Great Hornbill- image care of Jungle Walla
BIRD WATCHING TOUR LANGKAWI- A REVIEW
I surprised myself at being so extremely excited about an upcoming Bird Watching Tour on Langkawi Island. I was by no means an avid bird watcher, so my excitement caused me to pause. Why I was nearly jumping out of my room to go on that tour?
bird eating papaya that I spied outside my window in Penang
Certainly, I do often enjoy birds when I come upon them. I love their charming songs and the brilliant colors of many tropical birds. I even have my favorite 2 birds in SE Asia, both favorites because of their songs. I recently learned that one is a koel, the other a myna. Both have entertained me thoroughly all over SE Asia for many years.
More recently, while exploring Langkawi on my own, I’d spotted several Hornbills and the amazing drongo, a black bird with 2 extremely long slender tail quills that end in round or oval feathers. Those sightings had certainly peaked my interest in birds. And 2 months earlier I’d visited the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park for a review.
Reflecting on my childhood, I suddenly remembered that I’d spent many years hiking through forests, up mountains, along streams and ocean shores, with my family while my parents immersed themselves in their long ‘bird watching phase’. Every time we went hiking, camping, or traveling, my parents carried along their bird guidebooks and binoculars. Hikes always included lots of stopping, flipping through bird book pages, and gazing around in the trees.
In my adulthood, I’d surprised myself many times by instantly recognizing most birds I come across, at least by species. Apparently I’d subconsciously picked up a lot of bird recognition during my childhood.
So, although I’m by no means an avid birder, I do have some background in birding and do appreciate birds. I even carry my own binoculars while traveling. I guess that qualifies me as a bird enthusiast.
Wendy- our guide with Junglewalla bird watching tour langkawi
Having resolved the mystery, I excitedly dashed off to meet the guide at a nearby resort lobby. I recognized her immediately as ‘the guide’ by her completely khaki, head-to-toe outfit and her outdoorsy, outgoing personality. Wendy was a friendly, enthusiastic Malaysian girl who was eager to get out and show us some birds. Joining us were 3 American women, also eager to spot Langkawi’s famous Hornbills and other tropical birds.
When I learned that we were going to Mount Raya, Langkawi’s highest peak, I was practically bursting at the seams. Mount Raya was one of the best places I’d visited on Langkawi thus far. The 13 km road to the summit weaves gradually up the mountainside, entirely surrounded by dense rain forest, with increasingly better views over the island. Mt. Raya is also where I’d spotted Hornbills and drongos.
We drove part way up then stopped, got out, and wandered the road listening for bird calls and peering around into the sky, trees, and dense undergrowth.
views from lower road on Mt Raya- Langkawi
Wendy became wildly excited. Her eyes lit up, her head often cocked to one side listening, or her face intently searched the skies. Her keen, experienced eyes regularly spotted tiny specks, which turned out to be birds. She carried both binoculars and a huge scope on a tripod, which she quickly adjusted whenever she found a perched bird.
Wendy with scope on Mt Raya
Several times, she start jumping up and down with excitement, beckoning us urgently, “come look, come look!” “Look through the scope! Quick, quick. Look!” As soon as Wendy laid eyes on a bird, she instantly identified it, including whether it was male or female. She kept an ongoing list of our bird sightings, to give us later. She was also quite adept at identifying birds by their call. Now that’s an avid birder!
ladies avidly bird watching at Mt Raya- Langkawi
It took a while standing around on the road before we really started spotting birds. Then it was a smorgasboard. We saw all 3 species of Hornbill that live on Langkawi: Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, and Oriental Pied Hornbill. The Great Hornbill is especially impressive. It boasts a 2-3 Meter wing span and looks spectacular when flying because of its wide yellow and black stripes along the wings. More amazingly, it makes a loud, powerful whooshing sound like a dull engine or a giant hand-held Japanese fan.
