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Holiday Villa Beach Resort

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Holiday Villa Beach Resort is a 4-star resort in the southwest of Langkawi Island, at approximately 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. It is a very nice resort, where you can stay for affordable prices. The resort is located along Pantai Tengah, one of the most beautiful publicly accessible beaches on the island. The area is known for its relaxed vibe within the touristic center of the island. At about a 5 minutes’ walk you will find Pantai Cenang; the most lively area of Langkawi.

The rooms have plenty of space with all amenities that you would expect of a four star beach resort. The complex is rather large, so when you are staying in one of the distant rooms, it can be quite a walk to the lobby. All rooms have air-conditioning, a television and mini bar. Breakfast is good with ample choices, but it can’t be qualified as one of the better breakfasts we’ve had on the island.

Along Pantai Tengah you will find a couple of cozy restaurants, where you can experience the Asian cuisine, but also European dishes are available. For a really good time you should go to Pantai Cenang, with its long beach with many nice restaurants and small bars.

Staying at Holiday Villa Beach Resort was quite a change from the tranquil resorts in the more secluded parts of the island. It is a big and very popular resort, and especially during peak season in can be quite crowded. The resort is located along a rather busy road, but within the resort premises you will not notice that much of it. The pool is extremely large, and surrounded by La Villa Pool Club. The beach is quite nice for those that fancy a tan, but it isn’t really the best sea to have a swim in. Across the road of the hotel you will find a couple of nice restaurants which will let you enjoy the local cuisine at very affordable prices.

At the resort it is easy to book a daily tour to explore the many wonders that Langkawi has to offer. There are also several little offices across the main road on which the resort is located. You will get better prices here most of the time; even though every organized tour will be more expensive in comparison to when you would organize it yourself. It is easy to explore the island by moped or rental car. The area of the resort is located within the busiest part of the island; other than this it’s mostly driving along quiet roads with not that much traffic. We thought Holiday Villa Beach Resort is a fine resort for a short stay. Langkawi offers several other beautiful resorts that are more luxurious (but also more expensive).

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Pangkor Island Beach Resort

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On the quiet island of Pangkor you will find several beautiful resorts, as well as multiple affordable guesthouses. One of the most popular resorts on the island is Pangkor Island Beach Resort. The resort is located on the north-western side of the island, along a lovely bay with a private beach. It is a beautiful resort; well designed and it has a cozy but also luxurious vibe. The rooms are great and depending on the type of room you have, you also have a stunning view over the bay (the sea, the garden and the pool). The resort is especially suitable for families with children as they offer a great selection of daily fun things to do. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean the resort is filled with noisy kids.

The resort comes with two beautiful pools; the main pool and a smaller pool so guests at the distant wing of the hotel do not have to walk a large distance. From the pool you have a beautiful view across the bay.

The resort comes with several restaurants; where they mainly serve Western cuisine. If you get tired of the food after a couple of days, you can always look for food outside the resort. The resort is not far from a few villages, which will take you 20 minutes maximum by motorbike. Just keep heading south, until you arrive at one of the local restaurants along the beach (for example at Nipah Bay/Coral Beach). At the resort you are also able to grab a taxi. In the evening you can enjoy a cocktail at the lovely lounge bar at the resort. There is a live band on a daily basis which will perform in the big lounge (Golden Oriole).

The resort also organizes several daily activities; including a quite a few activities just for children. Every day a special newsletter will slide under your door into your room in which you can read what you can do during the day. This may vary from a walk in the jungle to snorkeling; or from spotting the beautiful hornbill to visiting Pangkor Village.

The resort has its own jetty service. In Lumut harbor a jetty will leave at fixed times. When you made reservations at the resort, you do not need to buy a ticket. The jetty takes about 30 minutes to get from the harbor to the private resort harbor.

When you want spend a few days on Pangkor Island and don’t mind to pay a bit more to stay at a luxurious resort, we strongly recommend Pangkor Island Beach Resort. The island itself is one of the most beautiful islands in Malaysia. Pangkor is about a 3 hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur by bus or rental car.

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Wonderful Malaysia

Pangkor Island Beach Resort

pangkor-island-beach-resort-1

On the quiet island of Pangkor you will find several beautiful resorts, as well as multiple affordable guesthouses. One of the most popular resorts on the island is Pangkor Island Beach Resort. The resort is located on the north-western side of the island, along a lovely bay with a private beach. It is a beautiful resort; well designed and it has a cozy but also luxurious vibe. The rooms are great and depending on the type of room you have, you also have a stunning view over the bay (the sea, the garden and the pool). The resort is especially suitable for families with children as they offer a great selection of daily fun things to do. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean the resort is filled with noisy kids.

The resort comes with two beautiful pools; the main pool and a smaller pool so guests at the distant wing of the hotel do not have to walk a large distance. From the pool you have a beautiful view across the bay.

