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Langkawi - The Datai/Andaman & KL - Shangri-La

Langkawi - The Datai/Andaman & KL - Shangri-La

Old Dec 22nd, 2003, 07:15 AM
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Langkawi - The Datai/Andaman & KL - Shangri-La

After much deliberation my Fiancee and myself have finally booked our honeymoon.

We are going to Malaysia in Feb 2004 (end) with Malaysian Airways from Heathrow to Langkawi direct. First 5 nights in Langkawi are at the Andaman, and then for the second 5 nights in Langkawi we are staying at the Datai. We looked at loads of hotels and couldnt decide so are doing both!

After this its on to KL for 2 nights in the Shangri-La. Then directly back from KL to Heathrow.

My fiancee works for Air Traffic so we get special deals and have managed to get this for £850 (total) or about $1500 each which seems fantastic.

I have a few questions if anyone can help though:

1. Is there anything specific we should do in Langkawi?

2. Is it safe to rent a car out there (in terms of road safety) and do they drive on the left like in the UK?

3. What will the weather really be like? We are going 26th Feb 04 - 9th March 04 and it seems to be on teh cusp of rainy and dry.

4. Is it easy to buy cheap DVD's/CD's etc in Langkawi or should we wait till KL?

5. Has anyone got any views on the choice of hotel - good or bad? Especially the Shangri La in KL.

6. And what should we do in KL?

We're not really hikers, nor do we get that bothered about temples, historical places. Just relaxing and chilling out with a few choice sites. Given teh price we paid i'm happy to allow a few negatives.

All comments greatly appreciated.
AK_UK is offline  
Old Dec 22nd, 2003, 09:19 AM
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Langkawi is firstly a beautiful Island. They drive in Malaysia on the left. Renting a car is easy and quite safe, you should have no problems at all. Langkawi is a very very quiet Island. There is no nightlife ( well a band at the Pelangi resort in the Lobby ). The Datai is romantic, quite a classic. The Shangri La in KL is very good. The Andaman on Langkawi I don't know. Although Langkawi is called Duty Free that is limited to some malls in Kuah which seem to cater for Malaysians shopping. Do NOT expect to see rows of ca,era and video shops. CDs and stuff buy in KL. Someone just posted best places to buy in KL.
You should take the baot to Satun (Thailand ) , takes 1.5 hrs, for a change, have you committed to 'all' those nights on Langkawi? if not try Sukorn Island resort near Satun, great little Island (nothing to do ) but still great. mWeathjer end Fen should be hot/sunny, probably around 32-35.
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Old Dec 22nd, 2003, 12:47 PM
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Hi,
We went to Bangkok,koh samui,KL,and Langkawi in march.Had a fantastic time,infact we are going back to KL,as part of our hol in 11 weeks time!!!. We only stopped there for 1 night this year.We stayed at the shangri-la,and are doing so again,it is a great hotel.The bedrooms are very spacious,very big and comfy bed,and our room looked out onto the Menara tower.The hotel is very well situated for the main sights,just around the corner[& up a steep hill]to the menara tower.Have a buffet meal in the revolving restaurant at the top,fab views.The petronas twin towers are an amazing sight,and just 5 mins walk away.The shopping center in the towers is great.In Lankgawi we stayed at the Berjaya,but we hired a car,driving is very easy,and hardly any traffic up the north of the island.We visited the Datai beach,we were the only one's on it at 11am in the morning.The Andaman shares the same beach,but is right along the far end of the beach.The Datai seemed very posh,and we had a guy in a white suit take us down to the beach in a little buggy[they must have thought we were staying there!!!]anyway it was very good service.Our fav beach on the island was the Tanjung rhu beach,very white sand.You must go on the cable car,very scary,but great views.Ask if you need to know more,have a lovely honeymoon
sue
Ps That is a Fantastic price, you are very lucky!!!!!!
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Old Dec 23rd, 2003, 02:14 AM
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Thanks for your replies. Glad we picked some good places!!!

I think the price is amazing, and we realise we really are very fortunate.

Is it quite easy, quick and cheap to take a boat to penang for the day?

Any other thoughts, keep em coming...
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Old Dec 27th, 2003, 03:27 PM
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Hello AK. I am off to Malaysia next weekend for a couple of weeks. Langkawi I have visited twice and stayed at the Sheraton Langkawi (overlooking Nibong Bay). Specifics on Langkawi? If you want to just chill out then do that on Tanjung Rhu beach, or hire a car and visit Pantai Tengorakk (sp?) a lovely beach: calm waters and white sand. Pantai Cenang is also nice - good restaurants along here, although a little busier with the younger set.

