My visit to Langkawi coincided with the worst season of haze caused by rampant forest fires and slash-and-burn farming in Sumatra, so I wasn’t expecting too much from the sunset dinner cruise by Tropical Charters that was arranged by my travel consultant, Kash Island Adventures. But, surprisingly, the gloomy weather did not spoil the fun we had onboard!
Enjoying the surrounding views aboard the 60-foot wooden yacht, Warisan Duyung.
We rode a small boat at the jetty of Resorts World on the south side of Langkawi Island, facing the Pulau Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park, one of three parks under the UNESCO Global Geopark of Langkawi. The other two are the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, where enjoyed a mangrove kayaking tour, and Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park, where I enjoyed a thrilling rainforest canopy adventure. The boat ferried us to a 60-foot three-cabin wooden yacht named Warisan Duyung that was anchored far from the jetty. Interestingly, the sailboat was built in a traditional Malay style in Terengganu, an eastern state known for its seafaring heritage. Onboard were Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi travelers.
Jump from the boat and swim to the “saltwater jacuzzi” net!
There’s free-flowing beer and soda onboard, too.
The haze obstructed much of the view, with the nearby islands and fishing boats reduced to faint silhouettes in the horizon. At some points on the trip, the islands surrounding us were hidden by the haze, so it seemed like we were in the middle of a misty ocean. The yacht soon slowed down and the crew hoisted down a large net next to the vessel. All the guests were then challenged to leap off the bow of the boat and float to the net, where we could lay down as it was dragged by the sailboat over the water like a so-called “saltwater jacuzzi”.
Dinner was grilled onboard; the satay was amazing!
Aboard the 60-foot Warisan Duyung of Tropical Charters. Photo by Kash Island Adventures.
A mouthwatering dinner was prepared onboard at the stern, where the crew were grilling meats and seafood. I especially enjoyed the satay, prawns and grilled fish! Overall, the exciting “saltwater jacuzzi”, a fun-loving and courteous crew, groovy music and delicious food made the sunset dinner cruise by Tropical Charters was one of my most memorable experiences in Langkawi. I can only imagine how the sunset cruise would be if the Indonesian haze did not steal the show!
Tropical Charters offers day cruises, sunset dinner cruises, cocktail cruises and private charters around the Langkawi Islands. Their daily sunset dinner cruises from 5:00 to 8:00 PM are at MYR 260 per adult, inclusive of hotel transfers, onboard barbecue dinner and free-flowing drinks. For more information about their tours and services, visit their website.
For expert travel advice on Langkawi, contact Kash Island Adventures at +60 17 3940759. Special thanks to Gaya Travel Magazine for arranging my trip to Langkawi.
