langkawi magazine

During our travels, a friend warned that Langkawi was "pretty, but boring as hell". Likewise, the tour operator in KL advised we should only go to Langkawi for a day trip because there wasn't much to see there. Both of these opinions were way off base, as we found out for ourselves.

Jaya Jusco Stores goes green with the planting of 30,000 trees to celebrate their 20th birthday.

Langkawi's coral reefs were mapped with new high-tech equipment and techniques during SELIK. 30 meter resolution LANDSAT satellite imagery obtained for the purpose of marine and terrestrial habitat mapping was subsequently computer-processed by expedition members on mobile computers to discover new reefs for preservation.

About the Malaysian Nature Society Established in 1940, the Malaysia Nature Society is the oldest scientific and non-government organisation in Malaysia dedicated to nature conservation and appreciation.

Work and play! 7th day already? Apparently so. It's true that time always seem to run faster when you're having fun. And that's exactly what we have been having. Who said we can't work and play at the same time? Look at us! Actually, I don't think we know how to do otherwise.

The show must go on! Parting is such sweet sorrow, a poet once wrote. How true. We felt that way this morning, 14 April 2003, 5th expedition day as many teams prepare to leave the base camp.

On the 8th day, things just ran on it?s own. I was off island hopping to Singa Besar and Dayang Bunting while the others were busily trying to finish their research and collecting samples elsewhere.

Real Lunch, Finally! That must have been the jubilant cheer all those not-very-scandinavian folks made when they saw their packed lunch this morning. Nasi Goreng (Chinese style) with Spicy fried chicken and a hard-boiled egg! Did I not tell you that the Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort's F&B people are super nice to us?

Today, it?s a field day, if you?re a journalist covering this expedition (which I am unfortunately not, sob sob). Why? Because they were taken out to survey a large area of the expedition?s coastal study locations, to get a feel of what we've been doing in the past 9 days.

Few groups of plants can match the splendour of palms. From minute forest plants to lofty trees with leaves twice the height of a man, palms have an exotic appeal which makes them a perennial favourite. As many species in Malaysia can only survive in the wild, conservation of these evergreens has become a pressing concern.

Langkawi, like many other area which are rich in natural heritage needs to be protected and conserved for the future generation. Nostalgic about his trekking trips into the impressive forest area on the island as a young man, Dato' Dr. Hashim Abd Wahab expressed his hopes that all will still be there for his grandchildren and great grandchildren to appreciate and in turn protect for their successors.

This is one mad, mad crowd, the staff of (see smiling people in pix) Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort must be thinking as they amusedly observe the expedition members rush through almost everything

Day 3 of the Expedition. As usual, everyone was scurrying away to various study locations since early morning. Transportation is a bit of a problem as there is a limited number of vehicles and boats available.

We were on leave! We would actually have the whole day to ourselves. The night before, we debated on the options of things to do on our day off. The choices: sleep, bird-watch, shop, swim, trek and the many other things that people "on vacation" would do on this island. So what did we decide to do in the end? Why not do all? So we did!

Moving in within range, the agile digiscopers and digi-videoscoper began "clicking" away with their modern digi-scoping/videoscoping gears. Everybody else eventually moved nearer and took turn to have a closer examination of the perching raptor with our bins and field scopes

The charming Spectacled Langur has dark grey to blackish fur, becoming lighter grey on the crown. The skin on the face is dark grey, the chin and lips pinkish, and the eyes surrounded with a thick white ring. The young are bright yellow

Two species of primate can be found in Langkawi. One is the ubiquitous Long-tailed or Crab-eating Macaque, Macaca fascicularis, common throughout Malaysia. The other is the Dusky Leaf Monkey or Spectacled Langur, Presbytis obscurus.

From curiosity over the effects of using a species of sea cucumber, a professor did research into its active substance and has built a sizeable business based on the slippery creature. MAJORIE CHIEW has the story.

The government should take steps to ensure that gamat is not harvested during the breeding season between September and February or March . This is the time when gamat multiply very fast, especially during the full moon and at high tide. In three months, gamat can multiply seven times.

Adorable, aren't they? They are a hit especially with children who cannot resist feeding them with their potato chips and popcorn. But do you know that feeding them actually causes more harm than good?

The expedition will cover both terrestrial and marine studies and will run for 10 days ending on the 19th of April 2003. Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort, which is also a co-sponsor in this project, will be the base camp for the expedition.

A new product in Malaysia geared to instill in corporate managers a take-the-plunge attitude has opened. The Langkawi Canopy Adventure (LCA) enables air trekking from tree to tree, like a modern-day Tarzan or Jane, in the midst of one of the world's oldest rainforests.

Named after its inhabitants,the Malaysian fruit bats, this cave is located along the Kilim River. Accessible only by boat, you can then walk along a wooden platform through a mangrove swamp, leading directly to the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites are of gigantic proportions, forming weird figures reminiscent of other-worldly creatures.

One of the trips on offer was titled "Eagles and Mangroves". It transpired we were the only two customers so the guide turned up in his car. We drove across the middle of the island to the north-east corner which gave us some idea of the place.

Malaysia's offshore islands are of legendary beauty. For millenia, Pulau Langkawi and Pulau Tioman have been sought-after havens of peace from the turbulent outside world, a tradition that is evidenced today by their international status as holiday destinations. Pulau Sipadan, a small oceanic island off the eastern shore of Borneo, rises in a sheer column more than six hundred meters from the seabed. Completely encircled by sheer drop-offs and walls, Sipadan is one of the world's foremost dive sites.

Taste the fruits of Malaysia

A forbidden cave, a childhood prank, a sudden death; STUART WAVELL returned to Malaysia and retraced events that had haunted him for 40 years.

PAUL MANSFEELD awards five Stars to a Malaysian eco warrior.

Langkawi with its pristine beaches and natural wonders, is the perfect setting for the rest, relaxation and eco-tourism.

The first time we had seen a sea eagle was whilst sitting on the beach and it was a wonderful sight to see this majestic bird soaring over the sea before swooping to catch a fish.

Listen and you will hear the cooing love songs of our rainforest pigeons and the drumming of a lovelorn goldenback woodpecker. And if you look up in the sky you will see the aerobatic courtship display of the dollar bird. Look into the trees and you may see the massive nest of the White Bellied Sea Eagle and if you are patient you will see the male bringing brunch for her.

Malaysia will set up a national tsunami early warning system targeted to be operational by the end of the year. The country will also replant and restore mangrove swamps to act as natural shields against strong waves.

The response of the world public to the tsunami disaster on December 26th, 2004 is one of heartfelt empathy and an instinctive desire to help fellow human beings in trouble. Never before have so many people, from so many countries given so much to the victims of a disaster. How many people realise, however, that many of the deaths caused by the Tsunami could have been prevented? The areas affected have been hit by tsunamis in the past, with far fewer deaths resulting, because the coastlines of South East Asia were protected by a natural defence system, composed of coral reefs and mangrove forests

Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort has been home to some of the exotic flora & fauna that are found on the Island of Langkawi such as the Flying Lemur, Long Tailed Macaque, Dusky Leaf Monkey, Hornbill and the Small Clawed Otter. They have inhabited the area harmoniously with the resort, which is credited to its location and the efforts of the resort in conserving the natural environment.

What could be more romantic than an evening stroll? But as Irshad Mobarak explains, sunset in the jungle is also a perfect time to appreciate Langkawi's natural asset. Langkawi's most famous naturalist conducts these evening walks in the Datai area as a way to get people to understand the rainforest from a new angle.

It is not too far-fetched to say all the orchids decorating the hotels and public places in Langkawi come from a small farm just outside Kuah.