Just An Ordinary Girl

Photo By: Elin Chow

Last month, my husband and I spent 4 days 3 nights in Langkawi and we had a great time. It was quite a last minute trip as we only booked our flight and accommodation a month before our trip. Luckily, it was an off-peak travel season, so it was not too expensive to travel even though we booked a little late.

Cost Breakdown
Below shows the breakdown of the expenses for our 4 days 3 nights trip to Langkawi.

Total Cost Breakdown For 2 Persons
Expenses	Malaysia Ringgit
Flight	RM 332.00
Resort World Langkawi * 3 Nights	RM 850.00
Food & Drinks	RM 664.30
Car Rental	RM 202.00
Petrol	~ RM 47.00
Attraction Fees	RM 283.00
Parking	RM 10.50
Shopping	RM 231.00
TOTAL	RM 2,619.80

For our 4 days 3 nights trip, we spent RM 2,619.80 in total. If you exclude shopping, that will be RM 2,388.80, which is RM 1,194.40 per pax. We actually exceeded our budget by a few hundreds ringgit because we have not expected ourselves to spend so much on food (especially on seafood) and attraction tickets.

It is possible to travel to Langkawi on a much lower budget if you scrimp on food and accommodation. There are lots of budget or cheap eateries in Langkawi, serving mainly local food and visited mostly by locals and backpackers. You might want consider eating in these places if you would like to keep your food expenses low.

For accommodation, we were staying at Resort world Langkawi. It was pretty affordable, but there are many other cheaper accommodation options in Langkawi. I believe it should not be difficult to find one that fits your budget.

Transportation
Public transport is very limited on the island. Taxi is probably the only available form of public transport in Langkawi. But taxis are not cheap and not a very efficient way to travel around the island. Most people would find that renting a car or motorbike/scooter would be the best way to get around island.

The most convenient place to rent a car is at the airport. You will find row of counters offering car rental at the airport arrival hall. However, we find it cheaper to pre-book a car in advance than renting at the airport. This will also ensure that you will have a car once you arrive in Langkawi.

For those who are planning to drive in Langkawi, here are some things that you might want to take note:

The roads in Langkawi are fairly dark and quiet at night as there are very no/little street lights. Please  look out for motorbikes as the riders tend not to obey traffic regulations and drive recklessly. Some of the motorbikes do not have rear lights, so it might difficult to spot them in the dark. Other than motorbikes, make sure you look out for cows and water buffalos too, especially when you are driving at night as they love to lie in the middle of the road. We almost crashed into a water buffalo when we were driving back to our hotel after dinner.

Picking Up Our Rental Car
We have booked a Perodua Myvi from Eurocar right before our trip. It was really cheap, about RM 50 per day and comes with free GPS. We did not opt for car insurance because we did not find it necessary.

We met up with a staff from Eurocar once we arrived at the airport. The staff told that they ran out of Perodua Myvi and offered us a Proton Persona instead without any additional charges.We accepted their offer as it was quite a good deal. It usually costs more to rent a Proton Persona than Perodua Myvi.

The car was about 4 years old but was pretty well maintained. We ran through a handover of the current condition of the car with the staff, making sure every scratches, dents and marks are properly documented in the rental agreement. The car should have a full tank of petrol when you collect the car. You will need to return it with a full tank when you return it at the end of your trip.

We did not take the GPS because we were more comfortable with using waze to navigate the roads. Once we have completed all the paperworks, we were ready to go.

The Fat Frog
Address: 90, East Estate, Jalan Padang Matsirat, 07000, Langkawi
FaceBook Page: The Fat Frog
Opening Hours: Closed on Monday, 8 am - 4.30 pm, & 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm (Tuesday - Sunday)



It was 1.30 pm when we left the airport. We were already hungry and decided to visit The Fat Frog for lunch due to the dozens of good reviews we read online.




The Fat Frog is a family run restaurant located in the former club house of 99 East Golf Club, by the side of the main road of Padang Matsirat, just 15 minutes drive from the airport.


We were greeted by a large friendly golden retriever named Monty upon arrival. Don't worry, the dog does not bark or lick and was ultra friendly, so there's really nothing to be scared of. We could not stop petting him because he is so friendly.



The Fat Frog served healthy, organic food with ingredients sourced from various organic farms on the island. The menu was not extensive or elaborate but is varied and have something for everyone. It offers mainly western-style vegetarians and vegan food but they do offer fresh poultry for non-vegetarians as well. There is also a full bar that serves sunset cocktails.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio
Price: RM 22
I ordered Spaghetti Aglio Olio because I could not decide what to eat. So I believe you will never go wrong with a simple, classic Italian pasta dish like Spaghetti Aglio Olio. The Aglio Olio is topped sauteed mushrooms, tender chicken breasts and seasoned with coriander.

