Langkawi - A Family Treat

I wanted to go holiday so badly after Hong Kong even though I've vouched an oath promised myself that I wouldn't go for any travelling coz I need to save money for my wedding and yada2. I was hopping that I can tag along for school's overseas trip but NOPE, my principal didn't approve just because I'm non teaching staff and whatnots.

So I told my family we are going for a holiday, last holiday with my family before everything starts to hectic and chaotic. My mom was agreed until the last minute, she didn't want it because she said she wants to save the money for my wedding and she got no leave, and my 3rd brother is not confirm on his school holidays because of FYP yada2 until I told them I'm gonna treat them flight and accommodation. Semua happy and set for the holiday. For once, it was the best holiday ever with the family even though ade je yg marah2 and glitches happen but alhamdulillah all went well.


How do I plan - for 7 pax holiday without tour packages?

1. Where do you wanna go? Is it accessible? What language they use? Is it suitable for family vacation?
2. Do you know how to drive? Or at least 1 or 2 people know how to drive? Do you need tour packages to go to ruins/historic places?
3. Which are is the best to stay? Is the hotel a family hotel? Where can you have your meals besides breakfast in the hotel?
4. What are the other sightseeing places that you wanna go?

I wanted to go Langkawi badly because of my friend who recommended Langkawi is suitable for holiday with family. FYI, Langkawi is the most accessible place to go around and drive, and there's direct fligh tfrom Singapore to Langkawi airport. So after we arrived, we went to the booths to survey the best car deals (we took Proton Exora, 7 seater car for just RM380 for 4 days!!) and tour packages (we took snorkeling only at Pulau Payar). 

Plan your itinerary:

1. Before you fly, plan what you want to do throughout the days, what kind of activities you want to do with your family.
2. Plan your budget and be mindful of buffer time before and after activities.
3. Plan your lunch and dinner too around the area! Food is important!
4. What are the contingency plans if something were to happen? e.g. raining, closure

We decided to leave Singapore on Thursday and back on Sunday. I planned briefly for my family for the trip. It was exhausting because I had to the suitable hotel for our family of 7. The last time we had an apartment was 2 years back, at Seremban. It was a separate room with no connecting door and all the fun stuff happens at the boys room and I was stuck at my parent's room with my baby brother. So we finally found a good place Frangipani Hotel with a joint room with 3 beds, a tub toilet and balcony. I booked different carriers because of the timing. There's a plenty of flights to Langkawi from the normal carriers to budget. We stick to budget as it is only 2hrs flight. So we decided to have an early flight and came back at the latest flight, Tiger and Jetstar respectively. That's the norm for me to go holidays, I don't like my day to be wasted and when u reached there, u just want to sleep because of fatigue.

My itinerary was very simple:

Day 1: Touch down, check-in hotel, have lunch, go to 7 wells water fall, cable car.
Day 2: Snorkeling
Day 3: Swimming at Pantai Cenang, go to town (ferry terminal, shopping for more chocolates), sightseeing of sawah padi, Lang and Padang tebakar.
Day 4: Parasailing, motor gliding, home bound.

It's very free and easy because my brother was the driver and we just drive around town and have fun time. One thing we didn't managed to do is eagle watching and going to the cave. *sigh* but it means that, there's planning for a second time ^_^

Here's the video my brother did for our trip.