Thankfully it far exceeded our expectations from the moment we arrived.
As soon as we stepped off the ferry it was apparent that this is the choice holiday resort for wealthy Malaysian's - you only need to catch sight of the spectacular villas to realise this! The streets are notably more up Market than in many of the places we have visited previously and the usual health and safety hazards that we have been confronted with - like holes in the ground / wild dogs roaming round - are few and far between. The other notable difference is the culture. We had come from a predominately Buddhist country with a very carefree attitude towards life/ relationships to a country where most people are Muslim. There are certainly no 'hostess' bars here for the western men to shamefully induldge in (far too many in Thailand)!! I was certainly quick to ensure i mentioned twin rooms too as being gay is illegal. It seemed such a big shift in attitude when compared to Thailand.
The vast majority of women wear either a Burkha or a head scarf here although unlike in many other Islamic countries it is entirely their choice if they wish to do so. Due to the intense heat in all those extra layers most people stay indoors until 6pm when suddenly the beach is absolutely jam packed until sun set. It was fascinating to watch the crowds of people, especially the women and children who jump into the sea fully clothed and go jet skiing in a burkha - I can't imagine it is particularly enjoyable given that the sea is like a bath tub and the men and young boys have all got their tops off having a good old time! Maybe i'm just ignorant!
During our stay we were occasionally on the receiving end of glares from men so I wouldn't personally like to
be one of the women who chose not to cover up. This is also the only place we have been to where men come up to you in bars and hassle you a lot - they seem to see western women as easy prey but clearly we sent them packing. I'm sure such repression cant be a good thing as we did hear the occasional horror story of men following single women to their beach hut at night and trying to break in. That said everyone was very friendly.
Langkawi is markedly more expensive than Thailand. On the same budget we could just about afford to stay in a basic beach front hut although, compared to many of the Thai islands, the scenery was incredible. We were right in the heart of a tropical garden with a white sandy beach a stones throw from our door. Being in such beautiful surroundings does have it's draw backs however as a rather large spider took up residency in our bathroom and several geckos crept into the room at night (something you get used to here). We were so scared of the spider that I didn't shower for a few days and we even considered peeing in a bucket to avoid going near it! Thankfully I spotted it on the front step one morning and got the brush to coerce it away - this worked a treat and we never saw it again - meaning I could finally take the bandana off and have a shower!
Another creep then began to visit us every day - this time it wasn't of the insect variety but of the human kind. The same old man came to speak to us day after day and each time he asked the same questions. He was trying to get to Thailand and clearly didn't listen to a word we said when we gave him detailed information! We were hounded by him and he still went away non the wiser and pronouncing everything wrong. He was probably best off not following us anyway as ,as usual, the journey to and from Langkawi was a nightmare. You should now have the gist of how any journey goes here and this one was no different - if you ever want to experience what it's like to drive in the Grand Prix - come to Thailand; if you ever want to experience blatant racial discrimination and be shoved to the back of a bus behind all the locals even though you have been charged considerably more for the privilege - come to s e asia. It's always a joy! ...
...But now our last bus journey is complete and we are in our final stop before returning to Bangkok - Koh Phangan. Of all the islands in Thailand I thought this one would be the worst. It has a reputation for the full moon parties so we thought it was best avoided however as we'd spent so much elsewhere we decided to give this cheaper island a go and boy oh boy did we make the right decision :) Away from the party hard core scene in Haad Rin, the north west corner is the tropical paradise we have spent all month searching for. We're staying in Haad Salad which is anything but a package holiday resort. It has the perfect balance between development and local life. It is such a relaxing place to be and I absolutely love it here, i only wish we hadn't bothered with the other islands now as it is far superior!
From the hammock on our balcony we have the most beautiful view across the bay with the lush mountains surrounding us. Tonight I can watch the stars and the small camp fire on the beach below where just a few people gather.
So at the very end of our trip we have found that picture postcard image that we imagined when we decided to come to Thailand and it is certainly worth giving everything up and going away for!
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