My drive to Langkawi

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HHTel
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My drive to Langkawi

Post by HHTel »

I've recently been on a holiday in Langkawi with my family. I chose to drive there and catch the car ferry. We stopped at Nakhon Si Thammarat and Perlis on the way there and at Trang on the way back. 1,000 kms each way but quite a pleasant experience.
I haven't been into Malaysia for some years and I'd forgotten how different the driving is there. It's very obvious immediately you cross the border.

- The outside lane completely free and only used for overtaking.
- Everyone driving within the speed limit.
- Ample gaps between the vehicles (no fender bending)
- Never saw one motorbike with more than 2 up and both wearing good helmets.
- Never saw a bike travelling the wrong way.
- No baskets on the front of a bike obscuring the headlight.
- No young children riding m/bikes.
- Quite an abundance of round-a-bouts and all being used correctly.
- Stop on the crown to turn right and the opposite traffic stops to let you through.
- At traffic lights, I noticed everyone appears to wear seat belts.
- Solid lines on the roads being respected.
- Road markings were clear as opposed to worn out like they are here.

All in all, a pleasant reminder on how traffic on the roads should be.

Why are the Thais so very different from their neighbours? The rules are the same.
It's not because of police presence. Plenty of that in Thailand but while in Malaysia, I hardly ever saw a policeman!

I wonder if Thais, when over the border, alter their driving habits. If so, why not here?

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would recommend it to anyone. Langkawi is a beautiful island and plenty to see and do. A trip on the cable car (the steepest in the world) is breathtaking.
As it's a duty free island, smokers can enjoy their fix for around 13 baht a packet!

There are some downsides of course. Being a Muslim country you can't always get a drink in a restaurant. My intake of 'gin and tonics' was curtailed a bit. I did find a little bit of England at the 'Scarborough Fish and Chips' were you could get a variety of fish as well as a 'gin and tonic'.
I noticed that SUV's and pickups were very thin on the ground. Petrol stations are self service (a blast from the past) and if you need diesel it's usually found away from the petrol pumps were the trucks fill up.

In summary, a very pleasant trip and would definitely go again if for nothing else but to experience driving as it should be.
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buksida
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Re: My drive to Langkawi

Post by buksida »

Went to Langkawi a couple of years ago and enjoyed the place. Agree on the driving, Malaysia is far more civilized than Thailand when it comes to road etiquette and behaviour.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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