Wendy explained that the noise is a result of the Hornbill having only one layer of feathers, which the wind passes through. Most birds have 2 layers of feathers. We enjoyed many Hornbill sightings and were even treated to their wild calls, which sounded to me like a car engine trying to start up / turn over. Wendy thought they sounded like coughing.
In total, we spotted 32 birds that morning, including my favorite drongos and some very colorful birds. After spending a couple hours along the Mt Raya road, we relocated to a flat rice field, seeking different bird species. We saw loads of them! Most exciting for me were the White Throated Kingfisher with it’s brilliant metallic blue wings, the weaver birds with their bright yellow heads and striped backs, and the Red-Wattled Lapwing, with its super long legs and red-rimmed eyes. I’d never seen that charming bird before.
Wendy’s favorite for the day must have been the Plain-Backed Sparrows, of all things. A pair flew in and perched on a nearby telephone wire. Wendy was so utterly excited that she was literally squeaking at the top of her voice, jumping up and down, and glowing. Man, was she excited! She explained that they are extremely difficult to spot on Langkawi.
The Birders!
As fun, exciting, and successful as the morning had been, after 4 hours of intense concentration watching 32 bird species going about their daily lives, around 1 pm it was finally time to pack it in. We all piled back in the van and returned to our respective resorts to eat lunch and enjoy another tropical afternoon on Langkawi.
Thanks Jungle Walla Tours and Wendy for a fantastic morning on Langkawi Island!
QUESTIONS:
Have you ever joined a bird-watching tour? If so, where? How was it? What great birds did you see?
What kind of outdoor tours do you enjoy while traveling?
Check out my other Langkawi tour reviews:
Sunset Dinner Cruise / Cultural Tour / Cable Car and Sky Bridge
*disclaimer- while Jungle Walla Tours generously sponsored my tour, the comments and opinions expressed are my own candid views*
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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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Langkawi Jungle Canopy Adventure - A Langkawi Review - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2012/09/14 at 4:17 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] a blast!You might also like to read my other Langkawi reviews:Sunset Dinner Cruise / Bird Watching Tour / Malaysian Cultural […]
10 GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TO DO IN LANGKAWI ISLAND - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2013/03/10 at 1:52 pm (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 MalaysiaMalaysia MiscMYANMARNEPALPHILIPPINESSINGAPORESRI LANKATHAILANDVIETNAMAUSTRALIAEUROPEENGLANDSPAINS AMERICABRAZILUSAAdventuresBicycle TravelCycling in Bali SeriesHikingMotorbike TravelScuba DivingSky DivingSurvivor TV CrewTravel DisastersWWOOFCruisesTravel TalesCulturePhoto GalleriesTravel Tips10 Free Things to do in… SeriesHow To Afford Long-Term World Travel SeriesWhy Living Overseas is Better SeriesAccommodation TipsFlight TipsLuxury Travel TipsMoney TipsSafety TipsMisc Travel TipsBeyond GuidebooksTravel ResourcesTRAVEL INTERVIEWSBook ReviewsHotel – Tour – Museum ReviewsLINKSTravel StoreFREE eBookTravel Books StoreLash’s Guidebooks to Bali wp_flash_img_show will display here (config: default)« TRAVEL INTERVIEW WITH TIGGER OF 1 DAD, 1 KID, 1 CRAZY ADVENTURELANGKAWI HOTEL REVIEW: CASA DEL MAR BOUTIQUE RESORT » TRAVEL TIPS: 10 GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TO DO IN LANGKAWI ISLAND 2012/04/19 by Lash WorldTourLangkawi sunsetTRAVEL TIPS: 10 GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TO DO IN LANGKAWI ISLANDAbove all else, Langkawi is a little-disturbed natural island. Once you get past the modern airport-like arrivals jetty shopping-mall full of duty-free shops (!?!) and head off on the road through town, you’re immediately washed by the island’s relaxing laid-back aura, a result of Langkawi’s all pervasive, lush nature. A