I joined travel bubble package to come to Malaysia in order for me to be able to visit my second home. It was needed to buy a package tour for foreigners entering Malaysia unless you hold a MM2H status, (MM2H means, Malaysia My Second Home) that will entitle you to stay in Malaysia for 5 consecutive years.
The package includes hotel accommodation, transport to and from the airport as well as alternate days for going to do Covid -19 tests to facilities allocated.
Before coming here, it was needed to show a negative test result as well as travel insurance that covers more than $80,000 USD.
Where is Langkawi Island in Malaysia? The island of Langkawi is located in northwestern Malaysia, near the border with Thailand. The island is about 100 kilometers long and covers an area of 1,800 square kilometers. Langkawi is a popular tourist destination, with white sand beaches, crystal-clear water, and lush jungle. The island is also home to a number of resorts and luxury hotels.
While in the island, you can move around as long as your test is negative. There are thousand you can do in the island. I have done a few sight seeing on my own as staying in the hotel could be boring at times.
I've done body massage which is a bad idea. Because I am currently tested positive with covid and I suspected the place I went for body massage was the closest contact I have ever been.
On the second day I arrived here, I went to Pantai Cenang Beach. A very touristic area in Langkawi. You can swim there and there have may local and international restaurant to have your meals.
The water at Pantai Cenang is nice and clean. I saw the locals were happily swimming and taking fun photos with each other.
The tour at Mangrove Lake
I met a wonderful lady from England who is also in the travel bubble. So we rented a private boat and headed on a mangrove lake tour. The lake is so huge and it is connected to the Andaman sea that directs you to Thailand.
Our first stop was the Bat cave. An interesting karst formation inside this cave. For the bats, there were plenty hanging on the stone wall. It was dark, so I could not take any images of the bats. We have seen Langkawi's Eagle but did not manage to capture one very nice image.
Upon exit from Mangrove lake, we end up at Kilim Geoforest Park. I am not sure they call it a park where you are only able to take photographs.
After Kilim Geoforest park, the boatman brought us to the private beach. For sure it is very private. It was small and the water wasn't that clean.
Could have been nice if they keep it clean and they park the boat a little far so as not to smell the gasoline. There are rubbish by the side of the beach, like cans and cigarette packs as well as all sort of plastics around. I am not really an environmentalist but I do care about nature.
After that beach, the boatman drove us to this floating restaurant and we were introduced to different kinds of fish. We had some food at the floating restaurant and it wasn't that bad. The fish was fresh. Yes, it was a little pricy. But everywhere in Langkawi right now is pricy. The boatman did not wait for us while we had our meals. But he told the restaurant to bring us back to the Jetty and they did.
Conclusion: I do not consider coming to Langkawi as my holiday. The mood is not really present in my head before coming here and even at this present time of writing this. A trip like you have no choice is what I called this trip.
As for the mangroves tour, you may consider if you like lake and boat rides.
As for many habitats well, I saw eagles, bats, and types of small fishes swimming when the boat was parked. It was in the afternoon and I would say they could have rested due to the super hot sunny day.
There are interesting plants I have seen too like cactus and orchids. The Mangrove trees are very interesting how they are formed and been growing there for decades.
But if you are like more colour and with people, try going to the beach instead like Pantai Cenang, Langkawi Yacht Club has a beautiful sunset like this image below.
For the cost of the Mangrove tour, we paid for the trip was RM Malaysian money 400, it is about SGD 150.
Photography: I find it not interesting for photographs. I think because of the time we have chosen to make the trip was too hot. If you are into photography trips, I cannot recommend you this Mangrove lake tour. Try getting another tour, perhaps go to the beach and explore cable car rides and sky Bridge which I wanted to do but I could not anymore since I have positive with covid. Currently I am on quarantine, lockup up in the room.
What lesson did I learn? I should have not gone to close contact with people or a person. I should not have gone to a place like body massage and hair salons. These are the type of places we should avoid for us not to get covid. My status at this time of writing . I have a blocked nose, itchy throat so I cough. I have not fever. I have senses of smell and taste. The reading value of the PCR test is pretty low, CT value of 19.75. I ask for a PCR test on the 5th day and see what happens.
Thank you very much for reading. (all images posted here are mine) Writing from my heart and to the best I can. Love, Elvie Lins