Pantai Kok Sunset by Zhariff

Picture of the day. Amazing picture taken at Pantai Kok. Great combination of sunset, matchincang mountain & boats..

Thanks bro for sharing.. I wish i can learn how to take this kind of pictures.. :)
More from him here

Jellyfish Sighting in Langkawi Beach

Picture of the day. Sighting of jellyfish on Langkawi beach. Thanks to Chris for sharing.
More pictures from him here.

Comment :

The jelly was just washed up on shore a little after sundown, and you can't tell the scale by the picture but it was about a half meter accross. I didn't have any problems with them while I was swimming (was there almost a week) so maybe this one died at sea and got carried by the current, but who knows.

Chris

First Integrated Fish Farming Project In Langkawi Soon

LANGKAWI, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) is paving the way for the development of commercial fish farming and aqua tourism by leasing its land as the first fish processing plant in the island.

Its chief executive officer, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli said Lada and a company specialising in marine fish farming, Aquagrow Corporation Sdn Bhd, had signed two agreements to develop the industry.

"In the first agreement, Lada leases three plots of land in the Ikan Bilis (anchovies) industrial area, Taman Nilam to Aquagrow to develop the first fish processing plant in Langkawi.

"The beach wil also be developed in Taman Nilam for its offshore cage operation near Pulau Langgun," he said at an agreement signing ceremony between Lada and Aquagrow, here Thursday.

He said for the second agreement, Lada would lease 30 units of unoccupied houses in Taman Nilam to Aquagrow as staff quarters for about 120 people.

-- BERNAMA
 

 AL :-

Fish processing plant. Well, good idea. Its about demand & supply. Not sure whether the anchovies enough to cater the plant's need. Hopefully it will not be another White Elephant project... I pray for the succes..

Langkawi poachers 'a threat to leaf monkeys'

Illegal hunting rampant

A troop of dusky leaf monkeys perched atop tree branches in Langkawi. (Inset) a bullet-riddled carcass of a dusky leaf monkey hanging head down with its tail wrapped around a branch. MSN Langkawi pix 

 THE heart-wrenching picture tells it all. It shows the lifeless bullet-riddled body of a dusky leaf monkey (langur) hanging head down with its stiffened tail wrapped around a tree branch.
 The female primate was allegedly shot dead by local villagers at the foot of a hillside at Pantai Tengah here as it was foraging for food, with its babies in tow.

 An expatriate, who has made Langkawi his home for many years, related how he had been been hearing gunshots almost daily and finally decided to check it out one evening in late January.

 The foreigner, who wished to be known only as Mike, said he was shocked when he stumbled upon three men, one of whom was armed with a new 16-gauge shotgun, dragging two injured baby langur with tree roots tied around their neck.

 "The baby langur were screaming and the men were shocked to see me.

 "I grabbed the baby langur after they told me that the animals were pests and caused damage to their  newly-planted rubber sapplings."

 Mike said the men allowed him to take the babies which he later sent to a veterinary clinic on the island.

 One of the babies died on the same day while the second one is now being cared for by an animal lover.

 The killing of the langur, also known as "spectacled leaf monkey" for the unmistakable white patches around their eyes, has sparked concern that hunting the species, which is totally banned in Langkawi, is becoming rampant on the island.

Residents claimed to have heard gunshots  in areas like Pantai Tengah and Pantai Kok, despite a hunting  ban on the island, which has been declared  a national eco-park.

 Local conservationist Irshad Mubarak, also  known as Junglewalla, said the authorities could easily track down the culprits as there were only a handful licensed  firearms  holders on the island.

 "They are either private licence holders or Rela members so I don't see why they  cannot be tracked down.

"I hope there will be more enforcement as the fruiting season has started in Langkawi. More langur may be killed when they start raiding the fruit orchards,"  said Irshad.

 Malaysian Nature Society Langkawi chairman Eric Sinnaya said they had recently teamed up with relevant departments including the Langkawi Development Authority, the district council and the Wildlife and National Parks Department to form a conservation team.

