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Go-go bars restaurants walking street Pattaya Thailand

Thailand 2010: Pattaya — Beach road, Viewpoint, Jomtien Beach, Walking Street

Date:  25th November 2010

After managing some sleep at Little Court (the motel I was in), I got up at a decent 8am for my first morning in Pattaya. I had time to check out and move to my reserved room at Villa Panalee. So I decided to go for a walk.

Central Pattaya road Thailand
I was in Central Pattaya
Pattaya beach road fountain monument Thailand
A short walk and I was at the beach
North Pattaya beach Thailand
The water was… alright

The sand on Pattaya beach was quite coarse. Not the soft white sand you find in most of South Thailand.

Pattaya beach umbrellas speedboats
Come on, seriously? Where is there even space to walk on this beach! 🙂
Pattaya beach water morning
A lot of parasailing in the distance

Pattaya beach old man ThailandAs soon as you hit the beach, you’re confronted by touts offering the usual gamut of watersports. I wasn’t keen on doing any of them as I needed breakfast first.

Central Pattaya beach walk

Central Pattaya beach road morning walk
First observation: a LOT of old men in Pattaya
Pattaya beach walk Thailand
You can walk all the way from North to South, it’ll just take you around half an hour

Pattaya beach road walk morning Thailand

Hard Rock Hotel beach road Pattaya
The Hard Rock Hotel on Beach road

Pattaya beach facing condo Thailand

Pattaya beach road soi in morning Thailand
Pattaya’s not really a ‘morning’ city

Pattaya beach road morning traffic

Pattaya beach road cafe morning
I sat down at a cafe and had an American breakfast

I walked back to my room, checked out of Little Court and then took a moped taxi to Villa Panalee, which I expected to be closer to the beach. But instead it was more than a few lanes away from it. I booked my room using the hotel voucher worth Rs. 1500 I got from Cleartrip along with my flight ticket and as per the description, this was close to the beach. It isn’t.

Villa Panalee bedroom Pattaya
This was my room. Clearly the ‘poshest’ room this backpacker stayed in Thailand.

Villa Panalee is a fairly new 3-star hotel, and it’s just okay. The bed and the bathroom were great though — and honestly, that’s all that matters to me.

Once settled, I took out the map of Pattaya and wondered where to go and what to see. This was my first time here. I hadn’t done much research on Pattaya because, outside of nightlife, I didn’t think there was anything remotely interesting to see in Pattaya. One of my girlfriends highly recommended a ladyboy cabaret show called Alcazar, but I have little interest in broadway theatre (sorry Cherie Ann :roll:).

So as I stepped out, I was approached by moped taxi drivers who asked me if I wanted a tour of the city. Taking advantage of that, I asked them what all there was to see. As they listed the sights out, I chose to go to the hill viewpoint first.

Pattaya 2nd road traffic Thailand
The ride cost ฿60
Pattaya third road traffic Thailand
I took these photos sitting behind the driver

Driving to viewpoint hillRoad to viewpoint hill Pattaya

Way to Big Buddha hill Pattaya
The drive took nearly 15 minutes
Road leading to viewpoint Pattaya bay
You have to ride uphill

Once I reached the top and paid the driver, I felt something on my head. The helmet was still on! Unfortunately, as I turned around and called the taxi driver back, he zoomed off. Great, now I had a bike helmet to carry around.

As for the view from top of the hill…
Pattaya bay from viewpoint hill

Pattaya bay panorama view of city and sea
Here’s a panoramic view (comprised of 6 shots)
Pattaya city buildings Thailand
Don’t know what that odd shaped building was
Pattaya new pier from viewpoint hill
That’s the pier
Pattaya neighbouring island Thailand
Wonder which island that is

Pattaya viewpoint of bay Thailand

Pattaya viewpoint hill FM104.75 station
Some radio station
Statue Admiral Prince Krom Louang Chumphon Khet monument
A famous Thai Admiral (I’m guessing)
Pattaya new pier close up boats
Took out the Tamron 28-75mm lens

Pattaya bay beach sea view Pattaya bay sunset time

Sanctuary of truth art display viewpoint hill
I’ll talk about the Sanctuary of Truth later
Pattaya viewpoint temple
There was a small temple
Weekday buddha Sunday Monday statues
A Buddha statue for every day of the week
Weekday Buddha Tuesday statue
Is Tuesday supposed to be a day of rest?

Week day Buddha Wednesday Thursday statuesWeek day Buddha Friday Saturday statuesViewpoint Temple pagoda panorama Pattaya

Coconut vendor viewpoint hill cats Pattaya
It was quite hot and felt like having ice cream — so I did

Viewpoint hill Pattaya bay

Pattaya viewpoint opening closing time
That’s the name of the admiral statue
Pattaya viewpoint temple panorama
I left the viewpoint

I walked downhill and decided to check out the Big Buddha statue next.

Walking down to Big Buddha hill Pattaya
I could see the Big Buddha statue from here, so I figured I could walk it there

Pattaya hill road

Chinese garden granite stairs Pattaya Thailand
Though the walk from hill to hill was short, there is a lot of walking uphill now

On the way up is a Chinese Garden.

Tao Teck brass bell Chinese garden Pattaya ThailandKwan Yin goddess Chinese Garden Pattaya hillChinese Garden Pattaya Thailand

Pattaya Chinese garden Big Buddha hill panorama
(Panorama comprised of 9 shots)

Chinese garden dog sleeping afternoon Pattaya
Chinese Garden stray dog afternoon PattayaChinese Garden stray dog looking afternoon PattayaChinese Garden Chao Dynasty warriors display PattayaStories of 24 gratitudes chinese garden PattayaChinese Garden golden hall PattayaChinese Garden big buddha hill Pattaya ThailandChao Dynasty warriors statues Chinese garden PattayaChao Dynasty description Chinese Garden Pattaya Thailand

Big Buddha hill Pattaya Thailand
I walked a bit further up to get to the Big Buddha statue

As I walked towards the Big Buddha statue, a hawker at the footsteps asked me whether I wanted to ‘free sparrows’ as it would bring me good luck. I initially said ‘no’ because I don’t believe in all that, but she persisted and I know it’s such a touristy thing to do — but I might as well just do it for the sake of freeing the birds.

Sparrow cages vendor Big Buddha statue Pattaya hill Thailand
I don’t remember how much I paid for the sparrow’s’ freedom, but it was less than ฿100
Sparrow cages cat Big Buddha statue Pattaya hill
Hey look, Sylvester the Cat waiting for Tweety!

Steps to Big Buddha statue Pattaya ThailandSteps to Big Buddha statue Pattaya hill Thailand

Big Buddha statue panorama Pattaya Thailand
Big Buddha himself

Big Buddha statues cat Pattaya Thailand

Pattaya hill road afternoon Thailand
I left Big Buddha hill and decided to head to Jomtien beach

Since there were signs pointing to which direction Jomtien was, I figured it was walking distance again (the signs didn’t say how far though).

