It’s usually the case that grand catch-phrases of tourism ministries are often over-the-top. Almost always, there is a significant gap between what is claimed and what the place actually is. So, as I prepared to board my flight to Langkawi, which I heard was a cursed land, from Kuala Lumpur, I tried to keep my expectations in check.
Looking down from the aircraft, I couldn’t believe that Langkawi’s nickname – The Jewel of Kedah, an archipelago of 99 isles spread across the Andaman Sea off the Malaysian mainland, was actually very precise. From the top, it looks as though the islands are neatly arranged like crystals in an expensive, handcrafted necklace.
There are only four habitable islands and I stayed on Rebak Island, on which the Taj Group has built the only beautiful property, Vivanta By Taj, which can be accessed via a speed boat with a 20-minute boat ride away from the main island, Langkawi. Those who have been to Rebak Island often find it similar to other beach-y places, like Goa, but nobody can deny that there is a lot more to do than just take a dip in the sea and waltz around the place.
While one can do all this and more, Rebak Island also offers much more in the form of wildlife and people. The property itself is built only on 60 hectares of land; the rest of the island comprises of pretty, quiet and not-so-wavy beaches, thick tree cover populated with hornbills, and I was told, some antelopes as well. A marina is attached to the hotel that hosts some of the most beautiful yachts owned by sailors from across the globes.
During my stay, I struck up a conversation with a 14-year-old Australian boy, who was born and raised on the island. Apparently, his father sailed from Australia to Rebak Island 20 years ago , only making periodical visits to his country. It is very common, I was told, to meet sailors who stay on for a couple of years or more by taking up jobs, mostly that of repairing boats. There are working-class sailors as well, quite easily identified by their modest boats. So if you’re looking to meet some whacky people on your holiday, Langkawi is the place.
Langkawi was previously known as Langkawi Geoforest Park before it assumed a self-aggrandising name given by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, who is identified as the architect of modern Langkawi.
The locals say that the name was changed in the belief that the curse on the island had been lifted. This is a Freudian story straight out of our Indian television serials: it has a jealous mother-in-law who wrongly accused her daughter-in-law, Mahsuri, of committing adultery. This resulted in the daughter-in-law being condemned to death by stabbing, as ordered by the local chieftain. On that fateful day, she is believed to have cursed Langkawi to “not prosper for seven generations to come.”
The booming economy, driven by tourism, seems to have convinced the locals that the curse is a thing of the past. After witnessing some of the most stunning sights in the Mangrove forests in Kilim Geoforest Park and watching the sun set over the Andaman Sea with a glass of champagne and delicious food, I couldn’t believe that the locals believed in curses.
From Tanjung Rhu beach on the main island, I was taken on a fancy-looking speed boat, driven by a youngster named Paksu, who drives the boat like he’s a young James Bond. After driving at top speed against the tide for 30 minutes, we reached the mouth of the Kilim River. The boat then started moving slowly between the mangrove forests providing an intimate view of the huge caves, mountains and wildlife. And as an added bonus, it started raining. On the way back, Paksu was kind enough to stop at one of the private beaches, where, if you are lucky, you could be the only human being.
The sunset at the Andaman Sea was another exhilarating experience. The expensive yacht docked at the Royal Yacht Club, sailed on the Andaman Sea before stopping in the middle of nowhere to enjoy the sunset. With the boat bobbing on the calm sea, you get to watch the sun going down behind the mountains, and trust me , you would definitely want be on that boat.
Langkawi is many things put together: it has mountains, rivers and the sights to give you shivers, but the legend of Mahsuri’s curse could never have been true.
(The writer was there at the invitation of the Taj Group of Hotels.)
