Malaysia/Thailand: Island Lounging on Langkawi & Koh Lipe

For our final leg of this marvelous journey we traversed from India to an island off the coast of Malaysia, called Langkawi, a large and lush jungle island in a chain of 90 or so similar islands on the Andaman Sea. We found a stretch of beach that seemed to be somewhat “developed,” having a slew of restaurants, shops, accommodations, etc. Our primary objective on Langkawi was as a jumping-off point to the southern-most islands in Thailand, so we made the main beach area (Pantai Chenang) our 2-night choice, staying in a seaside bungalow at Sunset Beach Resort – a pristine, picture-perfect retreat spot that was the ideal wind-down locale from the rigors and unsuspected events that we so recently experienced while maneuvering through southern India.

Time slowed to a crawl and we relished the languid pace of coastal Malaysia, spending hours strolling on white sand, while gazing at the many nearby, floating, specks of land that were clearly visible offshore on the horizon (and in every direction). YES! We had found the much needed, laid-back antidote for the soothing of some slightly frazzled nerves. But even in paradise there’s always “something” that isn’t quite perfect. Sadly, Langkawi has a somewhat large problem with the local jellyfish population, which made ocean swimming a bit dangerous. We’d heard that just last year a traveler was attacked and killed by a deadly box jellyfish! Needless to say, we were extremely cautious when we (briefly) dipped into the oh-so inviting sea.

Further onward from Langkawi’s tropical island paradise, we next boarded a mid-sized, covered, but open-sided, “fast boat” bound for yet another island adventure. Our passage between Langkawi Island and Koh Lipe, Thailand, was somewhat rough, and at one point the boat hit a huge wave, sending a wall of sea water into the front portion, drenching the majority of passengers, and creating a pang of panic! Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any additional, or more serious, problems on this crossing and we arrived on Koh Lipe in slightly over 1 hour – alive and well. The immigration “office” was a tiny, grass hut on the beach, run by a group of twenty-something Thai kids in bathing suits (extremely casual - considering we had just crossed into Thailand from Malaysia).

 

Five days of sunny skies and the warm, ocean currents of these tranquil Thai islands helped us regain feelings of general well-being and left us relaxed and replenished. The scene on Koh Lipe is primarily a mix of backpacker and European traveler/hipster, with some families from the UK and Scandinavia thrown in. There’s certainly a mellow, “party vibe” there, especially on the main beach, Pattaya, which consisted of beach-side bungalows, interspersed with many groovy, beach bar-huts, several “sand-in-the-toes” restaurants, snorkel trip/dive shop operators, and plenty of sea-facing massage shacks offering inexpensive body rubbing.

Iconic, Thai-style, long-tail boats lined the shoreline, and enhanced the unique look and feel that can only be found in this part of the planet. The landscape was lush and gorgeous as well, but unlike Langkawi, Koh Lipe was small and walk-able, and many paths led from Pattaya Beach to the other beaches on the island - where quiet coves and spits of soft, powder-white sand beckoned. We explored practically all of the sand options that we could reach (all on foot) as there are no 4-wheeled vehicles (or paved roads) on Lipe.

There’s was great snorkeling off of most beaches on Lipe, but one day in particular stood out. We arranged for a long-tailed boat/boatman to “taxi” us to and around the dozens of deserted, isolated, islands (koh) that make-up the Tarutao National Marine Park (of which Koh Lipe is the only island in the group with traveler accommodations). The marine reserve is a protected area and is a very natural and clean, chain of Thai islands. We saw virtually no trash or plastics floating in the sea, and most beaches seemed devoid of the usual island-flotsam (a surprising and refreshing change). Most surprising was that Koh Lipe officials have initiated a “Keep Lipe Clean” program that includes a recycling facility for glass and plastic bottles – something we’ve never seen before on a Thai island.

However, we were slightly taken aback by the amount of rapid-fire development that seemed to be going on around Lipe – especially along the cement-paved “Walking Street,” which was lined with restaurants and small shops, and which seems destined to turn into something more upscale in the near future. For now, Lipe is still more or less a backpacker’s bargain island, but fancy hotels and fashion boutiques are already starting to pop-up.

From Koh Lipe we retraced our route back to Langkawi Island in Malaysia, for more 2 days of fun in the sun. We had wonderful, inexpensive massages, and Deb also had a “fish spa” treatment, placing her legs in a pool of tiny Taiwanese “spa fish” that nibbled on her toes, ankles, and feet - smoothing and tickling, at the same time.

 Taking advantage of the tropical warmth, we enjoyed our last blast of lounging, lazing, and sunset gazing, and dined in a couple more “on-the-sand” restaurants - the perfect finale to another fantastic episode in the further adventures of the Grateful Globetrotters.

