It's official Langkawi is paradise. Clear waters, beautiful hotels and of course the fact that it is duty-free just makes it all the sweeter.
Although a tourist hotspot, it is not overcrowded nor is it too overly commercialised. Four days in Langkawi leaves one just hankering for more.
It was this reporter's third visit to the island and this time, residence was at Awana Porto Malai, a premier 4-star resort destination.
Built on 14 acres of reclaimed land, the hotel even has its own private marina, for the rich and famous to dock, perhaps!
The resort is especially handy for those who are sticklers for privacy straight off the yacht and into the hotel. It doesn't get anymore private than that!
Arriving at the hotel on a Tuesday afternoon, the weather was not quite as hoped. Unfortunately for those who might have hoped to get a healthy tan on the island that week, the gods seemed to be favouring rain.
So anyone in their miniscule clothing was freezing their butts off. No use sun-tanning when it was raining, so perhaps a tour of the resort would be nice?
Stepping into the room was a pleasant surprise. The room was really big and airy, not one of those 'space conserving, modern design' nonsense we see so much of nowadays.
One of the best features is the fact that the windows were huge and they gave a beautiful view of the ocean. Some of the furniture though, were slightly worn out, which is normal for a hotel which has been around for more than a decade.
It also gives Awana Porto Malai that nostalgic touch After checking out the room (and bathroom, which was satisfactory), it was time for the tour. From the spa to the dining outlets, even though it was not oozing luxury, the place had a quaint charm about it, and they even had a gift shop located along the boardwalk that does not charge cutthroat prices!
What makes it really different from the other hotels though, is that it does not only cater to tourists who are there for leisure but it also has meeting facilities and is equipped for conferences and exhibitions.
Since the hotel was built on reclaimed land and had a marina, it lacked a beach. A hotel in langkawi without a beach? Well, there are big plans in store for Awana.
'The beach issue' will be solved sometime end of this year or early next year as the management is getting the rights to the island located across the hotel which will be converted into a private beach for the hotel guests.
Yeah, that's right. Forget beaches. Awana will soon have an island of its own! There will be deck chairs and even a bar located on the island and there will be regular ferry trips provided by Awana from the hotel to the island.
Pity this trip was a little too early, but maybe later is fine. Also in the pipeworks is a new entertainment joint located on the resort, called Eagle Rock Cafe. With a live band, food and drinks, it is set to be 'the' place to be.
After the tour, it was time for dinner. Now, hotel food has always fallen into the cliche of being expensive and not all that great.
However, Awana Porto Malai did not disappoint. Dinner that night was at Villa Rossi, an Italian restaurant tucked away into a quiet corner of the hotel. As you step into the restaurant, you may feel like you have been transported back in time.
The ambience made for a quiet romantic dinner and the quaint setting of the restaurant and the glow of warm lighting sets the mood for love (yeah, yeah...but its true!). The set dinner goes for RM60.
It consists of a salad, soup, main course and dessert which is great value for money and absolutely delicious. The presentation for the dessert was a true masterpiece. Fortunately, the taste was not disappointing either.
After some good food and rest, there was island hopping the next day. Having to set out at 9.30am meant that one had to wake up at 8.30am. After getting ready and slathering on about 5 million SPFs worth of sunblock, you'd be ready for island hopping. Oops, breakfast first.
Of all the things at Awana, the buffet breakfast was the low point. It lacked in variety. There was an omelette station but the line was moving at a snail's pace.
There were some beef bacon which looked like they had seen better days and the usual baked beans normal breakfast stuff. Now, off to island hop!
The sunblock was pretty redundant, as it was overcast and drizzling. First stop was Dayang Bunting. Within that island there is a freshwater lake, supposedly with magical properties. Don't take a swim in the lake, especially if you are not ready for kids.
No, it doesn't mean you get to have sex on the island. Legend has it that women who go dipping in the lake will increase their fertility rate! Some claim that the water's pH level will influence the pH level of the woman's body, making it very susceptible to... well, conception.
The mystery of the island is also that no matter what, the water level of the lake has never dropped. If you are planning to go to this island, one word of warning monkeys. They are everywhere and they pick your pockets, bags and whatever belongings you have.
If you are wearing bright colours (its Langkawi! Everyone wears bright colours here), the monkeys will love you. If you feed them, you are a masochist asking for punishment.
The rest of the island hopping involved watching the boatmen feed the eagles as well as a stop on another island where one can indulge in watersports or just a tad of sun-tanning or swimming.
Returning to the hotel after a tiring morning, the Javanese inspired Spa seemed to be calling this reporter. Currently running a promotion of a discounted price of 40 per cent, it was just too much for a girl to resist. Book the two-hour 'ancient healing experience' as it was heaven!
A massage, body scrub as well as body mask and a traditional herbal drink proved to be a great pick-me-up.
It was then time for dinner at Zest, another restaurant at the hotel. There were tables set on the boardwalk and dinner was complemented with a beautiful view of the sea.
Seeing that it was the start of the 'seafood galore' promotion, our dinner consisted of grilled prawns, lobster
thermidor, soft-shelled-crab and squid. The food was excellent and a special recommendation would be the grilled tiger prawns.
The prawns were enormous, fresh and sweet. Grilling it brought out the natural flavour of the crustacean, which was a very good flavour indeed and it was very reasonably priced.
The last two days in Langkawi were spent in a flurry. First, a rush to Kuah town which was a RM28 ride away from Awana to buy duty-free stuff.
Then, taking a walk along Pantai Cenang, a RM12 ride away from the hotel, to pick seashells (all of 12). Lunch was in a cafe called Yellow Cafe along the beach which must be visited if you're ever in Langkawi.
It had couches and cushions as well as hanging chairs. A nice place to be and the food was good too! To sum it up, Langkawi is a laid-back town for some rest, relaxation and an all-round good time. Would Awana Porto Malai be recommended as a place to stay? Definitely.
The hotel is rustic and while not overtly indulgent, it is sufficient and you probably get more value than you pay for. With the new 'private beach' and entertainment spot, Awana Porto Malai is set to be the hotel to watch out for on the island!
For details and information on their meeting and exhibition facilities, check out www.awana.com.my or http://mice.awana.com.my.
No comments:
Post a Comment