My last stop in Malaysia is Langkawi, an island I’d never heard of before planning this trip. It’s known as the jewel of Kedah, so I had to visit to see how it came to earn this name.
I arrive at Tokman Inn greeted by Yati. We quickly exchange life stories and already I’m calling her my Asian mummy. I can tell that Yati is going to be a big part of my Langkawi experience. She is passionate about bringing people together at her Inn, and creating a family feel. For a sociable solo traveller like myself, this is something money can’t buy. I’m excited for some family time. And to top it off, Signe, who I met in Lombok, has jumped on a flight to join me out here.
#reunited!
The week started out with a tour. Langkawi has world class UNESCO geoforest parks that are made up of mangrove swamps, dreamy beaches and beautiful lagoons. We navigated the mangrove forest by boat and met some macaque monkeys along the way. This breed of monkey is so sociable they’ll practically selfie with you. They swam over to the boat and jumped in to see what culinary delights we had onboard.
Next we visited Singa Island, inhabited only by Eagles. We got to see these majestic creatures up close and in action as they dived into the water to catch their lunch. 
Now it was time for an educational trip to a fish farm. Of all the fish and all the facts I learnt, by far my favourite was anything in leopard print. How fashionable is this Leopard Shark called Isabel…
And this stingray…
We stopped for lunch at the fish farm floating restaurant and enjoyed some fresh…fried chicken…
The following day Yati rounded up the troops and drove us around the island to visit the beautiful waterfalls, some of which were off the map. I never tire of these. 
I got to know my fellow Tokman Inn mates over lunch and enjoyed hearing other people’s travelling tales. Backpacking really does give you the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life that you instantly have that one thing in common with. Looking around I feel grateful that I’ve definitely made some friends for life along the way. 
The rest of my stay on Langkawi was a mix of chill time on beautiful beaches, play time in the jungle, and many hours spent in Yati’s office just hanging out having a gossip. Everyday was an open invitation, and often Yati would bundle us in the back of her car and drive us to her favourite local restaurant for freshly made Roti or a seafood feast. After two months away from home it was nice to be part of a little hustle and bustle.
My experience on this island then peaked on the last day. Shala and I (through choice) got up at sunrise and climbed the 4287 steps that led us to the highest point of Langkawi, the top of Mount Raya. Exhausted, we sat in the viewing tower alone and enjoyed tea and biscuits with a mesmerising view. 
I could tell we were both contemplating life at this point. We recapped on where we’d been and where we were headed. Why we’ve embarked on this trip at this stage of our lives. Langkawi has been a very special experience for us both, but we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s served its purpose and it’s time to move on…
Feel free to like, share, comment X
@beach_pray_love 