Jomtien land for sale Pattaya Thailand
A lot of posters for real estate here…
Apartments for sale Jomtien Pattaya Thailand
… and a lot of them seem to be targeting Russians

Flat sale rent Pattaya ThailandJomtien real estate Pattaya Thailand

Road to Jomtien Pattaya Thailand
It was *really* hot
Road to Jomtein beach Pattaya Thailand
After walking for around 15 minutes, I decided to go by wheels

I got into a pick-up taxi and reached Jomtien beach in less than 5 minutes.

Jomtien shops Pattaya Thailand

Jomtien beach panorama Pattaya Thailand
Jomtien beach (Panorama comprised of 5 shots)

Since I hadn’t had lunch yet, I first stepped into a sea facing restaurant to eat something and have some chilled beer!

Jomtien beach road restaurants
Sat inside Sunlight Hotel’s restaurant

The one thing that struck me about Jomtien is the sheer presence of the Russians. They’re everywhere! So much so that some signs and even the restaurant menus are in Russian. It really did baffle me a bit.It’s like they essentially own this side of Pattaya.

Of course, I’ve heard the myth about the Russian mafia’s presence here in Pattaya. But how much of that is due to the influence of Western media’s portrayal Russians (as the perennial bad guys) and how much of it is actually true, who knows. After doing some research, turns out a lot of Russians do like the sun and lifestyle out here in Pattaya and therefore visit in droves. Not to mention, invest in property too. Of course, the ‘bad’ of any country makes its way among those droves and some claim many bars and hotels are run by such Russians too.

Fried stuffed crab Pattaya Thailand
Great fried stuffed crab, some fries and two beers (Chang, of course). Cost me ฿250.
Sunlight seafood restaurant hotel Jomtien beach Pattaya
Service was good and the food was nice

Stomach full, I sat there for a while before strolling the beach again.

Jomtien beach road traffic

Jomtien beach shops Russian tourists
You have the usual gamut of street stores

I came to Jomtien beach assuming it would be better than Pattaya’s main beach.

Jomtien beach Pattaya Thailand
But alas, the chairs and umbrellas take up much of the sand here as well.
Jomtien beach kid Pattaya Thailand
Though I wonder how far Jomtien’s beach extends
Jomtien beach sunset view horizon Pattaya Thailand
I got into the water for some time

You really cannot visit Thailand and not hit a beach. This country is renowned for its beaches… but I wouldn’t recommend Pattaya’s coastline if you want the best of what Thailand has to offer. Since this visit was only focusing on North Thailand, Pattaya was the easiest beach town for me to visit.

Jomtien beach tourists Pattaya Thailand
If you don’t mind the mostly Eastern European crowd here, Jomtien is a far more pleasant side compared to Pattaya’s main Beach Road
Jomtien beach road Oasis Pattaya Thailand
Took a stroll

Jomtien Thani hotel Pattaya Oasis Pattaya Thailand Windsurfers Jomtien beach Pattaya ThailandJomtien beach walk Pattaya ThailandJomtien beach umbrellas chairs Pattaya Thailand

Jomtien beach singers charity Pattaya Thailand
These two Europeans were singing to raise money for charity (I hope)

Jomtien beach stray dog Pattaya ThailandJomtien beach schoolgirl Pattaya ThailandJomtien beach umbrellas sunset Pattaya ThailandJomtien beach sunset Pattaya ThailandJomtien Garden hotel road Pattaya ThailandAfter much ‘strolling,’ I figured I’d only reach the far end of Jomtien by sunset. I got into a pick-up taxi and headed back to the ‘other side’.

Jomtien Punjabi Tadka Indian restaurant Pattaya Thailand
Pattaya is one place in Thailand you will easily find Indian food
Pattaya city Arab restaurant massage
… and Arabic food
Steakhouse Royal Palace Hotel Pattaya Thailand
Actually, given how touristy this place is, you’ll get pretty much every kind of cuisine
Second road bars Pattaya Thailand
I got down here
Sawadee Sabai Pattaya second road
I was on Pattaya Second Road
Pattaya Second Road street shops Thailand
I walked up the road, and into this flea market

Street store t-shirts accessories Pattaya Thailand

Pattaya street shop clothes Thailand
It was the usual selection of t-shirts and clothing you’ll anywhere else in Thailand. This was no Chatuchak.

By the time I stepped out, which was 10 minutes later, the sun had already set.

Madras Darbar Pardes restaurant Pattaya Thailand

Central Festival Mall Pattaya Thailand
Checked out the only major mall on Pattaya Beach – CentralFestival
Central Festival mall interiors Pattaya Thailand
(Mostly because they had air-conditioning :))
Central Festival mall inside Pattaya Beach Thailand
(Taken on the Nokia E72)
Central Festival mall X'mas tree Pattaya Thailand
After feeling a little cooler, I stepped out of the mall and on to Beach Road

Pattaya Bay beach at night lights

Pattaya Bay beach at night umbrellas
Walking Street was at the end of this stretch

Pattaya Bay beach at night lifeguard Beach road at night Pattaya Thailand

Tipp Plaza Beach road Pattaya Thailand

Mike Shopping mall Beach Road Pattaya Thailand
Dropped in here as well

But came out in less than 5 minutes. Usual department store fare but with lousy offerings. Saw mostly Eastern Europeans and it looked like they were dropped there by the bus loads.

Beach road McDonald's Pattaya ThailandRoyal Garden Plaza Pattaya ThailandPattaya City Walk restaurants beach road ThailandPattaya Beach Road beer barIndian food Soi Pattaya Thailand

Mike Plaza hotel jewelry Beach road Pattaya Thailand
Mike seems to be a big-shot businessman in Pattaya. Not surprised to find out he’s Chinese.
Walking street Pattaya Thailand
Pattaya’s (in)famous Walking Street 🙂

Walking Street, from its name, implies no vehicles allowed. Lined with go-go bars, restaurants, neon lights and more bars… this is essentially an adult playground.

Go-go bars restaurants walking street Pattaya Thailand
Well, most cars
Elvis show walking street Pattaya bar Thailand
Elvis is yet to enter the building. At around 7:30pm, most bars were only starting to open.
Pattaya Walking Street neon signs Thailand
Walking Street seems like it only comes truly alive as it nears midnight
Rasputin restaurant end Walking Street Pattaya Thailand
I walked all the way till the end of Walking Street
Bah-hai by the sea food restaurant
You have a few less-seedy looking avenues to have a relaxing evening
International meeting street Pattaya Thailand
It got quiet now
Pattaya City hill sign at night
Reached an open area where they often hold concerts

My legs were hurting a bit because of all the walking in slippers throughout the hot afternoon with all my camera equipment in my backpack. I limped my way to what looked like a ferry station near the pier and sat down for a while.

There was a vendor selling coconut ice cream, which looked good. So I ordered for one (cost ฿25).