mere 100 meters after the terminal, you’re already passing through Kuah town’s lovely large Lagenda Park, en route to even more natural splendor. Great thing to do in Langkawi await you!water buffalo grazing below mountain peaks on LangkawiOutside Kuah, wherever you go on Langkawi you’re simply immersed in nature. You’ll pass verdant rice fields, water buffalo and cows grazing. You’ll drive through dense hilly forests and rubber plantations, past beaches and rocky shorelines. You’ll have scenic views of nearly-vertical jungle-clad limestone mountain peaks, sweeping views of bays dotted with fluffy islands, and panoramic marinas.Watch for wildlife sign on LangkawiLangkawi has been designated a UNESCO GeoPark because of its unique geology and flora, including limestone karst islands and mountains, caves, and mangrove forests. It’s famed as a bird-watching mecca, being home to such exotics as Hornbills and drongos with their long trailing tail feathers.Thankfully, there are many fun ecological ways to immerse yourself in Langkawi’s stunning natural ego systems. They range in price from free to roughly $100 US. Here are 10:————————————————————————————————————————————————-Cenang Beach- Langkawi1. Enjoy Langkawi’s pristine beaches- Cenang, Pantai Kok, Tanjung Ru, and narrow roadside beaches.FreeMany vacationers visit Langkawi solely to relax and chill out on the island’s stunning powdery white tropical beaches. All are still pristine and all but Cenang are barely developed. If you enjoy long sweeping tropical beaches backed by vegetation and palms trees, you’ll find them at Langkawi. So…Suntan, swim, build a sand castle, read, listen to music, watch sunrises and sunsets, people watch, chat with locals or other travelers, walk, jog, run, meditate, practice yoga, stretch, skip to the loo… If you’re traveling with a frisbee, ball, or hackysack then add those activities to the list of great ways to enjoy Earth’s natural beach paradises.Cenang is the only really developed beach (perhaps over-developed) where you can do water sports like paragliding, jet skiing, and banana boating. Cenang road has hundreds of shops, souvenir stalls, tour offices, restaurants, bars.. you get the picture. However, one half of the beach is still pristine, sans water sports or souvenir stalls, thanks to a few large 5-star resorts.Tanjung Ru Beach and offshore islands- LangkawiPublic beaches at Pantai Kok and Tanjung Ru are beautiful, empty stretches of white sand backed by palm trees. Take all the food, snacks, drinks and supplies you’ll need or buy some nearby. No food stalls are at the beaches themselves. Two lovely, but narrow roadside beaches are located beside the airport and on the north coast, just west of the Kraft Complex. Both have one or two food stalls open in evenings.————————————————————————————————————————————————-Dense rain forest covers Mount Raya- Langkawi2. Travel to the peak of Mount Rayafree except for transportationGunung Raya, smack in the center of the island, is Langkawi’s highest peak at 881 Meters. A completely uninhabited, undisturbed dense rain forest covers the entire mountain. The 13 km road from the base of Gunung Raya to the peak weaves its way gradually up the mountain, with ever increasing panoramic views over the island and gradually cooler temperatures. En route, you’ll be entirely immersed by rain forest. You could very easily find yourself in the middle of clouds, in a ‘white out’. Most likely, you’ll spot Hornbills and other tropical birds, monkeys, and… cows! Yes, locals bring their cows up along the mountain road to graze on roadside grass, a very peculiar sight in the middle of rain forest.view over Langkawi’s 99 islandsYou can visit Mt. Raya by rental motorbike or car, taxi, bicycle, or even by hiking, if you’re so inclined. Although motorized vehicle is obviously the easiest way to scale the mountain, the engines will drown out the sounds of nature: birds, insects, wind and silence.If you enjoy cycling and are fit enough, try pedaling up the mountain. The road grade is mostly moderate, with surprisingly many flat sections, so it