Pulau Langkawi?

The first season of Star Trek Discovery ended a couple of weeks back and Anita finally managed to catch up with all the episodes. I must say that the series was more gloomy that I would've hoped but it ended up on a happy note. But there would be plenty of twists to come I was sure.

We also finally learned where Captain Georgio wasn't from Ipoh but Pulau Langkawi. I was sure that would be an important information for future quizzes.

On the whole I felt that the second season should be more upbeat. I could only take solemn tone a certain amount. It would be no fun it it was too serious like it was with Battlestar Galactica. The franchise had however carried enough for me to root for the second season ...

Looking for Eagles

Feeding eagles was not part of our original plan. But taking a ride amongst the swarm was. We were lucky that plenty of eagles showed up during our boat ride the other day. Unfortunately I did not bring my zoom along. No eagles close-up I'm afraid.

They were hunting for foodThere were flying in in groupsThe boys were discussing eagles. Naturally!We then went past some swamplandsThe hot weather did not help matter as we were sweating in the heat. The boys turned grumpy and right on cue, our guide sped up for them to enjoy the wind. We went on to snake through the swarm before returning to Tanjung Rhu.

I was surprised to see the number of private hatch and boats at the mouth of the river there. Certainly a suitable spot to anchor as the breeze was quick but the water was still. There was also a small jetty for boats to moor right on the other side of our hotel.

On the way home, we passed by a dockThe boats were parked here during off-peak seasonThe famous ape mountain in the backgroundBack to the hotelSince the water by the beach in front of our hotel was shallow, the guide was able to drop us right in front of our hotel. But it was not without incident as Irfan managed to get himself wet while alighting the boat! Served him right for being a diva. Quite impressive but quite expensive ....

More Westin Pics

I was asked to put up more of the pictures from the stay at Westin Langkawi. A lot of people was interested in the pictures of the room. Unfortunately, I could have taken more, but I did not. So, let just see what I have .....

Westin Langkawi

Had the chance to spend a weekend at this swanky hotel in Langkawi. Hardly a secluded paradise as it was within walking distance from Kuah town, but the place appeared serene enough. A 5-star establishment as it say on the brochure, the room for me at least do live up to the standard. The room I stayed in was very comfortable, right next to the main lobby, overlooking the swimming pool and the sea. Well, being an invited speaker does have its perks.

I took a later flight out as I was at work earlier and only arrived at the hotel around 10 pm, in time to catch the last supper. Tired, I soon retired to the room. Comfortable with a nice shower. Internet was not free however, but there was always my iPhone as a tethered modem. I woke up very early the next morning to make final adjustments to my slides before heading off for breakfast. The breakfast was very nice, with selections of Western, local and Japanese food. Had a combo of nasi lemak and cheese omelette. I spend the morning attending the academic program, which finished by lunch. The lunch was pretty basic however, a simple buffet. Nothing to shout about. I soon got ready for the trip on the cable car - as per previous entry.

On return, after a quick shower, I took my camera out and had some mocktail while enjoying the sunset. Dinner came next, followed by a movie. And then football. The mocktail was nice. I had it by the pool. Unfortunately, as the beach was facing due south, there were limited spot to catch the sunset. I was joined by a Pharmacist from PPUKM, and we had a pleasant chat. I did not have the time to enjoy the pool however, but on exploring, there was a separate pool for family and children, complete with fountains, as well as wading pool next to the main infinity pool. The place was also full of ramps, making it children friendly. 

I spend the evening sipping on cocoa and watching television, relaxing to the evening breeze and sound of the ocean. All in all, I had a nice evening. I wish that I can take Puan Anita and the boys with me, as I was sure they will have a blast by the pool. The food however could have been better, as apart from breakfast, it was pretty basic. The Sunday morning I spent packing up and getting ready to fly home. We were catching the lunchtime flight, arriving at home just before 3 pm. At least I get to do something later in the afternoon.

You can drive this away for RM 888 per dayView from my seat over Kuala Lumpur on the flight homeI must say, the itinerary was full when I was there. During that short a time, it was rather difficult to come up with an impression to tell others about what to expect. The place certainly got potential. Oh! Forgotten to mention that you can rent a car during your stay there. You can either be chauffeur driven in a BMW or drive one of the convertible Mini Cooper the hotel owns. The problem was, it will set you back a cool RM888 per day for the service…….

Sheraton Langkawi

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending a couple of evenings at Westin Langkawi, at the edge of Kuah town. The weekend just passed, I got to spend another weekend in Langkawi again, but this time it was on its sister hotel - since Westin was owned by Sheraton - Sheraton Langkawi.

It was very clear that the concept was very different. This was more for a couple looking for a get away, enjoying the beach and what it has to offer. Westin was more for those on a business, or couldn’t decide if they want a conventional or a secluded stay. Sheraton was only 10 minutes drive from the airport, so getting to Pekan Kuah - like we did for dinner on the evening I arrived, took a 30 minutes bus ride.

Rather than one big complex that we did in Westin, the hotel was mainly a central lobby building with the conference centre and main restaurants and swimming pool next to it, and patrons stayed in smaller buildings by the see. The hotel provided us with electric buggy rides to hop between the lobby and the rooms as it involved negotiating steep inclines. The rooms were in group of about 10 - very comfortable. Mine was overlooking the main swimming pool, where the party took place and bars were situated. So, I left the the balcony door open for the sea breeze to come in when I slept at night, and I was still hearing the singing at 1 am in the morning. I didn’t mind that though and there were no mosquitoes as well, which was useful.

The rooms were nice and cosy, with a small balcony. The bathroom was spacious but there did not have proper pipe for cleaning oneself - not very Moslem-friendly I mean. Shower was OK but nowhere as nice as the one at Westin. The bed were comfortable but the TV only had limited channels. I had to go to the bar to watch the ManYoo game on the Saturday. The food was OK, but again Westin was better. We had an outdoor grill on the Saturday evening by the pool, but the only grill on offer was lamb and the rest of the dish were covered with an inch thick oil. One really could do with a sprinkling of statins.

Walking around, the view was not as great as the Westin, even though the sunset and sunrise was spectacular. I learned that the facilities for kids in terms of nursery and activities was pretty good. However since the whole place was hilly, getting from the room to the lobby can be a challenge with kids running around. The beach was definitely better than Westin with a nice decking if you enjoy walking with the breeze. There was no wifi in the rooms, and even if there was, it will cost me RM50 per day. The rooms were equipped with Ethernet access for the Web, but since my Air does not have a port, I used my iPhone instead. I just wished that all internet in hotels were free. They even charged for access at the lobby and the conference floor.

All in all, it was a mixed bag. I can’t help but compare the two sister hotels. I must confess that given the choice, I would have picked Westin. I do not know about the pricing however, but I can’t imagine there to be that much difference. If one can afford one, they should be able to afford the other. With a family, I would have chosen Westin as well. The location being near Kuah will also sway shoppers such as my wife should she tagged along. The link for the hotel formal website can be found here.