Although it was well spiced, I still find the taste a little too bland for my liking. And honestly, I am not really a fan of coriander. I think I would enjoy it better without the coriander.

Falafel Salad
Price: RM 22

My husband ordered Falafel Salad because he wanted something light. This dish consists of mixed house salad with home made Falafel balls served with hummus. I am not a fan of the Falafel balls as well.

Orange Juice and Lemon Tea
Price: RM 10 Each

Eating here is a very relaxing experience. The place is very secluded and peaceful, with a wonderful view of the golf course and the mountains far in the distance. Other than that, there was good music
as well.

As for the food, they were freshly made and beautifully presented. Price is a little expensive, but serving size was decent, so I guess it is still good value for money. Oh yes, the friendly dog was also an added bonus!

Resort World Langkawi
Address: Tanjung Malai, 07000 Langkawi
Official Website: Resort World Langkawi

After lunch, we checked a Standard Sea View room at Resort World Langkawi, a 4-star hotel located in Pantai Tengah, about 25 minutes drive from Langkawi International Airport







Previously known as Awana Porto Malai, the resort is well known for its Mediterranean inspired architecture designs with a distinctive bright yellow facade, a landmark white lighthouse and a scenic waterfront boardwalk that offers al fresco dining. Facing the pristine blue water with private marianas and surrounded by lush green rainforest, the resort has a romantic allure that is both visually striking and majestic.



It is nice to stroll down the boardwalk any time of the day where you can capture as many instagram-worthy picture as you want. Or to dine here in the evening while enjoying the glorious view of sunset. This is a great place for cocktails at night with live band music on weekends, which can be pretty disturbing for those who planned to turn in early for the night.



There are two outdoor pools at the resort - one for the children and one for the adults. The resort boasts a newly opened infinity pool that overlooks the skyline and ocean. A spectacular view!


Away from the hustle and bustle of the hectic urban life, Resort World offers 211 rooms, ranging from Standard room to Presidential Suites to cater to different needs and budgets. Most of them have been recently renovated, except the Standard and Standard Sea View rooms. There were some renovation works going on during our stay. So I believe all the rooms will be renovated soon.




We checked into a Standard Sea View room for 3 nights. The room was spacious but completely underwhelming. It comes with two queen sized beds, a small closet, a seating area and a separate toilet and shower room. The room was pretty dated and is in a serious need for refurbishment. Most of the furnitures and furnishings are in really bad condition and need to be replaced.

With two queen sized beds and ample of space to walk around, the room can sleep up to 4 persons and is perfect for a small family or a small group of friends. The price was also fairly affordable, or rather cheap, if you are sharing among 4 people.


Other in room amenities include a very small LED TV with limited channels, a small fridge and basic coffee making facilities. WiFi connection was weak and almost non existent. It was a little frustrating but luckily, I could connect to my husband's phone WiFi.


Looking out of the windows, you will get a nice view of the turquoise blue sea. I really recommend a little extra to enjoy this view right from your room.


Both the toilet and shower room are pathetically small and we get bad smell from the drains occasionally. The sink vanity is located outside the toilet and shower room, in a corner of the bedroom. However, water in the sink took forever to drain due to old clogged piping and the problem was not fixed even though we complained to the front desk.

Housekeeping definitely need to be improved as our room was not automatically cleaned. I have to approach the front desk and request our room to be cleaned every day. There was no hairdryer in our room as well, so I have to request it from the front desk.


Daily breakfast is served at the beautiful Seagull Coffee House, an all day outlet that serves buffet breakfast in the morning and a variety of Asian and international dishes throughout the day. The restaurant has been recently renovated too, featuring turquoise tiled pillars and rustic wooden chairs and tables. Floor-to ceiling windows overlooks Langkawi turquoise water and allowed plenty of sunlight into the space.

You can choose to sit outside of the restaurant, at the boardwalk to take in the beautiful sight of the sea while eating if you do not mind the heat.


The breakfast buffet menu offers local and western dishes, but choices are pretty limited and they tend to serve the same things every day. It just gets really boring after a few days.