Coconut ice cream Pattaya Thailand
I didn’t ‘decorate’ this photo. The vendor saw me setting up my ice cream for a shot. He placed leaves underneath and a flower, giving me the ‘nice’ hand gesture 🙂

As I had my ice cream, I wondered to myself why despite being a city famous for it’s nightlife… I was in no mood to revel in it some how. It wasn’t just that I was tired from all the walking. Right from the time I arrived in Pattaya yesterday late night, I felt a sense of unwelcomeness. Everywhere else in Thailand, I was used to being smiled anywhere I went. Whether it was a local passerby on the street I made eye-contact with or the hawkers approaching you with something or the other — even if I said ‘no,’ I would still get a smile from them.

But in a country which earned the title ‘Land of Smiles,’ I didn’t experience that in Pattaya. I don’t quite sure know why. Was it because I looked young — or do they not like Indians? To be fair, I didn’t see too many backpackers or young travellers like I met in places like Chiang Rai. The few I did see, also felt out of place.

Pattaya Bay at night Thailand watersPattaya is exactly what many people expect when they visit Thailand. It’s easy to see why. Throughout the day, I saw countless tour buses transporting hundreds of tourists from China, India, Eastern Europe — most of whom surely came on tour packages. Problem is, most of these package tours are often 4 to 5 days at best. Moderately priced and promising to offer great value to this ‘exotic’ destination, they see countless takers. Thousands in India do, annually. But in those 5 days, most aren’t taken anywhere else besides Pattaya and Bangkok. Pattaya because it’s the closest (developed) beach destination (with a nightlife) and only an hour away from Suvarnabhumi airport; and Bangkok because there’s some heritage and lots of shopping to be enjoyed (and again, a nightlife).

So when these two destinations are the only places you have seen in Thailand on your vacation, it’s no surprise the very same people go back with memories of a country with a lot to offer in terms of adult entertainment and shopping.

They don’t visit Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi (Ao Nang and Railay), the Phi Phi islands and the other provinces that make up rest of the country. And it’s not like any of these other places are hidden secrets. In fact I don’t believe there any discreet places left in Thailand ever since the release of The Beach. If you visit every other province in Thailand and then come to Pattaya, it really does feel like a whole different place.

It all started in the 1960s when the American soldiers landed in Pattaya during the Vietnam War for their “rest & recreation”. Since then, despite the Thailand government’s attempts, the country’s reputation hasn’t changed much in the eyes of the narrow-minded majority. A few months back, mobile carrier Airtel even launched a stupid (short-lived) TV ad here in India which showed a young man searching for ‘nightlife in Bangkok’ on his 3G service. Surely the Thai Embassy here wasn’t too pleased.

I’m not a judgmental person, nor a puritan. I really don’t care what adults do with their (rightfully earned) money and time. But what irritates me is when visitors (especially from India in my case) come with preconceived notion about Thailand, seek it in places like Bangkok and Pattaya — and then spread the word back home saying that’s the only thing Thailand has to offer.

Some would argue they don’t visit other provinces due to cost. To them I say, trust me, if you actually researched on those places, you’ll realize they are far cheaper than Thailand’s most popular destinations — Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. It all comes down to having an interest first.

Pattaya city sign sea lights
Pattaya sees over 4 million visitors every year

Thailand is one of the most visited countries on the planet, with over 14 million tourists visiting every year. Tourism is one of the biggest revenue generators and employers in this country. But unlike Europe, Thailand still offers travellers great value for their money. It’s why many love coming back. (And no, I’m not talking the sex tourists and their reasons)

Oriental star dining boat pier Pattaya Thailand
Anyway…
New pier station Pattaya Thailand
It was time to go back

I walked back through Walking Street, passing a second time, the very same touts shoving peep shows of various naughty kinds in your face (quite literally).

I know it’s hard to believe a straight, single guy didn’t step into a single go-go bar on Walking Street, but trust me, I really didn’t feel like it right now.

Dollhouse go-go bar Muay Thai boxing match Pattaya Thailand
Stopped on the way to watch some Muay Thai action

And then again, for Michael Jackson… !

Michael Jackson magician walking street Pattaya Thailand
(… the magician that is)

He was quite dandy:

As I approached a moped taxi, it quickly dawned to me that I had no idea where exactly my hotel was! The thing about Pattaya City is, there are only 4 or 5 main roads. Everything else in between are countless rows of ‘soi’ or streets. I tried just name-dropping Villa Panalee but the taxi drivers didn’t know it (or at least pretended to not know where it was).

So I ended up having to go look for an internet cafe to find the exact address.

Walking Street tourist police Pattaya Thailand
Pattaya Tourist Police — I remember seeing that big bald bloke in a British series called ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ when I was researching on Thailand back in 2009. You can find the episodes online.
South Pattaya road at night Thailand
I had to sit 5 minutes in a rather rather expensive internet cafe on South Pattaya Road just to jot down the address

I hopped on one of those moped taxis and got dropped back to Villa Panalee (cost me ฿50). I walked back to the spot where the moped taxis were in the morning and handed back the helmet. My driver wasn’t there but I requested his colleagues to hand it back to him.

Back in the room, I relaxed a bit with the A/C on. Then gladly dumped my camera bag and stepped out again for dinner.

I decided to walk a bit one last time and see just how far Villa Panalee actually was from the beach.

House of pain tattoo parlour Pattaya Thailand
How appropriate a name 🙂
Pattaya night bars Sawadee hotels
This road was parallel to Second Road
Mike's Shopping Mall department store Pattaya Thailand
10 minutes later and I was in front of (or behind) Mike’s Shopping Mall

Back on Second Road, I walked past the may bars only to stop when I heard a Thai band play some mean rock covers. I liked their performances so much that I ended up sitting there to watch them perform.

Pattaya rock band playing bar Thailand
Aging musicians, but they were good

I was approached by the waitress, menu in hand, but no smile on her face. I ordered my vodka drink and watched the band play some classic Scorpions. Done with my drink, I got up and tipped the band. They nodded in appreciation… with a smile.

I wondered if things would have been different if I was white, a bit older… and pot-bellied. Would the treatment have been a lot better? Even in Mike’s Shopping Mall, I barely saw any smiles on the sales people’s faces. Do the Thais here feel like Pattaya doesn’t belong to them anymore? I mean, this city is so overrun with tourists, it maybe possible. It does feel like the outsiders and the few who make their money from them pretty much call the shots around here.

It’s also apparent from the many cheap long stay accommodations available, there are many who make Pattaya their home. Western men (mostly from the UK) who seem to be enjoying their final years spending their retirement money at the countless bars, from dusk to dawn.

It was the first thing that struck me in Pattaya — the bars. There’s sooooo many of them! Not go-go bars, but just plain bars. Every square inch of free space available would see a few bar stools set up and women serving liquor. It really did shock me at first. If you want your alcohol fix day and night, there’s no place quite like Pattaya. From North to South, you’ll never run short of bars to sit at. I wonder how many survive with this much competition.

Fresh pot pie pastry sausage roll vendor Pattaya
This guy on a bike was selling freshly made pastry. Bought a sausage roll and a pie. It was really good!

