Leaving Malaysia – November 8, 2026

Malaysia is number 11 of the 12 countries included on this year’s trip.  Sri Lanka, the next destination, is the 12th and our last stop for 2026.  And I am never travelling like this again!  It has been exhausting.  I cannot begin to imagine how many planes we’ve been on, nor how many different apartments we’ve called home, and how many different beds we’ve slept in, but the number is shocking.

One of my frequent replies when people complain of long flights or other travel difficulties is: You either do it or stay home. So, despite the schedule, seeing as much of SE Asia as possible in one trip is the best way to do it.  There aren’t frequent time changes, flights between countries are brief, and adjusting to new foods is easy since foods across Asia are similar . . . but each country likes to put its own flair on local cuisine.  The food is varied and suits most everyone, especially if spice and rice can be tolerated.  Oh, a person can get a burger or fried chicken almost anywhere, even KFC, but who wants to do that?  So frequent offerings of seafood, ayam (chicken), noodles, and rice it is.  Most beef selections here are not beef at all, but Australian bison.  No worries, it’s actually quite good and lower in fat.

The toughest part of this trip is the climate. All but three countries are located on or just above or below the equator.  That means we have endured oppressive heat and humidity since leaving China in April.  Stan asked me last night if I think we have become somewhat acclimated to the heat.  I instantly thought the heat might possibly have affected his brain for even asking such a question.  I mean, not only do we carry water bottles to keep ourselves hydrated, but we also carry face cloths to wipe our brow and keep sweat from burning our eyes.  Stan may be getting used to having his shirt wet with sweat, but it still feels pretty horrible to me.  We never spend time on the beach or at the pool unless we find shade and if there is a breeze; otherwise, the thick air and heat are simply unbearable.

I make it sound as if we have not enjoyed this SE Asia trip, and particularly not enjoyed Malaysia, but that is far from the truth.  Walking is important to us; it is the best way to really see a place, and regardless of the heat, we have walked and walked, thoroughly exploring this end of Langkawi.

Langkawi is an island where there are only two main cities, Kuah and Pantai Cenang.  Most of our time on Langkawi has been in Kuah, but we did visit Pantai Cenang. Kuah has no beach, but it does have a pretty waterfront with a long green Malay cultural park leading to the modern park-like ferry terminal with Eagle Park. Farther along the way is a lovely yacht-filled marina and Fisherman’s Wharf. There are hundreds of small family-run restaurants in town to choose from and a handful of really nice ones . . . with air conditioned dining rooms!  From Kuah, a Grab can take you anywhere on the island, and its price is super low. A thirty-minute Grab ride gets you to Pantain Cenang; the main tourist destination on the island. Its glory is a beautiful, expansive white sandy beach.  The city of Cenang is nothing but hotels with sparkling pools, restaurants, bars, tons of water sports, and a long street full of beachy shops.  It is a perfect honeymoon place or family get-away.  Plus, the entire island of Langkawi is duty-free; everything is cheap, cheap, cheap. Not far from there is an entire collection of family attractions like water parks, animal parks, and the multi-faceted Sky Cab where guests can walk out onto a glass bridge, take a cable car up, up and away, or wander through their Oriental Village. We went there one day but found that early morning torrential rain had flooded the place with water, leaving behind inches-deep layers of sandy mud on the walks and even in stores. We got our tickets refunded, and had a delicious Mediterranian lunch there in the park — surprisingly, in Malaysia, we found good shishkabobs, just-baked naan, and hummus.

The jewel of the area is a Thai island called Koh Lipe.  It’s a 1.5 hour ferry ride away from Langkawi.  We spent a couple of days there, snorkeling, relaxing, and enjoying the incredible scenery.  Although it is strictly a beach town, Koh Lipe is not nearly as busy or as large as Cenang.  Speaking of romantic honeymoon destinations, Koh Lipe is surely one.

Yep, it’s hot and steamy, but we are going to miss this pretty place and the stunning view we have from our apartment, where we move out to the balcony each evening, pour ourselves a glass of wine, turn on a bit of music, and watch the clouds and the boats go by.