Dataran Lang (Eagle Square)

Almost 5pm. After settling down, we decided to visit Dataran Lang, also known as the Eagle Square, to take some mandatory tourist photos before the sky gets dark. It was raining heavily when we arrived at Kuah town. We parked our car at the car park at Jetty Point Complex, which is located just 10 minutes walk away from Dataran Lang.


Since it was raining, we decided to shop at Jetty Point Complex first until the rain stops. Jetty Point Complex is a two-storey shopping mall that offers a wide array of duty-free goods such as chocolates, liquor, cigarettes, sport wear, jewellery and branded clothing and accessories for men, women and children. But I would not recommend shopping here because everything was overpriced even though it was a duty free shopping mall. In fact, some of the items sold here were even more expensive than in Kuala Lumpur.

We left Jetty Point after 10 minutes since it was not a good place to shop. The rain has already stopped by the time we stepped out of the shopping mall, so we decided to walk over to Dataran Lang.


Measuring about 19-acre, Eagle square is beautifully landscaped and features scenic ponds, bridges, fountains and covered terraces. But unfortunately, we did not really have the time to walk around and explore as it was getting late.

Walking further in, we arrived at a huge star-shaped concrete platform that offers a beautiful view over Kuah jetty. Standing in the centre is undoubtedly one of the best well-known landmark in Langkawi - a massive 12 metres tall reddish brown eagle sculpture with its wings outstretched and ready to take flight. The sculpture is also the main reason why tourists flock here.


There are not much activities to do here. Most tourists came here to take with the eagle sculpture and leave. That was just our plan too. However, getting a picture with the huge sculpture is really not easy, especially when the platform is packed with people. Everyone around us was fighting for the best spot to take the best picture.




Other than taking pictures, you can watch ferries sail across the harbour or just walk around. I suggest that you visit during evening time when the weather is not so hot.

Teow Soon Huat Duty Free Shopping Complex
Address: A-14-15, Pokok Asam, Pulau Langkawi
Tripadvisor: Teow Soon Huat Duty Free Shopping Complex

Leaving the Eagle Square, we visited Teow Soon Huat Duty Free Shopping Complex next. Teow Soon Huat is situated on the ground floor of Langkawi Parade Megamall, just a 5 minutes drive away from Eagle Square. A heaven for chocolate lovers, Teow Soon Huat offers a variety of international brands such as M&M, Cadbury, Hershey's, Ferrero Rocher, Kit Kat, Daim and Toblerone. Prices are so much cheaper than Jetty Point, about 30% to 60% lower than retail prices.



Alcohol is cheap here too. You can find an impressive collection of wines, liquors and beers from various countries, as well as cigarettes and cigars. I really recommend shopping here, especially for chocolates and alcohol because they offer the best prices.


We spent about RM 200 at Teow Soon Huat mainly on chocolates. We did not buy any alcohol to bring back home, except a few bottles to drink. Make sure you check the expiry date before you make your purchase. Some of the chocolates are cheap because they are close to their expiry date.


Other than chocolates and alcohol, you will also find apparels, accessories and household items on the second floor of Teow Soon Huat.

Wonderland Food Store
TripAdvisor: Wonderland Food Store
Address: Lot 180, Persiaran Mutiara 2, Pusat Perdagangan Kelana Mas, 07000 Langkawi
Opening Hours: 5.30 pm - 11.30 pm

It was already 7.30 pm when we were done with shopping, and we were hungry. A trip to Langkawi is not complete without eating fresh seafood. There are plenty of places to eat seafood on the island, from high end restaurants to open air hawker stalls. After reading some reviews online, we decided to visit Wonderland Food Store for dinner.


Service was fast and friendly at the restaurant even though it was busy. The waiter came and handed us the menu once we got seated while he waited patiently to take our order. The menu offers a good variety of seafood and meat dishes for diners to choose from. We had a hard time deciding what to eat.

Long queues have started to form while we were making our order. Please come early to avoid waiting.

Dry Chilli Squid 
Price: RM 12

It seems that this is one of the popular dish to order here, so we decided to give it a try. The squids were cut up in bite-sized pieces and stir-fried with dry chilli and caramelized sauce. It is perfectly cooked and taste really good.

Butter Tiger Prawns
Price: RM 39.20 for 2

We wanted to order lobster but did not want to spend so much money. So we ordered tiger prawns instead since it taste very much like lobster. The tiger prawns weight about 150 g each and cost about RM 20 each. You can choose to have the prawns prepared and cooked in whatever way you like. The waiter actually recommended their butter prawns and we decided to give it a try. We were glad that it did not disappoint at all. In fact, it was our most favorite dish.