Oh, I also saw a few Indian newlyweds. The brides with their many bangles (a North Indian post-wedding tradition), some of whom had the look of bewilderment on their faces; while her newlywed husband had the look of disappointment — wondering why he hadn’t come to Pattaya before he got married.

Word of advice to those who choose Thailand as a honeymoon destination. If you want your serene beautiful beaches, head to South Thailand, or Ko Chang, further east of Pattaya. If you don’t mind the tranquil forests, go up north to Chiang Mai. Pattaya is where I would come for a bachelor/bachelorette party — not a honeymoon. Of course, this is all down to the couples themselves. Some say Pattaya can be enjoyed by couples, others may not.

Back in my room, I sat in the bathtub at around 11pm, considered ‘early’ in Pattaya. I wondered what to do tomorrow: stay another day and do the Coral Island tour in the morning – or – head back to Bangkok. Coral Island didn’t look good to me even in the photos, not after you have seen the islands in Krabi.

I also ignored the Sanctuary of Truth, thinking it was just another temple. Only to realize (via Reddit of all the sources!) a few weeks ago (as of this writing)  that it’s a private man-made temple carved completely out of wood! It looks mighty impressive from close up and despite the steep ฿500 entrance fee, I’m surely going to see it the next time I’m in Thailand.

Which is why I ultimately decided to leave for Bangkok tomorrow. Pattaya is a place you can easily visit when in Thailand. If you land in Suvarnabhumi (as most foreign tourists do), there are plenty of buses to Pattaya direct from the airport, as it’s only an hour away.

Though as I lay in bed, I imagined what I would have seen had I rented a bike and drove all the way till the end of Jomtien beach and the other outskirts of Pattaya.

As is the case with me and Thailand, I’ll have to do it the next time I visit the ‘Land of Smiles’.

 

Edit (14/07/2010): Shared this post on Reddit and got some good feedback from other users. Hmm, maybe I should seriously catch one of those ladyboy shows next time.

Reddit comment Pattaya


Previous posts in this series:

Thailand 2010: Golden Triangle in Mae Sai; Chiang Rai’s White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)

Thailand 2010: Heading to Chiang Rai by bus, Wat Jedyod and Golden Clock Tower

Thailand 2010: Last day of Loi Krathong; Sunday Grand Parade (Day 4, Part 2)

Thailand 2010: Chiang Mai Zoo (Day 4, Part 1)

Thailand 2010: Chiang Mai Loi Krathong celebrations; first Grand Parade

Thailand 2010: Chiang Mai cooking class; Loi Krathong celebrations in Mae Jo, Sansai

Thailand 2010: First day in Chiang Mai for Loi Krathong; driving up Doi Suthep

Thailand 2010: Arriving in Bangkok and preparing for Loi Krathong in Chiang Mai

Petronas Twin Towers top half

Malaysia 2010: Day 7 — Kuala Lumpur (Low Yat Plaza, Petronas Towers, Jalan Alor)

Date: 1st October 2010

After two wonderful days in beautiful Langkawi, it was now time for the last leg of our journey. We reached Langkawi airport for our morning flight to Kuala Lumpur. After having our breakfast at Kenny Rogers Roasters (not a whole lot of options at the airport), we checked in and waited for our 11:45am flight.

Langkawi airport runwayLangkawi airport flying school hills

Langkawi airport Air Asia morning flight
Our flight was on time (Above photos taken on Nokia E72)

We all sat together but Ramesh chose the window seat. The following are his photographs.

Leaving Langkawi Malaysia by flight

Langkawi wave breaker from plane Malaysia
That’s a wavebreaker

Langkawi islands from Air Asia flightLeaving Langkawi for KL Air Asia flightAir Asia Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur cloudsKuala Lumpur Malaysia river from skyKuala Lumpur Malaysia river from planeKuala Lumpur outskirts Malaysia from planeKuala Lumpur palm forest from sky MalaysiaLanding in Kuala Lumpur budget terminalAir Asia landing runway LCCTKuala Lumpur airport budget LCCT terminal

We landed at Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Terminal nearing 1pm and was out in 30 minutes. There were plenty of buses from KL LCCT to KL Sentral, which is the main transportation hub in Kuala Lumpur city.

KL LCCT to KL Sentral bus Manchester United believe
We got a ManU fan for a driver
LCCT to KL Sentral Kuala Lumpur bus journey
The bus ride costs RM8 (Rs. 117/$2.7)
LCCT to KL Sentral Kuala Lumpur heavy rain
Soon after, it began to rain heavily
Kuala Lumpur city highway powerlines
But halfway through the journey, the rain stopped

Kuala Lumpur airport to city roadKuala Lumpur city airport highway

Kuala Lumpur city highway Petronas in distance
Malaysia’s landmark in the distance
Kuala Lumpur construction near KL Sentral
After nearly an hour, we arrived at KL Sentral

After reaching KL Sentral, we then hired a taxi to where were staying.

Kuala Lumpur city Proton taxi
It cost us RM35 from KL Sentral to Berjaya Times Square

Kuala Lumpur city apartmentKuala Lumpur city overbridge

Kuala Lumpur luxury building
(Above photos taken on Nokia E72)

After a 15 minute journey, we reached Berjaya Times Square. There is a metro service from KL Sentral to Berjaya Times Square, but with our luggage, we decided to just take a cab.

Kuala Lumpur Irsia bed and breakfast hostel
The tiny white building was where we would be staying: Irsia Bed & Breakfast

We chose Irsia after much deliberation and researching on the location. We made our booking for a triple room.

Irsia bed breakfast hostel triple room Kuala Lumpur
Which by the way, looks like this

After freshening up and making our payments, we headed to Berjaya Times Square for lunch.

Berjaya Times Square is relatively old but still remains one of Malaysia’s biggest and popular shopping destinations. It’s pretty huge, with 7 floors of shopping — high ends brands in the lower floors and more affordable stuff in the higher up floors. There’s also a 5-star hotel, Berjaya Hotel — among other things.

Kuala Lumpur Berjaya times square mall info lobby

Berjaya Times Square hotel escalator floors
(Photograph by Loiyumba)

We headed all the way up to the 10th floor to the food court. We chose our meals from a place selling ‘mock non-veg’ food.

Kuala Lumpur Berjaya Times Square soya food court
Pick and choose

By that I mean, stuff that looks like chicken and fish but are actually vegetarian because they are essentially soya-filled made to look like non-veg items.

Berjaya Times Square mock chicken fish

Kuala Lumpur city SJK Julimbi building
The view from up here

When I mentioned “among other things” earlier…

Berjaya Times Square indoor roller coaster
… there’s also an indoor theme park with a rollercoaster inside the building

Berjaya Times Square indoor roller coaster ride

Berjaya Times Square indoor theme park
I tried to the get the whole theme park section of the building in one frame
Berjaya Times Square mall Kuala Lumpur
We stepped out
Kuala Lumpur Times Square monorail line
And decided to check out the area we were in

We chose to stay at Irsia because it was close to a lot of places we wanted to go. One among them being Low Yat Plaza, Kuala Lumpur’s famous IT mall.

After crossing the road, it was a short walk to Low Yat

Kuala Lumpur Plaza Low Yat side entrance
This isn’t the main entrance
Kuala Lumpur Low Yat Plaza five floors
6 floors of gadgets

I couldn’t get to spend much time in Singapore’s IT malls to pick up the things I wanted, so I consoled myself assuming I could get them at Low Yat.

Kuala Lumpur Low Yat Plaza IT store cafeSadly, the selection of camera tripods weren’t very exhaustive and I couldn’t really find everything I wanted. Also, more importantly, the prices we found for some items were far more than what we saw in Singapore. There isn’t an incentive for tourists either via a tax refund scheme like Singapore has with its GST refund and Thailand has with its VAT refund scheme.

Kuala Lumpur Low Yat Plaza stores
I checked out pretty much every floor

After lingering around for nearly 30 minutes, we left.

Kuala Lumpur Plaza Low Yat entranceKuala Lumpur street food hotel capitolWe were soon on Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur’s popular shopping district.

Kuala Lumpur Changkat Bukit Bintang streetA short walk from here is Jalan Alor, also nicknamed ‘Food Street’.

Kuala Lumpur Jalan Alor food street Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur Jalan Alor evening
Not buzzing just quite yet

Kuala Lumpur alley near Jalan Alor

Kuala Lumpur city CBD traffic
Quite a lot of malls in Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur Lot 10 mall junction

Kuala Lumpur monorail train
KL’s monorail service (Photograph by Loiyumba)
Kuala Lumpur monorail HSBC branch
We were walking towards Malaysia’s world famous landmark
Kuala Lumpur Hotel Istana Menara KL tower evening
It’s tall, but it isn’t KL Tower
Kuala Lumpur Petronas towers Monorail
That’s where we were headed — Petronas Twin Towers
Kuala Lumpur Menara KL Malaysia
I had plans to go to Menara KL too

Kuala Lumpur CBD road sign

Kuala Lumpur Menara Shangri La hotel Malaysia
Menara KL (or KL Tower) is in fact taller than Petronas towers, but that’s because it’s perched atop a hill
KL Petronas Tower Canon street ad
Even half of one tower is impressive to look at

Kuala Lumpur street to Petronas TowersPetronas Tower single tree shadow night

Kuala Lumpur Suria KLCC shopping mall
Suria KLCC is the shopping mall (KLCC is the convention centre I believe)
Public Bank AmBank headquarter building KL
Plenty of bank headquarters in and around Petronas Towers
Petronas Tower KL side angle
Stunning

We walked into Suria but there was a sign saying at certain sections of the mall, photography is prohibited. So we just kept our cameras in and walked through the mall and out the main entrance of Petronas Towers.

Petronas towers 1malaysia 1matlamat fullPetronas is the Malaysia’s national oil company — and one of Asia’s largest companies.  Petronas Towers is the company’s headquarters, thought I’m not sure if all 88 floors are Petronas’ offices.

Petronas Twin Towers bottom angle
But what an office to work in!
Petronas Towers building entrance lobby
The lobby is quite nice
Petronas Towers observation deck bridge at night
That’s the Skybridge observation deck. We planned to go check it out in the morning.

The reason why we we didn’t want to go up to the skybridge is because, one, we were already late as the skybridge closes at 5pm and two, there is a particular method to which you need to get the tickets to visit the observation deck — which I’ll get to in a later post.

Petronas Towers higher floorsPetronas Twin Towers top half

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia
I had to step back a bit to get the whole building in my wide angle

Petronas Twin Towers top floorsWe attempted a portrait shot of all three of us in front of the Petronas Towes, but because we didn’t have a tripod with us, Ramesh fit the tripod on his camera and used his Kata bag to stand the camera.

Petronas Towers glowing Mithun Loiyumba charity girl
Me donating some money to some Chinese school girl
Loiyumba Ramesh Mithun in front of Petronas Towers full
After a few attempts, we managed to get the shot

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers fountainsPetronas Towers entrance fountainsPetronas Towers KL angle shotPetronas Twin Towers glow treeThe Malaysian MotoGP was happening the following week, and they had some competing superbikes on display.

Jorge Lorenzo Fiat Yamaha bike Petronas MalaysiaFiat Yamaha superbike MotoGP display Petronas MalaysiaPublic Bank head office in front Petronas TowersKuala Lumpur BSN Bank headquarters Menara KLAfter nearly an hour just staring at this beautiful building, we finally left the base of Petronas Towers.

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers full shotThe Petronas Towers are a symbol of modern day Malaysia. Just like Burj-Al-Arab signifies Dubai, and now Burj Khalifa, the Petronas Towers are an architectural icon. Inaugurated in 1998, even to this day, the Petronas Towers design stands as ‘modern’ – and yet, truly Asian in its influence as it can be. No visit to Malaysia is complete without having seen what was once the tallest building(s) in the world.

Kuala Lumpur KLCC Suria parking entranceEven though Taipei 101 took over the throne of “Tallest building in the world” in 2004 (until Burj Khalifa did the same in 2010), the Petronas Towers are still one of the best looking skyscrapers in the world in my opinion. It shows how important good architecture is in creating a true global landmark. You can play the game of attempting to build the tallest structure in the world, but unless it looks good, the investment is futile.

If you disagree, just go around and ask people if they are aware of ‘Taipei 101’.

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Towers night sky cloudsKuala Lumpur Convention Center building MalaysiaKuala Lumpur Prince Hotel Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur city TANGS store
TANGS is a department store

We walked back and through some of the malls in Bukit Bintang district.

Kuala Lumpur Pavilion Mall street musicians
Musicians performing in front of Pavilion Mall
Pavilion Crystal Fountain, the Tallest Liuli Crystal Fountain in Malaysia
Pavilion Crystal Fountain, the Tallest Liuli Crystal Fountain in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Uniqlo store Bukit Bintang
Japan’s UNIQLO is now in Kuala Lumpur’s Fahrenheit 88 mall
Ferrari F430 parked in front of Fahrenheit 88 mall Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
This Ferrari F430 was parked in front of Fahrenheit 88 mall

Ferrari F430 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Bukit Bintang street performers at night
There are a few street performers at Bukit Bintang
Bukit Bintang street dancers Kuala Lumpur at night
These guys were trying to perform street dancing but looked nervous when the crowd grew big
Kuala Lumpur Bukit Bintang monorail station
Bukit Bintang monorail station

From Bukit Bintang other KL landmarks

Bukit Bintang street KL at night
It was time for us to now figure out what to eat
Jalan Alor food street Chinese restaurant tourists
So we headed to Jalan Alor a.k.a ‘Food Street’
Jalan Alor food street Kuala Lumpur at night
Quite a change of scene from earlier isn’t it?

