。空 。I felt like leaving my page empty. But hang on... my aim was to get my blog space attended, at least for my trips and memories. The year had moved into 3rd Q, and yet... (sorry for the wind)
Ko Lipe, an island also been known as Thailand's Maldives, had been in my to-visit list, ever since some photography friends hit to this island several years back. We just love adventure into new places, the study, the planning, the expect of unexpected, the locals, feel the life of others, on and on...
There are few ways to hit to this island. Its either flying to Hatyai, take on bus and boat into the island, Or enter via Langkawi island, 1.5 hour ferry ride. Either mode can be quite taxing, while we took the later... the limited ferry service had made us wasted lots of time waiting. Malaysian Custom via ferry was rather tiring at
Telaga Terminal, hope they could improve the service with proper seats and linkage to the Custom office.
Let's start with the journey was we stepped into Langkawi. We picked up a rental car from the airport, glad it was a low peak weekend, price was good. Journey started with Laksa Utara, just nearby the airport corner before heading to Pantai Cenang.
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| Langkawi - Laksa Ikan stalls |
The Villa, Pantai Cenang - A very simple standard room we choose. Nothing to shout. The crowd was alright with families and kids at the pool. Drawback was it causes our stay too noisy when kids are at the pool. Room was clean, but mosquitos were not too tame with us. I did't quite like sleeping with mosquito spray or mat. Anyway, it was just a night stay.
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| The Villa's pool |
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| The Villa's pool side |
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| The Villa's rooms |
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| The Villa's entrance |
While our ferry was 2PM the next afternoon, we took a ride around Langkawi island. It was a bright sunny morning. View was good.
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| Langkawi |
Around 4PM local time, we arrived at Ko Lipe island. Passport handling was rather messy here. We have to bear with it. All passports were handed in at the jetty place of Bundhaya. We had to stand surround the corner it until our name was called. No one knows what happened in the custom place, but we could take a peep into the small room. Everyone busy with their work, and yet the processing was slow. Took us more than 30min standing around the corner. There went our time whole day around.
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| Bundhaya - Jetty of Ko Lipe |
Highlight of our trip here -
Idyllic Concept Resort, located at Sunrise beach of Ko Lipe. One of the high end resorts we really like. Very nice concept and one seldom get in our own home ground. Pictures below explains well. We had the
i-Pool with pool access.
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| Idyllic's Refresh balcony |
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| Idyllic's Room full glass |
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| Idyllic's bed |
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| Idyllic's - Me! |
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| Idyllic's huge bath room |
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| Idyllic's shower & tub. Tub's wooden window could open wide |
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| Idyllic's access to the pool |
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| Idyllic's breakfast area |
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| Idyllic's Dine - fried calamari for afternoon tea |
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| Idyllic's Dine - Spring roll and cappucino |
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| Idyllic's enjoying sea view with coffee |
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| Idyllic's - Ever hardworking staffs |
I had 2 thoughts on the resort after touring the island.
1) While over 80% of resorts around the island are lower ends type, I feel it a waste or rather out of the norm enjoying a super comfortable room. Aren't we supposed to 'feel' how the local stays? Oh well, at least we dine with the locals at the walking streets most time.
2) It's very unusual to enjoy such high end and comfy, yet affordable priced resort, in a quiet island like this. We need to appreciate that, as its very uncommon to get one affordable luxury stay back home.
There's nothing much we could do or explore over a 3D2N trip here. Most time we would walk around the little island, sandy beach, on the sand, out to the sea shore, etc...
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| The Nemo @ shallow sea bed |
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| Mom & daughter watching Nemo |
Other activities surrounding the island, includes many iconic and natural resort. It's divers paradise too. Too bad, I didn't intend to dive over this trip. Was hoping for a quiet and relaxing type.
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| A Diver's Resort |
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| Bungalow village house of the resort |
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| Wapi Resort - Looks not bad, simple |
I like their walking street very much. It makes life convenient. Doesn't need to rely on hotel food, there are all kinds of streets food around, Thai massage stalls, and even convenient stores for my usual water, drink, cooler wines, chips, and so. Ain't great if we have such convenient in our islands? But in another way, such human living place and commercial area (even though) its small, could cause pollution to the island.
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| Walking Street - mini market |
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| Pancake stall |
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| Satay in Mandrin |
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| All kinds of Satay Chicken |
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| Pancake stall |
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| It's Roti Pisang la.. 30Baht |
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| Famous and crowded - RakLay Thai food stall |
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| Dive shop - met a China Chinese instructor there |
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| Dive Shop - keep it for next time |
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| The Dive course packages |
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| BBQ'ed seafood |
My Day 2 morning, many house dogs greeted us along the beach.
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| Beach with dogs |
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| Getting ready for island hoping |
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| Village road - short cuts |
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| The kind of village |
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| Attap house |
In order to enjoy sun sea and beach, island hoping is the best deal to get through all the clear place. Packages are cheap, 500-700Baht dependable for a day island hoping to a few islands. Can't remember how many.
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| Gathering place for island hopping |
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| Doggie |
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| Out the sea, it was clear! |
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| Indeed, water was clear for Andaman Sea |
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| Koh Hin Ngam - A blessing island |
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| Long Tail boat |
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| That's what made the island |
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| The more stones you build, the more blessing you'll get |
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| It's Tarutao National Park |
My ankle was hurt (again) during an island trip. Oh well, I am rather used to it. Mainly due to tired feet. Glad there was help granted when I was hoping back to the hotel. Some massager lady and restaurant workers came out to help. (they are just so much humanity and kind hearted). It was the 'feel' which I could not get back at my home land.
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| Hurt ankle |
Dinner - We didn't want to get back to Rak Lay. Didn't I tell that the wait at Rak Lay was rather horrible experience. No one served us!! Even though we have been seated. The crowd was just too bad, that no one or rather no one date to converse with us (coz they know we can't speak Thai). The restaurant was mainly booked by agents. That's what I observed.
No fear, we walked a few steps down and got to this Papaya (something similar) restaurant and got ourselves some authentic Thai food. Papaya salad, it was authentic in which an old auntie showed her skill in grinding the sliced vegetables.
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| Crispy pork skin |
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| Papaya Restaurant |
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| Papaya Salad |
Last day - It was check out day. We missed the hotel so much, but still have to leave.
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| Cafe next door while waiting for our ferry |
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| Langkawi Telaga Harbor terminal building |
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| Looks cool harbor huh! |
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| Custom building |
Telaga Harbor has many great buildings. Unfortunately they are not linked, we need to walk ourselves under the hot sun in order to get our passport chopped. With that, trip was ended after a RM30 taxi ride to the airport. Simple yet adventurous trip so far, still misses the resort. Till our next time trip...