should only take 1-1.5 hours to reach the summit. Afterward, you’ll get to glide back down hill for 13 kms!You could also hike up to the peak,which would entail a whole day hike: 3-4 hours up and 2-3 hours back down, depending on how quickly you walk and your fitness level. Take all the food and water you might need since there are no stores, food stalls, or even houses along the road.Surprisingly, there is a small resort way up there on the peak, so you could stay on the mountain if you’d like! They offer admittance to non-guests to their tower for 10 RM. You could also potentially eat at their restaurant.If you’re not inside a car, be sure to take a jacket and/or rain coat, especially if it’s a cloudy day.* This is one of the best things I did independently on Langkawi.————————————————————————————————————————————————–Langkawi cable car soars over the coast3. Experience Langkawi Cable Car and Sky Bridgeadmission: 30 RM adults / 20 RM children ( $10 / $7 US)Visiting the cable car and sky bridge on Langkawi is an amazing experience. You’ll be whisked up the steepest cable car in the world, with ever increasing panoramic views over Langkawi’s many islands, to the first platform at 625 M. Continue on a second cable car to the higher viewing platforms at 700 M. Then experience the astounding sky bridge, a curved engineering wonder suspended in mid-air between two mountain peaks. (Perhaps not advised for anyone fearing heights )Langkawi sky bridgeRead my review for full details of this great adventure.————————————————————————————————————————————————–4. Luxuriate on Sunset Dinner Cocktail Cruises and Daytime Island Hopping Cruises2012 prices: island hopping: 310 RM ($103 US) / sunset cruises: 250 RM ($83 US)Lash on sunset dinner cruise- LangkawiLangkawi is comprised of 99 jungle-clad islands and islets in the calm Andaman Sea. A fantastic way to enjoy them is to take a cruise through the islands. Two major island cruise operators offer day time island-hopping tours, sunset evening cruises, and privately tailored trips amidst the picturesque islands.Read my two reviews of Crystal Yacht Holidays‘ sunset cruise: Sea Jacuzzi and Sunset Dinner Cruise (coming soon).————————————————————————————————————————————————-Guided Bird Watching Tour on LangkawiWhite Throated Kingfisher on Langkawi- photo courtesty of Dev’s Adventure Tours5. Scout for Birds on Guided Bird Watching Tours2012 price: 200 RM ($67 US)With over 200 species of resident birds and over 130 migratory birds passing through, Langkawi is becoming increasingly more famous for bird watching. Several experienced local tour guides offer early morning bird-watching outings. Famous birds on Langkawi include 3 species of Hornbills, Drongos, White Bellied Sea Eagles, and Brahminy Kites, among others.Spend a peaceful and rewarding morning surrounded by rain forest and/or rice fields listening to dozens of different bird calls and spotting raptors, exotic tropical birds, songbirds, and water birds with the help of a keen-visioned, bird-savvy local guide.Read my guided bird watching tour review————————————————————————————————————————————————Flat forested road on Langkawibicycling is a great way to visit Langkawi6. Bicycle the islandfree with your own bike / rentals: / bike tour: 120 RM ($40 US)Langkawi’s roads are in great condition and major roads have wide motorbike lanes on either side. Although Langkawi is very mountainous, much of the island is surprisingly flat, as are most of the roads. The total road distance around the entire island is only about 80-100 km, depending on which routes you take. Fit cyclists could complete the route in one day. Others may prefer to take 2-3 days, or even longer, in order to visit beaches, waterfalls, and rain forests. A few homestays are located around the island where you could spend the night during your tour.You can bring your own bike, rent one on Langkawi, or join a guided bike tour.