Langkawi: Call of the Jungle
As the sun rises on the Malaysian island of Langkawi, the rainforest starts to talk. You can join the conversation during a 90-minute-long Rainforest Awakening Tour with Junglewalla, a local adventure tour company.
Resolving To Find The Beast Within
“After five years of banking I realized this is not what I want to do,” said Mobarak, whose sister is my friend in Maine. Mobarak concedes some people may want to be bankers and “that’s fine.” But Mobarak found “I had this connection to nature …I really wanted to get back to.”
Tourism in Malaysia :Tioman Island
The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa, Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort and the soon-to-be-opened Four Points by Sheraton Langkawi planted 1,000 trees that are native to the island. The activity, organised in conjunction with Earth Day 2011, was participated in by over 200 members of the management and associates of these properties.
Lush, Luxe Langkawi
We rise with the sun to meet Irshad Mobarak, clad in jungle camouflage, Irshad, who runs an outfit called JungleWalla Tours, regularly leads complimentary bird-watching treks for guests of The Datai. When I grouse about having to get up so early, he explains that eight in the morning is already midday in the rain forest. Before I can seriously consider sneaking off back to bed, guttural hoots reverberate around me.
The Ecologist
Irshad Mobarak, a self-taught naturalist and environmentalist from the Malaysian island of Langkawi says that development need not mean destruction. It's a simple equation: cleared forests equal cleared hotel rooms. Tourism is a double-edged sword in Langkawi. With its turquoise seas and white beaches, 80 per cent of the economy of this Malaysian archipelago of 99 islands is linked to tourism, but overdevelopment and rainforest clearances are threatening the natural attractions that draw people to its shores.
Langkawi: Heaven of Ecotourism and Travel Adventure
Some people think the beauty of Langkawi lies in its pristine beaches. Others like the duty-free shopping. But Irshad and his team of naturalists at Natural History Tours reckon that the edge Langkawi has over places like Bali and Phuket is its jungle and wildlife.
The Jungle-Wallah of Langkawi
Irshad Mobarak, also known as "The Jungle-Wallah of Langkawi", is well known for his passion and enthusiasm towards nature and the environment. "CARROL LAWRENCE" tells us about a self taught naturalist who has dedicated his time to promote conservation on Langkawi Island off the northwestern coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
Tropensatte Tage
Keine Bettenburgen, keine Partymeile, keine Strandpromenade. Stattdessen staksen Reiher über den weißen Sand, und hinter dem Hotel beginnt der 400 Jahre alte Regenwald. Die malaysische Insel Langkawi hat sich dem Ökotourismus verschrieben Der Mann ist nicht nur höllisch attraktiv, er hat auch einen sechsten Sinn. Jedenfalls sieht er ständig etwas, was wir nicht sehen. Irshad Mobarak ist Regenwaldexperte und weiß, wie raffiniert sich die tropische Tierwelt tarnt. Das reglose, angefaulte Wurzelholz neben seinem Fuß? Er tippt es kurz an, und es entfaltet sich zu einer tellergroßen Tarantel, die blitzartig in einer Erdhöhle verschwindet.
Mangroves, birds, flying squirrels and flying lemurs!
We were fortunate to have Irshad as our guide. His passion as a conservationist really came out as he generously shared his extensive knowledge about the environment, the mangroves, birds, animals, and plants of Langkawi. He was entertaining as well, e.g. when he went into how the sea eagles find their mate for life!
A true-blue naturalist
Langkawi’s wildlife is now in danger of extinction due to habitat segmentation and in-breeding. A man dubbed ‘The Jungle-Wallah’ by DiGi’s Amazing Malaysian 2007 project is helping to arrest this problem. THE crowd of primary and secondary school children gathered on a recent weekend at the Berjaya Resort and Spa Langkawi for a nature adventure had a true-blue naturalist as their guide.
Langkawi Initiative
There is an increasing emphasis on the eco tourism potential of Malaysia’s Langkawi Island. We recognize this, but the island is at watershed, it is in danger of losing the very attractions the eco tourists come for, the rainforest, the limestone forest, the mangrove forest and all its wildlife. We need to take immediate steps to safe guard this valuable natural capital writes Tour Operator and Conservationist, Irshad Mobarak.
Call for stringent testing first
In Alor Star, conservationist Irshad Mobarak said the project could endanger birds, bats and marine life in and around the area. Irshad, the Malaysian Nature Society representative on the island, said the proposed project would be in a major coral area. "Some 30 per cent of coral in the area has been damaged," he said.
The Plight of Sea Eagle
Memories of the holiday we took in February have to jogged by some out of focus snaps, souvenirs skulking in drawers, having never found a suitable shelf or wall to display them on. The guilt is gone for never having contacted the couple we spent practically every day on the beach with or the “very nice Americans” who were our travelling companions on the train we took to Penang. However, one thing that remains all too clear in my mind is the heartbreaking sight we saw on an excursion to the Mangroves.
Naturalist Par Excellence
Built like an American football player, Irshad Mobarak has commanding presence, but is really a gentle giant. For the past 12 years, he has presided as resident Naturalist at The Datai. This is Langkawi's most exclusive hotel, renowned for its architectural design which merges the built and natural environments so seamlessly it is difficult to know where one stops and the other begins. Irshad has extended this symbiosis to the hotel's guests.
The Arden Naturalist
Meet Irshad Mobarak, a consummate naturalist at the Datai, Langkawi, who delights in passing on his knowledge and skill to nature lovers.If changing the cat litter is the closest encounter you've had with animals, head for Langkawi. More specifically, head for the northern tip of the island where you are likely to find Irshad Mobarak.
