On March 4, 2022 I woke up at the crack of dawn to go for a walk on a sandbar. Not just any sandbar walk, but the now annual Tanjung Rhu Beach Sandbar Walk at Tanjung Rhu Resort in Langkawi, Malaysia. I’m not one to normally jump on the latest shiny tourism product, but this […]
15 Free Things to Do in Langkawi, Malaysia
The cost of travel, these days, can put a real damper on planning a holiday. It’s not just the transportation and accommodations that take a chunk out of the old vacation budget, but entry fees can do their fair share of damage as well. Even if the entry is but a mere RM50 (about 12USD), […]
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 spilling out from the shop entrances. Some items more bizarre than others, yet a potential gold […]
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 pandemic to tarnish a grand opening. And serves me right for procrastinating too. I should have […]
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 Langkawi’s great outdoors. But when it comes to those special Langkawi picnic spots? Some folks seem to think all […]
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 short blog post about it. I’ve since learned more about the unusual sea creature, and surprised that its medicinal […]
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 typically sightsee in graveyards, but on a quiet errand-running day, in the middle of a […]