The butter prawns was delicious! Fried in butter and oil, the prawns were very fresh, crispy and fragrant. We love the egg floss as well, which makes a great complement to the prawns.

Stir-Fry Sambal Kang Kong
Price:RM 10

The stir-fry sambal Kang Kong, on the other hand, was a little underwhelming. It was slightly overcooked and way too salty.

Overall, the seafood was very fresh and service was good. The waiter will recommend the right portion when you order to ensure that you are not ordering too much. Most importantly, the price was reasonably cheap too.

Our total bill was about RM 70, including a pot of tea and a plate of white rice. The restaurant does not have service charge and that is also why it is cheaper to eat here. I would certainly love to eat at this restaurant again.

After a fulfilling dinner, we went back to our hotel to rest. It was already 9.30 pm and we were really tired after a whole day of travelling.

Oriental Village + Sky Cab
Official website: Sky Cab

We set off at 10.30 am the next day, heading to the Oriental Village. From Resort World, it is about 35 minutes drive. For those who drive, there is ample parking space available for you to park your car.



Oriental Village is a themed open-air complex located in Pantai Kok, at the foot hill of Mount Machincang. It is a man-made village with a huge lake in the center, as well as a wide range of retail stores, souvenir stores and local and international restaurants. But the main attraction here is actually the Sky Cab (Cable Car) and the Sky Bridge.

The Sky Cab transport visitors up to Mount Machincang, the second tallest mountain in Langkawi. The Base Station, which is located in the Oriental Village, is where the cable car ride begins and ends. There are various multi attractions combo package available for you to choose from and you can buy your tickets at the ticket booths in the Oriental Village. I would recommend buying the multi-attractions combo tickets because it is cheaper.

We purchased the combo A package which includes the Sky Cab ride, Sky Dome, Sky Rex and 3D Art Museum. The price for the package is RM 35 for Malaysian adult and RM 50 for foreigner.

Luckily the queue for the ride was not long as we did not get the Express Lane ticket. Each car has a capacity of 6 persons and if there is a long queue, you will be expected to share the car with other people. But most of the time, we were lucky to have the car all for ourselves because there were not a lot people. Service of the cable car may be temporary suspended due to strong winds. Also, please note that the cable car might be closed 2 days every month for maintenance. You will want to check out their operation calendar to avoid disappointment.




The journey from the Base Station to the Top Station will cover 2,150 metres in length and takes about 15 minutes. As the cable car gradually ascends, you can get a fantastic view of the lush rainforest, hills, flora and sometimes, wildlife below. You will also catch a glimpse of the majestic Telaga Tujuh waterfalls, also known as the Seven Wells Waterfalls high up from above.





We arrived at the Middle Station 10 minutes later. The Middle Station is an viewing platform that offers a spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of Langkawi islands and surrounding mountains. This is a great place to enjoy the marvelous view and take some quick photos before going up to the top of the mountain.


The Middle Station can get really packed sometimes, so you might have to wait if you want take a nice picture with the picturesque view. Once you are done with the Middle Station, you might need to queue to take another cable car to the Top Station.

Sky Bridge
The journey between the Middle Station and Top Station is much shorter, which took only 5 minutes. This is also where you can access the famous Sky Bridge.  Please note that there is an additional entrance free for Sky Bridge which will not included in your combo tickets. The entrance fee is RM 5 for adult and RM 3 for child.Tickets can only be purchased at the ticketing counter at the Top Station.


To get to the Sky Bridge, you can either use  the Sky Glide or take a short 10 minutes walk through a jungle trail. Sky Glide is like an inclined lift that will transport you from the Top Station to the Sky Bridge in less than 2 minutes. Ticket is sold separately from the Sky Bridge at the Top Station and costs RM 10 for adult and RM 7 for child for a return journey.


However, if you would like to save some money like us, you can choose to take the short 10 minutes nature walk instead. It was a quite a challenging hike down a long steep flight of stairs. The path is pretty narrow with hand rail only on one side, allowing one person to pass at a time. The climb down was still manageable, but climbing back up can be pretty arduous and will make you breathless. For people with poor stamina or mobility issues, I really suggest that you pay for the Sky Glide ride.

After a 10 minutes trek through the steep jungle trail, we finally arrived at a stairway that leads up to the Sky Bridge. Measuring 125 metres in length, the Sky Bridge is one of the longest curved suspension bridges in the world. We were expecting to see spectacular views of mountains, rainforest, valleys and sea, but unfortunately, it was a very foggy day and we could not see anything at all. Everywhere we look, we only saw white fog. We were just so unlucky. But even so, we still enjoyed the experience.


