31/01 - 09/02/20

Arriving at the ferry terminal in Langkawi the following morning after a smooth journey, we are pleasantly surprised to see that the terminal is modern and well maintained. Roughly 100km from Penang, Langkawi is an archipelago of ninety nine islands in the Andaman Sea, 30km from the mainland of North West Malaysia and only 31km from the Thai island of Koh Tarutao. Langkawi is the largest of the islands with only one other inhabited. It's famous for its beautiful beaches and abundant wildlife.

We grab a taxi to Pentai Tengah Beach where we have accommodation. Having never visited the island we are cautious, and book an initial two nights just in case the area and accomodation is not to our taste. We Are not disappointed Temak Villas is lovely, one of four new chalet bungalows with its own mini garden, really private; perfect! Being a ten minute walk from the beach and located off the beaten track it's peaceful and has a neighbourhood feel. Our hosts are very welcoming and once we're settled in bring us some homemade chicken satay, delicious and a truly Muslim thing to do - to share one's food - it makes us feel more than bog standard guests. A little later we head off to check out the area; the beaches are beautiful with white sand and mountain backdrops. Although the sea is not crystal clear at Pentai Tengah - the beach nearest us, it's almost empty, no music blaring from beach bars, no loungers, just peace and quiet - how we like it. It's a world away from Pentai Cenang Beach which is a twenty minute walk away; although stunning and with clear water it's busier but has all the shops and amenities you could wish for. The island is also duty free - cheers.

Cenang beach is such a contrast to the shopping area situated just behind; it's so natural with eagles flying overhead and feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle. Visiting the beach over the coming days we are amazed at how peaceful it is, especially considering it's the busiest beach on the island. We have never walked on such powder-white sand. It's like walking on Johnson's Baby Talc. We even spotted eagles on their nest right on the beach; the island has a wonderful abundance of wildlife; absolutely fantastic.

Getting a really nice vibe from the island we ask our hosts if we can book some extra nights. Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for the Chinese couple who had to cancel due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we can extend our stay. We'll have to stay at another guest house for one night when it's full, but we'll return for another five night's minimum. After so much travel we need to settle in one place for a while; WE NEED A BREAK!!!!!!

Waking the next morning after a perfect night's sleep; no motorbikes, call to prayer or cock-a-doodle-dooing - we have hit the jackpot! At 9am there's a knock on our door and Te, Shan's wife hands David some freshly fried squid . Shan went fishing yesterday evening and promised he'd have some fried squid for us if he had a catch. Squid for breakfast it is then?

Spending the next couple of days at the beach, sorting out onward travel (it's never ending) and relaxing around the pool we begin to unwind. David has just got over what we think could be heat stroke and I've had bad guts for a few days.

On our third morning on the island we pack a small rucksack for a night's stay at another guest house. David has booked one on which is somewhere close to where we are now. Leaving the rest of our belongings with our hosts we head off with an overnight bag. Te asks us where we're staying for the night. "Bamboo Cottage" David replies. They smile and point to the building opposite us which is less than a 100 yards saying "Bamboo Cottage"; it's literally opposite to where we are!

Heading out for dinner that night we are shocked but delighted to be greeted by twenty or so cute Dusky Leaf Monkeys (cute but reminiscent of Pappa Lazarus in The League of Gentlemen), just outside our room; they have come down from the forest which Bamboo Cottage backs on to. We really are in the thick of it here. We walk the five minutes back to Tamak Villas first thing the following morning and immediately feel at home. Te, Shan and their three children give us a big welcoming smile. The Coronavirus has meant we've managed to extend our stay to seven nights now - fantastic! The island is beautiful, the locals friendly, an abundance of wildlife, it's duty free… what's not to like?

The next few days are spent exploring the local beaches (thankfully we've stopped melting as the temperature is down to a reasonable 32 degrees) and enjoying a three island trip as well as visiting The Wildlife Park at the top of the island where you can feed the animals and birds.

On one of our favourite beaches there is a very strange performer. Sitting on his own plastic chair a guru like wiry mahogany man with a long white beard and flowing locks aged about 60 continuously slaps his arm or leg. It goes on for about an hour and he looks quite normal in every other respect. Maybe it will catch on?

Getting around the island is easy; they use Grab as in Penang, it's cheap and efficient and the drivers are very friendly. Visiting the stunning Tanjung Rhu Beach also at the top of the island, we are reminded how close we are to Thailand - we can see the Thai island of Tarutao in the distance.

During our stay we're given homemade snacks from Te, who knocks on our door once a day with something we've never heard of, let alone eaten before; all delicious. Shan arranged our trip and even offered to do some shopping for us when he went into town. Late afternoons are generally spent around the pool which is effectively our private pool as no one else uses it. When not swimming we are scanning the jungle 50m away on the lookout for friendly monkeys and hornbills; and with great success. The island's symbol, The White Bellied Sea Eagle dominates the skyline. Most evenings are spent watching the Netflix series The Crown (didn't realise how interesting the royal family are). We really are chilling out.

The last few nights at about the same time, roughly 2am, we have been woken by a very strange animal noise. David thinks it is a bird but I'm not so sure thinking it may be a giant gecko. On the second night being unable to sleep due to this "noise" we open our door to have a look. There is some kind of large bird sitting in a tree just next to the bungalow making an absolute racket, it's not chirping, I can only describe it as…..indescribable.

It's our last day on the island as we start our journey to Koh Lanta, a Thai island in the morning. Langkawi has been fantastic, a big surprise really; we'd definitely recommend it. The island and it's beaches are stunning, the wildlife unbelievable, the locals lovely and it's quiet. At 2am, as if on cue, our noisy neighbourhood bird wakes us with it's "indescribable" racket while perched on it's favourite tree outside our bungalow. We are now prepared for this and know how to deal with the noise - David hops straight out of bed, picks up a bottle of water and throws it at the bird; bingo! - all is quiet.

During a trip this long you get a chance to read and a book I have just finished was The History of Islam; it was insightful and was extremely educational. At home (in relation to Islam) the mass media really just tells us bad news [doesn't it ?] and in reference to Muslims all we tend to hear or read relate to terrorism. This is at conflict with 99.9% of Muslims around the world and 100% of those we have met in Malaysia and Southern Thailand who have made us feel part of their family and been very kind and generous to us. One of the traditions I had read about is sharing the food of the family table and this was confirmed in Langkawi when we were brought home cooked treats on most mornings.

Yes they are more conservative than our society in lots of ways but we should not judge through our western prism it is more complex. Gentler more kind hosts we could not have had and the sense of family really comes through - something I will take home with me.[David]

Wildlife Spotting#? (I've lost count); We've seen an awful lot in Langkawi. From Dusky Leaf Monkeys, Hornbills and White bellied Eagles not to mention the brown common Asian monkey that stole a packet of crisps from an unsuspecting tourist.