  "By next month, the team can help identify and nab the culprits."

 Meanwhile, Kedah Wildlife and National Parks department director Rahim Ahmad  said they were investigating the allegation but had yet to detain any suspects.

 "We have stepped up surveillance and enforcement in  areas where the hunting activity is said to be taking place."

FAST FACTS — DUSKY LEAF MONKEYS
 THE dusky leaf monkey, which is also known as the spectacled langur or spectacled leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus), is a species of primate found mainly in Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand.
 IT is a shy, interesting-looking creature with large white circles around each eye,  giving these little primates the appearance of sporting eyeglasses.
 IN addition to white circles around each eye, the it also has white skin surrounding its mouth and a creamy white colour around  its stomach.
 ALTHOUGH the adult dusky leaf monkey is typically grey,  or brown in colour, the babies are born bright orange.

 DUSKY leaf monkeys typically live in troops  that have an average of 10 to 17 animals.
 DURING the day, the troop will splinter into smaller groups to forage through the trees.
 DUSKY leaf monkeys prefer to feed on young leaves, although it will also eat fruits, preferably unripe, and flowers.

 AT night, the monkeys will regroup,   and then bed down for the evening in the trees.
 PREDATORS of this species  include snakes and large birds of prey.
 HUMANS also hunt these monkeys and loss of habitat has become a problem for the dusky leaf monkey.
 CURRENTLY, these monkeys are listed as “Near Threatened”  on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Read more: Langkawi poachers 'a threat to leaf monkeys' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/langkawi-poachers-a-threat-to-leaf-monkeys-1.49739#ixzz1n5tOmM5P

AL :-

At last it come out in the papers.. I've highlighted the article here & so does my friend here. 

Ducks at Langkawi Bird Paradise

Taken at Langkawi Bird Paradise

 Picture of the day by zhishan. Amazing close up picture of ducks at Bird Sactuary Langkawi. Love every detail of it. Thanks bro for sharing.

More from his pictures here.. Please check his blog as well.. zhishan90.blogspot.com

Please email me if you need any info with regards to your travel to Langkawi & also if you need any advertising enquiry. ( anaklangkawi@gmail.com ) 

Politik Langkawi.

PRu-13 semakin hampir. PR mahupun BN telah mula memasang pasak. Mula lebih rancak dlm merancanakan agenda masing2. Masing2 akan memberikan yg terbaik.

Kemungkinan seperti biasa adalah calon satu lawan satu. Seperti biasa BN akan diwakili UMNO. PKR pula di Parlimen manakala ADun oleh PAs. Persoalan skrg siapa bakal menjadi calon bg kedua-dua pihak. Adakah kekal calon yg sedia ada @ sebaliknya.

Apa-apa pun dlm kerancakan kita berpolitik yg dilupa bersatu dr segi sesama anak langkawi dlm agenda ekonomi langkawi. Bersatu padulah dr segenap segi. Agar anak cucu langkawi terpelihara. Berpolitik ada batas. Jgn terbawak2 sehingga yg kawan jd lawan. Yg adik beradik putus saudara. Mmg tak berbaloi..

Kita tiada lain selain bumi bertuah ini. Pulau yg kecik ni tmpat kita mencari rezeki & beradu...

Pantai Chenang Master Plan..

I've been waiting patiently for the Pantai Chenang master plan to kick off. I've studied the masterplan which can be access from 'unit perancangan bandar' website. The masterplan consist some of current solution of problem existance in Pantai Chenang.

Some of the problem are:
- pollution from hotel's seawage system
- e coli rate increases
- jellyfish rate increases
- accident from water sport.
- limited space for picnic areas
- beach acces block by hotels (legally used land or unlegal)
- many more

As of now, discussion been made with various party with regards with the master plan. There're pro's and con's feedbck. Some object totally some waiting for the transformation plan with joy.