Jalan Alor food street KL Malaysia nightlifeJalan Alor food street beef street food

Jalan Alor food street water sprinklers
These restaurants even sprinkle water in the air to cool off its guests

Jalan Alor food street Vietnam food KL MalaysiaJalan Alor food street food courtJalan Alor food street Budget Inn Kuala LumpurJalan Alor food street Kuala LumpurWhile myself and Loiyumba found enough options for dinner, as was the norm on this trip, Ramesh didn’t. So I ordered what I wanted to eat, so that we could head to some place Ramesh could get his dinner.

Jalan Alor food street KL kitchen
I ordered some duck dish, forgot what it was called
Jalan Alor food street fried fish
Was tempted to order some seafood too
Jalan Alor food street Chinese restaurant
A lot of the restaurants on Jalan Alor are Chinese

Jalan Alor food street KL crowds at nightJalan Alor fresh fish seafood on iceIt maybe a bustling place by night, but if you feel like staying amidst all the food, here are some hotels on Jalan Alor:

Hotel Alor street restoran yan kuala lumpur

Jalan Alor food street Apple Inn hotel KL
Apple Inn (http://www.appleinn.com.my/)

Once I got my takeaway, we headed back to our rooms only to stop at the 24-hour Subway store on Bukit Bintang where Ramesh picked up his dinner. (There’s also a 24-hour KFC on the same road)

We also pick up a few drinks from a convenience store on the way and had our dinner outside our hotel, where Irsia had put up a few tables for its guests.

KL street food duck meat Anglia shandy
My dinner
Berjaya Times Square from behind at night
When I say we stayed right behind Berjaya Times Square, I’m not kidding

Dinner over, we hit the bed early. Our plans were to go see the famous Batu Caves tomorrow, which we knew were on the outskirts of KL… which meant getting up a bit early.

So what was our first impression of KL? Not so good, to be honest. In fact, after a whirlwind 3 days in Singapore during a buzzing F1 weekend, it’s understandable we were a bit disappointed with Kuala Lumpur. But the fact is, things are a lot cheaper in KL, so it’s no surprise Malaysia’s capital city isn’t as glamourous as glitzy Singapore. Unfair comparison I’d say.

Oh well, we still had two more days in the city to change our minds about the place.


Other posts in this series:

Singapore & Malaysia 2010: Planning and preparing for the trip

Singapore 2010: Day 1 – Little India, CBD, Clarke Quay, China Town… and a lot of walking

Singapore 2010: Day 2 – Orchard Road, mall-hopping… and already shopping

Singapore 2010: Day 3 – Singapore Zoo, Marina Bay Sands; leaving Singapore for Penang

Malaysia 2010: Day 5 — Langkawi (Ferry ride from Penang, Cable car & Sky Bridge)

Malaysia 2010: Day 6 — Langkawi (Island hopping tour, Pantai Tengah beach, Night market)

Malaysia 2010: Day 8 — Kuala Lumpur (Batu Caves, Petaling Street/China Town)

Malaysia 2010: Day 9 — Kuala Lumpur (KLCC Aquaria, Merdeka Square, KL Tower observation deck)

Malaysia 2010: Leaving Kuala Lumpur… and about going back

Langkawi sky bridge Malaysia

Malaysia 2010: Day 5 — Langkawi (Ferry ride from Penang, Cable car & Sky Bridge)

Date: 29th September 2010

After a rather disappointing day in Penang yesterday, we woke up early today to set off on our next island destination:  Langkawi.

After a rushed breakfast, we hired a taxi and headed to the terminal to board our ferry to Langkawi. We bought our tickets yesterday itself, and its advisable to do so; our boat was full.

Inside ferry from Penang to Langkawi
It’s air-conditioned inside and there’s a “first class” upstairs as well
Inside ferry from Penang to Langkawi Loiyumba peace sign
The ferry leaves at 8:15am every morning
Penang to Langkawi ferry window
Soon after the ferry set off, we decided to get up from our seats and go ‘upstairs’…
Penang to Langkawi ferry ride mushroom cloud
… and then outside. The mushroom cloud from yesterday was still there.

Penang to Langkawi ferry on topPenang to Langkawi ferry ride

Leaving Penang island ferry ride
Goodbye Penang, until next time
Penang to Langkawi ferry clear sky
On one side it was clear sunny skies…
Penang to Langkawi waters clouds panorama
…on the other, dark clouds with some pockets of rain
Malacca Strait rain showers clouds panorama
In this wide panorama shot, you can see the pockets receiving rainfall in the distance
Malacca strait sea big cloud formation
There were some lovely cloud formations along the way

Langkawi Malacca Strait beautiful cloud formation sky

Malacca Strait sea fishing boat

Malacca Strait ferry trail
The fumes are coming from the ferry
Penang to Langkawi ferry ride Loiyumba sleeping
With a cool breeze, calm waters, and sunshine…
Penang to Langkawi ferry ride Loiyumba bench
… it’s perfect for a nap
Malacca Strait Langkawi waters concentrated rain
It was cool to see rainfall like this
Langkawi ferry ride Mithun AOL Google tshirts
I wasn’t the only one on board donning our company t-shirts (Photograph by Loiyumba)
Reaching Langkawi by ferry boat
By 10:30am, we were nearing Langkawi
Malacca Strait buoy Langkawi
The water was getting clearer
Malacca Strait Langkawi ship
At this point, we were asked to go back to our seats

Arriving Langkawi ferry terminal passengers

Langkawi ferry boat docked at terminal
This was our ferry (Taken using my phone camera)
Welcome to Langkawi ferry terminal
Hello Langkawi! (Taken on the Nokia E72)
Langkawi ferry terminal pier
(Taken on the Nokia E72)
Langkawi ferry terminal restaurant
 (Taken on the Nokia E72)
Langkawi ferry terminal yachts marina
Plenty of yachts out here (Taken on the Nokia E72)

We hired a taxi to get to our hotel, which was on Pantai Cenang beach. (Cost us RM24)

Taxi Proton Langkawi ferry terminal
There is a pre-paid taxi booth outside the terminal
Langkawi Kuah town road
The main town in Langkawi is Kuah (Photograph by Loiyumba)

By the way, if you wondering where the iconic symbol of Langkawi (the eagle statue) is, you can find it near a park very close to the ferry terminal. We passed it while driving out of the terminal but didn’t bother stopping to take photos… as there isn’t much to it.

Langkawi taxi ride from Kuah to Pantai Cenang
The drive takes around half an hour

Langkawi Malaysia navy quarters office

Langkawi islands driving by
We were quite happy to see all this

Langkawi paddy field farm housesLangkawi taxi ride top Pantai Cenang

Langkawi Pantai Cenang road
By 11:30 we were at Pantai Cenang

We could see a sign on the main road pointing to Sweet Inn Motel, the place where we had reservations. Problem is, the sign was pointing to the left side, into the mainland and not to the right, where the beach was.

