, young and old alike savor their makan moments in … [Read More...]
First Time Visitor’s Guide to Pulau Tuba
Ever hear of Pulau Tuba Island? Unless you are familiar with the northwest coast of Peninsula Malaysia, you probably have not. Unbeknown to many, Pulau Tuba (Tuba Island) is one of the four populated islands of Langkawi’s … [Read More...]
First Time Visitor’s Guide to Alor Setar, Malaysia
I’ve passed through Alor Setar many times over the years, but I was usually en route to somewhere else. It took a pandemic (and travel limitations) for me to discover what a true gem this Malaysian city is. Beyond, of course, … [Read More...]
Gamat, Langkawi’s Ginseng of the Sea
It’s been over a decade since I was first introduced to Gamat; Langkawi’s Magical Sea Cucumber. At the time, I was appropriately impressed with this unusual local product turned successful cottage industry, and even wrote a … [Read More...]
The Mystery of Langkawi’s Ancient Tomb
Makam Purba (ancient tomb) the roadside sign reads. The sign has been there for years. Since I already knew the word ‘makam’ meant tomb, I’d always assumed it was ‘just’ a graveyard. Out of respect for the dead I don’t … [Read More...]
Hitting Pay Dirt in Perak; Best Tin Mining Museums in Malaysia
Unless you are a geology buff, mining museums are probably not at the top of your sightseeing wish list. But if you’re heading through Perak, Malaysia now would be a good time to do just that. Perak has some of the best tin … [Read More...]
The Ultimate Guide to the Langkawi Rainy Season
Ask locals, in Langkawi, Malaysia, what the islands’ weather is like, for a particular time of year, and you will get a variety of responses from the various self-proclaimed weather experts. That will be especially true … [Read More...]
Celine Tan Clinic: My Visit to an Alor Setar Top Skin Specialist
It was my quest for a Kedah-based dermatologist that initially brought me to the Celine Tan Clinic. As one who spends a lot of time in the sun, skin cancer is always a concern and an annual look-see by a skin specialist is … [Read More...]