Day 9: Langkawi

On Tuesday, I arrived on Langkawi around noon by ferry. The island is located in the northwest of Malaysia and is known as a popular tourist destination with duty-free status. From the ferry terminal, I went to the hotel a little early, luckily this was not a problem and I was able to check into my space capsule. The "rooms" here are similar to those in a science fiction film. Capsules that can be opened with cards and a touchpad inside.

After a short rest, I went shopping and had lunch at a small, nice café that corresponded to very Western standards. It was cozy and open and the focus was on sustainability and fresh ingredients. In addition, the sign that they want to avoid plastic made a direct impression on me, as this principle has hardly arrived in Malaysia so far. After stuffed sweet potatoes with mozzarella, we went on to Moh's Motorrad. An inconspicuous shop, more like an open garage where Moh keeps his bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters. The wall is decorated with pictures of old motorcycles. Overall, he makes a very familiar impression, explains everything to me in detail, and pays great attention to safety. His passion for the two-wheelers is immediately noticeable and so we go back to the hotel with a 125cc scooter.

In the evening, it's time to go to the beach for the first time. The water is super warm, the beach feels nice on the feet, and the many islands evoke a wonderful holiday feeling. The fact that this landscape only exists in the tropics becomes clear to me again through the sudden heavy rain. I arrive at the hotel soaking wet and can practically wring out my clothes.

The next morning, I go to the same sweet café for breakfast, there is a super delicious tropical smoothie bowl and a cold orange tea. For today, I have planned to explore the eastern part of the island with my scooter. First, we go to Gunung Raya, the highest mountain on the island. There, you can calmly drive up a small mountain road that already gives a glimpse of the view that opens up at the summit. Unfortunately, the observation tower has been closed since 2018 and shows no signs of being repaired. Too bad! Nevertheless, the view is terrific.

After that, I go to the recommended insider tip on the island, a beach in the far northeast. There, you can enjoy the day under trees with a view of the sea and a cool mango drink in hand. The water is very warm at 29 degrees and very shallow, it almost seems as if you could just walk over to the other islands. After a relaxing bath, first in the water, then in the sun, we continue to the waterfall. There is a small designed garden where the water flows and a small pool at the top of the waterfall where you can swim. Unfortunately, I was there during the dry season, so the river had little water.

On the way back, I stopped at a temple that stands out because of a statue carved into the rock. But the whole place seemed very quiet and almost deserted, kind of creepy. Back at the hotel, it was time to change for the gym. After some endurance training and strength training, it was time for the long-awaited dinner in a Malaysian restaurant. There, they served delicious roti, naan with curry dips, and chicken noodles.

Tomorrow, I will go to the cable car and the spectacular Skybridge. But for now, I need to rest and take care of my sunburn. I thought of everything, except for my thighs and how they are directly perpendicular to the sun when riding a scooter. Not a big deal.