mrwunrfl

I've read about a fast boat between Penang and Langkawi. Two boats going to Langkawi in the morning around 8AM and two boats returning around 2-3PM.

Also saw mention on this forum of Firefly airlines (fares of 10 SGD!).

Are there other options for going between the islands (other than a flight connection at KUL)?

christo

I guess you could drive or take a bus or even the train. As you know Penang is connected by a bridge to to the mainland while Langkawi is not. Buses are relatively cheap in Malaysia. You are correct in that you can fly with Firefly or take a ferry from Penang.
The following site lists both of these:
http://www.malaysiasite.nl/tolangkawi.htm

JamesA

Malaysia Airlines ( if they still do it - their website is just so slow ), Firefly is the budget airline, note when you see these $10 flights they do not include taxes etc, so although cheap do check what the fare will be.

I would not bother going to mainland and up the coast and then ferry again.

I would take a cheap flight or take the ferry.
http://www.fireflyz.com.my/

http://www.langkawi-ferry.com/schedule.html#penang


Which airline are you using to fly into Penang ? If you are flying with Malaysia Airlines you 'may' find adding Langkawi might not work out too much extra, at least worth checking.

JamesA

You 'could' go via mainland and even take a train ( KTMB ) from Butterworth and then bus and ferry from further north but that is going to be a real long journey. Also you would have to tie-in train with transport to pier plus ferry times.

My tip would simply book Firefly and then relax.

crellston

Did this trip on a fast boat in the reverse direction a couple of weeks ago -. Cost 56 ringits - time - about4 hours (I think Penang to Langkawi is cheaper) . IMO Not a bad way to do the journey, although the buses are cheaper and are pretty comfortable with coputer games and movies etc.

Kathie

I notice the website supplied by christo says there is a ferry from Georgetown. (I remember seeing signs for it...) This would give you an opportunity to stay at the E&O and eat wonderful hawker food for a couple of days before taking the ferry to Langkawi.

mrwunrfl

Thanks for all the replies.

Ok, then just a morning ferry to Langkawi and afternoon ferry from Langkawi. Would prefer it the other way around!

Going by road is an option I had not considered. I see now that it is about 90 miles from Gtown to Kuala Perlis, so I'd figure it to be a 3-hour trip. Since there is no schedule at the ferry website I would assume that the KP to Langkawi ferry was frequent from 7AM-7PM. So maybe 6 to 8 hours door to door?

My basic itin is:

Sat - arrive Singapore at 11:35PM, night at Le Meridien
Sun - Fly Singapore Air or Malaysia Air to Penang, and stay 2 nights at, yes Kathy!, the E&O
Mon - eat hawker food and do stuff in Penang
Tue - ferry to Langkawi, three nights at Sheraton
Wed - Langkawi
Thu - Langkawi, would like to find a Putu to hire for a day
Fri - Langkawi to Singapore on Silk Air or Malaysia Air (their one non-stop is later than I want)

Probably would fly Singapore Air to Penang because the Malaysia flight is too early 10AM-ish. I am considering getting an FF award ticket for SIN-PEN roundtrip. Then use ferry and/or Firefly to get to Langkawi and back.

Kathie

Sounds good, MrW.

kuranosuke

sounds like a good plan. 10am-ish too early?? didn't know you were a late night person. lol.
don't forget to try the penang laksa.

seems like a short trip, going anywhere else?

mrwunrfl

United Airlines' schedule is forcing me to be a late night person the first night. After Langkawi I'll be in Singapore for three nights, Friday to Monday. Going to see a horse race on the Sunday before I return to LAX.

Mmmm, laksa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imageenang_laksa.jpg

kuranosuke

i second the mmmmmm. looks good.

jackie said to also try the lobak.

Kathie

If you want specific recommendations for particular hawker stalls, I can take a look at our travel journals and the books we picked up. We had a number of favorites, one place just a short walk from the E&O.

Cheryl loved the ochien - a sort of oyster omelet. It puts Hangtown fry to shame. We had to go way out of our way to find the right vendor, but it was excellent!

Kuranosuke recommended an Indian place to us - a real hole in the wall that was excellent - called Hammedia. Just don't try to order beer.

rhkkmk

wun...we stayed at the sheraton out past the airport....it was huge and spread out, but decent....there is one in town as well...

could you comment after the trip on the meridien in singapore.....both gpanda and us will be staying there in june...

when do you leave??

bob

rhkkmk

btw---great cash and points deal there in sing. if you did not know

JamesA

Sheraton resort ( other is Sheraton in Kuah Town Langkawi ) is north of the airport, Langkawi Airport is very close to the sea and you just turn out the small airport and not long to Sheraton.
If you take the ferry that goes to/from Kuah town, easy enough to get a taxi from there and although the journey isn't much it's that little etxra.
There are not a large number of restaurants on Langkawi, if you like Thai food the Thai restaurant at Pelangi beach is excellent.

Langkawi is very easy to drive around, maps are plentiful and very easy to drive yourself on the island. From the airport it's out, turn right, then along coast to Sheraton ( if you are at the 'resort' ).
Silk Air is good.

mrwunrfl

I reserved the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort, a seafront room. I believe that is the place near the airport. Looks like it is about 20 miles from the port.

Also reserved the Westin Langkawi Beach Resort and Spa, which I haven't located, but must be the place JamesA mentioned in Kuah.

I leave on May 9.

A friend in Singapore recommended against Le Meridien (and recommended Orchard Parade Hotel). But I booked it in January when it was a category 2. I have Thu at 4000, Fri at 3000, and Sat,Sun at 1600 + $30 each. The place is now cat 3, 7000 or 2800 + $45. Seems too good to be true so I am also sitting on res at Sheraton Towers.

What are the chances of getting a rental car on Langkawi with an automatic transmission?

JamesA

Used to be the Sheraton Perdana near Kuah town, guess must have changed.

I would certainly say the Sheraton Resort far better of the 2, I think Bob stayed at the Perdana many many years back, unless my memory fails I think that is where I 'met' Bob on this forum discussing the merits of the 2 about 5/6 years agao !!

Getting a rental with automatic should be no problem at all. In Malaysia I normaly go for a Proton Wira, reasonable size 4 door sedan fine, not too small but not large either. I think on Langkawi it was Mayflower I rented from, but you should find the others too.

http://www.mayflowercarrental.com.my/cr_wira15.asp

Kasina also, at Langkawi Airport and also Sheraton, so that probably the one to go for
http://www.kasina.com.my/langkawi-fleet.html

At the Sheraton
http://www.kasina.com.my/location.html

Smeagol

MrW thanks to this post i have found out about the ferry to Langkawi, which may be a really good option for me if we go to Malaysia instead of Laos/Vietnam (BF hates flying)
Crellston, did you buy your ticket in advance? or wait til you got there. I get really bad sea sickness , so can you tell me anything about the crossing please.

crellston

Smeagol,
We bought our ticket on the day from one of the counters at the ferry port. I doubt you will have any problems booking the seats on the day. As far as seasicknessis concerned, the boat is a large catamaran and we had a VERY smooth trip (as an avid diver, I have been on a lot of boats, big, small, good and bad! This was fine. Having said that, the weather was good and we really enjoyed the trip passing by some very pretty islands and stopping at one to unload some passengers.

The boat itself had two decks inside and it was possible to go onto the open air deck on top.

Having travel recently by boat and bus (VIP and local) I would say teh bus is more comfortable but the boat was more enjoyable.

Smeagol

crell, how long does the bus take?

Hope you are having a fab time
Smeagol