Soph’s Scribbles

Langkawi truly felt like paradise. Slower, warmer, and wildly beautiful, it was the kind of place that makes you instantly relax into island life. From riding mopeds through tropical storms and swimming beneath waterfalls to island hopping, spotting soaring eagles, and ending days with sunsets and fire shows, our time here was pure magic.

Day 1: Seven Wells Waterfall & Our First Taste of Island Life

For our first full day in Langkawi, we kicked things off with a visit to the famous Seven Wells Waterfall. With no public transport on the island and taxis few and far between, renting a moped felt like the obvious choice. George learned to drive it on the spot, and after strapping on our helmets, we set off on our first Langkawi adventure.

The 20-minute ride was surprisingly fun. I fully embraced my role as passenger princess, soaking up the views while George got used to riding with me on the back (extra weight and all, he did great). We arrived safely, laughing the whole way.

From the entrance, we began the steep climb up to the top of the falls, yes, more steps. Just as we reached the summit, the skies opened and a full tropical thunderstorm rolled in. While most people scrambled for shelter, we looked at each other and did the only reasonable thing… jumped straight into the waterfall.

We were going to get soaked anyway, so why not enjoy it? It was hands down one of the highlights of the entire trip. We were completely drenched, rain stinging our faces, barely able to open our eyes but laughing uncontrollably. No photo could ever capture how fun or freeing that moment felt.

Once the storm passed, we were rewarded with stunning views across the island, with cable cars drifting across the skyline in the distance. From there, we continued deeper into the jungle toward the so-called Blue Pool (which, admittedly, wasn’t very blue). The walk was challenging but shaded and cool, and despite the freezing water, I couldn’t resist jumping in for a quick dip.

After spending the whole morning exploring, we stopped for a quick drink before hopping back on the moped and heading straight to Cenang Beach, our local beach just across the road from our guesthouse, not even a two-minute walk. It was another blazing hot, cloudless day, and even the locals were commenting on the heat.

Hunger soon kicked in, so we wandered off and found a spot selling delicious chicken shawarma. Back at the guesthouse, we met some lovely fellow travellers and swapped stories before booking our boat trip for the next day, something we were already buzzing about.

That evening, we stuck to our routine £2 pad Thai from next door (amazing every single time), before heading back to the beach for cocktails and the nightly fire show. I went for a frozen margarita, George chose a piña colada. The perfect ending to a perfect island day.

Day 2: Island Hopping, Eagle Spotting & Night Markets

We were up early the next morning, excited for our island-hopping snorkelling trip. The tour took us to three stunning islands: Cepu, Intan, and Beras Basah, some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

The water was slightly cloudy, meaning we didn’t spot many fish, but it didn’t dampen our spirits at all. The sea felt like a warm bath, and simply floating there, surrounded by limestone cliffs and turquoise water, was more than enough.

We practically had the boat to ourselves, sharing it with just one other diver. We quickly hit it off with the crew, especially our new friend Bobby, who took such good care of us. He even brought us to his favourite hidden spot, which he called Diamond Island, not sure if that’s the official name, but it felt fitting.

As we cruised past Eagle Island, we looked up to see eagles soaring effortlessly overhead. Watching them glide across the sky made it instantly clear why the eagle is such a powerful symbol of Langkawi.

Lunch was served on board – simple spaghetti. We ended up spending hours out on the water, from around 11am until 3pm. Definitely got our money’s worth. Once dropped back on shore, we cooled off with a cold Coke in the shade.

Later, George went for a run while I relaxed back at the guesthouse, before we headed to the beach to watch another gorgeous sunset. That evening, we visited the night market, trying everything from Murtabak Din (similar to a chicken omelette) to spicy chicken and rice, finishing with Alim Balik, a peanut and sweetcorn dessert. It was delicious and very hot and sweaty!

Day 3: Mangrove Forests, Bat Caves & Our Final Sunset

After such an incredible boat trip the day before, we decided (with a little encouragement from Bobby) to join the Mangrove Boat Tour. He picked us up early, and we headed to Jalan Tanjung Rhu Beach, which was absolutely breathtaking.

After checking in, we grabbed a coffee and took a moment to soak up the views before boarding the boat. The tour group was larger this time, with around 15 people, but our guide was fantastic — energetic, informative, and genuinely fun.

We cruised through Kilim Geoforest Park, spotting Langkawi’s famous eagles once again; both the native brown eagles and the huge white-bellied sea eagles. We explored Monkey River, glided through winding mangroves, and ventured into the Bat Caves, which was both fascinating and slightly eerie.

Midway through the tour, we stopped at a floating fish farm for lunch. We spotted a stingray swimming beneath us before sitting down to enjoy a freshly cooked chicken and rice meal at the floating restaurant.

The final stretch of the tour was a scenic cruise around the island, skimming the border between Malaysia and Thailand. The views were absolutely stunning, a perfect finale to our time on the water.

Back on land, we spent the afternoon relaxing before wandering through local shops and picking up a few souvenirs. For dinner, we enjoyed falafel and hummus, then made our way back to the beach and Kalut Bar to catch our final sunset in Langkawi.

We ended the evening chatting with Bobby over a few drinks, reminiscing about the past few days. Langkawi had been peaceful, adventurous, and incredibly beautiful; a place that truly felt like paradise.