The last few days in Thailand, and first few days in Malaysia

We got to Koh Mook on Thursday (February 6th). A very low key island, just as Koh Ngai. We spent two nights in this cute little hut. 

On Saturday (February 8th) we took a speedboat to Koh Lipe. Isabelle visited Koh Lipe on her trip four years ago, and she said everything had changed a lot. It wasn't as touristy and crowded as Phi Phi, but much more developed compared to the Trang Islands. We came late in the day, and had to settle for a shabby room for 1000 baht (192kr/$30,52). 

This is where we saw the first cockroach of the trip. And it wasn't just any cockroach, oh no. It was a massive cockroach on steroids. Gah. So glad we only stayed there one night... And that we didn't see it the night before. Yuck! 

One of the great things about Koh Lipe (aside from the magnificently soft sand) was that they had several cafés that had homemade whole wheat bread. Oh, how our stomachs enjoyed eating sandwiches with whole wheat bread! Our favorite café was The Elephant. If you're headed to Koh Lipe, you should definitely stop by. A very charming place with tasty food, real coffee, yummy smoothies, and great atmosphere. No wifi, but lots of books and games to play. 

We went to Pulau Langkawi yesterday (February 9th). Pulau Langkawi is an island 30km/18,6miles off the coast of Malaysia. Our first stop in Malaysia! 

It's very easy to get from Thailand to Malaysia (at least by boat from Lipe to Langkawi). We booked our boat ticket, showed up an hour before departure, and gave them our passport (which always makes me super paranoid). Once we arrived in Langkawi, minivans took us to the Immigration Office. A short wait, a few stamps in our passport, and we were good to go! 

The currency in Malaysia is ringgit. One ringgit is 1,89kr/30 cents. The money looks exactly like Monopoly money. Very colorful, and some are made out of thin plastic. The benefit of these colorful bills is that you can quickly find what you're looking for. Convenient!

Though Thailand is supposedly cheaper than Malaysia, Langkawi isn't much more expensive (perhaps bigger cities, like Kuala Lumpur, will be though). Private double rooms run from 35-50 ringgit (66,15-94,50kr/$10,50-15), and a bed in a dorm is around 18 ringgit (34kr/$4,50). We called in advance and reserved a private room at The Rainbow Lodge for 50 ringgit (94,50kr/$15). We could find a cheaper room, but we decided to just stay in the same place. The shower in our bathroom has great water pressure (finally able to rinse out all the shampoo out of my hair), so it's totally worth paying a little more for a room. Also, for some reason, they have bunnies here (hopefully they're not on the menu...). 

Food has also been inexpensive. So far we've eaten at relatively nice places. A meal has cost around 20 ringgit (37,8kr/$6). Water and sodas cost 1,5 ringgit (2,84kr/45¢), while a beer at a restaurant costs 5 ringgit (9,45kr/$1,5). 

I still can't get over how cheap it is to travel here. It's great! According to a 2013 cost comparison by the United Nations World Tourist Organization (UNTWO), Oslo ranks as the most expensive city for a night on the town. No wonder we feel like we're getting a lot for our money.

Hah! I love being able to Google these kinds of lists. Stopping by Kuala Lumpur (7th cheapest destination) on our way to Singapore (14th most expensive destination), before getting on the plane to Sydney (6th most expensive destination). Only 9 more nights left. Time has flown! 

Love, 

Suzy