You feel the bridge swinging when it gets windy. It was a little scary and if you are someone who are scared of heights, you might not enjoy the experience. For who are tired after the trek, there are two triangular platforms at the two ends of the bridge where you can take a rest. You can spend as much as you want on the bridge.


The sky starts to clear up a little after a while. Even though it was still foggy, we managed to at least catch some views of the islands.
3D Art Museum
Official Website: 3D Art Museum
Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm

It was around 12 pm when we arrived back at the Base Station and decided to visit the 3D Art Museum as included in our combo tickets. Located within Oriental Village, near to Sky Cab ticket booths, this is the largest 3D art museum in Malaysia.


You will need to remove your shoes before entering, so be prepared to wander around on your bare feet. There is a shoe counter at the entrance where you can deposit your shoes.

The three-storey building features more than 200 impressive 3D artworks by a group of talented international artists, all within a 2,000 square metres space. Each of the artwork is hand-painted and will appear almost lifelike when photographed, if you are standing in the right spot. The museum is divided into nine different theme zones - Aquarium Zone, Safari Zone, Fantasy Zone, Optic Illusion Zone, Malaysia Zone, Classic Zone, Main Hall Zone, Interactive Zone 1 and Interactive Zone 2.

Photo-taking is the main activity here. You will need to think out of the box, create your own story with the 3D artworks and take as many photos as you want. The amount of photos that you can create in this museum is limitless, so make sure you get your camera ready before you visit.

We took quite a lot of photos here but some were pretty awkward. I have to constantly overcome my shyness and pose with the artworks. It was a little embarrassing because I am not really good at posing, especially in front of other people. But on the hand, we had so much fun. Let's take a look at some of the photos that we took.





Overall, the 3D Art Museum was a fun and interesting place to spend time with your family and friends, especially if you are travelling with kids. The artworks are stunningly beautiful and we spent about an hour here just to take photos. Highly recommended!

Restaurant Marhaba

Underwater World
Official Website: Underwater World
Address: Jalan Pantai Chenang. 07000 Langkawi
Opening Hours: 10am - 6pm
After lunch, we left Oriental Village and visited the Underwater World next.  Located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang, the Underwater World Langkawi is the largest aquarium in Malaysia.

Measuring 60,000 sq feet, the huge white building is home to over 5,000 varieties of marine and aquatic life, as well as other animals. The complex is separated into several different sections dedicated to each individual category.


Once you stepped in, you will find Arapaimas, the world's largest freshwater fish, right at the entrance door. This is also where the ticket counters are located. The entrance fee for Malaysian adult is RM 36 and for foreigners, RM 46. As for children from 3 to 12 years old, the fee is RM 26 and RM 36 respectively.

River Ecosystem

The River Ecosystem Section consists of 3 connecting tanks with river flowing concept and house several species of fresh water fishes from all over the world. Among the fishes on display here are Albino Patin, Bala Shark and Redtail Catfish.



In this section, you will also find a series of specially designed tanks that are home to several unique species of reptiles and small snakes. These are some of the reptiles that you will find here: Leopard Gecko, Chinese Water Dragon and Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink.

Tropical Rainforest

The tropical rainforest section is a small walk-through aviary set in a tropical rainforest environment. You will able see rainforest inhabitants such as flamingos, pheasants and playful shelducks. Flight birds are allowed to roam freely in the enclosure, which gives you a great opportunity to observe, interact and photography them at a close distance. However, it is not advisable to touch the birds even though you can as they may become aggressive when touched.


There is a huge cylinder tank in the center showcasing a variety of freshwater fish such as knife fish, Giant Gouramy and a various species of Arowanas.


Other than that, you will also have the chance to see the cute furry Marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world.

Sea Shell Display

The Sea Shell Display section showcases more than 100 species of seashells from various parts of the world in glass casings.

Coral Reef Section



The Coral Reef Section is an underwater garden where you will find schools of colorful marine fishes swimming in synchrony. You will be able to get a close look at some of the small creatures that inhabit the coral reefs such as Clown Fish (also known as Nemo), Damsels, Wrasse and many others.

Invertebrate Section



The Invertebrate Section features some of the most unusual and peculiar sea creatures in Southeast Asia.

Venomous and poisonous Section

The Venomous and poisonous Section is home to some of the most poisonous creatures in the world such as the Moray Eels and Lionfish.

