After two amazing days at Shangri La’s Rasa Sayang’s Rasa Wing, we are now up on the tropical island of Langkawi. Langkawi is a lovely island near the Thailand boarder of Malaysia. Unlike the island of Penang, where the majority of locals were Chinese and Indian, here the locals are Malay Muslims. Most of the tourist here are locals who come over for a few nights to get away from the city. Langkawi is a mere 1-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur.
The majority of local and tourist are more devout Muslims. I have seen more women totally covered in black here than any other location. I would be lying if I did not say that the whole headscarf and black body coving does not bother me, it does. Here we are in 100 degree heat with 90% humidity and it is very uncomfortable seeing these poor women covered from head to toe in black. But, I have to remember that it is not my country, my culture, or my beliefs. This, my Divas, is another reason why traveling is so important, it gives one a chance to see how others live and try (as hard as it might be) to appreciate they cultures and ways of living – no mater how different they are from your own.
Anyway, back to the beautiful island….
Me, right before walking through the bat cave.
Our guide, a fantastic guy named Bulla, took us on a boat ride through the jungle and we got to watch an eagle feeding. I never saw eagles so up close, and it was a wonderful sight seeing these gloriously majestic birds swooping down and soaring back up into the sky. The next stop was a very stinky bat cave that was surrounded by mangrove trees and monkeys. We ended our tour with a delicious dinner at our hotel called the Frangipani.
The Frangipani is an eco-resort that has a plethora of programs to protect the environment. They recycle as much as they can – including water and old bathtub that are now used for growing veggies! Many of the fruits and vegetables they serve are from their own gardens. The resort is on 50 acres and has around 100 cute bungalows on the beach. You can get massages on the beach and they have 2 beautiful pools right next to the bar (yippy!).
Each room has everything you need, including things you don’t – like a TV and phone. The bathrooms include an outdoor rainforest shower. For you eco-divas, this place is heaven!
Another great thing about Langkawi is that it is duty-free. That means that drinks are not over-priced like they are in the rest of Malaysia. A gin and tonic will set you back only a few dollars.
P.O. Box 138. Jalan Teluk Baru Pantai Tengah, Mukim Kedawang 07100 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. T (604) 952 0000 F (604) 952 0001 E rsvn@frangipanilangkawi.com W www.frangipanilangkawi.com
Kuala Lumpur Sales Office 1st floor, No 39 & 40, Jalan Mamanda 9, Ampang Point, 68000 Ampang, Selangor. T (603) 4251 4301 / 7301 / 8301 F (603) 4251 3278 E salesrsvn@frangipanilangkawi.com
If a picture paints a thousand words, than video can share a million colors. And so, instead of me writing, I thought I’d let you watch these videos instead.
Chris, from Brentwood Magazine was another esteemed journalist who was invited to Malaysia, he takes a few minutes to share with us Divas on the sprawling grounds of the Rasa Sayang.
Finally, we end the night with an extraordinary buffet. Yes, I actually put those two words together. Buffets are not my thing, but this buffet was over the top! Sugar and Spice and everything nice!
Details: Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa,Batu Feringgi Beach,11100 Penang,Malaysia
They are offering 50% off the customary single supplement if book one of the SOLO trips.
"When we’re out hiking, cycling, kayaking or rafting, everyone participates together and who’s paired with whom doesn’t really compute," Austin says. "Our trip leaders do an outstanding job of creating a healthy group dynamic from start to finish so that everyone feels empowered and comfortable."
"We’re tending towards leading highly isolated lives in our high tech world," says Dan Austin. "Our trips in a way confirm that "Hey, I still like to be with people; I’m still a social animal; and it’s a lot more fun to share experiences than not."
So – though this is not an endorsement – just a lead for those of you looking to travel this summer – I for one would like to know how it goes. Please get back to us and let us know if you go on these trips or any other with focus on SOLO travelers and supplement discounts or waivers.
The single supllement fees are a hot issue – and companies who are crafting their business to address it are of interest to Tango Diva readers.
GREAT NEWS: One of my favorite televison and travel writers, Doug McConnell, has just launched his new Website, the traveler’s guide to The Great American West.
The site is loaded to the gills with superb ideas for anyone planning a trip out west — from the best in flora to fauna, where to find your favorite land, sea and air critters, “moto” guides thru national parks, quirky detours that are fun for the whole family, to some lively food fights such as where to go for the best pizza.
Or if you’re more of a virtual armchair traveler, you can pop some corn, settle back and watch over 14 years worth of award-winning “Bay Area Backroads” videos. Doug invites all fellow travelers to contribute your own pictures, videos and text to make Openroad.tv the richest source of information about off-the-beaten track travel in the West!