India: Seaside Adventures in Varkala & Kovalam

Moving southward along the western coastline, we stopped in the seaside village of Varkala, a cliff side community perched above the sparkling, blue ocean. The beach town has a well-established backpacker scene, yet seemed to cater to all age ranges. Inexpensive restaurants, plentiful accommodations, “shacky” shops galore, and several lovely, beaches are the area attractors, and we enjoyed all of the available option. Varkala seemed to be an epicenter of Kerala Ayervedic massage and spa treatments, and also a hotspot for yoga enthusiasts (mainly for Western “seekers”). Our stay was eventful in many ways, and it served as a rendezvous spot for a few of Deb’s Adobe colleagues, who live and/or work in India. Pawan and his wife Shalini and son Aadi (from Noida, near Delhi), Susan and husband Don (from Seattle/Sacramento), and Helen (from San Jose) joined us during a break from their work-related duties.

Our group lodged at a fancy, hillside hotel for a few nights of revelry and several days of fun. The Gateway Hotel (part of the high-end Indian Taj Hotel chain), featured a large swimming pool with swim-up bar and an incomparable sea view, and familiar comforts like thick, plush beds with billowy pillows, delicious dining opportunities, and nightly entertainment on the poolside lawn. We relished the luxurious surroundings, yet still ended up spending most of our days on the sand or in the sea – which was a five minute stroll down the hotel’s walkway.

One day the 8 of us ventured away from the ocean side, spending a pleasant afternoon on another of the bamboo/wood houseboats, this time exploring that regions Backwater canals, which were even more scenic (and far calmer) than the ones we’d seen previously further north near Alleppey. After a large and tasty lunch aboard the boat, it was time to return to the hotel grounds. The drive back became exciting after we realized that our driver, who’d been waiting for us, had become rather intoxicated during our little excursion. We had to yell at him to stop the car, and 5 of us got out and began to walk the 5 km back to the Gateway (Pawan and his family had a separate vehicle – fortunately with a sober driver). Eventually, an auto-rickshaw (aka – tuk-tuk) came rambling down the road, so our 5-some squeezed in to the small cart (meant to carry 3 or less adults), and ferried forth, happy to have survived the scary encounter with the drunken driver!

Our other days in Varkala were primarily beach-related, though we did explore a local and interesting Hindu temple one morning. We were blessed with many days of sunny and breezy, 90 degree weather, with perfectly warm, ocean temperatures – allowing us to make good use of seaside lounge chairs and beach umbrellas that were available to rent. The waves came with surprising abundance and were of medium-size, allowing for plenty of fine body-surfing, and we swam and played to our heart’s content. Interestingly, the locals and the travelers had separate areas for beaching/swimming, mostly to dissuade the ever-present male gawkers who walk the beach while gazing at the silky-white women in their skimpy bikinis (a persistent habit of some Indian boys and men). Our late afternoons were divided by cliff-top lunches, followed by shopping for trinkets and goods along the paved boardwalk, and sunset viewing. Evenings found us back on the cliff top for more dining and shopping in the cool of night.

We bid farewell to our companions and the two of us headed a couple hours further south, to our final stop in India, a coastal resort town called Kovalam. There we found a similar, but slightly more upscale beach scene, with a somewhat older (our age), and primarily European crowd. The main beach – Lighthouse – was extremely beautiful, framed with boulders and rocky outcroppings. At the southern end was a functioning red and white “barber-pole” colored lighthouse (hence the name), which spun it’s greenish hued light once the sun went down. The beaches in Kovalam were exceptionally clean, and we saw hardly any debris, or plastic of any kind, floating in the ocean.

Our accommodation was more modest than the swanky Gateway, but was ideally situated for enjoying the beach activities on hand. We lazed even more, read in the shade, played Frisbee by the sea, and took many dips in the Indian Ocean. Deb got her boogie board fix, and Stevo did more body surfing in the fun-sized breakers. The boardwalk ambiance was also similar to what we’d experienced in Varkala - lined with eateries, shops, and money exchangers. In the evenings, the boardwalk came alive with the glow of street lamps and many strands of colorful, “holiday-style,” twinkling lights. Again we found ourselves dining on magnificent, spicy, and unusual delicacies in the open-air cafes, followed by more late night strolling/shopping. The vendors and salespeople were a bit more aggressive than necessary, but this was a minor annoyance and actually became a source of fun-filled entertainment. Needless to say, we bought a variety of gifts and accessories for ourselves and for our family of friends back home.

The past couple of weeks along the Kerala coast were more relaxed and easy-going than were our first weeks of temple touring in Tamil Nadu. The people of India treated us well by-and-large, and nearly everyone greeting us with big smiles and hearty handshakes. Though things didn’t always proceed as planned, and we had more than a few difficulties, there were no serious setbacks or insurmountable events encountered. India is mysterious in so many ways, and some of the customs are not easily understood – nor is the way they speak English. Sometimes we were baffled by the lack of basic communication, yet with a little faith and a lot of good intention, everything worked out in a most remarkable way. No doubt, we’ll always cherish the memories of the many marvelous sights and the incredible experiences that Southern India has provided over these past 4 weeks, and someday we’ll return and explore deeper and wider in the ancient land of wonder.