“Time for some Vitamin Sea”
“My wife, Jillian”
LOOKING at all the fancy private yachts, catamarans and boats at the marina in Langkawi, Kedah I wondered who owned each vessel (there’s one called Sea-E-O), and how wonderful it would be if they allowed us to use one of their boats for that day.
“Excuse me, watch out!” said a stranger carrying a cooler box walking past us on the boardwalk.
That broke my daydream but by then my attention had steered to the Sea Wolff, a nice-looking yacht that we promptly christened, “our yacht”.
As it turns out, the Sea Wolff is operated by Avante Holidays, a local cruise company specialising in luxury cruises and private yacht tours of the island.
Even more coincidentally, the business belongs to DBS banker Julia Goh’s husband — whom I had, just that morning, finally settled a long-standing debt with: five packets of Lee Fah instant noodles.
(If you read last week’s column, you’ll know the noodle reference.)
But we weren’t just there to toast Julia’s promotion, celebrate a long-awaited deal with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) or finally make up for lost time with my kids after nearly a year apart — we were also there to experience its luxury sunset cruise service, which came with dinner and drinks, some water activities and a stopover at one of Langkawi’s 99 islets.
Not a bad way to mark the occasion.
There were six of us in the group, but only a few ventured out to do the activities, one of which was the “jacuzzi net”.
A large net tethered to the boat is released into the water; guests jump into the water, holding on to the net to secure their position.
When everyone was ready, the boat moved slowly, creating “bubbles” in the water for the jacuzzi effect.
I wasn’t a big fan of this partly because I kept thinking of the worst things that could happen to me while floating and treading water in the open sea wearing a life jacket, feeling helpless …
Later, watching videos of my boy Hayek doing it like it was nothing —laughing, completely unbothered — seemed like a fun activity to try.
Don’t let intrusive thoughts take over when you’re in the water.
The weather wasn’t great that day so the sunset view wasn’t the best.
Still, I bet anyone would rather be on that yacht in Langkawi at 3 am, watching Real Madrid bury Manchester City in the Champions League (Hala Madrid!), than stuck in an office drowning in financial models — or worse, justifying Donald Trump’s tariff policies at some Beijing conference the day before.
I gave that one a pass and sent a rep instead.
Last week was quite eventful with my in-depth 22-page scenario analysis on the Malaysian steel, aluminium and chips industries, followed by a passionate Zoom call. Reflecting on it, I may have expressed strong opinions about China’s strategies. It certainly stirred up some discussions and added a touch of drama to the week!
Langkawi, on the other hand, promised a different kind of intensity.
It is one of those fascinating destinations with something for every kind of traveller, though it is popularly known as a family destination.
This is because it is fairly convenient for families to move about on the island and have enough activities and attractions to entertain the young.
Affluent folks looking for something more private and posh would probably choose to spend their holidays at one of the few luxury resorts around the island like The Datai, The St Regis, The Danna and The Ritz-Carlton.
Those who have been to Langkawi before and have checked out all the main attractions would also perhaps opt for these accommodations, as there’d be plenty to do within the premises.
For instance, The Danna at Telaga Harbour Park in Pantai Kok has a few cool Ceclo electric pedal boats perfect for those who kept skipping leg day at the gym and now need to catch up.
In a fun way, of course.
The beachfront resort gives complimentary guided morning walks too, where guests can learn about the building’s colonial-inspired architecture, check out its gardens and listen to legendary folk tales of the island. Try your luck and ask the guide for some stories about the hotel’s most famous guest, a prominent politician known not just in Langkawi but the world over.
The Danna is close to the Panorama Langkawi, where you will find the Langkawi SkyCab, SkyBridge, SkyGlide and the newest attraction, the Eagle’s Nest SkyWalk.
Officially opened in March last year, the Eagle’s Nest SkyWalk is located in the Middle Station.
Essentially a viewing platform, the SkyWalk is partly shaped like an eagle’s head, while at the end of the walk lies its “nest”, complete with a few giant eggs.
This part protrudes precariously out of the cliff, but it has been thoroughly tested for safety.
If you dare, walk (or crawl, I don’t judge) to the nest for a closer look at the surrounding Mount Machinchang.
In case you didn’t know, the SkyWalk is a glass-bottomed platform 650m above sea level.
If you wish to skip this, continue riding the SkyCab to the Top Station (708m).
From here, walk up a few stairs to the viewing platforms on the mountain’s peak.
This is also where you will find the SkyBridge, one of the world’s longest curved suspension bridges.
Back on the ground level, it was time to eat.
And boy, did we eat.
We had tasty local fare at the “viral” Cili Kampung restaurant in Kedawang, fresh crabs and other seafood at Crab Langkawi Farm & Restaurant at Kampung Kubang Badak, hearty meals at Smiling Buffalo, a unique (and social media famous) dining spot, and more.
Seafood is the main draw here when it comes to food but there is a wide variety of cuisines available.
I tried to look for more local dishes to see how different it would be from what I’m used to eating in Kuching.
Verdict?
They’re not too different, but the ingredients tasted noticeably fresher.
Plus, everything was more palatable.
Was it the fresh air or the laid-back, relaxed vibe of the island that influenced how we tasted our food?
I can’t be sure … maybe my travel buddies and I need to return sometime soon to find out.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
