TIMING is of the essence when travelling, even when you are doing domestic travel to locations like the resort island of Langkawi. There are high seasons and low ones that dictate the price of your desired accommodation. In Langkawi, there are also high and low tides that will determine what you can or cannot experience.
A phenomenon that has become more prominent these past few years is the appearance of a wide sand bar at Tanjung Rhu Resort’s private beach, that stretches 600m from the coast to Pulau Kelam Baya.
In 2008, Langkawi nature guide, Zoher Mustan Mala, spotted the occurrence of a sand strip when the tide was low and began bringing groups over to explain the phenomenon.
“This whole area was part of the sub-Indian continent around 500 million years ago, all the way to the Thai island of Tarutao, so all of these are connected.
“However this sand bar that appears during the changing tides is at the lowest, from zero to 0.1m once a year,” he said.
With the appearance of a wider sand strip because of sedimentation, Tanjung Rhu Resort decided to market the phenomenon to the public in 2020. Collaborating with Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), 200 resort residents and non-residents got to experience walking between two bodies of water.
General Manager of Tanjung Rhu Resort, Reginald Thomas Pereira, told The Vibes that after the first successful tour two years ago, they want to do it on a bigger scale. This year, the dates when the sea split from their private beach were on March 3 and 4.
“The response was overwhelming. It is our first time having over 1,100 people, though not all came through the resort. The day before, we already have 500 people.
“Lada supported our program by buying 50 packages from us, the rest who registered under us received a t-shirt and breakfast.
“The next time guests can walk on land over to the other side will be next year.”
As one of the oldest premier resorts located at the northern tip of the island, Tanjung Rhu Resort has kept the establishment abreast to the wants of guests, especially after the border reopening to international travellers.
One of them was to feature Penang’s authentic nasi kandar by Chef Zainuddin. Hailing from Penang, he has been surrounded by relatives making nasi kandar all his life.
“When I was younger, I was not interested in cooking or making nasi kandar, but now, here I am.
“My relatives are owners of renowned nasi kandar restaurants in Penang, namely Hameediyah and Kassim Mustafa, and now guests can also taste them in Langkawi,” he said.
In pursuit of gastronomical delights, Pereira also invited Kuala Lumpur’s acclaimed chef duo, Sherson Lian and Johnny Fua, also known as the Kitchen Mafia, to grace special events at the resort.
“This is the second time we are having them here and we will continue working with them for special events to draw people to the resort,” Pereira told The Vibes during a celebration dinner, after the Malaysian Association Hotels Kedah/Perlis chapter annual general meeting.
Despite the efforts by the hoteliers in Langkawi to draw international arrivals, he says it is still a challenge due to red tape. However, he is pleased that there are still those really keen to visit who will go through the trouble of having their documentation done to come. – The Vibes, March 9, 2022