(I gotta tell you — I used to have a major crush on Doug, and he’s ONLY IMPROVED over the last decade, so I was thrilled when he asked me if I would be the moderator, a.k.a. Dining Diva, for the Open Road Food Forum. So I expect you all to write in your West Coast food tips… including your fave restaurants from luxe to truckstop, farmers markets, nabe bakery, local chef, etc., etc., etc. If you can eat it, we want to know about it.
Doug McConnell has worked full-time in television since 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has created, produced and hosted many series, special programs, and news projects for local, national and international distribution. He has received many broadcast awards including a handful of Emmys, an Iris, and a Gabriel.
Since 1993, McConnell has been the host and senior editor of “Bay Area Backroads.” This weekly program explores the paths less traveled in northern California and beyond. It is consistently the highest-rated locally produced, non-news program in the nation’s sixth-largest market.
McConnell’s best-selling “Bay Area Backroads” books are available in bookstores throughout Northern California.
It’s 5 pm and the Moet Chandon starts to flow freely. Yes, it is part of the complementary services offered by the Shangri La Hotel’s Rasa Wing in Penang. And with free flowing champagne, it is going to be very hard for me to leave. Luckily, I get to stay here for the next few days, enjoying this 30-acre fantasyland, which includes a decadent spa and rooms with private tubs overlooking the emerald Andaman Sea. Really, could life get any better? Personally, I don’t think it can. I have all my favorite things here:
1. Free champagne from 5 pm to 7:30 pm 2. The most amazing shower that has 4 showerheads and can fit at least 6 of your friends. 3. An outside marble bathtub that can fit 3 of your friends – or one really handsome man. 4. A nightly bath ritual that includes candles and your choice of aromatherapy sea salts. 5. A state-of-the-art workout room and private trainers that are really cute.
304 well appointed guestrooms and suites are housed within the resort’s distinctive Minangkabau architecture, where guests step out to 30 acres of expansive garden grounds framed by towering rain trees. The five-star premier deluxe resort’s facilities include dedicated club lounge facilities, CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, a Health Club and Par 3 Executive Golf Course.
Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia
First my man and now my mom! And I thought Germany was supposed to be so efficient. My poor mother just emailed me from an art conference in Lodz, Poland, frantically wanting my State-side help locating her luggage. Where was her bag? It was at her house!
Lufthansa deftly delivered her suitcase straight to her house in San Francisco. As in back home. As in not to Poland, nor to anywhere east of the Mississippi. I am not clear if the bag ever made it out of the country.
All I know is that my mom made it to Poland and her luggage showed up on her doorstep a day or so later.
Craziness!
And when I went to Jordan last year with my then boyfriend, the sweet, newly minted counter frauline with the clearly marked "Training" nametag wasn’t fast enough to put a tag on his bag (she printed out the sticky tag with our destination’s airport code and looked around in horror for his bag, which had already been grabbed by a loading guy and thrown on the belt. We looked in horror at her horror and she smiled weakly and told us not to worry. Instead of keeping the bag close to her as most employees do, this training counter person had tossed Matt’s untagged bag behind her chair, right next to the conveyor belt. Which is where loading guys grab all the bags.) and it took 5 days for his bag to reach us in Amman (a miracle in itself since the bag didn’t know where it was going).
We were on a hiking trip and he definitely needed to replace the specialty clothing he’d cleverly brought along in his suitcase. The one that was 5 days late.
We were able to find (another miracle in this Biblical land) high tech Nike air-wicking clothing and desert-proof hats at one of the only stores open during Eastern Orthodox Easter (who knew?). They weren’t cheap. Upon returning home, we were all, show me the money!
And Lufthansa was all, "NEIN!" No way. The only way to get any money back was to go out of our way to box up and personally ship to the airline all the items we WERE FORCED to buy in Amman, and even then, we’d only get back HALF our money! Unbelievable!
No wonder they have one of the CHEAPEST policies in the industry—they obviously lose bags by the boatload! I imagine a warehouse full of fabulous clothes and shoes from around the world, and airline employees tooling around in Matt’s desert duds.
We are now on the delightful island of Penang. This island, contrary to what I say in the following video, was claimed by the British in 1786. Because of that, most locals speak English. The whole English-speaking thing is wonderful for travelers who want to experience something exotic, but don’t want to struggle with a language barrier. The island is part of Malaysia, but the predominant cultures here are Chinese and India.
Last night, we were treated to an extraordinary celebration in the city of Putrajaya. It was the annual “Colours of Malaysia” spectaclur, where the Malays celebate their rich heritage and cluture. To make a long story shot, here is the basic history of Malasia.
