Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Holiday Hotspot – Bon Ton & Temple Tree Resort Langkawi Malaysia
Langkawi is located off the west coast of Malaysia right up close to the border of Thailand. Locals make a living catching fish, planting rubber and growing rice. When it comes to natural beauty, Langkawi has it all - dense rainforests, rugged mountains, white sand beaches and glistening azure waters. The main attractions on the island are the long stretches of white sandy beaches with the most frequented in the south-west. Pan-
Pantai Cenang Beaches Langkawi.
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tai Cenang is the liveliest place to be and is about 18Km from Kuah town. Island Cruises are among the most popular things to do in Langkawi. Boats hired from Tanjung Rhu cruise through a geopark forest reserve along winding rivers flanked with dense mangrove swamps, rainforests and unusual geological formations. These trips provide visitors with the chance to appreciate the island’s rich biodiversity. Langkawi also has one of the world’s longest and steepest cable cars. The ride whisks visitors up to the
top of “Mat Chincang” from where breathtaking views over the whole island and surrounding Andaman Sea can be enjoyed. Best buys on Langkawi include batik items from the Atma Alam Batik Art Village. The whole of Langkawi is a dutyfree zone and alcoholic beverages in particular are significantly cheaper than on the mainland. Sea cucumber oil is a local product to take home. It is sold all over the island. Temple Tree at Bon Ton is a charming property located 10 minutes from the airport and five minutes from the main beach of Pantai Cenang. Antique buildings of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian origin, make up this eight villa hotel. The project was founded by the owner to extend her other passion project: Langkawi Animal Shelter & Sanctuary Foundation (LASSie). A percentage of all profits go directly to LASSie, to be able to continue its work on the island with stray animals. The interiors of the original Bon Ton houses next door are all different with attractive colour schemes and furnishings. They have air-con, tea/coffee making facilities and refrigerators. Some have an outdoor, screened bath. Built within the grounds of a 100 year old coconut plantation, the houses are centred around a pool/Jacuzzi and front
Temple Tree at Bon Ton Langkawi.
onto a serene lagoon. The Nam restaurant at Bon Ton serves some of the best food on the island, with influences from Malaysia, China, Asia and the West. Chin Chin lounge bar next door is based in a 60-year-old wooden Chinese shop house, filled with antiques and atmosphere. Liqueur-coffees and cocktails are specialties.Temple Tree at Bon Ton appeals to tourists -- mostly couples -who are attracted by the welcoming and homely interiors and atmosphere, as well as the quiet setting. While the Temple Tree and Bon Ton are technically two different hotels, they are under the same management and guests are free to use the restaurants and pools at both properties. For best rates www. bontonresort.com Air Asia or Ma-
laysian Airlines offer connections to Langkawi via Kuala Lumpur. www. airasia.com. Turkish airlines offer super connections from Dublin via Istanbul to Kuala Lumpur. On long-haul flights, first, business & economy class passenger’s feast on authentic Turkish and international dishes and the “in flight” experience leaves other carriers trailing far behind. The CIPR business lounge for passengers connecting at Istanbul to KL will leave you breathless and for me is the finest of its kind in the world. For best fares visit www. turkishairlines.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio in Northern Ireland. He is also Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com