Eco adventure
One of Malaysia’s most beautiful islands brings nature into focus; and more wildlife can be found in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, finds Laura Millar
Go wild on the Malaysian island of Langkawi
As the sun starts to sink behind the horizon, the day is ending for most people. But for the creatures who live within the 10 million year old rainforest on the island of Langkawi, a UNESCO Global Eco Site to the northwest of mainland Malaysia, it’s just beginning. Cicadas ramp up their frenzied chirping, dragonflies dart between trees, and the distinctive whistle of the hill mynah bird rings out through the dusk. I’m on an evening nature walk with naturalist Shakira Mobarak, who is one of several experts who work on site at the hotel I’m staying in, The Datai.
One of Langkawi’s first luxury resorts, it was established on the quieter, northwestern corner of the island in 1993. Thanks to its location within the rainforest, and its own, private strip of beach, it has long been a firm favourite with guests, many of whom have been returning for years. It’s not hard to see why; even before its recent multi- million dollar renovation, its blend of lowkey, unstuffy service, thoughtful,
elegant design, and fantastic food add up to a truly beautiful place to stay. In addition, the renovation heralded the construction of a new nature centre, a base for its naturalists and conservation experts. And conservation is a key word here; the Datai goes to great lengths to ensure eco- friendliness and responsible tourism. All wood used as building material comes from fallen trees; there is no single- use plastic; toothbrushes are made of bamboo, while cotton buds are compostable; there is a water- filtration plant on site, and also a permaculture garden, where waste is collected to be used as compost, and rainwater is stored. They also grow an impressive amount of their own fruit, vegetables and herbs for use in the kitchens, including pumpkin, jackfruit, okra, sweetcorn, mint, Thai basil and turmeric.
But for many guests, the real draw is the wildlife, and there are several guided walks you can go on which maximise your chances of spotting some interesting indigenous critters. For now, Shakira has her little group agog when she points out a cluster of tiny, sparkling orbs with her torch, located by the banks of the small stream that runs through the resort. Dew drops? Rainfall? No; spiders’ eyes, apparently, gleaming in the dusk – which makes this arachnophobe shudder a little. And then, an odd sound, ‘ Toe- kay, toekay’, pulses through the gloom. “Look at this!” exclaims Shakira excitedly, directing her light onto the wall of one of the villas. What looks like a large lizard is planted firmly on the vertical surface; it turns out to be an example of the world’s largest gecko, the Tokay, named for the sound it makes.
“This incredible creature inspired a key scene in a movie,” reveals Shakira, explaining that the gloves Tom Cruise wears to seemingly scale the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, were based on the gecko’s feet. The reason it can adhere to vertical surfaces is not because they are covered in suction pads, but because the attraction between the surface and the sole is caused by molecules pressing together, a phenomenon known as the Van der Waals pressure principle. Who knew? And as if all that wasn’t fascinating enough, our stroll is rounded off by the amazing sight of a couple of flying squirrels gliding from tree to tree, their wings spread out like furry parachutes.
The next morning, my boyfriend and I explore beyond the resort, and make for Machinchang mountain, to be whisked up to the top of some of the oldest rocks on the island by what claims to be the world’s steepest cable car. As it chugs up the side of the sheer cliff face, the views back across to the sea are impressive, and get more so the higher we go. At the top, you have the option to walk across the Skybridge, itself another superlative: the world’s highest pedestrian bridge.
Our taxi has to stop for a group of langur monkeys crossing the road
Suspended over, well, nothing, I try to drag my gaze upwards, rather than down, and am rewarded with the sight of a sea eagle in full flight, its wide, white- tipped wingspan soaring majestically above.
On our way back to the hotel, our taxi has to stop for a group of dusky langur monkeys, which are casually crossing the road. No wonder many of the road signs here read ‘ Drive slowly; animals at play’. One of them is carrying a baby, notable for its bright ginger fur, in contrast to the black coats of the adults. We learn later, from expert Irshad Mobarak, Shakira’s uncle, that they have evolved to be this colour when young, as eagles are blind to it. During a nature walk with him, we explore the flora and fauna around the beach, where we marvel at the intricate lace- like patterns left in the sand by the aptly named sand crabs, identify some sand snails, and spend a lot of time peering intently at a starfish making its way very slowly back down to the sea from its little burrow below the surface.
It’s with the deepest regret that we come to the end of our stay, and swap the calm and quiet of the island for a stint in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Less than a 90- minute flight away, it provides a vibrant, buzzy contrast, but pockets of nature can still be found here, if you know where to look. Our hotel, the brand new Ruma, is as slick and stylish an urban getaway as you could wish to find, but, gratifyingly, it’s barely a tenminute walk from KLCC Park. This 50- acre sprawl of greenery is possibly most notable for the iconic spikes of the Petronas Towers which rise from within it ( jogging highly entertaining memories of Sean Connery drooling over Catherine Zeta Jones in a catsuit in the 1999 film, Entrapment). Here is a pleasant place to stroll or picnic, with its many shaded spots, lakes and pathways.
Aviphiles should definitely visit KL’S Bird Park; a giant, enclosed aviary, it’s home to around 200 species, some of which roam freely around the grounds. It’s here I see a peacock displaying its magnificent plumage for the first time, as well as emus and ostriches, and I can’t resist the opportunity to feed the primarycoloured parrots. Elsewhere, I’m captivated by powder- pink flamingos, the amusingly named flaming galah, the beautifully patterned male Mandarin duck, and more.
But perhaps my favourite experience comes just outside the city centre, at the Batu Caves temple complex. This is a collection of Hindu temples built into naturally occurring caves, located at the top of a set of 272 steps. These were recently painted in an array of rainbow colours, adding to the area’s natural beauty. Any brave visitor scaling them has to also run the gauntlet of the residents of the caves and the surrounding areas: the incredibly cheeky macaque monkey. They throng onto the steps, looking for any unwitting tourist who does not have a firm grip on his or her bottle of fizzy pop ( they are patently uninterested in anything as boring mineral water). Once they’ve dislodged it from unsuspecting, slowto- react hands, they unscrew the top, pour the contents onto the ground, and lap away to their hearts’ content. And as for anyone who’s been foolish enough to bring their own fruit or sandwiches… well, there’s no sight funnier than that of a monkey scaling a tourist’s legs like a tree and divesting him of his food parcel like the Artful Dodger would a pocket watch. Whether you’re in the city or on an island, Malaysia delivers entertaining nature the whole way.
BA ( ba. com ) flies from Edinburgh to KL via London from around £ 547 return; Airasia ( airasia. com) flies between KL and Langkawi from around £ 33 return.
Rooms at The Datai Langkawi ( thedatai. com ) start from around £ 463, including breakfast. Rooms at The Ruma ( heruma. com), Kuala Lumpur, start from around £ 155, including breakfast.