Saturday, January 23, 2016

Kilim Karst Geoforest Park

Although I have visited Langkawi several times, this was my first boat ride through the mangrove forest. It started from the beach at Tanjung Rhu, a famous spot where a rock in the shape of a ship can be seen.


Located on the northern-most tip of the island, there were many speed boats lined up along the shore. Presumably, they belonged to various tour operators taking tourists into the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park for river and mangrove tours. 


Why not, if that would help create awareness and help preserve our fast-dwindling nature reserves? This area consists of century-old limestone formations, limestone caves and crags, waterways and mangroves, making it rich in flora and fauna diversity.  


Our first stop was at one of the so-called marine farms.


In different sections there would be different fish...


I was particularly intrigued by the rays...



Our 2nd stop was a complimentary photo stop in front of the huge signage of Kilim Geoforest Park emblazoned across a huge limestone wall. This limestone island, is one of the thousands of limestone pinnacles that are part of the oldest limestone formation in Malaysia, the Setul Formation.


After a lunch stop on one of the floating restaurants, our boatman took is into a limestone cave called the Crocodile Cave for our 3rd stop:


Nope, no crocodiles here. As we opted not to go into Bat Cave, he took us into the mangrove forest where a family of macaques could be seen at one point.




My favourite part of the boat ride had to be the eagle sighting part.


It was such a breath-taking experience watching these majestic birds of prey scooping their dinner from the ocean.


And there were so many of them! In the wild!





If anyone asks me for a recommendation of a to-do at Langkawi, I would most definitely recommend eagle sighting. Oh, only if you like nature and animals, that is. ;)

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