Langkawi?

[Encore]

Anyone know anything about this island? Is there any P4P to be found there?

Anyone here ho has lived there? I'm a bit hesitant about living in a Muslim country. It looks nice on the websites, but what is it like in reality?

[Flashermac]

Haven't been there myself, but an ex-neighour went. He said there's the usual Malaysian style nightlife - which means hotels with "ladies" available. He picked up a Malay waitress in a restaurant, just so he could say he'd shagged a Muslim gal.

 

Nice resort island and supposedly in the interior of the island people can still speak Thai. (It was Thai until the border revisions about a century ago.) But it was in the news a while back that a retired Farang couple had their home invaded by the Islamic thought police, who gave them a hard time. By Malaysian law the Islamic police have no authority over anyone except Muslims. Still, they get "over zealous" now and then. The Farang couple were quoted as saying the incident made them think serously about leaving Malaysia.

 

p.s. I like Malaysia and you generally have very few problems (if any) with it being a Muslim country. The majority are laid back Muslims. You'll hear the calls to prayer, and most Muslims ignore it and just go on about their business. Don't compare it to the Middle East.

 

 

 

 

[CTO]

Agree with Flash - you can buy beer - albeit more expensive at a 7/11 or supermarket at 4pm in the afternoon, try that here, bars and clubs open till late, i.e. really late, not 1/2pm.

[JannikOJ]

I went there not long ago. In general the people seemed really nice and it is a pretty island.

 

Not much nightlife though and the island attracts a lot of arab tourist.

 

On the plus side they did have Carlsberg :-)

[Mentors]

i like Langkawi, wonderful island and not so spoilt as Phuket.

You can buy alcohol in many stores and in every chinese restaurant.

[Flashermac]

The alcohol sales is one thing that is bizarre. Malaysia is a majority Muslim country and Muslims aren't supposed to drink. But there are no crazy liquor sales hours as there are in Thailand. You can buy booze 24 hours a day.

 

[Torneyboy]

Yes it is ..i called in there when i was on the "Virgo" cruise out of Singapore we had half a day there what i got to see was good and will need another visit... :thumbup:

[samak]

was one week on vacation there 1.5 years ago. nice island and landscape, beach not as beautiful than Phuket, Samui or Ko Chang but it is cheaper than Phuket.

in particular booze is very cheap as it is a duty free island. a can of beer in restaurants for as little as 1.5 Ringgit (0.45 usd). some malay restaurant do not serve booze, but usually they show you a shop across the street where you can buy a can of beer and bring it to the restaurant.

there are a couple of exclusive and expensive resorts in the north of the island. cheaper accommodation and a multitude of restuarants on the westcoast.

there are many thais working on the island, mostly muslims from Satun. they speak a strange thai; i was told that it is not their first language, not sure, anyway always up for a chat if a thai speaking farang shows up...

 

[samak]

...and by the way; forget the nightlife there!

[Flashermac]

Nightlife anywhere in Malaysia is nothing like Thailand. I've noticed when Malaysians come on holiday to Bangkok they don't much like the go-go bars. They prefer to go to an MP and just get laid. Most of what you find in Malaysia are "health clubs" (i.e. knocking shops) and small hotels that provide "room service". I tried the nightlife once. It was all right, but once was enough. (The working girls seem to be mainly Chinese-Malaysians.)