Welcome to the rainforest
Set on a hillside within a lush tropical enclave spread over 9.5 acres of land, overlooking the pristinely blue Andaman Sea, this rainforest retreat on Langkawi’s Pantai Tengah is only a stone’s throw away from the island’s finest beaches, attractions, and eateries.
Any interested observer can also easily see about 30 species of birds around the resort but most will only notice the hornbills – Wreathed (Rhyticeros undulates), Oriental Pied (Anthracoceros albirostris) and Great (Buceros bicornis); whose large size and loud cries are unmistakable. The Puff Throated Babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps) is rarely seen but its melodious - if incessantly repetitive - song is characteristic. Racket-tailed drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) and Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) are frequently noticeable as they flash through between the trees.
The majestic birds of prey, the eagles, namely White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) that patrol the sky above to swoop and extract fish from the sea are another source of fascination.
Lesser known but even more fascinating are five species of lizard family that populate the resort. As the name suggests, the house lizards are found indoors. Thriving on flies and mosquitoes with an ability to walk upside down on ceilings as well as regrow a lost limb, they are a cute welcome to intriguing guests.
Other members of the family are, tree lizards Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) whose presence is advertised by a repetitive ‘gecko, gecko’ call in the night; the common but difficult to see flying lizards that glide from tree-to-tree in search of food as well as 2-metre long monitor lizard that hunt silently on the forest floor.
Colugos or flying lemurs (Cynocephalus variegatus), one-meter-wingspan giant bats, slow lorises, mouse deer, civet cats and porcupines from many different species also live in the forest but being nocturnal,are difficult to see except by the very diligent.
Visitors to the resort never fail to see and be amused by our two species of resident primates, namely the Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and the Dusky Leaf monkeys (Presbytis obscura).
The Macaques are loud, obnoxious primate and quite capable of snatching food from the unwary.
The Dusky Leaf monkeys are the opposite: timid, harmless and with their innocent gaze through seemingly white-rimmed spectacled eyes, endearing.
Other mammals to be spotted around Ambong-Ambong include squirrels. These are common but very discreet and don’t draw attention to themselves but it’s worth looking out for the biggest of them, aptly named giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor). The size of small dogs, they can be seen hunting for food up on the trees or in the heat of the afternoon, languidly draped around convenient tree branches in peaceful slumber.
We invite you to reconnect with nature and relax in nature’s grace. Indulge in an immersive rainforest retreat and enjoy the sights and sounds of a tropical rainforest paradise.