Among my input & suggestions are:
- involve local SME with regards to development of new areas & hotels
- smart partnership for boutique hotel with local land owner with private company, Not merely take over land or purchase from locals.
- allocation of 50% of shop or properties at chenang by local langkawian. With rebates & business oppurtunity..
- extend the masterplan to area untill near the airport in nxt future plan.
- target of working oppurtunity to local up to 60% on the planned areas. The plan/ manpower training shall start frm now in order to ready the locals.

Anyway my concern is more towards benefits of the locals. The locals shall not be sideline. Local state govermmt need to inforce strict land procedure to avoid land changes hnd to outsiders. Balance of economic pie are crucial in langkawi. In order for the langkawi transformation a succes..

Let's keep Langkawi magical

Last week’s brutal attack on a German couple must be the last

Hubert Heiler and his wife Mariah Hease vowed this would be their last visit to Langkawi after a terrifying assault.

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DURING my first visit to Langkawi more than 15 years ago, I met several Europeans who were "returning visitors" to the island. Some were even conversant in Bahasa Malaysia.
There were others already speaking in the northern dialect.

I understood why they chose to stay, or to make regular visits to Langkawi. The island, despite the fast-paced development, has retained much of its pristine quality. Besides, the locals are friendly.

All this must have been why Hubert Heiler, 70, and his wife Mariah Hease, 66, kept returning to Langkawi every year for the past 18 years to spend two months away from the cold winter of their native Germany. But this will be their last visit. They are not coming back. Neither would you if you were brutally attacked by machete-wielding men.

Last weekend, the couple was having an after-dinner stroll when they were set upon by three men along the main road to their hotel in Pantai Tengah.

Heiler and Hease were slashed on their arms and all five of Hease's fingers on her left hand were almost severed. Heiler also suffered similar injuries on three of his fingers.

The injured couple were rushed to hospital by passers-by.

Heiler said they would fly home to their hometown in Bielefeld, Germany once they were discharged.

Langkawi police chief Superintendent Harrith Kam Abdullah said they had arrested a suspect -- a local youth who is a drug addict -- in connection with the case.

I'm not sure whether or not the attack-cum-robbery was the first such incident in Langkawi.

 If it was, then it is the responsibility of the police to prevent a recurrence.

I'm sure the couple's story is big news among the residents, in particular visitors -- in the island. They must be worried because if the robbers are not caught, then a similar incident could occur, perhaps with a worse outcome. Anyone could be a victim.

Langkawi is internationally known, not just as a tourist attraction but a favourite venue for international conferences.

Although Langkawi is not unfamiliar to people the world over, if you're a prospective visitor, you'd still want to know more.

You'll find a website  describing the scenery of "magical Langkawi".

You'll be told it's "relatively a very safe place to visit" with "problems that come with being a developing area".

Also that the only major crimes are petty thefts "because there is a great contrast of wealthy tourists and poor locals".

Visitors should not avoid a trip, but take certain precautions "to ensure a safe visit" like not carrying large amounts of money, not wearing expensive jewellery or not looking flashy.

They also should not draw "un-needed attention" to themselves and try to blend in with the crowd.

Other complaints mentioned were car break-ins, rental car "scams" and cheeky monkeys that "regularly mug tourists for fruit, ice cream, etc".

At press time, I've not confirmed whether the Heilers have left Langkawi.

 They might have promised to not return but who knows, after they've got over their ordeal, they may remember the good things about the mystical isles in the sun. For now, I'd like to think that the Langkawi police would have intensified their search for the three men. Round up suspects if they must.

The Heilers have a horrific tale to tell when they get home. Let's hope it is not the only tale people will remember of Langkawi.

The authorities, including the police as well as the community, in Langkawi, should subscribe to the maxim -- a sensible response to a senseless crime.

Act swiftly to send a message that no one tolerates such brutality before Langkawi begins to assume a different reputation.

If what happened to the Heilers is consigned to the cold files, even loyal visitors from the Britain, Germany and elsewhere as well as Malaysians themselves may avoid the island like the plague.  Not even the friendly locals can beckon them back.

