Langkawi 3: islands and waterfalls

I was picked up just after 9 from the hostel and joined a mixed group of tourists on a boat for an 'island hopping' tour. I had no idea what this involved , and our boat captain was particularly uncommunicative.

We were first dropped for an hour at Beras Basak Island beach. Everyone dived into the same bit of ocean. I went for a wander and a paddle and chatted to some of the other passengers. Next we stopped in a bay between islands to watch eagles soaring and diving to catch fish from the water.

After that we went to Dayang Bunting Marble geoforest park. 6rm entry and a five minute walk down winding steps to the lake of the pregnant maiden, so called because of the shape of the surrounding hills. The lake is packed with people swimming (in a small roped area) or pedal boats. Life jackets are required for swimming and can be rented for 5rm. We had an hour here. I dangled my feet over the edge and enjoyed feeling them being bumped by catfish.

There's an overpriced touristic food court by the entrance, and the return of boats (numbered) are announced over a tannoy. There are groups from dozens of boats, so the place is always busy.

The boat returned us to a jetty different from Pantai Tengah where we departed from; a minibus was there to meet us. The whole thing took about 3.5 hours.

Since it's cheap I'd say it's worth doing to get a feel for the nearby islands, but hundreds of other people are also doing it via dozens of tour operators, and the boats follow the same route at roughly the same times of day; so it's crowded.

Photos of island hopping.

I got lunch on my way back to the hostel, then read for a bit in a hammock before heading to Cenang to meet my CS host for the next two nights.

My host, J, picked me and another, Ira, up from the same spot. He drove us to his place in Kampung Yoi and we hung out while he prayed and waited for his wife to get home from work. J and his wife are Malay, and have lived on Langkawi for four years, having moved for work reasons. They like it.

The four of us drove to Seven Wells waterfalls, and swam in the pools at the midpoint. We didn't have time to hike to the very top before dark, but did get in plenty of scrambling over rocks. There were a few people there, but it wasn't super crowded.

Next we went to a lesser known point to watch the sunset, with a lighthouse. Then, the night market. I ate everything I laid eyes one: laici juice, peanut and corn pancakes, vegetables and rice. J dropped Ira back at her hotel in Cenang and we went back to his place.

Photos of Seven Wells and night market.

The power was out from when we got in until just after midnight. Good time to chat. They live in a small, two storey concrete house with two bedrooms upstairs and a kitchen/dining room and bathroom downstairs. Kampung Yoi is small and near the center of the island, not far from the airport where J works as an engineer.