On March 4, 2022 I woke up at the crack of dawn to go for a walk on a sandbar. Not just any sandbar walk, but the now annual Tanjung Rhu Beach Sandbar Walk at Tanjung Rhu Resort in Langkawi, Malaysia. I’m not one to normally jump on the latest shiny tourism product, but this […]
First Time Visitor’s Guide to Alor Setar, Malaysia
I’ve passed through Alor Setar many times over the years, but I was usually en route to somewhere else. It took a pandemic (and travel limitations) for me to discover what a true gem this Malaysian city is. Beyond, of course, the ferry terminal, bus and train stations. With their home state of Kedah’s tagline […]
Langkawi to Koh Lipe: Just a Ferry Ride Away
Want to get from Langkawi to Koh Lipe? It’s relatively easy! I’ve lost count of how many times I have taken the ferry from Langkawi to Koh Lipe, but for the longest time I actually thought the island was closed during the ‘low’ season. But that’s certainly not true. Koh Lipe is open year round, […]
Penang War Museum, Where the Fort Comes Alive!
Penang War Museum had been on my to-do list for a few years now, yet it was a quick post-lockdown, last-minute excursion to Penang that finally brought me to its doors. To be honest, I had never realized how close it is to the Penang International Airport. With that realization and limited time in Penang, […]
Should You Visit Hat Yai, Thailand? Yes!
Should You Visit Hat Yai, Thailand? Yes! Well at least I think so. I’m always surprised to see so few western faces when I’m there. Hat Yai is a transient city that I’ve grown rather fond of over the years. I’ll admit it took me a few visits to get into the Hat Yai groove, […]
15 Free Things to Do in Langkawi, Malaysia
The cost of travel, these days, can put a real damper on planning a holiday. It’s not just the transportation and accommodations that take a chunk out of the old vacation budget, but entry fees can do their fair share of damage as well. Even if the entry is but a mere RM50 (about 12USD), […]
Haunting Beauty of Georgetown’s Old Protestant Cemetery
En route to a lunch date, the last thing I expected to see as I shuffled along busy Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah was a historic cemetery. Surrounded by busy streets and buildings short and tall, sat a fenced in patch of green grass, statuesque leafy trees and a lot of very old looking gravestones. Seemingly […]