Read more: Let's keep Langkawi magical - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/let-s-keep-langkawi-magical-1.41741#ixzz1mXviDJwA

AL :-

A sad but true event. Its a shame event for Langkawi tourist have to get thru this incident. Eventhough the event happen last month. But for a local langkawian i need to give it a highlight. Not good for tourist but to aware the authourities, tourist & locals on what can happen to this magical island. Hopefully the culprit captured already & but them in bars..

PKB labur RM50j bina hotel tiga bintang

SYARIKAT milik kerajaan negeri Kedah, Permodalan Kedah Bhd (PKB) melabur RM50 juta bagi membina hotel bertaraf tiga bintang di Kuah, Langkawi.

Pengarah Urusan Kumpulannya, Harun Khalib, berkata pembinaan hotel 14 tingkat yang menerapkan ciri-ciri halal itu dijangka siap dalam tempoh satu setengah tahun.

“Hotel ini akan menyediakan dua kolam renang yang bakal mengasingkan pengunjung lelaki dan wanita. Ia dipercayai menjadi hotel pertama di pulau pelancongan ini yang menyediakan kemudahan berkenaan.

“Kami yakin dengan pembaharuan ini, selain dapat menarik lebih ramai pengunjung dari Asia Barat, ia juga mampu meningkatkan sosio ekonomi masyarakat setempat,” katanya selepas majlis pecah tanah projek itu yang disempurnakan Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak di Langkawi, semalam.

Hadir sama, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Industri dan Pelaburan negeri, Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah; Ketua Eksekutif Lembaga Pembangunan Langkawi (LADA), Tan Sri Khalid Ramli; dan Pegawai Daerah Langkawi, Harun Jasin.

Harun berkata, hotel di tapak seluas 0.6 hektar yang dibiayai pembangunannya oleh Affin Bank Bhd itu akan mengandungi 206 bilik termasuk 26 suite.

"Ia mampu diduduki semua golongan dan bersedia memenuhi kehendak agensi kerajaan dan swasta bagi menganjurkan pelbagai kursus dan seminar.
"Pertambahan kehadiran pelancong di pekan Kuah mendorong PKB menerusi anak syarikat PKB Hotel Management untuk terbabit dalam bidang perhotelan ini," katanya.


Sumber Disini

F/A 18F Ready for take Off.. LIMA 2011

F/A 18F US Squadran

Picture of the day. Great picture taken by Janner88 or Laurence Bean. One thing for sure our friend here really know the subject. Picture taken during LIMA 2011 last year. 

As stated in his photo it features :-

Boeing F/A 18F, 166659/232, of the US Navy, taking off to perform in the afternoon display at LIMA 2011, 10 December 2011.

This aircraft belongs to VFA-106, Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (Gladiators), and is based at NAS Oceana, Virginia.

Thanks for sharing your amazing picture.. Appreciate it..  More from him here..

Island Hopping - Beras Basah Island by Madhav

Picture of the day. Beras Basah Island. Amazing picture taken by our friend MADHAV CLICKS.
Such a beauty. Combination of sand, island & sea.. :) More from him here., 

You may go there via Island hopping package. 
Thanks for sharing mate.

Langkawi out to draw the sun, sea and surgery crowd

LANGKAWI has invited international investors to consider pumping in funds to develop the medical tourism sector on the island.
Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive officer Tan Sri Khalid Ramli said the island was taking its cue from Penang, which enjoys a multi-million ringgit turnover from healthcare-related services in its private hospitals.
He said Langkawi offered a suitable place for medical tourism due to its natural landscape.

“The island resort is generally good for rehabilitation due to its pristine hills and beaches. It can also act as a research incubator for the healthcare sector,” he said in an interview.
Since over a million people visit Langkawi annually, he said it would be good for tourists to also explore health matters during their stay.

Investors and researchers, he added, could tap the huge natural resources of the island including the sea cucumber (gamat) which has medicinal value.
Khalid, a former Penang state secretary and a former Implementation Coordination Unit director-general, has big plans for the island.
LADA was recently given RM5bil in federal grant to upgrade the status of Langkawi as a premier international tourism destination.

