DAWN is still a good hour away when the crowd begins moving to the nearby beach after a safety briefing at Tanjung Rhu Resort Langkawi's lobby concludes. Upon arrival, many pause to marvel at an expansive sandbar appearing like magic as the sea retreats into the distance.
With torchlights in hand, foreign tourists and local holidaymakers at the resort join villagers to explore the gradually widening sandy strip. Caution soon gives way to confidence when the exposed seabed holds up admirably as more people arrive.
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES
Within minutes, silhouettes spread out into the seaward darkness with only illumination from torches providing signs of their locations. Not long after, squeals of delight pierce through the early morning stillness as discoveries of marine life are made.
Left stranded in tiny pools by the receding tide, the fish, octopuses, starfish, crabs, prawns and sea cucumbers become objects of interest to the early risers. With class in session for the next couple of hours, the early morning sojourn turns into a golden opportunity to acquire knowledge about Langkawi's rich and diverse marine heritage.
This learning prospect resonates with Bilkis Begum, who brought her daughter along to participate in what she describes as an opportunity of a lifetime.
Hailing from London and considering it a godsend to be putting up at the resort at just the prefect time, she expresses admiration at the holiday island's multi-faceted attractions that ensure that there is never a dull moment.
GLOBAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION
Organised by the resort and supported by the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), Sandbar Walk is a much looked-forward-to annual event that was inaugurated five years ago, with the maiden gathering barely making it under the wire after the Covid-19 lockdown came into force just six days later on March 18, 2020.
While admitting that this annual phenomena may have been occurring at Tanjung Rhu since time immemorial, Hafiz Hashim declares that this relatively recent effort contributes to making Langkawi a global holiday destination.
Drawing attention to the island's longest sandy beach fronting the resort, the resort general manager urges visitors to take advantage of this yearly occurrence to be in the middle of the sea without getting their feet wet.
While enjoying the experience, he advises guests to be mindful of their safety and also avoid disturbing the fragile marine animals.
HARMONIOUS INTERPLAY
Fresh from traversing the nearly kilometre long sandbar that forms an ephemeral pathway from Tanjung Rhu Beach to Pulau Chabang and Pulau Kelam Baya, Lada chief executive officer Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid declares sheer excitement at the experience as there was so much to see and learn.
While mentioning that local sandbars and their formation through oceanic currents and surface waves complement Langkawi's geopark status, Haslina welcomes the inclusion of future Sandbar Walk editions in Langkawi's calendar of events.
At the same time, she also lauds the planning involved in Sandbar Walk, which includes post-event activities that promote healthy lifestyles through zumba exercise sessions and encourage nature conservation in the form of pop-up stalls selling environmentally friendly bags made from discarded cat food packaging.
The sun is already a distance above the horizon when siren blasts recall everyone back to shore as the tide has started to turn.
Happening when the sun, moon and earth form a perfect right angle to further suppress receding tides, this especially low neap tide creates an ephemeral pathway in the form of a golden sandy stretch that intimately connects Tanjung Rhu Beach with its twin nearby islands as well as surrounding marine environment.
While forming a picturesque bridge between land and sea, this seamless link serves as a dynamic convergent point for those seeking the harmonious interplay of natural wonders and island adventures.
As for those who are lucky enough to be present, even for the briefest of moments, there are opportunities abound to become kindred spirits, brought together by a stunning natural phenomena.
With conflict and unrest affecting parts of the world, Sandbar Walk, with people from various nationalities and all walks of life gathering in this little corner of mesmerising Langkawi, is a ray of sunshine and presents a glimmer of hope for all.
It is uplifting to see people from all over the world come together for a common purpose with smiles on their faces and incessant laughter ringing in the air.
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