Hexagonal Tank

Among the aquatic life found in the 70,000 litres Hexagonal Tank are Black tip and White tip sharks.

Temperate Section

The Temperate Section is the home to the Southern Fur seal. Here you will be able to watch while the seal swims gracefully in the water. It was a pity that we did not catch the feeding session of the seal.


In this section, you will also get to see the Blackfooted African penguins. The penguins are so cute!

Sub-Antarctic Section

The most popular section among tourists is probably the Sub-Antarctic Section which houses the adorable Rock Hopper penguins. You can easily identify them by their bright yellow feathers that form their 'eyebrows' above their eyes.

One of the main highlight here is the daily feeding session where you get to witness the penguins being fed. We were lucky to witness the feeding session even though we did not check out the feeding times beforehand. The penguins are so adorable!

Tunnel Tank



The Tunnel Tank is 15 metres long tunnel that is home to giant fishes. You will feel as though you are in the middle ocean without getting wet. As you look left, right and above, you will see giant stingrays, giant groupers, giant Trevally, green turtle and other schooling fishes coexisting and  swimming gracefully beside each other.

Again, the highlight here is the daily feeding session and we were right on time to witness that. It was a very interesting sight. If you would like to witness the fishes get fed, you might want to check out the feeding times on their website.

All in all, the underwater world is definitely worth visiting. The collection is impressive, but some of the tanks are empty due to renovation works.

Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant
Address: Lot 1225, Pantai Cenang, Mukim Kedawang, 07000 Langkawi
TripAdvisor: Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant
Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm & 6pm to 11pm


We decided to visit Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant for dinner. Orkid Ria is a Chinese seafood restaurant situated along the main road of Jalan Pantai Cenang, right in front of Cenang beach. It is undoubtedly one of the most popular restaurant in Langkawi, packed with diners, both locals and tourists every evening. I suggest visiting early to avoid waiting.



Decorated with plenty of Chinese red lanterns, the restaurant is spacious and bright with open dining setting. Right at the entrance, you will row of water tanks filled with live seafood of all kind as such as lobsters, mantis prawns, oyster clams, crabs and tiger groupers, as well as tiger prawns and fish covered in the ice, with price properly labelled.


We arrived at around 7 pm and there were still lots of empty tables available. The crowds only start to arrive at around 8 pm when we were almost finished with our food. Service was fast and friendly and everything was well-organized even though the restaurant was very busy.

The menu offers some of the freshest seafood delicacies, as well as some other homemade dishes in Langkawi.

Steamed Grouper
We wanted to order a live Tiger Grouper since it costs the same as a dead Grouper. But the waitress who was serving us told us that all of the live Tiger Groupers they had were too big in size (above 1 kg) and we might not be able to finish it. So we have no choice but to order a dead Grouper instead.

A dead Grouper costs RM 12.50 per 100g. Ours was around 500 g, which was just nice for the two of us. We choose to have our fish steamed. It is the most simple and delicious way to prepare it. The fish was cooked just right and it was very fresh and sweet. The soy sauce mixture was awesome and complement the fish well.

Tiger Prawns

The tiger prawns were picked right out from the tanks and costs RM 23 each. We got 4 of them and have the prawns prepared in two different ways.


We have 2 of them stir-fry with ginger and onion. The prawns were first deep-fried and then stir-fried with sauce. They were very fresh and sweet. Perfectly well-seasoned, the prawns were juicy on the inside but lumpy on the outside. I believe they will taste so much better if they were not deep fried with batter.


We had the other 2 prawns steamed with egg white. My husband actually prefer this one than the stir-fry one. But I prefer the opposite. This one is a little bland for me, but it brings out the freshness of the prawns.

Stir-Fried Choy Sum

Stir-fried Choy Sum was okay. It was very simple and flavorful. Definitely better than the Kang Kong we had last night at Wonderland.

Generally, Orkid Ria offers good quality seafood cooked in Chinese style. The food does not come cheap but you will definitely get what you paid for. Service was fast and friendly even though the restaurant was really busy. The waiters will also weight the seafood right in front of us and tell you the exact price before cooking, so there will be no surprise. I will highly recommend this restaurant despite its high price.

Island Hopping 

Island hopping is probably one of the most popular activity to do in Langkawi. Almost all the tour operators on the island offer island hopping tours. The tours are available all year long, except on thunderstorm day.

We booked our island hopping tour with Bin Ali Holidays for RM 55 per pax. The package lasts for 4 hours and includes an hour stop at Pulau Dayang Bunting, an eagle-feeding session at Pulau Singa Besar and another an hour stop at Pulau Beras Basah. Complimentary hotel transfers included as well.


