Sun and sand at Langkawi

LANGKAWI is more than just cheap alcohol and stretches of duty-free shops. Somehow, I have never been to this famous island and was not planning to until this media trip came along. It was an hour from Subang to Langkawi and another 15-minute ride in a van to the Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort.

Cultural activity: You can design and paint your own pieces in Batik Hut.

We were given a warm welcome at the lobby and a quick lunch before being whisked to our quaint cabanas. The 150 cabanas are facing the beach and some are on the hills around the resort. Each had a balcony with chairs and a table where one can take in the seaview. The standard cabana is smaller than a regular hotel room but it was adequate since I was not going to sit in there the whole day.

After unpacking, I eagerly took a short walk to the beach where a row of padded lounge chairs with umbrellas greeted me. The private beach was quiet with only a handful of holiday-makers and no one was in the water. After lazing on the beach, I was looking forward to the barbeque dinner the chefs lined up for us at the Seashell Beach Cafe.

Private rest: The beach is perfect for those seeking to relax.

The open-air cafe sported a wooden fence and flooring. One could catch the sunset, unfortunately I missed it. We had grilled seafood and an array of Malay dishes while entertained by a three-piece band. Breakfast on the following day was a monkey affair. Primates from the nearby forest would sneak up and pocket food from the table, especially those placed outdoors. However, the guests took it in their stride and happily snapped photos of the monkeys. Came noon and we were put into teams to compete in a mini treasure hunt around the island. At one point, we had to paint our own batik and obviously we did not know what to do.

Eating outdoors: Guests can opt to have their meals by the pool.

Lucky for us, the Batik Hut administrators patiently gave us a crash course. Our little adventure continued with a run through the neighbouring Oriental Village where one can find handicraft, international restaurants and luxury shops. It sounded like a great place to shop but our challenge was to put an albino python on our shoulders for a minute each. I screamed through the task and that was the only thing I did not miss from my trip.

Our last stop was the Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells Waterfall) which sits on a slope of Mount Cincang. A team member misread the clue and we ended up taking a 20-minute scenic walk instead of jumping into the car waiting for us. Upon reaching the waterfalls we had to conquer a flight of steep stairs. At the end of the gruelling adventure, we were contented that we were second and could not wait for a dip in the waterfalls. After a picnic lunch, we headed back to the resort for a refreshing shower. In the evening, we went to Kuah Town to do some shopping.

Friendly reminder: The resort finds creative ideas to remind their guests on keeping the area clean at all times, even cigarette butts are not tolerated.

Alcohol, chocolates, cigarettes and even pots, pans and cutlery sets seemed to be a hot favourite among the shoppers. It was back to the resort for dinner and we prepared to head home the next day. The trip may be rather short for me especially not having more time for outdoor activities. For those who plan to stay longer, the resort has a range of activities which you can look up at the recreation desk. Among the activities available are a four-hour trek through the reserve forest at Mat Raya Mountain (RM120) , snorkeling and diving tour at the Payar Island Marine Park (RM19 to RM300) as well as a Mangrove River tour where you can spend six hours exploring mangroves and caves on boat (RM160).

For some nightlife, the hotel is about 20 minutes from Pantai Cenang. Movie buffs can take a one kilometre-walk to see where Chow Yuen Fatt and Jodie Foster filmed their summer palace segment from the movie, Anna and the King. The resort is located at Teluk Burau, Langkawi.

For enquiries, call 04-959 1061 / 03-2782 2283 or visitwww.mutiarahotels.com

Story and photos by CHRISTINA LOW

-thestar online.