Langkawi, 99 islas de naturaleza casi virgen en Malasia

EXPRESO - 09.01.2014

Además de ciudades cosmopolitas y una gran diversidad de culturas, Malasia también esconde tesoros no especialmente conocidos fuera de sus fronteras, como es el caso de Langkawi, un archipiélago formado por 99 islas situado al noroeste de la península malaya, muy cerca de la frontera con Tailandia.

barcos

Langkawi es territorio libre de impuestos, lo que la convierte en destino de multitud de habitantes que se desplazan desde la península y otras islas para realizar compras a precios más económicos en los diferentes establecimientos y centros comerciales que se reparten por toda la isla, aunque todos ellos respetando la arquitectura sin estropear la naturaleza.

Pues es precisamente ésta, la naturaleza prácticamente virgen, su principal atractivo.

En ella habitan cientos de especies autóctonas y casi únicas, como las águilas Brahmini Kite, símbolo de la isla. De hecho, se dice que el nombre de Langkawi proviene de ‘Lang Merah’, nombre malayo de esta especie, y ‘Kawi’, que significa mármol en sánscrito. Es tal la importancia de este animal que hasta tiene monumento propio: una enorme escultura de 12m de alto situada en la Eagle Square, una bonita plaza al borde del mar en el sur de la isla.

Aunque otra posibilidad del origen del nombre del archipiélago es la combinación de dos palabras en Sánscrito: ‘Langka’ y ‘Wi’, que se podrían traducir como ‘belleza inmensa’, opción perfectamente lógica también, ya que Langkawi parece uno de esos lugares paradisíacos sacados de una película de aventuras.

mono

En 2007 la UNESCO declaró oficialmente a Langkawi como uno de los 64 Geoparques reconocidos mundialmente, por su belleza natural, su harmonía ecológica, arqueológica y geológica y su importancia cultural.

El Langkawi Geopark está compuesto por más de 90 geo-lugares que incluyen impresionantes formaciones rocosas, cuevas, selvas vírgenes, manglares y cascadas. Está dividido en tres parques diferentes, cada uno con sus propias características, siendo el más grande el Kilim Geoforest Park, con más de 8.000 hectáreas al este de la isla.

La mejor forma de visitarlo y descubrir algunos de sus rincones más especiales es un paseo en barco por los manglares, cuyo recorrido nos llevará por diferentes cañones, cuevas como la bat cave donde habitan cientos de murciélagos, piscifactorías naturales, restaurantes flotantes, el hábitat natural de las águilas Brahmini Kite, hasta el Océano Índico desde donde se divisa el sur de Tailandia…

tortuga

Además,  podremos descubrir la importancia del mangrove tree, árbol del que hay unas 50 especies en el parque, que representan alrededor del 48% de la flora manglar mundial.  Asimismo, gracias a su capacidad para absorber el agua, esta planta ayudó a evitar que el devastador tsunami de 2004 arrasase la isla.

Otro de los geoparques es el Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park, al oeste de Langkawi, donde se encuentra la formación rocosa más antigua de Malasia, conocida como Machinchang Formation. También aquí está una de las atracciones turísticas por excelencia de la isla: el SkyCab, o Langkawi Cable Car, uno de los teleféricos más empinados del mundo.

Su base, un pequeño y coqueto complejo con lagos, parques, tiendas y restaurantes, se sitúa en las faldas de la montaña Machinchang, la segunda más alta de la isla. Cada una de las cabinas del teleférico, con capacidad para 6 personas, hace un recorrido de más de un kilómetro hasta la estación intermedia, situada a unos 650m de altitud.

base

teleferico

La estación superior está a algo más de 700 metros y, en un día despejado, desde ella se tienen unas vistas espectaculares de todo el archipiélago y de la vecina Tailandia. Aunque se tenga miedo a las alturas, como es mi  caso, ésta es una experiencia que no se debe dejar pasar, puesto que, si bien impresiona visto desde abajo, la oportunidad de disfrutar de semejante paisaje hace que se desvanezcan los temores iniciales, al menos para la que escribe.

Desde la estación superior del skycab se puede acceder al Sky Bridge, (actualmente cerrado por obras de mantenimiento) un inusual puente colgante y en curva, de unos 125m de longitud que, debido a su estructura y situación en la cima de la montaña, supuso toda una obra de ingeniería y logística, hasta su apertura en 2004.

Para disfrutar de una de las puestas de sol más bonitas del planeta, una opción ideal es hacer un crucero por las islas del archipiélago. La empresa Patrick AD Langkawi ofrece, entre otras actividades, el llamado Crucero del atardecer. Parte todos los días a las 5 de la tarde y regresa al embarcadero sobre las 8.

crucero

En las tres horas que dura la travesía se pueden divisar las islas en todo su esplendor, disfrutar de un baño en las tranquilas aguas del Océano Índico y, por supuesto, observar la puesta de sol. El crucero incluye además un buffet de comida típica malaya, todo tipo de bebidas y sesión discoteca.

En cuanto al alojamiento, nada mejor que escoger el Hotel Danna para la estancia en Langkawi. Está situado muy cerca del skycab, en primera línea de playa, con un puerto deportivo en un lateral y el verde de las montañas al fondo. Este complejo boutique combina la arquitectura colonial con un ambiente mediterráneo.

Cuenta con 125 habitaciones y suites, cuyo precio variará en función de la vista escogida, 7 cafés y restaurantes diferentes, varias piscinas al borde del mar y un fabuloso spa donde relajarse y recibir alguno de los tratamientos o masajes que ofrecen como colofón a la experiencia naturally Langkawi.

piscina 

Texto y fotos: Ana García Iglesias

Más información:

Turismo de Malasia www.tourism.gov.my 

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