———————————————————————————————————————————————–Kilim River mangrove tour boats on Langkawi7. Boat along the mangrove River system: Kilim Riverprices vary significantly among boat operators, ranging from 100 RM/person to 500 RM/boat.Check around. Prices are higher from Tanjung Ru, cheaper from Kilim. At Cenang Beach, several tour operators make bookings.Although taking a motorized river boat through the mangroves is not quite as ecological as kayaking, a boat tour will allow you to visit a much larger area, to visit caves, a fish farm, sea eagle habitat, and safe swimming areas. Tours range from 1-6 hours, so how much you see and costs depend a lot on the length of your tour. Again, check around for options.———————————————————————————————————————————————–Rain Forest Walk8. Join early Morning or Nighttime Rain Forest Walks2012 prices: 120 RM ($40 US)flying lemur at Langkawi- photo courtesy of Dev’s Adventure ToursSeveral local tour operators offer guided rain forest walks, during which they educate guests about the rain forest flora and fauna. Some Langkawi exotics include the giant squirrel, flying lemur, dusky leaf monkey (langur) and flying lemur, Hornbills and drongos. You’re sure to see monkeys, birds, and other widllife. In evenings, you have a great chance to see the rare flying lemur.—————————————————————————————————————————————— local boys enjoying one level of Temurun Waterfall- Langkawi9. Hike and Swim at Waterfallsfree, except for transportationLangkawi boasts several beautiful waterfalls, located in the lush interior rain forests. Visit one or all of them. Four waterfalls marked on most Langkawi maps are each a short walk from the road, along a jungle path, stone steps, or sidewalk. Telaga Tujuh and Temurun Waterfalls are quite popular with locals Friday through Sunday. If you’d like to join some noisy swimming sessions, those are good times to visit. If you prefer solitude, go on weekdays. Durian Perangin Waterfall andLumbuk Sembilang Waterfall are less visited. —————————————————————————————————————————-Kayaking Kilim River mangrove system- Langkawi- photo courtesy Dev’s Adventure Tours10. Go Kayakingprice: 220 RM adults / 140 RM children ( $73 / $ 47 US at 2012 exchange rates)Kayak through the mangrove river system at Kilim River, part of Langkawi GeoPark, on a guided tour. Guides will teach you about the birds, monkeys, snakes and other mangrove creatures as well as the mangrove eco-system itself. You might sight Langkawi’s famous Sea Eagles and visit caves. Kayaking is a fantastic, quiet, ecologically-sound way to visit the mangrove rivers.Alternately, you can rent a sea kayak at Cenang Beach and at several resorts to paddle along Langkawi’s coast or out to nearby islands. Be careful of sea currents between Cenang and the islands.Read my review of my kayaking trip with Dev’s Adventure Tours—————————————————————————————————————————– /* /* 10 comments1 ping Suzy says: 2012/04/21 at 3:35 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyLangkawi Island sounds so lush and active. I would be all about taking the cable car ride. Looks like the views would be gorgeous. Lash says: 2012/04/22 at 2:41 am (UTC 8 ) ReplyHey Suzy,yeah, that cable car experience was pretty amazing! I loved the sky bridge the most.. but the views were definitely fantastic~! cheers, Lash CocoLee says: 2012/07/22 at 2:56 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyLove your 10 outdoor activities suggestion specially the waterfall & bird watching. Lash WorldTour says: 2012/07/23 at 9:33 am (UTC 8 ) ReplyThanks Coco Lee, hope you enjoy them. cheers, lash (p.s. I removed the link to your Langkawi Tour website from this comment) Colin says: 2012/07/25 at 11:40 am (UTC 8 ) ReplyI really enjoyed you 10 outdoor suggestions, Langkawi seems really a beautify island, my wife are going for a holiday in early September and we both love bush walking and hiking in the outdoors. Have you heard of a walking track from beach (near Berjaya Hotel )to the Sky Bridge or any private guide who could show us the path?Thank again Lash WorldTour says: 2012/07/25 at 1:01 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi Colin, Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the outdoor suggestions on Langkawi.As for hikes, I don’t know the trail you’re