- First an Indian prince showed up a few hundred years ago. - Then a Chinese guy who happened to by Muslim showed up next. - Then the Portuguese - Then the Dutch - Finally the British in the mid-eighteen hundreds - Then they became their own country 50 years ago.
In Malaysia, there are four religious groups that practice in harmony (imagine that!). The Muslims (majority), the Hindus, the Buddhists, and the Christians.
It is amazing seeing a whole society respecting and honoring others’ religions so positively. Us Americans can really learn for this harmony. I have to say that I was very surprised by this peace and acceptance. When I first was invited to Malaysia I was a bit apprehensive. I knew that it was a Muslim country and I really did not understand the culture. At first, I had visions of women walking around in burkas and NO BARS. The NO BARS scared me. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Malaysians love socializing and drinking is no big deal (but as I mentioned, alcohol is a bit pricy). Malaysia is one of the most accepting countries I have ever visited. It is nothing like the prejudices and fears that I held.
This, my Divas, is an example of how travel changes us. Through this trip, I learned about a country and culture that is so different than my expectations.
I’m here in Malaysia as a guest of the Malaysia tourist board. They invited 5 journalist from the USA, and 700 others from around the world to experience their “Colours of Malaysia” Celebration.
We arrived on Thursday afternoon, and after a quick shower, we headed out to explore Kuala Lumpur (K.L.). Our first stop was Bukit Bingtang, a bustling area in central K.L.. There, we checked out the crazy street food vendors and tried the icky fruit called dorian fruit. You got to love a fruit that has it’s own tagline, which is: “Smells like hell and tasted like heaven.” One of the journalist treated us to a tasted of the nasty fruit. And I can honestly say that I rather eat Brussels sprouts than this thing. It was horrible – but that was not the worst part! The worst part is that every time I burped for the next few hours, I got reminded of my adventures with dorian fruit.
After trying to clean my mouth of the remnants of hell, I decided to treat myself to a reflexology massage. In Thailand they are famous for they incredible Thai massages, and here in Malaysia, they are know for their great reflexology shops that line the street. What a treat! For a half hour, the cost is a whopping 25 RM, which is around $7.00 USD! What a deal!
That night, we hooked up with a Tango Diva member who lives in K.L. Her name is Sya and she is a true jet setting Diva! Her job takes her form K.L. To London regularly, and she love traveling solo. We met up at our bar at Hotel Maya. It is on the 13th Floor and has incredible views of the Twin Towers. Alex, a fabulous British ex-pat living in K.L., who I met on the plane joined us as well. We hit a few of the hot night spots in town, ending at the fantastic Zeta Bar in the Hilton Hotel. That place was a scene! It was packed with beautiful people and the live band was rocking the place. It is a must if you visit K.L. Oh, just a warning about partying K.L., because it predominantly Muslim, alcohol is really expensive here. A round of drinks for 4 people set me back around $60. I think I am going to stick with feet massages!
Yes Divas, I have made it to Malaysia! But before we touched down in the Country of a Million Smiles, we had a quick stop in Taiwan. On my Malaysia Airlines flight from LAX, I sat next to two fabulous people, one of them being Kai. She is a graduate from Washington and is returning to Taiwan to start her “real life.” I had a chance to ask her a few questions before we parted ways. And she is the newest member of the Diva Nation!
I am now at Hotel Maya in Kuala Lumpur, which is a fabulous boutique hotel at the foot of the famous Twin Towers. They are the second highest buildings in the world. Check out my amazing view!
The trip from San Francisco is a long one. I left on Tuesday at 7 pm to get to the airport on time. My dear friend Krissie drove me to the airport and we met up over a piece of banana cream pie off the highway (tacky but yummy!). My travels continued to LAX, then Taipei, and finally Kuala Lumpur! It is now Thursday! I totally lost Wednesday crossing the international timeline over the pacific somewhere.
The Maya Hotel is a wonderfully equipped hotel in the heart of KL. My room is very cozy. I have a wonderful firm bed and delightful pink suede lounge chair. My favorite room in the glasses bathroom with a big deep tub and glorious shower with one of those shower heads that come down from the ceiling. (If you have been following my blogs for the past few years, you know how much I love a good shower!)
It is my first time in Malaysia and I look forward to exploring the city! If you have any recommendations, please send them my way!
GREAT NEWS: One of my favorite televison and travel writers, Doug McConnell, has just launched his 
Doug McConnell has worked full-time in television since 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has created, produced and hosted many series, special programs, and news projects for local, national and international distribution. He has received many broadcast awards including a handful of Emmys, an Iris, and a Gabriel. 
