Who hasn’t pictured the ideal getaway sipping cocktails on a beautiful island? I was lucky enough to live out this fantasy and have the best family reunion, too! My grandmother’s big 70th birthday wish was for our whole family, from all corners of the world, to come together and that’s exactly what we did. From America to Australia to South Africa, we all made our way to the small island of Langkawi, often overshadowed by surrounding tropical destinations such as Thailand and Penang. Langkawi is a smaller island in Malaysia with a more intimate cultural experience. We stayed on the local side of the island, Padang Matserat, and chose to drive into the city of Kuah when we felt the need to. We were lucky enough to have my grandparents, who live in Langkawi, to let us in on all the island secrets. So, I’ll be returning the favour here by sharing some of the hidden gems with you.
I have always been a water baby and love kayaking! Being a wheelchair user, your mobility is often so different to other people – there are often places or things I can’t do but when I’m on the water in a kayak, I am on an equal plane to everyone else and it is such a freeing feeling! While getting into the kayak isn’t always the most elegant, it is totally worth it. We went kayaking in the beautiful mangroves in Tanjung Rhu with our friendly and informative tour guide, Jack. The tour was about three hours in total, this included a yummy lunch stop.
This stop is optional, I had a travel partner who was happy to carry me around the floating restaurant and aquarium, but I would definitely recommend adding this element to your experience if you feel comfortable. If you are alone or don’t want to do the lunch stop, the guides will happily accommodate you. Jack even took us into a bat cave along our journey, I was completely content with going in for two metres and then getting the heck out of there.
I then got to experience Langkawi from above and wow, there is just something incredible about seeing the world from that angle. I was lucky enough to look over Langkawi from a 708-metre peak on Mount Mat Cincang, also known as the Langkawi Sky Bridge. After purchasing your ticket you are distracted by a million bunny rabbits before making your way to the cable car gate. There are a few steps to get there but don’t worry there is an epic lift you get on (that you get to control the speed on – how fun) to take you right to the entrance. The breath-taking cable car trip then gets you to this unforgettable lookout spot. We spent about an hour admiring the view and then decided to find the nearest pool for a cool down swim to round off our day.
I visited a locally run glass blowing factory on the island that offers a behind the scenes look at the process. The tour as well as a demonstration is free, although leaving a tip is definitely encouraged. The store offers glass sculptures, bowls and ornaments in all shapes and sizes, these are perfect gift ideas for your friends back home. Supporting the locals of the area while you are on holiday and experiencing their culture first hand is a really good way to ensure your trip is culturally rich and you leave knowing more about the people and the places you have visited.
Have you even been to an island if you didn’t get a picture on a little swing over the ocean? Of course not. We made it our mission to hunt for the most ideal swing and we managed to find it, although, we had to hop a few islands first! During our island hopping we went to Dyang Bunting where you’ll find The Pregnant Maiden lake, this is a massive fresh water lake in the middle of the island surrounded by dense forest and a pretty mean path to hike. I had my whole family with me this day because I had already decided I wanted to swim in the Pregnant Maiden, my family simply swung me over a shoulder and got me down the hill. Before returning to land we got to experience a wild eagle feeding, they are fed whole fish which are flung into the air – it was beautiful getting to see these birds up close. The hurdles to get the destination may not be pretty but is always worth it. As you have probably realized, island life is not exactly wheelchair accessible, however, is possible with the right mind set and crew.
We finally managed to get our less than picture perfect photo’s on the little swing, after being drenched by a few waves. I did get to take my wheelchair with for this adventure, although, I only used it when we got to Dyang Bunting, due to only needing to be carried a few meters from the boat onto the beach sand on the other islands.
And lastly, nothing says “I’m a tourist” more than getting your picture taken at the massive “LANGKAWI” sign. This already big sign is strategically placed just in front of a 12 metre statue of an eagle about to take flight and can be found near Eagles square. There is so much to do in this area whether you’re interested in bars, boat rides or shopping, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
I could definitely get used to island life – strolling through local food markets in Padang Matsirat and drinking out of coconuts, forever. It was here that I realised life is about getting out of your comfort zone and sometimes that means being carried around a floating building,
trust me, you won’t regret it.
