Langkawi 02: Mangrove Tour (31 December 2011)

9:00 a.m. | Kondo Istana, Kuah

We woke up early. The girls prepared some breakfast in the kitchen. And the guys watched tv. Perfect. At the rate we were going, I was pessimist that we will be leaving the condo anytime soon before lunch hour. I prayed it won't rain or it will cost our Mangrove Tour. Malaysians being typical Malaysians. Tanah tumpah darahku. 


12:00 p.m. | Mangrove Tour
We left the condo at 12:00 p.m. The sun was shining mercilessly from the sky. Actually I would rather opt for a scorching hot afternoon rather than raining sad afternoon. I was thankful it was a beautiful day. 

After about 20 minutes of driving (and few instances of wrong turns), we arrived at the Kilim Terminal, where the expedition to the wildlife awaits for the 13 adventurous youths. Well.... ancient youths. I failed to capture nice pictures from the cable car, so I hoped I could get beautiful shots during the mangrove tour. 

We cruised along the mangrove to the designated places. The green scenery of the forest and the blue river were beyond description. They were beautiful beyond words. Well, that is why Kilim Geoforest Park was awarded the status of World Geoforest Park by UNESCO in 1997. Even before arriving in Langkawi, I insisted on all of us to join this tour, to appreciate the nature (approximately RM30 per head for two hours).

First Destination: Floating Fish Farm
Up, close and personal with the aquatic community. I would say this was the highlight event of the tour. We spent most of our time here. The tour guide was excellent in explaining to us in greatest details of all the creatures kept and nurtured at the fish farm. We were given the opportunity to feed the fishes and stingrays, play with the horseshoe crab and see the sea urchins. 

Second Destination: Crocodile Cave

Well, not really a destination, rather a scenery we passed by on our way to the third destination. As the name signifies, the cave was once dwelled by crocodiles (or so I was told). And part of the cave resembled a crocodile's face. 

Actually there were also some parts of the other caves and rocks that resemble something else that are notable to local. 

Third Destination: Eagle Feeding
Now I understand why Langkawi is named partly by Helang (or "eagle" in English). There were dozens of them in the air. If you are lucky, you may find thirty eagles flying mightily in the air. The boat was halted in the middle of nowhere, and the driver started to throw meats into the river. After few moments, we saw dozens of eagles started to dive to the river, gracefully one by one to make their catch of the day. 

I was wrong. This was the highlight of the tour. 

Fourth Destination: Kilim Geoforest Park Sign

At a point, I felt that we were never really heading to a specific destination. We were at the destination. The remarkable scenery. The green forest. The cheerful monkeys and birds. We were all in silence, embracing the moments. 

We arrived at the Kilim Geoforest Park Sign to take some memorable photos. We were also allowed to jump into the sea to refresh ourselves. The Andaman sea is so wide and full of bright mystery. 

Fifth Destination: Bat Cave
For entrance, we were required to pay RM1 for a team (torch light provided). There were hundreds or perhaps thousands of bats, hanging upside down from the top of the cave. We were warned not to use flash while taking photos or make any unnecessary noise. 

Sebab nanti kelawar tu semua terkejut dan berterbangan, lantas kau feeling-feeling Batman. Memang ini gua, bukan library, tapi kelawar ni kan penangkap resonans yang sangat cekap.

I took some photos outside the cave, particularly the stalagtit and stalagmit. The creation itself took centuries. 

2:00 p.m. | Mangrove Tour Ended

We ended the tour after two hours. We drove back to the condo. But along the way we stopped by at some shops to do some shopping. 

4:00 p.m. | Condo Istana
We were already hungry, so the girls volunteered to prepare lunch for us. Initially I suggested to visit the Underworld of Langkawi, but considering the tight budget we were in, we decided to rest at the condo for the entire evening. 

8:00 p.m. | Pekan Kuah
Madness strike. We went shopping chocolate in Pekan Kuah. I took the first 15 minutes to survey from one shop to another. It was worth it. I found the difference from RM0.50 to RM2. So before you shop, just walk around and record your desired chocolate price. 

11:00 p.m. | Pantai Chenang
After shopping, we went straight away to Pantai Chenang for 2012 celebration. There was already a massive traffic all the way. It's two way lane, what do you expect. It was not really a great idea afterall since we were stucked for two hours in the van. So we celebrated New Year in the van instead of Pantai Chenang. But we managed to join in the fun afterwards along the beach. 

Happy New Year, people. 

Okay, I know this was ancient history, but I wished to record it here :)

Regards, 
Hairi Tahir