One tourist attraction for Langkawi is the cable-car, which had unfortunately been out of service due to maintenance until the Monday before my departure. This also unfortunately coincided with some distinctly unsettled weather. But given I was flying out the next day I was determined to give it a go, rain or shine. So after a wet morning and a very passable Mediterranean lunch of Greek Salad and pizza, I got a taxi up to the cable-car. I decided to forgo my ambition of adding a trip to the highest waterfall in the end because of the dubious meteorological conditions. Was well up for a bit of a climb to get to the top, but not if there was going to be rain. Anyway, the cable-car was certainly worth the trip, even having to run the gauntlet of a small village of tourist shops that are built at tits base. Great views although the photos could have benefited from a bluer sky. Was a bit of a challenge for my vertigo. The cars do swing about a bit and feel pretty flimsy. Probably as close to the sensation of a ski-jumper jumping off a hill as I am ever going to get. (I know, not very close, being as I am inside a car and its the tropics, but I don't do winter holidays, ski-ing or falling of mountains, so this is as close as I intend getting.)
Since I had an evening flight my last day could be spent pottering about as I saw fit. However, it pored down all morning so I left it as late as possible to check out and just sat on my balcony watching it teem down. Checked out just before lunch, leaving just essentials in my little rucksack, including my waterproofs. I distinctly remember scornfully removing my sun lotion and baseball cap and dumping them in my main case as I wasn't going to need them. Then wandered off to my favourite brasserie overlooking the beach. But o ye of little faith. It then just turned out to be the most beautiful afternoon for which I was little prepared. Had rather a red face after that (sunburn rather than embarrassment).
In the end very reluctant to leave Langkawi. Maybe I will return one day, and visit the waterfall. Would recommend it as a destination, particularly if I had mid-teen kids. I say that because it has great pools (or at least my resort had), all sports facilities, great watersports, a long wide sandy beach, food for every taste and you could do things like jungle-trekking and snorkeling. But older teens might find the night-life a bit lacking, young kids would love it but the flight would be a bit of an ordeal. And if its culture you want, well you wouldn't even think about coming here would you, any more than if you were looking out for a ski-ing holiday. (I know I am a cultural snob, but when I think of culture I mean fine art archaeology and theatre, not basket-weaving, batik printing and rice growing poems)
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