We were asked to wait for the pick up van at the resort's lobby at 9 am. The van drove us to Teluk Baru Jetty for our boat ride, which is located just 5 minutes drive away from Resort World Langkawi.

For those who plan to join this island hopping tour, please remember to bring along your own water to keep yourself hydrated and apply plenty of sunscreen to avoid sunburnt. You might want to bring along your towels, swimwear and a set of change clothes if you are planning to swim. We were advised not to bring any food or snacks because there are a lot of monkeys on the islands. If you must bring, please keep them in your bags. Do not bring your food and personal belongings in plastic bags or the monkeys might snatch it away from it.

Pulau Dayang Bunting

We set off at around 9.30 am to the legendary Pulau Dayang Bunting, also known as the Island of the Pregnant Maiden where we were given an hour to spend.

After about 15 minutes ride, we arrived at the island where you should see the outline of a heavily pregnant lady laying on her back. The boatman slowed the boat down for us to take a quick photo.


We arrived at a small jetty where we were dropped off. The entrance of Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park located just a 2 minutes walk away.


The tour package does not include entrance fee to Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park. It costs an additional of RM 3 for Malaysians and RM 6 for foreigners to visit the lake. The price does not include rental of life jacket, which is compulsory if you are intending to take a dip in the lake.


Once you passed through the ticket counter, it is a 15 minutes hike up the concrete steps through the dense forest and a downhill track leading to the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden. It was not a very difficult hike, but might be challenging for people with mobility problems.


Be careful of monkeys along the path. Most of the time, they would not be too bothered but they can become aggressive if you are carrying food and drinks. The monkeys will not hesitant to snatch the food and drinks from your hand. If you must bring, make sure you keep them well hidden and out of their sight.

You will also want to keep your sunglasses, camera and handphone away from their sight as the monkeys might snatch them from you in exchange for food.


Climbing down a steep flight of steps, we finally arrived at Lake of the Pregnant Maiden. It was magically beautiful and peaceful. Surrounded by mangrove trees and limestone formations, the lake has deep blue water and even though it is close to the sea, separated only by strips of rocks, it is actually a fresh water lake.

There is a floating platform with pontoons for visitors to take dip. Local legend has it that women who have difficulty in conceiving a child would become fertile once they take a dip in the water. Although there is no scientific proof to that belief, a lot of locals still firmly believe in this legend. You will need a life jacket if you want to go into the water as it has an average depth of 10m without any shallow area.



Nearby the lake, there are shops selling refreshments and souvenirs, as well as offering paddle boat and life jacket rentals. But it was sad to see trash everywhere around the island. The funny thing is the entrance fee that we paid is supposed to be used for conservation. But obviously, there are nothing much done so far.



If you are not intending to swim or ride on a paddle boat, then there is not much for you to do here. There is no shaded area where we can take a seat and enjoy the beauty of the lake. But it can become very noisy as more tourists start to come in.

Eagle Feeding

The next stop will be Pulau Singa Besar where we get witnessed an eagle-feeding session. Pulau Singa Besar is a wildlife sanctuary located between Pulau Dayang Banting and Pulau Beras Basah. The name of island means "Island of the Big Lions" even though there are no lions here.


The island is mainly undeveloped and covered by lush forests and limestones. It is home to plenty of eagles, monkeys, mousedeers, hornbills, snakes, monitor lizards and peacocks. Most of the tour packages does not include a stop at the island, including ours. The major attraction at this island is actually the eagle-feeding session, which lasts only several minutes


The boatman will stop the speedboat somewhere near the entrance of the island, where you will see a long wooden bridge and this is also when you will want to have your camera ready. After switching off the motor of the speed boat, the boatman will throw pieces of chicken into the water. Within seconds, you will see hundreds of eagles flying above your head before they make a dive into the water to catch their food.



It was a spectacular sight seeing a large number of eagles circling in the sky, but it was really not easy to capture them on camera. We were given about 10 minutes to watch the eagles before proceeding to the next island.

Pulau Beras Basah

The last stop of the tour was Pulau Beras Basah, or Wet Rice Island in English. Located on the western tip of Langkawi, the island offers a pristine beach with clear blue water and powdery soft white sand.


Surrounded by lush green forest, the island is mostly undeveloped and does not have public toilet, which means that there will be no place for you to change your clothes if you are intending to take a swim here.



