Pics from the Langkawi trip...

As promised:)

1st day...

The ferry to Langkawi from Swettenham Port, Penang...

Staggering onto the deck for fresh air...

Sunning ourselves on the deck of the ferry - before we both got very sea-sick and were forced to go take a nap in the cabin...

So, so gorgeous. Look at the reflection of the sun on the waters...

We passed by Pulau Payar (a famous snokelling retreat) on our way to Langkawi Island... Some of the sea-sickness had died down after our nap... We were pretty thankful nobody vomited in the cabin - or it would have set us both off too in no time!!! Anyway, the waters at Pulau Payar were so clear that we could see all kinds of fish swimming near our ferry...

Our first stop on the island (after we had rented a car!) ...

Planning our routes over a yummy lunch at KFC... We were both hungry anyway; didn't think of eating at anywhere more 'authentic'.

In my cozy room...at Hotel Helang.

Cable-car ride...

Wheeeee!!!! So high from the ground...

At the first station...

In the Cable Car again...

At the Suspension Bridge.... 710 m from sea level... Was a little shaky. Then some crazy people were jumping on the bridge just to take photos @_@... Ben and I kept shaking our heads...

Ok, a little scary... I've got a fear of heights... so I didn't dare peer through the gaps between the wooden planks below my feet...

Taking a photograph after we had 'conquered' the shaky suspension bridge...

Suspension bridge from the 3rd (highest) station...

Feeding the deer at Oriental Village's deer park. I grew a little envious over their long eye-lashes... Hehe, so sweet...

Our first stop at a Langkawi beach...

Loads of footprints on the soft, squishy, wet, fine sand...

Ships in the distance... :) and the sunny horizon.

Visited quite a few waterfalls. This one (Temurun Waterfall) is the tallest one in Langkawi... Ben's camera has much better photos of it...

Kilim Geoforest Tour...on boat.

...the Thai International Border...

Fish-farm...

Scary clawed animal that Ben was coaxed to hold...muahaha....

Sayang-ing the adorable sting-rays...They were pretty manja... weren't contented with the food we had given them. Kept coming up for more.

About to visit the mangrove swamp....

Exploring the Kilim limestone caves...filled with bats and almost-toxic-smelling guano! I didn't enjoy the guano part, but I certainly thought that the stalagtites and stalagmites were pretty! God knows how long it must have taken them to grow so long!


2nd Day

At the Awana Porto Malai jetty...where the island-hopping was to start...

Us before the island-hopping trip started...

Starting off! Basically we were taken on boat to the islands surrounding the main island of Langkawi. Witnessed another round of eagle-feeding:) --> It was awesome to see the eagles swoop down at such close angles.

Visited Pulau Dayang Bunting (Island of the Pregnant Maiden)

Map of Dayang Bunting Island... There's a legend/myth that claims that any barren woman who swims in the waters of its lake would conceive... I'm not interested in finding out if the legend holds any truth.

Finally, at the lake - after a short hike - where we rented paddle-boats to paddle around the lake. Didn't get to swim in it though. Not that I minded.

*Paddle, paddle, paddle...* as the boat chugged across the water.

I was lost in wonder...

We took an hour to paddle around the huge lake. What a cool experience...

Heading over to the next destination...

The pristine beach of Pulau Beras Basah...

The sand was as fine as powder... Made me feel like burying myself in it...

The last of Pulau Beras Basah before we headed back to the mainland... and me trying to have a swing...

At the Langkawi Underwater World's outdoor park... Ben (being the avid nature lover his is) was extremely enthusiastic photographing the animals...

Don't know how he ended up in the bushes... Didn't look like he camouflaged himself that well though... hehe.

Penguins...cute aren't they??? :)

During some 3-D film experience we had at the Underwater World. The show... let's just say that I had a headache after it was over.

There were of course many more sea creatures...but I feel so lazy to post up all the photos right now... Maybe another time:P (Another reason for that, I'd better get this done quickly and go back to my homework!)

Admiring the beautiful corals... There were of course more corals living in the aquariums.

Jelly-fishy...the sea-animal we were constantly warned about when we were anywhere near the sea-waters...

Mahsuri's Tomb... The legend (or was it a true story?) sent chills up and down my back. I personally didn't fancy it very much, especially when we toured the museum. The sight of old weapons and pictures from the story did not really appeal to me somehow... I couldn't wait to get out of the museum! (and so did Ben!)

The kancil's cage near the tomb... *Phew* Glad to be out of the museum, and past the tomb.

A Malay traditional house... We did climb up its steps to explore its interior.. I think it must be rather cooling to stay in a wooden house like that. Not to mention cozy... I've always had a thing for houses on stilts like these - thanks to all the tales from my Moral Textbook about "Banjir menimpa kampungku..." back in School.. Also, after having seen photographs of Pangkor Laut Resort's beach/water chalets...

Lubuk Semilang Recreation Park... We didn't do anything much there, but to just walk about and enjoy the cool evening air.

We drove up to the peak of Gunung Raya later in the evening - just before the sun set... The view of half of the island from the top of the mountain was so amazing that I nearly cried. You can actually see everything - from the Langkawi Airport, the paddy-fields, towns, islands on the West/South-west part of the island... Ben climbed up some rocks to get a better view of the valley below... which gave me a tough time - since we all know what happened to him the last time he climbed rocks!:P I kept praying that he wouldn't lose his footing...

There was a delicious chill in the air too...

Breathtaking...One cannot but marvel at God's creations in a place like this... I'm sure my photographer friends would have oohed and ahhed if they had been there...

3rd day...

Did quite some posing around the Helang Hotel after breakfast...
Above: Rising on Eagle Wings?

Ben...

The hotel we were staying at was right next to the Langkawi International Airport...

The window-seat in my room which afforded some hours of sun-basking without having to leave the comfort of my room...

We went to the Pisang Art and Handicraft Village after check-out. This place is owned by a Japanese lady... The artists that work there produce such masterpieces of batik! Ben bought a batik picture to hang in his home. We did wish that we had more $$$ for the rest of the art items...

There was this adorable, leggy calf grazing at the carpark... (They have cows everywhere in Langkawi, grazing at the roadside...) I snapped one picture of it from afar - but when I tried going a little closer, it freaked out and disappeared into the bushes... Oh well...

At Kuah...where we shopped for duty-free chocolates and yeah, vodka for a dear friend...

The 2.5-hours ferry ride back to Swettenham Port in Penang in the evening. It was now my turn to get sea-sick @_@... We tried to distract ourselves watching Indian Bollywood movies on the telly... How thankful I was to see Ben's parents anxiously awaiting our return at the jetty...

It has been indeed a marvellous trip! Praise God! A big thank you to all our brothers and sisters who prayed for our safety during the trip, and for good weather! We did have a blessed time there - admiring nature, touring the island, relaxing and enjoying one another's company.