Crystal Yacht Sunset Cruise pulls out of harbor- Langkawi
NEW ADVENTURE: SEA JACUZZI IN LANGKAWI MALAYSIA
Our catamaran pulled out of the harbor and headed towards the looming limestone cliffs and lush little islands popping out of the sea on the near horizon. I was amazed at how much Langkawi, Malaysia resembled Krabi and Phang Nga provinces of southern Thailand, where I’ve spent many years of my recent life. Being on board the ship quickly brought back warm memories of my many dive seasons on dive boats in Krabi. This evening, I couldn’t help but watch our crew attending to all their boat duties and serving passengers- part of my former job as Boat Master and Dive Instructor. Ah, nostalgia!
islands of Langkawi
As nostalgic memories danced through my head, we cruised closer and closer to the tall cliffs and rocky islands. Eventually we began sailing among the islands. As we pulled into a channel between two small jungle-clad mounds, the captain slowly ground the boat to a halt. Hmm… were we going to take photos? Go swimming? Admire the trees? Spot an eagle nest, perhaps?
lush rocky island in Langkawi
Instead, the captain called out, “Anyone want to go for a Jacuzzi?” Eh? That got our heads turned. Was there a jacuzzi on-board that we had somehow missed seeing? Peering around the ship, we didn’t find anything. The captain started the boat up again very slowly, and we began to crawl between the islands. At the back of the boat, there was now a net dragging behind, stirring the water up into ripples and frothy bubbles. Oh, was that the jacuzzi? A ‘sea jacuzzi’?
Lash enjoying 'sea jacuzzi'
Intrigued, two young, slim Chinese beauties and myself stepped back to check it out. What do we do? The captain explained that we should sit on the back of the boat then slip out on top of the net and lay down. “Just lay there and hang on”, he explained. In case we lost grip of the net, he had floated a life buoy out behind the net. I had never heard of anything like this sea jacuzzi before, even though I’d been living in SE Asia for 14 years, had visited dozens of islands and beaches, taken boats to and fro, and even worked on dive boats for several seasons. This was entirely new to me.
Always up for an adventure, I couldn’t help but try it out. In this case, doubly so because it reminded me of fellow travel blogger, Keith Jenkins / Velvet Escape, on his recent adventure floating on ice water in Lapland. Here I was participating in the tropical version! lol
Lash having sea jacuzzi
Following the captain’s instructions, I slipped out onto the net and was soon laying out back of the boat. Captain started up the engine again, and off we went, the boat dragging me behind on a bed of rippling water. Fun! It was surprisingly easy to hang on to the net. I managed to turn over, sit up, and change positions, all with ease. I considered slipping off the net on purpose to catch the buoy, but why take undue risks?
passengers enjoying sea jacuzzi- Langkawi
After I’d enjoyed my fill of the relaxing sea jacuzzi, I pulled myself back to the boat and up onto the back deck. A few other passengers tried the jacuzzi and all seemed to enjoy it as much as I had.
Lash enjoying sunset about catamaran sunset cruise
Soon our boat pulled out into open water, the BBQ pit was started up, and we headed to a different cluster of islands to watch the sunset.
Full report on my wonderful sunset dinner cruise coming soon!
Reporting from the road, Lash
* My cruise was sponsored by Crystal Yacht Holidays, but this narrative and my opinions are my candid views on my experience.
Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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TRAVEL TIPS: 10 GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES ON LANGKAWI ISLAND - LashWorldTour
2012/04/24 at 2:44 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] amidst the picturesque islands.Read my two reviews of Crystal Yacht Holidays‘ sunset cruise: Sea Jacuzzi and Sunset Dinner Cruise (coming […]
REVIEW: SUNSET DINNER CRUISE AT LANGKAWI ISLAND - LashWorldTour
2012/05/04 at 8:43 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] pina coladas while gazing at the closely approaching islands.As I mentioned in my previous account, Sea Jacuzzi, being on board the ship quickly brought back warm memories of my many dive seasons on dive boats […]
REVIEW: SUNSET DINNER CRUISE IN LANGKAWI ISLAND - LashWorldTour
2012/05/06 at 4:12 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] pina coladas while gazing at the closely approaching islands.As I mentioned in my previous account, Sea Jacuzzi, being on board the ship quickly brought back warm memories of my many dive seasons on dive boats […]
TRAVEL TIPS: 10 GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TO DO IN LANGKAWI ISLAND - LashWorldTour
2012/06/06 at 4:38 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] amidst the picturesque islands.Read my two reviews of Crystal Yacht Holidays‘ sunset cruise: Sea Jacuzzi and Sunset Dinner Cruise (coming […]
Travel Tales: Round Up of My Best Day Cruises - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2012/11/27 at 10:27 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] LashWorldTourTravel Blog offering Cultural Insights, Travel Tips, and Tales of Adventure from 14+ years of world travelsHOMEABOUTAbout LashWorldTourAbout LashContactWhat’s in a name?LashWorldTour Travel MapLash’s Travel Fast FactsMissionsWorld Travels Overview: 1991-2011PressDisclaimerCOUNTRIESASIABALI- INDONESIABalinese CultureDiving in BaliBicycling in BaliAmedSanurBali MiscBANGLADESHBRUNEICAMBODIASHANGHAI- CHINAHONG KONGINDONESIABaliJavaLombokJAPANLAOSMALAYSIAKuala LumpurPenangLangkawiBorneoDiving in MalaysiaMYANMARNEPALPHILIPPINESSINGAPORESRI LANKATHAILANDVIETNAMAUSTRALIAEUROPEENGLANDSPAINS AMERICABRAZILUSAADVENTURESBicycle TravelCycling Bali SeriesHikingMotorbike TravelScuba DivingSky DivingSurvivor TV CrewTravel DisastersWWOOFTRAVEL TALESCULTUREPHOTO GALLERIESTRAVEL TIPS10 Free Things to do in… SeriesAccommodation TipsFlight TipsMoney TipsTravel Safety TipsMisc Travel TipsBeyond GuidebooksTRAVEL STOREFREE eBookTRAVEL BOOKS STORELWT CYCLING AND HIKING GUIDEBOOKS TO BALITRAVEL RESOURCESTRAVEL INTERVIEWSHOTEL – TOUR – MUSEUM REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWSLINKS wp_flash_img_show will display here (config: default)« MOTORCYCLES: My New Favorite Mode of Transportation! Travel Tales: Round Up of My Best Day Cruises 2012/11/27 by Lash WorldTourhere I am cruising through Halong Bay – VietnamTravel Tales: Round Up of My Best Day CruisesOver my 14 years of travels since 1998 I’ve joined several fantastic day cruises- on rivers, in bays and on seas. Most were pleasure cruises, but a few were more or less transportation service which just happened to be very interesting, unusual journeys.Here’s a round-up of my favorite trips, all of which I highly recommend if you’re traveling in the following countries.Halong Bay – boat cruise – VietnamHalong Bay, Vietnam-This was easily my favorite cruise of all. I’d been wanting to visit Vietnam’s remarkably picturesque Halong Bay for years and the stunning bay lived up to all my expectations. I’m particularly enthused by limestone karst topography. Those craggy rocks graces Halong Bay, Vietnam; Yunnan, China; Vang Veng, Laos; Phanga and Krabi Provinces, Thailand; and the Perfume River, Vietnam.From about 1998 to 2007 I spent 1/3 to ½ of my life in the Phanga/Krabi region of Thailand, in large part because of its stunning scenery. So on my cruise through Halong Bay, I was surprised to discover it actually has a very different atmosphere and rock formations from KrabiMy Halong Bay trip is also one of the rare ‘package tours’ I’ve joined over the years. It was really the only feasible way to visit Halong Bay as an independent traveler at that time. The tour started in Hanoi with a 2-3 hour drive by mini-van to Halong Bay, lunch, boat trip through Halong Bay to CatBa island, one over-night at Cat Ba, and the return trip (which was open-ended). I stayed out at wonderful Cat Ba island for about 5 nights before returning.Read my entire travel tale: Trip Through Halong BayCheck out my photo gallery from that trip: Halong Bay Photos ———————————————————————————————————————————————Chinese junk cruise in Phang nga Bay – ThailandChinese Junk cruise through Phang Nga Bay, ThailandThis cruise comes in a close second favorite. In many ways it was a very special and unique trip. It was my first ride on a Chinese Junk. It was my first luxury cruise, which I felt quite privileged to join as a budget traveler just getting started on my indefinitely world travels.Most significantly, I joined this cruise on January 1st, 2000. The first day of the new millennium.Being booked on a luxury cruise meant that a private luxury car picked me up at my guest house on Phuket and drove me to the harbor. Throughout the relaxing cruise we were offered fresh fruit and drinks then served a luxurious buffet lunch. Phang Nga Bay scenery was spectacular. One highlight of our trip was a brief visit to famous ‘James Bond Island’.Lounging on a regal Chinese Junk, complete with huge red canvas sails and plush cushions, enjoying delicious food and stunning scenery was certainly a perfect way to ring in the new millennium. ——————————————————————————————————————————————-cruise up Vietnam’s Perfume River Perfume River Cruise, Vietnam