Great Golf Magazine Sep/Oct 2017 September October 2017 | страница 34

Malaysia.qxp_St Enodoc 28.09.2016 11.37 Side 3

f you’re fortunate enough to travel the world for recreation
with a little golf thrown in, it can be rare for both the
destination and the golf to be as equally breathtaking and
of comparable high quality. There are many world-class
resorts in idyllic settings but with golf courses that don’t
match up to these high standards and, equally, the reverse can
apply – where the reputation of the golf course alone is the
primary reason for visiting.
However, on my visit to The Andaman, a Luxury Collection
Resort, and nearby Els Club Teluk Datai golf course in Langkawi,
Malaysia, it didn’t take much past the first impressions of either
to be totally convinced that this was a heady and glorious
combination.
I must admit, the title is somewhat misleading as this was not
my first encounter with the magical islands of Langkawi, in the
state of Kedah off the northwest coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
These mystical islands and their wondrous juxtaposition of
ancient rainforest, craggy mountain regions and jaw-dropping

I
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GREAT GOLF MAGAZINE

coastal beaches and coves have had drawn me to them time and
again over the years.
UNIQUE WILDLIFE. The Andaman, though, was new to me as the
entrance is tucked away from the main thoroughfare down a steep,
winding driveway. The cavernous and traditional Kampung-styled
lobby is luxuriously impressive in itself but we were utterly
transfixed when drawn to the view from the balcony edge, down
to the free-form pool built in harmony with the existing rainforest
with the turquoise expanse of Datai Bay beyond.
Paradise found indeed and no matter the length of your journey
and flagging energy levels on arrival, I defy anyone to not want
to get stuck in and immediately explore every nook and cranny
of this vast yet intimate resort, integrated perfectly as it is within
an ecosystem teaming with bird and unique wildlife.
The bulk of the rooms of this recently upgraded resort feature
mesmerising views of Datai Bay and the surrounding forested
hillside, as well as near and distant islands. Many of the rooms