Hello travellers!

If you got my latest email, you will know that I have just celebrated spending one year in Chiang Mai.

There was no big celebration but I did do something that has been on my to do list for a long time.

Get a full medical check up.

For less than £150 (or about USD$150 if you prefer), I had 3 hours in a hospital having lots of tests done to make sure I’m nice and healthy.

And the good news is… I am!

If you want to read more about that, you can here.

I’m currently writing this from a coffee shop in Doha overlooking the Arabian Gulf. I’ll send another update soon about why I’m here as I’m about to get on a flight to another country in the region.

I am in the middle of a very silly trip indeed.

You can follow me on Instagram if you want updates sooner.

If there is one place I have spent the most time that isn’t Chiang Mai, it’s Langkawi.

I first went to this island off the coast of Malaysia for a month in 2023. I went back another two times that year.

After not liking Central America, I decided to move back to Langkawi for longer and ended up staying there for over 6 months.

But why Langkawi?

It is a paradise island with incredible beaches but without the crowds. Most of the tourists are fellow Malaysians or Singaporeans with only a smattering of western tourists.

That means it has kept it’s local charm.

You can walk the night markets like a local. You can walk from the beach past fields with water buffalos. There are secluded beaches and waterfalls with few other tourists there.

But it’s also an inclusive place. If you want a 5 star resort or a cheap guesthouse as a backpacker, you have options available. You can hear the call to prayer, but you can also sunbathe on its beaches in a bikini. You can grab a beer from a beach bar after exploring the local night markets.

And it’s a duty free island with alcohol, chocolates, perfumes and more all at prices that are wayyyyy cheaper than what you would pay in the rest of Malaysia.

You can visit a beach like Sandy Skulls beach and have few other people around.

Or you can visit a smaller island close by that feels like you’re stepping back 20 years.

Or you can visit with your family and stay in a nice resort and have a very relaxing holiday.

It really is a nice compact, traditional island that really has it all.

But one thing I really like about it.

It isn’t packed full of tourists.

Yes a few local tourists.

But it doesn’t feel like some of the Thai islands or Bali where hoardes of western tourists overwhelm the beaches and entire areas.

Langkawi has it’s local charm and I hope it stays that way.

At the start of last month, I announced that I have started travel consulting to help you travel better.

You can find out more here.

But I got the idea for that because I wanted to help people travel around Langkawi. I wanted to put Langkawi on the map so more people can experience what an incredible place it is.

So with that, I want to announce my Langkawi specific travel planning service!

All Around Langkawi is an idea that was born out of my love for the island.

I want you to experience it in an authentic way.

In the way that I love.

If you want to travel Langkawi like a local, click below to find out more and make your dream trip happen.

Keep travelling and look forward to next month when I’ll be talking about a country that is one of the most affordable in Europe but nobody seems to visit and I’ll fill you in on the rest of the trip I’m currently on.

Safe travels,

Dan