Two Sore Backs

We are going to island hop our way down the Andaman Sea from Koh Libong to Penang. Koh Libong was pure relaxation. These next three days are a whirlwind. We stop at two more islands along the way.

Koh Lipe

First stop. The water is extremely shallow and so clear. A long boat pulls up alongside and we transfer. Our longboat driver is skilled. Certain marine channels to the dock are necessary to avoid large rocks (reminds us of the boat access in front of McGuire’s Savary Island cabin). That is how we arrive on Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe. Our luggage comes along a few minutes later.

The island is tiny. The beaches are amazing. As advertised; the sand is super fine and the water is turquoise blue. There are resorts and accommodations for all price points. The diving and snorkeling are amazing – at nearby Koh Adang and Koh Yang as well as Tarutao National Park.

A world different from Koh Libong. There are tourists everywhere on the beach catching the sunset and on the main ‘walking’ street. Also restauranteurs and shop keepers wanting your business. We are leaving in the morning so book a hotel four minutes from the beach and in the middle of the fun.

After checking in, we head out to explore and find food and a cold beverage.

The next morning we are up early to get to Sunrise Beach just after sunrise. There are long boats everywhere. Signage for dive and snorkel tours. Further north along the beach fancier digs with cabins offering direct beach access. Okay, we could hang out here for a few days (next time).

We’ll need a good cup of coffee and big breakfast before our next voyage.

Then it’s back to the beach to check-in for our ferry and exit through Thai customs.

It is a bit chaotic. Some tourists are catching tour boats. Others like us are leaving Thailand by boat. We are told to arrive two hours ahead which is a pain but puts us at the front of the line for customs and gets us on the ferry in the first wave. I’ll explain more about the boarding process shortly.

We are told that we need a Malaysian Arrival Card. Panic sets in. Eventually we recheck our ticketing information to Langkawi, Malaysia and realize we are provided a link to apply online. We both miss this detail and promise ourselves to be more diligent reading our ticket details in future. (We will go through a similar process for Singapore customs and the entry cards are done!).

In the end it works out but we have some issues navigating to the correct website (flashback to the Vietnam e-Visa debacle) on our cell service. So the time waiting around is filled with angst until we apply for and get an instantaneous Malaysian Arrival Card. 😅

We keep saying that getting to a new place is half the fun. Just like yesterday’s boat from Koh Libong to Koh Lipe had its moments, today is going to be no different.

Those arrival cards come through our email about 2 minutes before we are called to board a long boat that will take us out to a much larger ferry. The longboats hold about 16 passengers. I estimate the ferry takes roughly 100 passengers in total. So this shuttle is a process. Two longboats have already taken the luggage. Our early arrival puts us on the first passenger longboat out to the ferry.

I had read some travel forums that forewarned that transferring from a long boat to ferry (with some wave action) requires the aide of two strong ferrymen pulling you up along side the boat as you launch yourself skyward. You plant your foot on a boat ledge and by timing the high point of a wave, reach your arms in the air and push off. It works. Two men pull me into the ferry. I am sure it is not graceful. I am thrilled to be onboard. Pat follows.

We surrender our passports on Koh Lipe and they are returned stamped with our departure date while we are underway to Langkawi.

Twists and turns

I am a firm believer that events come in threes. Not mentioned previously, I slipped exiting the rooftop pool at Koh Chang. I rolled my ankle and jammed my knee and hip. Only the ankle strain has hung in a bit.

Second, I put my leg through a floor board at the Koh Libong dock. Freak accident. Manage to scrape up the same leg. Put that polysporin to work.

Finally, Pat scrapes his shin on the long boat to ferry transfer.

Langkawi

The ferry is pleasant. We chat with a lovely 20 something English couple who have been travelling far longer than we have.

Langkawi is a large island about 90 minutes by ferry from Koh Lipe. Btw – the ferry arrives about an hour late. I think this is typical. Full ferry, shuttles from long boats, the number of passports not squaring with the number of passengers; all add up to a late departure.

Full disclosure – the fine print on our ticket also warns against making further travel arrangements from Langkawi for five hours! Langkawi has a decent airport. I guess some tourists have been burned by ferry delays.

In fact we will fly to Penang tomorrow afternoon. For now we are happily in a lineup to clear Malaysian customs with our arrival cards at the ready. 😀

Langkawi couldn’t be more different than Koh Lipe. We have a hotel room in nearby Kuah. It is very quiet. It is also the end of the Eid el-Fitr holiday. I am not sure where all the tourists from the ferries have gone. Probably to the airport or some of the luxury resorts that dot this large island.

We have dinner at Smokey’s BBQ nearby. Not only is the food terrific, we are reminded of home. The decor includes 🇺🇸 and 🇨🇦 licence plates (BC, Sask, PEI ….).

We chat with the chef/owner and discover he has family in Vancouver (surname Miah). Both he and a relative worked on the Confederation Bridge construction for 6 years and their name is on the monument. At the time he lived in Saint John. Small world.

Next morning we are up early. Kuah is so sleepy that we can’t find a place for coffee or breakfast (it is Saturday). Every restaurant near our hotel is closed or is supposed to be open but sadly isn’t. Hmmm.

Langkawi Skybridge

No matter. Our big excursion is out to the Langkawi Skybridge. It is Langkawi’s #1 attraction. The travel advice is get there early before the tour buses (and before the heat of the day!).

A grab taxi takes us to the base station and our driver assures us we can get a coffee and breakfast out at the Skybridge. Wrong!

At the base of the mountain there is that same sleepy feeling. Every food place is closed except a coffee place that serves sandwiches and pizza. I am content with an ice coffee for now. Pat orders the same and a sandwich. We just travel better with a few basics like a morning coffee.

Below is a map of the site.

Step one is the cable car ride to mid station. Apparently this cable car is the steepest in the world.

At mid station we get our first glimpse of the panoramic views.

From mid station we do a Whistlerish – peak to peak – to reach the Skybridge.

From the cable car it’s a short jungle walk to the Skybridge.

The Skybridge is an engineering marvel. We are at 650m above sea level. At 125 meters this is the longest curved hanging bridge in the world.

For added entertainment there are a few monkeys hanging out.

There is one last short climb to the top viewing deck. We come across this signage that references other cable car heights including Grouse Mountain and Grindelwald in Switzerland.

In addition to more great views we treat ourselves to an 🍦 😀

On the ride down we share the cable car with a couple from Beijing. Their son attends McMaster University. The father is a bus driver in Beijing. We ask about their son’s studies and have a language block.

Back to Kuah for lunch, hotel check out and a cab to the airport.

Penang Island

Penang is a short 40 minute flight. Our island hopping is complete.