Jul. 14, 2007
Bangkok to Langkawi
The only direct flight between Bangkok and Langkawi is by the budget airline Thai Air Asia. Bangkok Airport had introduced a new rule banning liquids onboard airplanes so I decided to eat a hamburger before entering the waiting area. The staff there actually asked me to take out any liquids myself without opening my bag. I finished my water quickly and threw it to the transparent garbage bin.
The airplane departed very on time at 1:55 p.m. and it only took 1.5 hours to reach Langkawi. Immigration was straightforward and there are both an ATM and a money changer at the airport. I used the ATM to get some cash and bought a taxi coupon to go to Cenang (the most popular beach for budget travelers) for 16 RM. Everything was quite smooth.
20 minutes later, I was at Gecko Guesthouse, the cheapest GH recommended by LP. The price for a private room with shared bathroom is 25 RM per night, exactly as indicated in the book. The room is simple but clean – quite acceptable.
It was only 5 p.m. local time. I decided to walk along the main road south to check out facilities and have some snacks. Unlike in Thailand where most people eat anytime, the restaurants in Langkawi are almost empty no matter where you go. I finally found an Indian restaurant and got a garlic nan for 3 RM – not too bad. Walking further south, I finally saw the famous Underground World. The last entry is 6 p.m. (they close around 7 p.m.) and I was there just a few minutes before 6 so I decided to check it out. At 38 RM per ticket, it only took me 20 minutes to finish the loop although they claim to be one of the biggest in Asia. It’s not bad for family with children. The penguins are quite interesting and there is a giant fish near the exit.
After saying good-bye to the fishes, I walked along the beach back. The beach is relaxing but nothing special, and there were not many people there. Since Malaysia uses the same time zone as China, it gets dark only after 7 p.m. I quickly checked out Laman Padi (rice fields) at the north end of Cenang and tried the traditional Malay massage for 100 RM (1 hour) at a Malay spa inside Laman Padi. The so-called “Malay massage” is more like sports massage. The rooms are semi-open facing the rice fields without air-conditioners and I did get some mosquito bites. It’s good to try but compared with those in Thailand it’s way too expensive.
After the massage, I needed a relaxing place to have dinner. I couldn’t find the restaurants recommended by the guide books but saw a local restaurant named Restoran Haji Ramli full with locals and decided that would be my place for the night. It’s a seafood restaurant. I ordered a steamed fish for 17.5 RM. Somehow the cooked fish looked smaller than the one I ordered and I was not sure if it was the same one I ordered. The way they steamed was similar to those in Thailand with lots of sour ingredients. Not too bad for 20 RM (including rice and water). However, when I asked for the bill, they asked for 25 RM (they made the fish 22.5 RM). The staff finally corrected the bill – not sure if they did this on purpose or it was just a mistake.
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| Laman Padi |
Jul. 15, 2007
Langkawi to Satun
I got up at 9 a.m. and tried to check out but failed – nobody in the reception area. I ended up leaving 25 RM in the room, locked the room and managed to put the key back to the room. Surprisingly, most of the restaurants were empty (I wonder if they were ever open). I finally found a place called Breakfast Bar with some customers inside. I ordered American Breakfast (6.5 RM) and fruits in yogurt (an interesting mix, 5 RM) – simple but enough for my stomach. Only after I finished my breakfast (almost 10 a.m.) did I see more taxis passing along the road. I stopped one and asked about the price to Seven Wells Waterfall. “22 RM”, replied the old Malay driver (exactly the same price mentioned in LP). Alright – let’s go. 30 minutes later, I was at the entrance to the waterfall. There is no entrance charge. The fall is only 10 minutes away from the entrance and there is another trail leading to the peak of the mountain. The trail is clear but the sign doesn’t indicate the distance and the approximate time it takes but I guessed it could take a few hours to reach the top and it’s not a loop. It’s said there are 7 pools around the area. I walked for about 45 minutes and returned back.
The nearby Langkawi Cable Car is within walking distance. Having had a long walk, I asked the taxi driver to take me there for 5 RM. There are many taxis taking customers to see the waterfall and wait for the customers. If you can find a driver, it should OK for some of them to leave for 10 minutes to make 5 RM.
The Langkawi Cable Car is inside Oriental Village, a compound with many shops selling crafts, etc. It only takes 10 minutes to reach the top by the car (25 RM round trip) but I waited 15 minutes to get into the car. On a clear day, the view from the top is nice and the Skywalk nearby is worth checking out. It seems to be a must-see for package tours.
There is a taxi station at the entrance to Oriental Village. The trip to the jetty takes about 45 minutes and costs 30 RM. It passes the north part of the island so I got almost a loop of the island. The jetty is in the major town of the island, Kuah (a very busy port). Unlike indicated in the guidebooks, there are only 3 boats to Satun per day: 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (coming back at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.) and the ticket is 27 RM. There is a KFC and a Kenny Roger’s Roasters outside the jetty. I decided to try the later because I couldn’t see it in Thailand. The set dish of roasted chicken, two side dishes and a home made muffin (no drink) cost 20.79 RM with tax. I’m sure you can get full by this set. Since the boat leaves at 5 p.m. (not 4 p.m. as in the guidebooks), I had more time in the jetty area. Why not getting a closer look at Eagle Square nearby? Again it’s a family stuff structure and popular with the mass tourists. But what else could I do? The bay itself is not too bad by the way.
It only takes a little bit over 1 hour to reach Thammalang pier of Satun in Thailand. So it was about 5 p.m. when I arrived there (there is a 1 hour time difference between the two countries). Still not dark yet, I decided to hire a boat to Pooyoo Cave (part of Thale Ban National Park and can only be reached by hiring a boat at Thammalang. The pier is about 1 km further from the passenger pier/immigration and a motorcycle can take you there for 20 baht. I hired a boatman to take me to Pooyoo and settled down a price of 700 baht return. Not until 30 minutes late did I realize that I made a big mistake when I saw a village of Malay looking people on the river. “Pooyoo”, said the boatman. I argued that I wanted to go to Pooyoo Cave. He said it’s a different direction and requested an additional 500 baht. It’s getting dark and I had no choice but saying “Let’s go”. The boat actually passes some swamps of Thale Ban before it reached the wider waterway normally used between Thammalang pier and the cave and it did take almost an hour to reach Pooyoo Cave from Pooyoo “village” just before it’s completely dark. The cave is similar to those in Phang Nga Bay and the boat can pass under the cave. However, the caves in Phang Nga Bay are more interesting so if you don’t have time you can skip this one.
Another hour back to Thammalang pier. When we finished the trip, the boatman asked for 1,300 baht and asked me to help him. Being a stranger at this part of the country, what else could I do?
A motorcycle took me to Satun town (about 10 km away). Usually it’s only 50 baht. Since it’s already late, the motorcycle guy asked for 200 baht. For the same reason, I didn’t argue and checked in the Chinese-run Rian Thong Hotel just opposite the pick-up station for 140 baht/night (a so-so but spacious room with bathroom inside but no TV).
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| Skywalk |
Jul. 16, 2007
Thale Ban National Park
There are many pick-ups opposite Rian Thong Hotel going to different villages around Satun. No. 5 goes to Thale Ban. However, there were no other passengers so the driver didn’t want to go unless I pay 200 baht (normal fare 50 baht per person). I went even further and asked if I could chart his vehicle to visit a few sites around the park. He said 800 baht. Since it’s within my budget, I didn’t even bargain. It took about 1 hour to reach the national park headquarters. I paid the 100 baht foreigner fee (not sure how they calculate the fees). The staff at the park office was nice but tended to be quite cautious. They warned me not to go to some sites without a guide. “I will see”, I said. There are a couple of bungalows around the lake near the park office but I didn’t see any tourists. There are two loop trails around the park headquarters: one for 700 meters and another for 1,300 meters. The entrance is the same. It turned out only the 700 meters one was clear enough to make it. It took me about 20 minute to finish it. I investigated the other one and found it’s too difficult to find the way by myself. And I didn’t feel I needed a guide to do this similar trail. So I came back to the park headquarters and had an early lunch at the restaurant near the office for 30 baht (rice with fried shrimp with vegetable). Delicious – I would see, although I found a worm in the rice. A staff at the restaurant laughed at some red spots on the lower part of my pants. I didn’t realize it until she mentioned this. The staff at the office earlier told me there would be some animals doing something on my skin but I couldn’t understand. I asked if it’s dangerous and they said no. I didn’t feel anything until I got to the restaurant. More interestingly, there was some stuff attached to my legs inside my pants. It was only until I went back to Bangkok and tried to pull out the stuff did I find it so attached to my skin and I had to use force and eventually got blood. Until now I still don’t know what it is – I can only guess it’s probably something released by some animals in the park.
