Getting off the ferry in Langkawi you start to notice the more western way of life. Everything is well developed and organised, except for cycling. Something Malaysia seems to have forgotten about! The country is set up for cars.
I was staying on the opposite part of the island, an area known for tourists. My hostel was basic but nice enough and came with cooking facilities. I also got to meet up with Fredrik again and we found a bar with a fire show for entertainment. It was a nice chill evening with a beer. Not had one of them for a while.
The next morning I regretted the alcohol! It’s been a while since I drank several beers in a night and now I am back in that culture (central and southern Asia, drinking alcohol is not normal) I must try and restrict it.
Langkawi is an island without the traditional island life. It is heavily developed in many areas, although there are a few small places where you can get a fix of nature. On one such hike, you also get a view across the island after a bit of a rope climb.
I was happy to leave Langkawi and head to the mainland to see the rest of Malaysia and hopefully understand the country a bit more. First though is the ferry off the island, simple enough and arrived at lunchtime in the northern town of Kuala Peris. It was a two-day cycle to Georgetown in Penang and it was going to be a ride along the coast.
Cheap food and not-so-cheap campsites
Stopping for lunch at a roadside cafe I had rice and chicken. It was surprisingly cheap and I found out why later. The Malay government subsidises certain foods, rice and chicken among them. I guess rice and chicken will be the way to go in Malaysia. The cycling was easy, flat but the conditions of the roads were not as good as in Thailand.
I was looking for somewhere to camp when I noticed some ominous clouds coming in. As I was riding I came across a campsite with very basic facilities and was quoted a price twice that of any campsite in Thailand! I was a bit shocked and decided to carry on looking for another. Further along the road, I came across one which was technically closed but the owner let me stay for free because he was still constructing parts of the site.
I then went looking for drinking water but could find none and didn’t have the correct bottle for my filter. Going to be a thirsty night. Until a local came up on his scooter and gave me some biscuits and water. Once again people’s kindness is amazing. There was a resort next door and the owner, Yeen, came over after last prayers for a chat and to see if I needed anything else.
He used to run a business and live in Kuala Lumpur and sold it all to build a business in this location. Yeen said many Malays were looking for a bit of original Malaysia and cheap food again and this area offered it. So he first built a campsite which then developed into a resort. He has been encouraging others since to do the same thing.
Georgetown, Penang
Setting off towards a small town which had a longboat to cross a river saving me about 40 km of riding. In the town, I grabbed a quick breakfast and had to wait for the boat operator to finish his. Whilst waiting three road cyclists from Penang showed up and we got chatting and once across (it was a beach landing, wet socks and shoes for the rest of the day) we stopped for a quick drink. They paid for my ferry trip across and my drink. I had a coffee and discovered they add A LOT of condensed milk to coffees in Malaysia. It was too sweet; however loads of sugar for the last 40km.
The next day I was meeting BH, who I met on the border with Nepal and India and who lives nearby but had a meeting in Georgetown. BH along with friends was arranging a cycle race across the two bridges connecting the island to the mainland. Bikes are not allowed and they had to seek permission from the local authorities. BH and the team took me and the official out to lunch.
Georgetown is a nice city with some grand old buildings left over from the occupation by the British many years ago. It has a colonial feel to it and now a nice vibe with a mix of cultures and food from Chinese and Indian to the standard European fair. After some more bike repairs, it never ends, I managed to get a day to do some quick sightseeing in what is the stifling heat of Malaysia. I’m not sure how I am going to handle Indonesia.
Whilst the sights are nice to see I find myself spending more time watching people interacting but in an area with many tourists it was mainly watching the Instagram craze take over. My final evening was spent chatting to a cycle tourer who showed up, Will. Unfortunately, we were going in slightly different routes and paces so no chance to cycle together.
It was finally time to head off again and this time to the Cameron Highlands.