What does a company whose target is exclusive private yacht charter have to do with bats and flying foxes? Good question. But as we live on Langkawi we want to understand and enjoy the nature, culture, and myths of this tropical paradise. Sure enough, many guests coming here on a holiday also want more than just hanging around the pool or the bar. Langkawi has so many things to offer, to explore, and to enjoy. From the right perspective: you can drive around the island by car within 2 hours. You could sail around the island, let’s say within a few days, but you can also take your time and discover new fascinating details and amazing nature treasures that value your stay on this island much more and make you come back. Mostly we sail around the islands with our guests during daytime and you will hardly have the chance to see bats or flying foxes. But still we can show you.
Langkawi is home for about 20 different species of them and they are very important for the fertilization of many plants and fruits, in the jungle and the mangroves. The seeds of Durian fruit, for instance can only be carried by the larger flying fox (as we have no elephants in Langkawi, who love these fruits and are taking care of the propagation of Durian for example in India) as the seeds are quite heavy. Langkawi’s bats are mainly two different species. The fruit-eating and the insect-eating bats. I and my husband Gerd stay in Kilim River on the anchorage with our yacht fairly often. We stay quite closed to the mangroves and we wouldn’t do so unless the mosquitoes weren’t controlled by the many bats in that area.
Did you know that bats are the only mammals that can truly fly? I mean, they can really fly like they have no competitors. They can speed up to 50 km through the mangrove forest – at night, of course! And did you know that the female gives birth hanging upside down attached to the ceiling of the cave with only one leg. Not enough? Well, their only way to take a shower is to piss while hanging upside down. (Notice the very special perfume in the cave!) In case you want to visit the bat cave in Kilim River, please don’t disturb them by being noisy or pointing a torch light onto them for a longer time. And if possible, don’t make photos, as the camera flash disturbs them quite a lot. Many bats already left the caves due to the increasing tourism and escaped to caves that are not accessible for human beings.
To visit the bat cave at about sunset when these animals are preparing to leave the cave is a very special experience; actually the best time, indeed. (To do so will almost only be possible with us as the regular charter companies and the long-boats that are for rent normally don’t operate there at that time of the day, but we do if you ask us to do so!)
The cave is resounding with the bats “singing” like whispering and these little creatures are flying all around in the cave to warm themselves up so you feel as if you are standing in the middle of a swarm of them. They fly inches away from your face yet never touch you.
No need to be scared. It is of course nonsense to think about them as vampires or any such thing. When Gerd and I sailed the islands of Papua New Guinea I saw them on the wet market daily for sale. They cost just pennies and are either kept as pets – for only a while – or directly end up as part of next dinner. Nowadays we begin to understand what important and fascinating animals they are.