refering to from the beach to the sky bridge. But I did find out there’s a walking trek to the top of Mt. Raya! It might be fairly overgrown further up. I only walked the lower part en route to a ‘canopy adventure’ of abseiling, etc. The trail starts at a park near the base of Mt Raya. The park is not promoted at all to tourists, but is popular with locals and also allows free camping!You can find several excellent guides on Langkawi. I’d suggest asking Vanessa of FB: Langkawi Drum. She’s an American woman living there who makes a regular ‘news’ letter of Langkawi. Otherwise, I’d highly recommend Dev’s Adventure Tours. Excellent guides. (see my review on the culture tour for contact info and website) Hope you find what you’re looking for! let me know how your trip and hiking goes on Langkawi! cheers, Lash george2210 says: 2013/01/31 at 3:28 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi, I will visit Langkawi on 28 February. Do you know if there is any place close to airport where I can rent a bicycle? Thanks! Lash WorldTour says: 2013/01/31 at 4:49 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHi,GREAt! I hope ypu enjoy Langkawi!Sorry, I don’t know any places in the immediate vicinity of the airport to rent a bicycle.But the main beach on Langkawi, Cenang, is only about 7 km south of hte airport. Many places rent bicycles there. Try guest houses and a large motorbike/car/bicycle rental shop on the main road of Cenang.cheers, Lash kb bibin says: 2013/03/01 at 6:31 pm (UTC 8 ) Replymany thanks Lash,… i’m planning for langkawi on may.. it was indeed very helpful Bibin Lash WorldTour says: 2013/03/02 at 4:06 pm (UTC 8 ) ReplyHI Bibin,Oh, great. I”m so glad it was helpful. I will be in Langkawi this week.. but not in May.Enjoy your trip there!cheers, LashAlor Setar – Malaysia – LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour says: 2013/03/05 at 5:56 pm (UTC 8 ) Reply[…] 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 MalaysiaMalaysia MiscMYANMARNEPALPHILIPPINESSINGAPORESRI LANKATHAILANDVIETNAMAUSTRALIAEUROPEENGLANDSPAINS AMERICABRAZILUSAAdventuresBicycle TravelCycling in Bali SeriesHikingMotorbike TravelScuba DivingSky DivingSurvivor TV CrewTravel DisastersWWOOFCruisesTravel TalesCulturePhoto GalleriesTravel Tips10 Free Things to do in… SeriesAccommodation TipsFlight TipsLuxury Travel TipsMoney TipsSafety TipsWhy Living Overseas is Better SeriesMisc Travel TipsBeyond GuidebooksTravel ResourcesTRAVEL INTERVIEWSBook ReviewsHotel – Tour – Museum ReviewsLINKSTravel StoreFREE eBookTravel Books StoreLash’s Guidebooks to Bali wp_flash_img_show will display here (config: default)« Asia’s Amazing Shopping Malls Alor Setar – Malaysia 2013/03/05 by Lash WorldTourgorgeous Zahir Mosque – Alor Setar – MalaysiaAlor Setar – MalaysiaAlor Setar is a small but important city in the far northwest corner of Malaysia, just 30 km from the border of Thailand. Not surprisingly, some Thai influence is found in the city, including several Thai temples. When I visited I didn’t actually come across any Thai restaurants, shops or people. But a monk at gorgeous Thai Wat Nikrodharam assured me that many Thais live in Alor Setar.More importantly for travelers, Alor Setar is one of the main jumping-off points to/from pristine Langkawi Island. The ferry pier at Kuala Kedah village has almost-hourly ferries running all day to/from Langkawi. The pier is just 11 km from Alor Setar, a 30 minute bus ride that costs only 2 RM ($0.65 US).Balai Nobat (Royal Drum Tower) in Alor Setar – MalaysiaAlor Setar makes a pleasant 1-3 day side trip getting to or from Langkawi. Most notably, the town has many beautiful historic buildings and museums. Malaysia’s train line stops at Alor Setar, so it’s very easy to continue on to Kuala Lumpur or northward to Thailand. Many buses also go to/from Alor Setar all over Malaysia.The city’s importance to the country of Malaysia is entirely different. The Royal Family of Kedah State, based in the capital Alor Setar, was the first royal family in Malaysia to adopt Islam, thus becoming Malaysia’s very first Islamic Sultan.Zahir Mosque, in