Every single country in South East Asia has them. The tourist hot spots. They exist in all imaginable shapes and forms, but tend to have far more in common with each other, than they have with other places within the country they happen to be situated.
Overpriced, westernised varieties of the local cuisine. Souvenir shops stocking pirated Ray Ban Wayfarers and tank tops with the logo of whatever is the national beer brand, printed across the chest. White people (who also come in quite a few different shapes and forms) buying them. Billboard music blasting from every other speaker. And in comparison to the national standard, an extremely high level of English amongst everyone from the fancy hotel directors to the old ladies selling grilled corn on the street.
There is always the good, the bad and the the ugly, and these places surely are no exceptions to that. But even if I had knowledge enough to do so, I don’t think I would spend this post on that anyways. I’m not going to write about the growing economies and improved living standards of the local people. Not about how the mass crowds are slaughtering what once was true natural gems either. And I won’t even touch the ruined eco systems and horrific sex tourism industries.
I’ll just quickly point out that these places are great whenever one’s after a relaxed escape from the rat race back home. But more than that, they are amazing for anyone up for getting a completely messed up, and highly inaccurate impression of any given country.
…
Aaand those were my last thoughts before hopping on the ferry, taking me from Thailand to the island of Langkawi – the #1 tourist destination of Malaysia.
(Not the) WAY TO GO..!
One of those particularly pretty afternoons I arrived at the port, just as immodest as the sentences you just read. Convinced that I had (this part of) the world sort of figured out. I was expecting Malaysia to be different from the rest of Southeast Asia, but wasn’t thinking much about that at the moment. That would come later – in the ‘true’ Malaysia. Not here in Langkawi. This was just another floating tourist trap. And while people, cultures and languages change – they don’t. I know that.
…right?
I had my bike hauled off the roof of the ferry. Got my passport stamped. Let my feet hit the pedals.
And quickly realised two very important things.
1) Fredrika. You know nothing.
2) Oh, oh. You don’t… even know which side of the road to ride on?!?!!
Scheisse.
I’ve spent the last year or so in more or less constant confusion. If it’s not greetings or food manners, it’s bathroom etiquette or the never ending ‘shoes or no shoes’ dilemma. But throwing myself out in a busy one-way harbor traffic, and realise too late that I have no idea where anyone, myself included, is going? That might just take the price. (In theory I could have checked which side of the cars had the steering wheel. In practice I realised that like 2 km to late.)
I have a few photos that make Langkawi look just like these places tend to do.
On some accounts the island is living up to everything you could expect from it. The crowds are there. For sure. What had slipped my mind though was that Malaysia, being a muslim country, would bring in a big add on to the clientele compared to the rest of the region. Langkawi is a paradise not only for the Western backpackers, Chinese families and Southeast Asian travellers. It’s also bringing in people from all over the Arabic world.
And the mix is amazing.
Langkawi is weird and it’s awesome. And definitely one of the best spots ever for some hardcore people watching.
Next to each other on the beach, European girls are covering less skin than their Arabic counterparts are showing. In the same restaurant you’ll have one table eating their rice with a spoon and fork. One using chopsticks. And at another one a family eating the same dish with the hand.
Though however fascinating Langkawi might be, the rule does apply also here. This place is anything but an accurate representation of Malaysia. Although, in a way it is the best one of them all.
Malaysia is all about the mix. There is the muslim majority of ethnic Malays. But also a huge population of native Chinese and Indians. All in the company of a growing number of Bangladeshis and others. Mosques are built next to churches or across the street from Buddhist temples. China Town and Little India are a given part of any proper city.
Languages, cultures and religions are living side by side, going about their own lives without interfering with each others. And bringing together the best of all these different worlds, the selection of food is unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
As has already been decided – I know nothing, and things are rarely as simple as they might seem. But from an outsider’s perspective, the diversity of this place absolutely beautiful.
And so was the cycling.
Out of the 5 I’ve visited, Malaysia is my favorite country in Southeast Asia. I didn’t really expect it, but I’ve fallen in love with this place. But as this is already getting a bit lengthy, I’ll save it to another post to explain why.
Writing this I can barely think. I’m in Mersing, way down south on the east coast. Merely 130 km from Singapore. One big day’s ride from reaching land’s end. The thought of that I’ve actually made it here is a lot at the moment. It’s far from the end for me, but definitely the milestone of a lifetime.
I’m not there yet. But I don’t care.
Already tonight, I’ve decided to be very, very proud of myself.
Talk to you soon.
Fredrika