I left the park headquarters shortly after 12 noon (during my 2 hour stay in the area, I didn’t see any other tourists, only park employees and construction workers). I asked the driver to take me to Toan Din Cave, the one the park staff said I needed a guide, about 2 km from park headquarters. Luckily I brought a flashlight. It’s very dark inside but the path is there. Some parts are quite challenging (perhaps that’s why the office staff said I needed a guide). However, I managed to get to the bottom eventually and saw the water (stream). It was very exciting.
A few kilometers further is the mostly developed site of the park – Ya Roi Waterfall. Even though I didn’t see other tourists except 3 farangs coming from Malaysia across the border. Most shops were closed. The paved path takes you to one fall. I walked along the stream and saw another fall with a pool later.
Not very excited about the fall, I asked the driver to take me to Wang Pra Grassland. It’s another 10 km from a small intersection (no English sign) to the left about 1 km from the intersection to Ya Roi Waterfall. Only the first 1-2 km of the 10 km is paved. Since it’s still raining season, the dirt road is quite difficult to handle and the driver finally gave up. What a pity. But what else could I do?
The only site left was the less visited Ton Pliew Waterfall. Since there were no people there, the park staff also advised me not to go without a guide. It’s on the right side 3 km from the intersection another 2 km from the intersection to Wang Pra Grassland. Again only the first part of the 3 km is paved and again the car had some problem moving on the dirt road further. So I had to walk for the rest part. The fall is said to have 5 levels. I managed to see 3 levels. They are not very high but each one comes with a pool where you can swim, if you wish of cause, and for sure nobody will see.
It was about 4 p.m., enough time for me to catch a bus to Hat Yai (last one from Satun being 5 p.m.). I asked the driver to drop me at Khuan Done on the Satun – Hat Yai highway. Funny enough, he asked for 900 baht. After some discussion with him, I eventually paid him 850 baht (it’s not about 50 baht but I was wondering if this is a habit of all the guys in Satun).
After about 30 minute waiting, one big a/c bus came and I paid the 52 baht fare onboard. It only took about 1 hour to reach Hat Yai but it spent more than 30 minutes moving inside the city. I got off at an intersection and got a motorcycle to the Thai Airway office for 20 baht. It was just a little bit after 6 p.m. but the office was already closed and the shuttle bus to the airport was also finished. They told me I could hire a taxi for 290 baht. Not terribly in a rush, I walked around the city center and had some snack before getting a pick-up to take me to the airport for 200 baht.
The Air Asia flight departed again very on time at 9 p.m. 1 hour 25 minutes later, it landed at Bangkok smoothly.
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| Thale Ban National Park |
Overview
Langkawi claims to be the best beach resort in Malaysia. It’s quite clean and very good for families. It’s also more ordered (few bargains needed). However, in terms of facilities and services, it cannot beat those in Thailand. The prices listed on LP seem to be more accurate than those in the Rough Guide (although the later is actually a newer version). Malaysia did see more tourists from Middle East countries. On the other hand, Thale Ban National Park claims to be the best preserved national park in Thailand but it still cannot beat those in Malaysia. There are almost no facilities (except for a few limited signs). There are not many people (almost 0 tourist, at least when I visited it there). Some trails are passable but they are not marked and you could easily get lost in the jungles. Remembering where you came from is probably a good idea to avoid such confusions.
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