the center of Alor Setar, is one of the first mosques built in the country. It’s also generally considered one of the most beautiful. As you can see above, it certainly is very stunning.In addition, the Sultan’s original wooden palace is now open to the public as the Royal Museum. It stands just across the plaza from Zahir Mosque. Alor Setar’s famous Clock Tower and the Balai Nobat – Royal Drum Tower – are also situated on the plaza. Rounding them out is the Kedah State Art Museum (Muzium Seni Negara).. All of these beautiful historic buildings sit together gracefully in the center of Alor Setar, making a convenient and interesting day or two of exploring.part of the beautiful Royal Palace Museum- Alor Setar – MalaysiaIn addition to the prestigious Kedah royal family, two of Malaysia’s most important historical political figures hail from Alor Setar. Y.T.M. Tunku Abdul Raman Putra, referred to as the ‘Father of Malaysia’, was born and raised in Alor Setar. His charming wooden home beside the Kedah River is now a museum, called Rooma Merdeka, ‘Freedom House’. Secondly, Malaysia’s longest serving Prime Minister, Bpk Mahathir was also born and raised in Alor Setar. His childhood home is also open to the public as a museum.There are several other museums in and around Alor Setar and several traditional Malay style houses on display. The city has a very small 1-street Chinatown full of somewhat restored Chinese shop-houses along one section of the river. (However, the Chinese shop-houses in Penang, Melaka and Singapore are much more attractive and extensive.) Alor Setar’s version is worth a short stroll.the charming Kedah River runs through Alor SetarMeanwhile, the slow, languid brown Kedah River winds its way around town. Lovely walkways run along the river at several places. A beautiful look-out tower stands beside the river on the edge of Chinatown.Aside from the gorgeous historic buildings, Alor Setar’s main downtown area is nothing to write home about. It consists of several streets / blocks full of shops with no particularly interesting merchandise or architectural charm. There is a very large 2-story market called Pekan Rabu, full of local shops and produce, which is quite popular among locals.Alor Setar’s Clock TowerOne other delight of the city is its extensive variety and selection of inexpensive local foods. Practically every block has at least one, but usually several, local eating shops. There are various Indian, Chinese and Malay cuisines. If you arrive from KL or Langkawi, you’ll find the prices surprisingly cheap.I spent three days in Alor Setar, en route from KL to Langkawi. I took the night train up from KL then found a great budget hotel right on the edge of the main plaza. (Hotel Grand Jubilee, rooms from 50 RM) I could clearly see Zahir Mosque, the clock tower, Balai Nobat, the State Art Gallery and a bit of the Royal Palace Museum from my large room windows. I even had hot showers, which is a luxury for budget travel.I’m guessing that most travelers would find 1-2 days in Alor Setar quite enough.I needed a bit longer because when I’m traveling, I’m also working as I go. I spend about 4-5 hours per day writing, editing photos, answering emails and replying to fan comments. I don’t have full days to explore. I generally go exploring for a few hours and work the other hours. It’s a good balance.But anyone with full days to explore could probably visit all of Alor’s attractions in one day by really packing them all in or during a more leisurely two days.What I personally enjoyed most were:* Zahir Mosque* Royal Palace Museum* Strolling along the Kedah River ———————————————————————————————————————-QUESTIONS:Does Alor Setar sound like a city you’d like to visit? Why or why not? If you’ve been to Malaysia, what are your favorite places? ———————————————————————————————————————–You might also like: Photo Gallery: Beautiful Langkawi Island10 Great Outdoor Adventures on Langkawi———————————————————————————————————————— /* /* 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> […]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> […]