On our last full day in Langkawi we walked 10 minutes down the road from our resort to Gunung Machinchang, the island’s second highest peak. We rode a giant, 2 km cable car to the top, where we stopped at two viewing platforms to look out over the mountainside and the Andaman Sea beyond.
The mountain is covered in rainforest and we could see two waterfalls that were all but dry at this time of year. (During rainy season, they would be spectacular!)
One span of the 20 minute cable car ride spans 950 metres, which felt like an eternity of dangling in mid air, high above the forest.
Once at the top, the view was vast and gorgeous, especially over the hilly slopes leading down to the Sea on the south side. On the north side of the platform we could see sail boats dotting the water and the southern-most islands of Thailand in the hazy distance.
Rowan wasn’t the teensiest afraid of looking down over the heights and very happily peered over the edge of the railings. On the cable car, both on the way up and down, he must have been quite an adorable sight because the tourists we shared the rides with took pictures of him, perched up on his seat, smiling out at the sky.
At the base of the mountain there is a small tourist “village”, filled with little shops selling t-shirts and trinkets. Rowan found a pair of sunglasses he liked and got to have a mango popsicle to try to fend off the hot and humid weather.
Back at the resort, it was time for lunch and some pool time to end our last day on the island. On Monday we left for Perth, Australia, where we have been enjoying leisurely walks to the beach, board games and awesome pizza dinners at our friend’s house.
But more about Perth next time…
5 Responses to “Soaring high”
You cool in them sunglasses Rowan, all have a great time in Perth.
Dear Rowan…..from Room 8:
Caedance said, “I hope you are having fun.”
Athena said, “We miss you!”
Sufyan said, “Have a great lunch.”
Michael said, “I hope I see you soon. Have a great time.”
Tommy said, “Is it your birthday?”
Yaseen said, “I hope you have so much fun.”
Afsana said, “We got the fish for our classroom on last Monday.”
Abdullah said, “I miss you.”
Aadil said, “We are doing base 10 in our class for math.”
Wow, Rowan wasn’t even freaked out by the cable car ride? I remember going up to Murren, Switzerland many years ago (the only way to get to this tiny town is by cable car) and my first time in a cable car, filled with Swiss. The way up was fine, but the way down was scarier than any ride I’ve ever been on. I kept saying to myself “don’t scream”, “I will not scream”. But I did. So embarrassing.
I have a friend from my TPH days who is from India and her parents have a real monkey problem, apparently they are quite destructive and smart.
A cable car up into the alps would likely be a lot more scary than this ride! Rowan wasn’t freaked out at all, though. I think maybe fear of anything grows as we get older because both Kevin and I are not fans of heights, but Rowan is positively fearless.
I think monkeys are destructive no matter where they bump up against human communities. At the resort we stayed in on Langkawi, there were notes posted everywhere not to feed the monkeys or even leave the doors or windows unlocked. The monkeys apparently can open them, causing havoc as they ransack the rooms looking for food…
From Rowan: I am having lots of fun. I miss school too and can’t wait to see the two goldfish. It is not my birthday. My birthday is in September! I am doing math with my mom and we are doing 10s too. See you soon!