Soluna Guest House is the new kid on the block among the guesthouses in Langkawi’s Pantai Cenang. Recently opened, this secluded little rural hideaway surrounded by coconut palms is tucked behind the Laman Padi Museum and is a great budget choice that is only going to improve as the tropical gardens start to flourish. Passing … read the full post

Ask anyone from Penang which dish they would most readily associate with their home island, and the answer is quite likely to be char kway teow. While the likes of Penang laksa or Hokkien mee might be more obvious indigenous contenders, char kway teow holds a very special place in the hearts of locals, and … read the full post

Langkawi’s activities include everything from paintball to yoga, making it possible to reconnect with an old favourite or try something new while visiting the island. For those who play well with others, the air-con bowling alley at the Jetty Point Ferry Terminal is a great place to chill out between ferry arrivals and departures. If … read the full post

Island hopping advertisements are everywhere on Langkawi. It’s a cut-throat business and prices have slowly decreased in the past few years to the low price of 25 ringgit per person for a three-hour, three-island tour. This low across-the-board price doesn’t reflect on customer service, condition of the boats or licensed versus “freelance”. In addition to … read the full post

Upper Penang Road is best known as Georgetown’s party street, but if your Saturday sundowner session spirals into an all-night bar crawl, you may stumble out of a club the following morning to find yourself face to face with a whole different type of street party, in the form of the Little Penang Street Market. … read the full post

Some 74 Malaysians and Sulu militants have died in a conflict involving Filipino nationals “invading” Malaysia’s Sabah that first flared in mid-February. The Malaysian government has declared Sabah’s east coast a “special security area” and British and Australian authorities have advised against non-essential or all travel to the east coast (the US advice to remain … read the full post

In Langkawi’s ever-changing Pantai Cenang, more and more hotels are being built or remodelled, each vying for sea views as taller structures emerge. With their feet firmly planted in the ground, however, The Cabin is a simple accommodation option with a low price tag worth considering if you’re on a budget. At 150 ringgit a … read the full post

Just when you thought you had explored every last corner of Georgetown and walked all of its historical streets, you might be pleased to learn that there is, quite literally, a whole new side of town waiting to be discovered. Beyond the shoreline that runs along Pengkalan Weld, Penang’s other-worldly clan jetties jut out over … read the full post

Langkawi’s Ayer Hangat Village is home to therapeutic hot springs lying just north of Kuah on Jalan Ayer Hangat and makes for an interesting trip. Malay-style buildings create a village-like environment on the lush landscaped grounds, with cool and hot water pools. A series of small canals run through the grounds and connect hot spring … read the full post

Sarawak is a strange pick and mix of contradictions, from its massively industrialised coastal cities to its sparsely populated rural villages with barely any electricity. Therefore, it should not be entirely surprising that Sarawak hosts the Borneo International Kite Festival despite there being almost no kite-flying culture in Sarawak or even in the rest of … read the full post