In our last summer holidays, we decided to change direction and visited the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia instead of the east coast, where we usually go. This time, we went to the beautiful island of Langkawi. Among the hundreds of hotels and resorts in Langkawi we decided to follow a friend’s suggestion and booked the Tanjung Rhu Resort.
We didn’t have high expectations about the beach, as we knew we couldn’t expect the white sands and deep blue sea of the islands on the east coast. To our surprise, the resort (located on the north side of Langkawi), had a beautiful secluded beach. It stretches across the whole bay, surrounded by trees.
The rooms
The most pleasant surprise for us was our room. Our room had plenty of space, was very clean, and in excellent condition. It had two balconies, one overlooking the garden and another one to the sea. It looked as if we were staying in a recently restructured hotel. The day we checked in, we found a beautiful fresh fruit basket to welcome us. The bathroom was huge, with a shower, a separate tub, and two sinks with a large tray of toiletries.
The hotel facilities
Unfortunately, due to the RMCO many of the extra activities, such as the batik demonstration and wood carving were not available. The kids club and the reading room were also closed. However, we still could hire a kayak and a paddle board and ride a 4wheel bike at the beach.
The resort has two swimming pools, both overlooking the sea. One has got a shallow area, which is more suitable for families with small kids. The other pool is just for adults.
Fortunately, the boat trip to see the mangrove forests was available, and we were happy we booked it. For a couple of relaxing hours we took a boat ride along the Kilim River through the mangroves, we crossed a bat cave and saw ancient limestone formations. We also made a stop to feed the eagles, and visited the Caves of Legend (Gua Cherita). If you would like to know more about mangroves in Langkawi, have a look here at our article.
The food
There was only one restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with an Asian menu and a few western options. We have to say we were not very impressed by the choices, but the prices were average. There is also a pool bar and a beach bar, serving satay and burgers cooked at an open barbecue. It’s open from 5 pm until 10 pm. It was our choice for most of the nights we spent there. The satay was delicious and we could watch the colourful sky at sunset with shades of pink, orange and yellow, while enjoying a cold beer.
The breakfast was delicious, even though the buffet was limited due to the RMCO. There was still an omelet station and a roti station, where we could choose our preferences. The staff then served the food at our table. Fruits and a selection of bread plate also had to be ordered when we were there, but we didn’t find it an issue. My biggest surprise was to see sparkling wine at the breakfast buffet. I have to confess: I really enjoyed a glass of bubbly before going to the beach.
We were very lucky to be there during the low tide days. Every afternoon between 6:30 to 7:30 we could ‘walk across the sea’ until we almost reached the small island in front of us to take stunning photos. The kids also loved to see the eagles flying above us at the beach.
The verdict: perfect for a relaxed holiday
The hotel staff, from the cleaners to the manager, always had a smile on their faces. They are very polite, kind, and keen to help. Tanjung Rhu Resort is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday. The only downside is that it’s far from town and there are no restaurants or shops within walking distance. Saying that, it was very easy to call a Grab taxi to take us to town and come back to the hotel the couple of times we tried.
We really enjoyed the time we spent there, and we hope to come back next year. For more information about Tanjung Rhu Resort, have a look here.