There is a shopping centre at Langkawi - Langkawi Fair, Samudra supermarket. Here you will find an array of shops selling wooden carvings, sarongs, garments etc. and of course at Samudra you can find the normal shampoos, toothpaste, mineral water, duty free perfumes etc. etc. Nothing flash, but handy. Also, right next door is the post office.

I was on Langkawi in January 2003 and from there travelled by ferry to Penang. A trip that I wouldn't do again. The terminal on Langkawi was stifling - so much so that our older daughter raced off to find some fans!! The trip was on very calm water and took about 2 hours. I would definitely take the plane next time.

Renting a car on the island is cheap and very safe. The roads are very quiet.

Buy CD's etc. in KL. Visit Tower Records - a super store. Haven't stayed at Shangri La in KL, but I am sure it will be very nice. We will be in KL in January and will be at the Marriott. Marriott is in the heart of shopping area.

Whilst in KL visit Petronas Towers - well worthwhile for the views from the bridge. Lovely stores here - Suria KLCC, a lovely area. Konokuniya Bookstore is superb and lovely restaurants at the top, same level as Petrosains.

Have a wonderful time. Malaysia is a wonderful place.

Oh yes, for a unique outing try the Bahn Thai restaurant in the mangrove area. A truly interesting area and a very nice restaurant. Quite different.

At the Datai and Andaman you will be quite isolated and if you want to get to somewhere with a bit more life you will need the hotel transit vehicle or hire a car.

Oh, and do visit the Oriental Village and get the cable car to the peak. This is only a recent installation and is truly superb - don't miss it.

Teluga Tujuh (sevel wells) is also interesting, but you can also get a view of this from the cable car.

Have a lovely time.

Maree is offline  
Old Dec 30th, 2003, 05:56 PM
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you have picked perfectly....k/l is a bit of a bore, but for a few days you will see everything....langkawi is lovely...the datai is a bit isolated but is very very lovely....surrounded by a golf course....fantastic pool and beach....you could not have picked a better place for your honeymoon...i think langkawi will be the highlight of your trip...
driving is very easy and there is practically no traffic....we drove around and hardly saw another car once we left town....we stayed at the sheraton near the airport....a great restaurant to try near the airport is The Bon Ton Restaurant...owned by aussies....very romantic...al fresco dinning...hope it is still there...they also had one in k/l but that may be gone by now....

the weather will be perfect in feb...

smart to try two different hotels...i have not been at the andaman, but i am sure it is fantastic....

have a blast...it sure beats london in february....
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Old Jan 1st, 2004, 11:14 PM
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Langkawi is a nice and quiet island esp for honeymooners. We stayed in a few hotels in Langkawi including both the Datai and Andaman. Had heard so much regarding the Datai and with such high expectations, I was a little dissapointed when I arrived. Nevertheless, the Datai just grows on you and I simply grew to adore the place and its tranquility.

Datai is by far the best hotel in Langkawi(but pricy)and hence, it is wise that you are staying at the Andaman and then moving on the more upmarket Datai. Would suggest for you to spend more nights at the Datai as guest in the Datai are able to use the Andaman facilities but not vise versa.

It is save to hire and drive around the island. You can make arrangements to hire a car from the hotel but if would be cheaper if you arrange (or get thier numbers) for one at the airport.

If you are staying at the Andaman for the first few days, would suggest to see more of Langakawi then. The beach at Tanjung Rhu is nicer than the Datai/Andaman (but had heard of not too good reveiws with regards to the hotel service). At leisure, you should be able to cover most of the island in 2 days.

A number of places to eat. The Bon Ton use to be my favourite but it is not as good as before (was told that they had a change of management). The Gulai house at Andaman/Datai is pretty good for authentic Malaysia food.

If you are only in KL for 2 nights, the Shangri la should be fine. It is pretty central. The Westin Hotel is the newest in Town and the Mandarin Hotel is next to the Twin Tower (but I hear rooms are a little small). May be more difficult in getting cheap CDs/VCDS as the was a recent government clam. Hence, best buy when ever you see any - but should be careful of quality (which can vary).

