INdulge!
VOL. 6 ISSUE 191 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 8-9, 2013
EDGEDAVAO
TRAVEL
A gondola at the Panorama Langkawi slowly descends from the highest point of the Machincang range. Taking one of the skycars will give a wonderful view of the rich biodiversity below.
Malaysia charms Asean stars
By JEFRY M. TUPAS
DEEP into Langkawi Island’s Kilim Geoforest Park, one easily gets mystified by a sprawling masterpiece—a natural landscape that is perhaps one of the best places to worship nature. Here, the river flows mysteriously from clear to murky or from calm to eerily calm, depending on where you are heading to-- very much like those thick mangroves that, in one area, gnarl themselves into some painful patterns of brown to burnt shades but suddenly spring into a merry bundle of green as you go deeper into the forest. Watching a dozen of whitebellied sea eagles skillfully pick their prey from the greenish water, free from any harmful human interruptions, is a beautiful experience. Rayyan Haries, a Malaysian blogger, said the mangrove for-
est in the park is also a home to a species of wild dogs, apart from monkeys, snakes and other wildlife. The Kilim Geoforest Park was the final stopover of about 100 celebrities, journalists, bloggers, and tour operators from ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) who took part in the seven-day Asean Explore Quest Malaysia event hosted by Tourism Malaysia. The participants travelled from Kuala Lumpur, Perak and to Kedah (Langkawi). Langkawi provided the much-needed relief to the participants whose bodies
were pleasantly exhausted by days of fun games and discovery of Malaysia’s treasures-food, people and places. The group’s two-day experience in the island was first sparked up by the breathtaking Panorama Langkawi--where the sunset smeared the sky an explosion of orange and yellow. From the base station, gondolas slowly ascend to the Machincang range and back-allowing tourists to feast over the rich natural biodiversity and man-made environment in the area. “This is by far better than the cable cars in Sentosa,” said a
FMalaysia, A4
The author with Singaporean blogger and aspiring actor Tiffany Yong at the Cenang beach. Photo by William Tan
Having fun and making new friends topped the activities slated for the Explore Malaysia Quest. From L-R: Thai actor and model Mai Pisan Srimankong, Singaporean blogger and aspiring actor Tiffany Yong, Singaporean blogger William Tan, Filipina professional dancer and The Amazing Race contestant Sheena Vera Cruz and Filipino-Australian model and Philippine Volcanoes member Chris Everingham. Photo by William Tan
The Kilim Geoforest Park.
The golden statue of the Hindu lord Murugan stands mightily at the facade of the famous Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur.