To see the most of Langkawi in the shortest time, the cable car would be the choice mode of transport. Opened in 2003, this 2.2-kilometre-long ride carries passengers close to the top of Machincang mountain range, some 708 metres above sea level. This spared us the effort of hiking through the wilderness in search of that perfect vantage point.
As the cable car makes its spurt upwards, everything below starts to shrink before our eyes. Waterfalls appear to look like small streams, and the dense, towering rainforest canopy begins to resemble the top of the broccoli, in varying shades of green. The air feels cooler and the turquoise Andaman Sea and surrounding islands loom into sight. Looking down the wilderness below can get a little unnerving. We skipped the first station where passengers can choose to disembark and headed straight for the highest point, which had an all-round unhindered view of the surroundings, with the many islands of Langkawi on one side and the islands of Thailand on the other.
After the morning’s feast for the eyes, it was time for a feast for the stomach. Jom Ikan Bakar, a stall selling nasi campur (rice with various meat and vegetable side dishes), is popular among locals as we could tell from the packed crowd during lunch. The main draw here is the ikan bakar, or grilled fish and seafood over a charcoal fire. Almost every table had an order of the grilled fish, which is topped with spicy sauce made from a combination of dried chilli, chilli paste, garlic and onion.
The eatery gets a fresh supply of fish, such as the white snapper, catfish and seabass, from local fishermen every day, according to the eatery’s owner Mazlina Bt. Radzi, who has been running the business for about a decade. Our noses trailed the smoky aroma to a humble yellow shack on the side of the main road, where the grilling process takes place. We watched the chef deftly flip the rows of fish on dancing flames while brushing on the sauce with a stalk of lemongrass. In ten minutes, our order of a grilled white snapper was ready to be served.
Through cycling, mangrove excursions, jungle trekking and birdwatching, Dev’s Adventure Tours lets guests discover the natural beauty of Langkawi in many different ways in an environmentally-friendly manner.
H Directory
Langkawi SkyCab (Cable Car)
Panorama Langkawi, Cable Car Station,
Oriental Village, Burau Bay, Langkawi
Opening hours: 9.30am to 7pm
Fish Farm Restaurant & Resort
Lot 1986, Jalan Pantai Penarak, Mukim Kuah, Langkawi
Opening hours: 1pm to 11pm, daily
Jom! Ikan Bakar
Jalan Lapangan Terbang, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia
Opening hours: 10am to 5pm, daily