Sweet Inn motel Langkawi Pantai Cenang rooms
We were a *bit* disappointed upon seeing the place
Sweet Inn Motel Langkawi owner's house
This I’m guessing is the motel owner’s house (Photograph by Loiyumba)

When we made the booking via Agoda.com in August, the description read “on Pantai Cenang beach,” and though it is only a 2 minute walk away from the beach, it’s not a sea facing hotel. Oh well, at least it was cheap. Our triple room cost us Rs. 2360 ($52/€37) for two nights — that’s under Rs. 800 per person for 2 nights!

The rooms were also quite decent. The triple room was one double bed and a single bed, a TV with mostly local channels, wardrobe and a clean enough toilet with hot shower.

We couldn’t check in yet because our rooms weren’t cleaned and kept ready. So instead, we dumped our bags in the office room and hit the beach.

Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach parasailing

Babylon lounge bar Pantai Cenang Langkawi
Is there any beach on the planet that doesn’t have a Jamaica-themed bar?
Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach panorama
Langkawi’s most popular beach — Pantai Cenang beach (panorama comprised of 15 shots)

We couldn’t hand around for too long at the beach. We needed to convert currency as we were running short of Malaysian Ringgits. Loi wanted to sit at the bar, so myself & Ramesh headed back to the main road in search of a money exchange.

Palace of India Malibest resort Pantai Cenang Langkawi
There are a few Indian restaurants here

The resort you see above is Malibest Resort, and it’s by the beach.

AB Motel Pantai Cenag Langkawi Malaysia
So is this place
AB Motel Pantai Cenag Langkawi bike rentals
Just about every hotel has bikes for rent
Langgura Baron resort Pantai Cenang Langkawi
Langgura Baron resort is more ‘motel’ than ‘resort’. Reasonable rates & by the sea.

When we first came across a money exchange center, they were closed for lunch. We had to walk quite a bit before we came across one that was open. There really weren’t that many money exchange centers on Pantai Cenang road. Not as ubiquitous as I noticed in Thailand. My advice is to convert money either prior to landing in Langkawi or outside the ferry terminal if you come by boat.

Money in hand, we headed back to the beach.

Pantai Cenang beach Indians Arabs Langkawi
Judging by the flags, Indians and Arabs form a large chunk of the tourists in Langkawi
Villa Idaman Pantai Cenang Langkawi
Villa Idaman Motel, I couldn’t find their official site so you’ll just have to Google for more info
Pantai Cenang beach Langkawi sand
Despite being Langkawi’s most popular beach, it wasn’t very crowded
Air Asia Langkawi flight in sky
Air Asia has plenty of daily flights to Langkawi
Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach hotel
Not sure if this hotel was open yet
Melati Tanjung Motel Pantai Cenang Langkawi
Melati Tanjung Motel, this another budget sea-facing option
AB Motel Pantai Cenag Langkawi watersports
The usual watersports are on offer

Langkawi Pantai Cenang Jet ski watersports

Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach sand art
Lovely ‘sand art’ by beach snails (I presume)…
Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach snail sand formations
… and the shore line had lots of them!
Langkawi Pantai Cenang beach dead jellyfish
A dead jellyfish. Felt like poking it with my fingers… but didn’t.
Babylon beach shack bar Pantai Cenang Langkawi
Inside Babylon bar

After having a beer to cool ourselves, we went back to Sweet Inn to check in to our rooms.

Langkawi Pantai Cenang village split road
Take the left road to get to Sweet Inn motel

After we checked in, we freshened up and then stepped out again for lunch.

Nasi Lemak lunch Pantai Cenang Langkawi
I had Nasi Lemak, pretty much the Malay-equivalent to India’s ‘meals’

Considered to be the national dish of Malaysia, Nasi Lemak consists of some rice, roasted peanuts, papadam bits, small dried anchovies, boiled egg and and sambal, a spicy sauce (in the above photo, it’s the red one with calamari in it). The meal is filling and is usually very reasonably priced.

Nasi Goreng veg egg noodle soup Malay dishes
Ramesh had the one on the left; Loi had the one on the right

After lunch, instead of taking a nap, we decided to rent bikes and head to the Langkawi Sky Bridge while the sun was still up.

We rented 2 scooters at RM22 (Rs. 325/$7/€5)  each for 24hrs.

Modena scooters bike rent Pantai Cenang Langkawi
The bikes that were the most common were Modenas. This model is called the Karisma.

The rental shop made a note of all the pre-existing scratches and damages before handing it over to us.

Modena Karisma scooters renting bikes Pantai Cenang Langkawi

It’s best you inspect the bike as carefully as possible, so that they cannot point at any scratch or damage on the bike claiming you did that when you return it.

Helmets on, we set off. Ramesh rode solo while I rode with Loi sitting behind me.

Riding bikes Langkawi helmets
Photograph by Loiyumba
Langkawi road trip with bikes
Photograph by Loiyumba
Langkawi mosque
Photograph by Loiyumba
Langkawi petrol station
We stopped to fuel up. Filled up petrol for RM8 (Rs. 118). (These are self service stations by the way)
Riding through Langkawi road trip
Quite a scenic drive

Langkawi paddy field pipes

Bike road trip Langkawi Loiyumba clicking
… and it kept getting better

Bend near Langkawi airfield

Langkawi airfield plane landing
This is one end of the Langkawi International Airport runway
Pantai Cenang to Langkawi cable car sky bridge route map
This is the route we took. ‘B’ is Pantai Cenang beach and ‘A’ is the Langkawi Sky Bridge.
Stopping at Langkawi airfield
We had to stop to take a few photos. (Yes, I was aware of how big the helmet was on my head)
Langkawi bridge panorama
Panorama comprised of 3 shots
Langkawi airfield fishing by the sea
He’s fishing… not anything else
Langkawi scooter ride Mithun Ramesh
We moved ahead and then stopped again. I don’t remember why though.
Langkawi bike ride Ramesh
Ramesh ridin’ solo

Driving to Langkawi cable carLangkawi bridge cable carWe stopped here on the bridge to take a few photos.

Langkawi river near bridgeLangkawi bridge underpass roadLangkawi bridge underpass road rightModena Karisma parked Langkawi bridgeWe moved on.

Way to Langkawi cable car fruit stall
You reach a T-junction, from where you’ll see this fruit stall. Take the right.

Then, up ahead is a signal. From the signal, you have to take a left turn.

Driving to Langkawi sky bridge downhillDriving to Langkawi hill cable car

Langkawi yacht club marina
You’ll pass the Langkawi Yacht Club

Langkawi Yacht Club lighthouse

Langkawi Yacht Club boat
The road to the sky bridge goes all around the marina

After setting off at 2pm, by 4pm we were at the Langkawi Geopark. It’s not that the journey takes that long, we just stopped on the way quite a bit.