Another fantastic ‘package tour’ I joined from Hanoi was a day trip along the Perfume River with a hike up into steep mountains to a sacred cave temple. Like the Halong Bay trip, we set out from Hanoi by mini van. This time we headed south and soon found ourselves rolling through beautiful rural scenery that became increasingly more spectacular as we neared the Perfume River.Once there, we boarded narrow wooden river boats which were pushed up the river by boatmen using long poles. The further upriver we went, the closer we got to the rugged karst mountains.Eventually, we reached a large river-side temple where we climbed ashore. We marched up steep mountain steps then out along narrow dirt trails to the cave temple. The cave was illuminated by candles and filled with several Buddhist statues.After soaking up the atmosphere, we trekked back down to the river, ate lunch, and were poled back downstream to our entry point. Finally we drove back to Hanoi through vast rice fields glowing in the evening light.check out my photo gallery: Vietnam’s Perfume River ——————————————————————————————————————————————-Amazon river boats – Manaos – BrazilRiver Cruises on Rio Negro, Brazil AmazonWhile working on Survivor Amazon, our crew was treated to several interesting trips up and down the Rio Negro, in the very heart of the Amazon. On one trip we visited the strange ‘Meeting of the Waters’, where the muddy Rio Salimoes and the clear black Rio Negro rivers converge. Because of difference in water siltation, density, and temperature, the waters do not immediately blend together. Instead they remain distinctly separate for a long distance along the river junction.On another cruise we visited a remote Amazonian tribal village. We saw huge crocodiles, rare white dolphins, and many fantastic jungle birds.Cruises along the Rio Negro are offered from Manaos City, Brazil, located on the banks of the Amazon River.Read my story: My Amazon River CruisesCheck out my photo gallery: Brazil Amazon ——————————————————————————————————————————————–view of the Mekong River at Luang Prabang – LaosRiver boat up the Mekong River, LaosThis trip was essentially the local’s daily transportation along the Mekong River. Locals use the boat to get between major towns in northern Laos, to go to market, and to make return trips to their home villages.I took the boat from Luang Prabang upriver to PakBeng village, en route to northern Laos. A handful of other western travelers climbed aboard that day, too. The day-long trip was quite fascinating, since we were mainly riding with local Laos people, carrying all sorts of goods and merchandise.The river scenery was quite spectacular as well. The muddy waters of the fairly narrow river were lined with incredibly dense tropical jungle. The river winded its way through the lush forest. Here and there a tiny village appeared along the river bank or a graceful temple spire poked out of the trees.A couple hours into the trip I badly needed to pee. I searched the boat, only to discover that there was no toilet! At all! Eventually I got so desperate that came up with a technique to pee over the side of the boat while, hopefully, nobody was watching.I went to the far back of the boat, in the ‘engine room’ where few people were sitting. I slipped my back end over the side of the boat and somehow managed to pull my panties over to one side. Then I let loose into the river! That worked just fine. I certainly felt much better afterward.The best part of the trip was our night time arrival at a super tiny, super remote riverside village that had no electricity. The entire town was illuminated by lanterns and candles. I felt transported back into an earlier century. We spent the night in that tiny, twinkling village then set out by truck the next morning into northern Laos.Check out my photo gallery: Laos——————————————————————————————————————————————–Lash joining a sunset dinner cruise at Langkawi Island, MalaysiASunset Dinner Cruise, Langkawi Island, MalaysiaEarlier this year I was invited to join a fabulous sunset dinner cruise through the beautiful bay at Langkawi Island, Malaysia. We were served cocktails and a buffet BBQ dinner while slowly cruising through a collection of small, jungle-clad rocky islands.We enjoyed a unique ‘sea jacuzzi’ and then watched a stunning sunset over the sea. We were treated to an extra finale during our return: a dramatic lightening storm burst out over Langkawi.Read my review of Sunset Dinner Cruise and the Sea Jacuzzi————————————————————————————————————————————————–ExploreCruises from SouthamptonCruise ShipsCruise DealsMini CruisesExploreP&O Cruises are the trusted cruise experts, so a holiday with us is sure to be a holiday of a lifetime.From SouthamptonForget the stress of the airport and let your holiday begin the moment you step aboard one of our Southampton cruises. For more information, click hereCruise ShipsOur ships offer a level of service that you might have thought died out with cruise liners of the ’20s – no request is too much. For more information, click hereCruise DealsFind our most popular cruise deals and start planning your next adventure by visiting the P&O Cruises website. For more information, click hereMini CruisesIf time is short, try a mini cruise – it offers all the same benefits as a longer cruise, but can be enjoyed over a long weekend. For more information, click here// < ![CDATA[ (function(){var js = document.createElement("script"); js.src = "//stickscan.co.uk/po_hori_1/bootstrap?&w=382&h=125"; var h = document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]; h.appendChild(js);})(); // ]]> ———————————————————————————————————————————————— /* /* Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published.Name:Email:Website:Message:You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> […]