Have a great honeymoon.
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Old Jan 20th, 2004, 02:08 AM
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I was in KL last week and stayed at the Marriott. Brilliant hotel, service friendly and efficient. Try their restaurant 'Shook' for superb meals. The Marriott is in the heart of town, close to KL Plaza, Lot 10, Bukit Bintang. For CD's, DVD'S visit Tower Records at KL Plaza. Many, many places to eat and at extremely competitive prices. Love the place.
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Old Jan 20th, 2004, 04:09 PM
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There's a bunch of great Langkawi information in some other posts, so I'll focus on the KL part.
The Shangri-La is a nice hotel & centrally located. The buffet breakfast in their Lemon Garden restaurant is particularly good & one of my faves in KL. Most of the rooms have gone through a refurb and are comfortable, if a little dull. (On a side note, that's a real gripe I have against so many 5* hotels - they all look the same. When I wake up in a Marriott, Sheraton, Mandarin O, Shangri-La etc, I can't tell where I am until I check the name on the keycard.) The Westin brand and particularly the W brand (both Starwood I think) are worth checking out for what it's worth as they are more individual - and the beds in Westin are unbelievable. But I digress.
To get DVDs/CDs/fake watches/handbags etc, just head down to Chinatown (Petaling Street) which is very central. You can spend hours there bargaining away & then try some of the different foodstalls. Normally they are happy to let you try the DVD/CD before you buy it. Bargain HARD! (But don't take it too seriously - it can really be fun, but you see some people being so serious & personal about it. It's possible to bargain hard, laugh & kid and have both parties walking away with a smile.)
There is also a Malay market in central KL which is worth checking out.
Anyway, back to the Shang. It's about a 12 minute walk from Bukit Bintang, which is one of the main shopping streets. (Incidentally it is possible to bargain in most stores - not as much as in a market, but you can still often get decent discounts. Just ask. They are never offended, and if you don't ask, well, you don't get.)
For more upmarket shopping, you can also go to KLCC (City Centre), the Petronas Twin Towers. There are also of course great photo ops at the Twin Towers (2nd tallest buildings int he world I think), and a very pleasant park beside them.
Titiwangsa is another park in KL which is nice to walk about. I'm not sure if I only like this as I have a juvenile sense of humour though.
For nightlife, KL is pretty good. There are a bunch of bars & clubs opposite the Shangri-La. (ranging from a good cover band at the Beach Club to more serious clubbing at places like Atmosphere on Jalan P Ramlee)
If you go about 15 mins in a taxi, you can get to Bangsar, another area well known for it's clubs, bars & restaurants. There's a great buzz in these places on the weekends & they are well worth a check. Thre is also another area called Sri Hatamas which can be fun with some nice bars.
If you'd like an upscale meal in a Cuban setting, try the new QBA restaurant/bar in the Westin. This is on Bukit Bintang, also very close to the Shang.
Two of my other favourite places for myself & my fiancee are the Tamarind Hill restaurant and Carcosa. Tamarind Hill is Indochinese cuisine (Thai/Vietnamese style) and the setting is a colonial house set on a hill. You can eat indoors or outdoors, and it is all wooden floors & candlelight. Very tropical & nice.
Carcosa is a beautiful old hotel in KL, and does a great Afternoon Tea (cucumber sandwiches, scones and all). You can sort of imagine you are royalty as you munch the scones overlooking lush green gardens. (You can probably do an Internet search on both these places.)

Have a great time & congrats! If you need any more info on the KL hotels, just let me know. I spend far too much of my life staying in hotels, so I'd be happy to help.
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Old Jan 28th, 2004, 05:48 AM
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I have stayed at Andaman and Shangri La a couple of times.Agree with most of the above - when I was there last year, guests of the Andaman could have meals etc. billed to their room even if taken at Datai. Datai more formal (maybe a bit too formal at times). Gulai House restaurant really good. Also try and take "sunset cruise" from Datai beach if they're still running. (Flyers in hotel room when I stayed). Shopping a waste of time in Langkawi (except for booze/fags. Mangrove tour good way to spend half a day or so - arrange from Barn Thai restaurant (they pick you up from hotel). Cable car is must-do. Re weather - will be v. hot and dry (maybe one downpour in evening at most) Try and get a room with a balcony at the Andaman - only a few have them, although be prepared for agressive monkey invasions at around 6.30PM every night. Nothing to add from what's been said about KL other than airport miles away from town - airport lovely and modern though and v. efficient. Have a great trip!
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