Langkawi Cable Car parking lot
There’s ample parking available for cars & bikes

Getting to Langkawi Cable Car ride

Langkawi Cable Car Oriental Village
There are stores and restaurants below
Langkawi Cable Car entrance
You buy the tickets from here
Langkawi Cable Car pods
Tickets cost RM30 per adult (Rs. 440/$10/€7)

Langkawi Cable Car Oriental Village viewLangkawi cable car towerLangkawi cable car sea view

Langkawi Geological Park waterfall
There are few mini-waterfalls here

Langkawi cable car design

Langkawi cable car first stop station
This is the first station, there’s another leg to the trip to the top
Langkawi view from cable car
The view is amazing even at half-way point
Langkawi cable car sky bridge
That’s the sky bridge
Langkawi Geological Park forest trees panorama
Panorama comprised of 10 vertical shots

We got into the cable car and continued up.

Langkawi sky bridge Malaysia
Great design
Langkawi Geological Park steps to sky bridge
Once you get to the second platform, you have to take these steps to get down to the sky bridge
Langkawi Geological Park 652 meter above-sea level
That’s how high the sky bridge is above sea level

Langkawi sky bridge steps upLangkawi sky bridge platform viewLangkawi sky bridge walkwayLangkawi Geological Park limestone hills

Langkawi sky bridge platform gap
By the way, there are gaps in between the platform you walk on

Langkawi Geological Park sunsetLangkawi hill Andaman sea sunset wavesLangkawi island sky bridgeApparently the final scene of the Hindi film Don (starring Shah Rukh Khan) was filmed on the sky bridge. I didn’t see the film, but that’s what Ramesh & Loi said.

Langkawi Geological Park islandsLangkawi mountain terrain edge

Langkawi sky bridge under platform
There were steps leading under the platform. Being curious, I took it.
Langkawi geological park trekking path steps
Apparently you can trek all the way down too. But you need prior permission.
Langkawi geological park trekking path tree
Walked a few steps down and saw this. So went back up again.

Langkawi geological park nearby islandsLangkawi sky bridge sectionLangkawi geological park hillsLangkawi cable car Malacca Strait islands view

Langkawi geological park second highest observation deck
That’s the second highest observation deck

Langkawi cable car steps to observation deck

Langkawi Yacht Club marina from sky bridge
That’s the marina of the Langkawi Yacht Club
Langkawi cable car observation deck closed
This observation deck was closed for maintenance
Langkawi cable car 705 meter above sea level
So we went to the other observation deck
Langkawi cable car observation deck Mithun Loiyumba
Me showing Loi where we were staying (Photograph by Ramesh)
Langkawi Pantai Cenang view from observation deck
The first wing of the beach you see in the distance is Pantai Cenang. The one further up is Pantai Tengah.

Langkawi geopark observation deck view mapLangkawi cable car highest observation deck
If you want a video of the sky bridge, watch this HD capture by Ramesh:

 

Langkawi island sun setting cloudy eveningThe sun was setting, so we decided to head back down.

Langkawi tiny islandLangkawi cable car from highest observation deckLangkawi cable car highest stationRamesh took video of our journey back down:

(You can view it in HD for better clarity)

Langkawi cable car pillarsLangkawi cable car first station

Langkawi Geopark Temurun waterfall
Temurun waterfall

Once down, we checked out the Oriental Village.

Langkawi Geopark Oriental Village bridgeLangkawi Geopark Oriental village pond fountainLangkawi Geopark Oriental village pond fishLangkawi Geopark Oriental Village white ducksLangkawi Geopark Oriental Village ChineseThe Oriental Village mostly comprises of shops, restaurants and other services like massage spas. We were a bit hungry so we sat in a cafe to have something to eat.

Roselle flower juice beef burger Langkawi Geopark restaurant
This is what I had: Roselle flower juice (L) & beef burger (R)

It was was past 6pm, which is also closing time for the cable car ride.  We wanted to make the most of whatever sunlight was available while heading back. So we set off…

Langkawi near Yacht Club
…buuut we ended up stopping again near the Langkawi Yacht Club

Langkawi Yacht Club sunset

Langkawi Yacht Club evening panorama

Langkawi Yacht Club lighthouse sunset purple sky
A beautiful evening to close out a lovely first day in Langkawi
Langkawi Petronas station near yacht club
There’s a Petronas gas station near the yacht club
Mithun Loiyumba bike waiting
Yes, me and my big helmet (Photograph by Ramesh)

As darkness fell, we still managed to get back to Pantai Cenang beach road in around 45 minutes. Instead of heading back to our rooms, we decided to make the most of the bikes while we had them. We drove straight, on to Pantai Tengah beach and past it as well, until we hit a dead end which looked like another docking bay for boats.

So we made our way back and decided to return the bikes tonight itself.

Langkawi Pantai Cenang T-shoppe bike rentals
This is the place where we rented our bikes from

The reason why we returned them is because the next morning we had booked ourselves for an island-hopping tour which would last until afternoon. So by the time we would have gotten back to our rooms, it would have been past the 24-hour limit.

Orkid Rea seafood restaurant Pantai Cenang Langkawi
For our early dinner, we went to this restaurant which had a sizable crowd
Orkid Rea seafood restaurant interior Pantai Cenang Langkawi
It’s lovely place and isn’t that expensive
Orkid Rea seafood restaurant lobster tiger prawns Langkawi
Yum
Orkid Rea seafood restaurant mud crab Langkawi
Hmmm…
Orkid Rea seafood restaurant mantis prawn Langkawi
Errrr…

(I kinda wanted to try it though)

Chinese butter prawns dinner Langkawi
But Loi & I ended up ordering this interesting looking butter pan-fried tiger prawns

We had a large plate of fries, some beers, and some pasta; all of which came to around RM44 (Rs. 650).

Kit Kat cone ice cream Malaysia
For dessert, and in my quest to try out new things, I had Kit Kat ice cream. It was okay.

With that, day one in Langkawi came to a close! We had woken up early in Penang today morning and tomorrow, we had to wake up early again for our pick up for the island-hopping tour.

So an early good night in Langkawi it was.


Other posts in this series:

Singapore & Malaysia 2010: Planning and preparing for the trip

Singapore 2010: Day 1 – Little India, CBD, Clarke Quay, China Town… and a lot of walking

Singapore 2010: Day 2 – Orchard Road, mall-hopping… and already shopping

Singapore 2010: Day 3 – Singapore Zoo, Marina Bay Sands; leaving Singapore for Penang

Malaysia 2010: Day 5 — Langkawi (Ferry ride from Penang, Cable car & Sky Bridge)

Malaysia 2010: Day 6 — Langkawi (Island hopping tour, Pantai Tengah beach, Night market)

Malaysia 2010: Day 7 — Kuala Lumpur (Low Yat Plaza, Petronas Towers, Jalan Alor)

Malaysia 2010: Day 8 — Kuala Lumpur (Batu Caves, Petaling Street/China Town)

Malaysia 2010: Day 9 — Kuala Lumpur (KLCC Aquaria, Merdeka Square, KL Tower observation deck)

Malaysia 2010: Leaving Kuala Lumpur… and about going back

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