The resort comes with several restaurants; where they mainly serve Western cuisine. If you get tired of the food after a couple of days, you can always look for food outside the resort. The resort is not far from a few villages, which will take you 20 minutes maximum by motorbike. Just keep heading south, until you arrive at one of the local restaurants along the beach (for example at Nipah Bay/Coral Beach). At the resort you are also able to grab a taxi. In the evening you can enjoy a cocktail at the lovely lounge bar at the resort. There is a live band on a daily basis which will perform in the big lounge (Golden Oriole).

The resort also organizes several daily activities; including a quite a few activities just for children. Every day a special newsletter will slide under your door into your room in which you can read what you can do during the day. This may vary from a walk in the jungle to snorkeling; or from spotting the beautiful hornbill to visiting Pangkor Village.

The resort has its own jetty service. In Lumut harbor a jetty will leave at fixed times. When you made reservations at the resort, you do not need to buy a ticket. The jetty takes about 30 minutes to get from the harbor to the private resort harbor.

When you want spend a few days on Pangkor Island and don’t mind to pay a bit more to stay at a luxurious resort, we strongly recommend Pangkor Island Beach Resort. The island itself is one of the most beautiful islands in Malaysia. Pangkor is about a 3 hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur by bus or rental car.

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Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple

The Reclining Buddha is a sight to behold. ‘Reclining’ for about 33 meters in length, the massive Buddha is also a gold-plated statue. The Reclining Buddha in this Wat Chayamangkalaram is considered to be the 14th biggest reclining Buddha in the world.

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According to history, Queen Victoria has granted a land for the Thai temple to be built in 1845 and even until this day about over a hundred years later, the Thai temple still attracts throngs of devotees and visitors alike, both local and from abroad.

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With great detail in its architecture, the temple and the reclining Buddha within is definitely worth a visit. The temple opens from 6am to 5.30pm daily and the entrance is free but it is always great to donate to contribute to the upkeep of the temple. There are also books for sale here where proceeds will go towards the temple’s funds.

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This colorful Thai temple is situated just across a Burmese Temple. As you set foot into the grounds of Wat Chayamangkalaram, two ‘guards’ of two mythical dragon-headed serpents on their feet greet and welcome you into the temple. Upon looking around the temple, you will see that the temple grounds have many shrines along with brightly colored statues of Devas as well as other mythical creatures in Buddhism mythology.

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As you walk further inside the pagoda, you’ll find a gold-plated statue of the Reclining Buddha and upon walking behind the statue, you will see plenty of urns containing the ashes of devotees behind the statue. With a peaceful and smiling face, this Buddha lies on his right side with his head resting in the palm of his right hand.

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The reclining Buddha represents the historical Buddha at his death. It is said that the Buddha knew death was approaching and asked his disciples to prepare a couch for him in a grove. Having a unique blend of Chinese, Thai and Burmese architectural designs and was built in the 19th century and declared open in 1956 by Thai King Bhumipol Ayudayej, Wat Chayamangkalaram even has the 12 idols representing the animals in the Chinese zodiac. As the Reclining Buddha is simply a majestic sight, you could take a picture with the statue as visitors are given the permission for photography. Remember to take your shoes off before entering the temple and respect the monks who go about the temple with their religious duties.

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How to get to Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple

To get to the temple, there’s an easy RapidPG bus ride from the center of Georgetown. Be sure to take the one that’s heading to Burma Road (bus number 103 should take you there). Every taxi driver knows the place, but it might be difficult finding a driver that agrees on using the meter. If you are exploring Penang by rental car, you can park it directly in front of the temple. When you leave a parking guy comes to collect a few ringgits.

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Opening hours entrance fees

The temple is op daily between 6.00am and 5:30pm and the entrance is free. The best time of the day to visit the temple is early in the morning before other tourists arrive. We had a fantastic time at the temple, as we were almost the only ones there (around 7.30/8am). While you are there, you could also head to Dhammikarama, a Burmese temple just a stone’s throw away (directly opposite the Thai Temple), for another dose of learning. During Buddhist festivals like Wesak Day (in May) it is especially interesting and fun to visit both temples.

Video Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple

Map of Thai Buddhist Temple

Suggestions?

Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do in Penang, or tips on the best places to eat? Let us know by leaving a reply below!

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Tips for your holiday in Malaysia

Even though you can perfectly organize and book your trip when you are in Malaysia, it is usually more pleasant if you can sort out a few things in advance. Book your airplane tickets (international and domestic) beforehand to get the best rates (last-minute tickets and complete holiday packages do not exist for Malaysia). The rates you get when booking locally are not even that much cheaper, often even more expensive. The travel tips on this website are based on years of experience of traveling to and through Malaysia. Every year we receive hundreds of questions from the website visitors. Do you have questions on planning and organizing a trip to Malaysia? Contact us at Wonderful Malaysia.