He said that besides medical tourism, LADA was keen to position Langkawi as an eco- tourism haven.
On the hospitality side, Khalid announced that LADA was also keen to lure investors for six-star property since there was a growing market for luxurious resorts.
LADA’s target is to record three million visitor arrivals by 2015 compared to an average of over one million in the last ten years.

Source - the star

AL :-

I might not be in line with the suggestion. Why want to make Langkawi as Medical tourism centre? Cant we just concentrate on what we have. Another idea injected in without having a deep through study & examination. LADA always like this..

Medical tourism will make Langkawi in direct competition with Penang & Kuala Lumpur. Waste medical management will be another problem. 

I think LADA better take the steep to have fund to study & enhance capibility of Local doctors in combating decease related to tourism. (such as jellyfish problem & dengue). Rather than promoting another sector of tourism without even study the outcome good or note. 

Lack of real-time updates dent Langkawi's plans to boost tourism

THE important role played by the social media in crisis communications for the travel and tourism sector in Langkawi this week could not be better highlighted last week.
This paper reported that repeat German visitors to the resort island, Hubert Heiler and his wife Mariah, were badly injured following an attack by machete-wielding robbers in Pantai Tengah.

As the couple, who spend at least two months a year on the island, now recover at the Langkawi Hospital and ponder on whether they wish to ever return to Langkawi, the incident does little with the government's efforts in trying to lure more tourists especially high-end spenders to the island.

Apart from spooking travellers that they may wish to consider other destinations where public safety is not compromised, business people are probably also nervous on how an isolated incident of this kind can damage their operations, especially in an age where all it takes is a Facebook status update, tweet, text message or email to cause irreparable damage.

The government last December unveiled a very ambitious five-year tourism blueprint meant to improve the economic fortunes of the tax-free isle, which once was a thriving spot on the world tourism map.

Several investors have already committed to ploughing in significant amounts of money via new hotels and other forms of offerings, existing hoteliers are in the midst of injecting more funds to upgrade and rebrand their dated products and a new sense of hope is in the air that the good times will return and the island, which was left to languish for a few years, will wake up from its slumber.

The dissemination of facts, messages and opinions through social media vehicles like Twitter, Facebook and other platforms have gained important prominence in recent times, especially when the need arises to communicate in times of emergencies, accidents and other catastrophes.

Random checks on various websites and blogs currently do not show a single official and authoritative point of Internet reference for a visitor to Langkawi.

The www.tourism.gov.my portal for instance, is nothing but a virtual promotional brochure for Langkawi.

The same applies to the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada).

Lada, which is tasked with overseeing Langkawi's development, also lacks real-time and critical updates for visitors.

Just how is Langkawi expected to get its buzz back as an international tourist spot if the basics are not even seen to?

With social media having the ability to make a negative piece of news go viral in seconds and cause sometimes irreparable damage to reputation, the authorities tasked with Langkawi's future fortunes must be mindful that they no longer have a choice but to manage their reputation and closely guard the value of their "assets".

With projections from the new blueprint that RM5 billion worth of investment in tourism projects are set to pour in to Langkawi during the five-year blueprint term spanning 2011-2015, strategic communications, which includes social media is no longer an option, but a must-do that has to be seen to without further delay.

Failure to effectively communicate during good and bad times with the correct messaging will have effect in realising goals such as welcoming three million visitors to Langkawi by 2015, creating thousands of new jobs or convincing investors to consider the island.

While tourism portals, blogs and other forms of media are being operated by Langkawi's tourism players to promote their own products and services, the need for an effective system of communicating to the public and media must take off, before another negative or untoward incident further mars the image of the "Isle of Legends".

Read more: Lack of real-time updates dent Langkawi's plans to boost tourism http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/kawie/Article/#ixzz1m5anUOj9

AL :-

Cant agree more. LADA or tourism should have a specific website for updates on events in Langkawi. Anything from news to promotion. Be prudent & honest on news.. 

Blog like mine sometimes depends on the writer to update from time to time. :)..