There are also no accommodation on the island where you can stay overnight. But there are a few stalls selling drinks and snacks, and offers snorkelling gears, jet skis and banana boat for rentals. Please note that there are a lot of wild monkeys on the island. You will want to keep plastic bags out of their sight. The monkeys have tendency to grab and snatch plastic bags from anyone's hand in search for food. They might even get aggressive during the process, so you might want to keep a safe distance from them.


Surprisingly, the monkeys love soft drinks as well,and they are quick enough to snatch any of it from you. As a result, there are lots of ripped plastic bags and empty cans and bottles all over the beach. We have constantly watch our backs too as we were worried that the mischievous monkeys will attack us any time even though we did not have any food with us.


The island is beautiful but quite small, so there was really nothing much to do here. You can take a dip in the water, sunbathe or simply enjoy a stroll down the beach. Snorkelling is not ideal because there are lots of boats passing by.


We spend our time on the island relaxing and gazing at the sea. After spending an hour at Pulau Beras Basah, we headed back to Teluk Baru Jetty and transferred back to our hotel.

Nasi Kandar Tomato
Opening Hours: 24 hours every day except 1.15 pm to 2.30 pm on Friday..

After washing up, we headed to Nasi Kandar Tomato for lunch. Nasi Kandar Tomato is a Mamak eatery located along Jalan Pantai Cenang. It is very popular among the locals and tourists because it is the cheapest place to eat in Pantai Cenang. Most of the restaurants are overpriced and if you are travelling on a fairly low budget, this is a good place for you to fill your stomach.

Open for 24 hours a day, Nasi Kandar Tomato serves both Malay and Indian cuisines. But do not expect the quality of food to be good given the price you pay. Most of the food were not kept warm and left out in the open, which is a little unhygienic.

Anyway, prices were cheap, but not exceptionally cheap. It was cheap if you compare to other restaurants in this area. Our total bill was RM 19, including drinks.

After lunch, we went back to our resort to rest. We slept almost half the afternoon away and only woke up around evening for dinner.

Shin Mi Seafood Village
Facebook Page: Shin Mi Seafood Village
Address: 70, Kg Baru, Kuala Teriang, 07000 Langkawi
Opening Hours: 12 pm - 4 pm & 6 pm to 10.30 pm


For dinner, my husband wanted to visit Orkid Ria again, but I wanted to try a new restaurant out. After some discussion, we decided to visit Shin Mi Seafood Village, a Chinese seafood restaurant located within a fisherman village in Pantai Kok.


Shin Mi is not as popular as Orkid Ria due to its remote location, but it has a laid back ambience, which makes it the perfect place to unwind. The restaurant was almost empty when we arrived, so we get to choose where we wanted to sit. In fact, other than the Japanese couple who sat next to us, we were the only two diners eating at the restaurant that night.

The restaurant serves a wide array of seafood cooked in Chinese and Thai style.

Steamed Grouper
Price: RM 58.50
We ordered Tiger Grouper but again, it was unavailable. So we had Grouper instead. The price was much cheaper than Orkid Ria. It weights about 650g and costs RM 9 per 100g. 650g is actually a little too large for us. We struggled to finish the entire fish that night.

But it was very fresh and not overcooked. In fact, it was fresher than the one we had at Orkid Ria last night. But disappointingly, we find the sauce a little lacking. Other than freshness, Orkid Ria actually cooked the fish better than Shin Mi.

Crabmeat Scallops
Price: RM 36

We also ordered some scallops to try. It was expensive but I was craving for it. It costs RM 9 per piece and we ordered 4 to try. I did not like the way they are prepared and cooked as it does not bring out the delicate flavor of the scallops.

Stir-Fried Golden Spices Meat Crab
Price: RM 65
My husband was craving for crabs, so he ordered 2 to try. It costs RM 13 per 100g and these two weight about 500g. I did not eat this because I am not a fan of crab but according to my husband, the taste was rather disappointing. The crabs were deep fried before they were stir-fried with onions, chilli and spices. But they would taste better without deep frying them.

Butter Prawns
Price: RM 4

For prawns, there was a minimum order of 300g and we have about 10 of them. It costs RM 14 per 100g, which was so much cheaper than Tiger Prawns. We had butter prawns because it was the most delicious way to cook them.

The butter prawns were fried until crispy in butter and oil. It was fresh and fragrant. So tasty and I just could not stopping eating them. Even now, I can feel my saliva drooling while writing this.


After 4 days 3 nights, it was time to leave Langkawi. We had a wonderful time spent on the island. The island was absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed every of our moment there.

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