Organize your own trip to Malaysia

If you are planning to put together your own trip to Malaysia, you can use the following steps:

1) International airplane tickets

When organizing your own trip, you start by booking your international tickets to Kuala Lumpur. You can make the booking on one of the famous airline ticket websites, but also directly with the airlines which is sometimes cheaper. Singapore Airlines is a good example, they often offer good deals, Malaysia Airlines does not always offer great prices, but they have the advantage of flying straight to Kuala Lumpur (no stopovers). If you want to fly extra cheap from Europe, then you book your tickets with the Malaysian low cost carrier Air Asia. Air Asia X leaves from London or Paris and the airplane tickets are very cheap if you purchase them long in advance. However, the actual flight is quite basic, so do not expect extensive service on board. Other luxurious, but yet reasonable airlines flying from Europe or the States are Cathay Pacific, Asia Airlines, Thai Airways, Qatar , Etihad and Emirates .

2) Accommodation

Once you know your departure date, you can start to book the separate hotels. You can do this very easily via Booking.com , Agoda.com , Hotels.com and Expedia.com . These sites often have great deals. The options to directly book on the hotel’s website or to walk into the hotel at the time of your Malaysia trip is generally (a lot more) expensive in case of 4 or 5 star accommodation. Backpackers can go ahead without making a booking, even at the most popular places in Malaysia. There will always be a guesthouse with a room available. In general, the advice is to book in advance to ensure the best prices. Comparing those prices will pay off!

3) Domestic flights

As soon as you have booked your international flights, you can start booking accommodation for the actual holiday. Malaysia is wonderful and especially reasonable when it comes to domestic flights between destinations and therefore it is in most cases the preferred method to travel around. Domestic flights are sometimes not even more than a few dollars of euro per person for a single trip. Again it is important to book as early as possible, because the tickets will then be much cheaper. If you decide to book only a week in advance, then it will cost you a lot more than booking months prior to your flights. The most popular budget airline in Malaysia is Air Asia. Due to the strong competition, other airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and even Singapore Airlines are also cheaper within Malaysia. Please note that Air Asia will always have hidden costs. You will pay extra for a lot of things which is not included in the price and it is not always clearly stated on the tickets.

4) Rental car

If you have organized all the flights and accommodation, then you can start thinking about car rental. It is possible to discover Malaysia by rental car in a safe and reasonably priced manner. It will take just a little bit of effort to get used to driving on the left, but after a few kilometers you will feel as if you have not driven any other way. A standard modern car including radio and air-conditioning is already available from RM100 per day. Pay a little bit more and you can also rent a GPS system, which is very practical in Malaysia. The internationally known car rental companies are mostly very expensive compared to the good quality local rentals. Most popular rentals in Malaysia are Hawk Malaysia and Iprac.

5) separate tours and components

You have international tickets, hotel bookings are partially sorted out, domestic flights are also arranged and you have decided on a car rental. There are some amazing tours that you can book separately in Malaysia. There are various travel agencies where you can do this or you can do it beforehand via the internet. However, many tourists only book a ticket and a couple of hotels. Wonderful Malaysia regularly receives questions from travelers with regards to the many beautiful tours that you can do in Malaysia. They always ask where they can best make reservations in the country once they are there. Even though there are enough travel agencies in Malaysia, many travelers prefer to book some parts of their trip in advance.

Viator is one of the biggest and most popular websites in the world where you can make a booking and for that they work together with Lonely Planet Publications. You will find magnificent separate tours in Malaysia for a very good price. Even though it may still be cheaper to organize a tour through Malaysia yourself, you are not always sure if you made a good deal at the local travel agency. In total, Viator offers 86 tours in Malaysia alone. The total offer of tours is divided into four sections: Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang and Borneo. You can book on the website and directly pay with a credit card. After completing your order, you will receive an email with a link to your voucher(s). You take these vouchers with on the specific tour. You can also visit the attractions with your own transport (bus, taxi or car rental).

Below is a short summary of tours that you do not have to book (online) in advance, because you can easily organize them locally or because there are better alternatives.

  • Penang Butterfly Farm and Botanical Gardens
  • Pulau Payar daytrip when you are already visiting the island on the eastside of the peninsula (Perhentian, Redang or Tioman)
  • Penang Trishaw tour
  • Langkawi Cable Car
  • Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si temple
  • Tropical Fruit Farm tour on Penang (rather rent your own motorbike to get there by yourself)
  • Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary (car rental to drive there by yourself)
  • Tours in and around Kuala Lumpur are easy to organize yourself.
  • Tour around Langkawi island is easily organized yourself.
  • Sandakan city tour is also easy to organize yourself.

Organized package, tour or customized trip to Malaysia

Do you prefer your travel agency to organize your trip? In that case, rather book your whole trip to Malaysia with a travel agent in one of the many travel agencies around.
Whatever trip to Malaysia or Borneo you choose; it will always be a marvelous holiday. Travel agencies usually make a distinction between organized packages, tours and customized trips to Malaysia. The last two usually offer the most beautiful parts of the trip, but are often also more expensive than the standard organized packages. If you want security on the one hand, but you would like to arrange a few things yourself on the other hand, then book a take-off package. You will only buy your flight plus hotel (1 or more overnight stays) and you can fill in the rest of the holiday yourself.

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