Sunsail – malaysia

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Malaysia - Essential Holiday information

Sunsail Langkawi
Royal Langkawi Yacht Club
Jalan Dato Syed Omar,
07000 Kuah, Langkawi,
Kedah Darul Aman,
Malaysia.
Tel: 604 966 5869
Fax: 604 966 5849
Base Manager: Morgan Hayes
E-mail: sunsailmalaysia@pd.jaring.my

Please note this number is NOT staffed full time.

TIME
• Time difference between the UK and Langkawi is +8 hours

PASSPORT & VISAS
• Please ensure your passport is valid for the period of travel and for six months after you return.
• Your passport name must match the name on the flight ticket otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid.
• Visas are generally not required if staying for less than 30 days.
• Non-British passport holders should check with their local Consulate direct.
• If your child is not already included on a valid British Passport they are required to hold their own passport.

VACCINATIONS
• Immunisation or tablets are recommended for protection against Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid and against Malaria if incorporating a visit to the north of Thailand.
• Immunisation against Yellow Fever is essential if arriving from an infected country.
• Please refer to the Department of Health's 'EHIC and health advice for travellers' web page at www.dh.gov.uk or consult your family GP for further details.

FLIGHTS
• Gatwick Information 0870 000 2468
• Heathrow Information 0870 000 0123
• Manchester Information 0161 489 3000
• Luton Information 0158 240 5100
• Glasgow Information 0141 887 1111
• Luggage allowance is 20kg per person. Only one item of hand luggage per person is allowed and this must not weigh more than 5kg. For storage aboard we recommend travelling light and using folding luggage.
• Lost or damaged luggage whilst flying is the responsibility of the airline and is not covered by your travel insurance, however First Choice Airways has no liability for loss or damage to valuable or fragile items packed in hold baggage however caused. You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, computers, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples.
• If an incident occurs, immediately report it to airport officials and ensure Property Irregularity Reports (PIR) are completed. Claims will not be considered once you have left the airport.
• If you are taking our First Choice Charter flights and wish to enquire about pre booking seats please call the airline direct on 0870 757 2757. Group seats are available for pre booking through Sunsail. Call the team for more details.
• SAVE UPTO 30% when you book your airport parking with BCP through Sunsail. Call the team for more details quoting Sunsail reference BN545

AIRPORT & TRANSFERS
• Kuala Lumpur International Airport is Malaysia’s principal airport and is approximately a one-hour drive into the city. There are several flights a day from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi and the flight time is just under an hour.
• If your Sunsail holiday includes our charter flight, a Sunsail representative will meet you at Langkawi airport and escort you to your transfer.
• Taxis are also available at the airport. £5 – £10 for up to 4 people, £10 - £15 for 5 - 10 people.
• Transfer from Langkawi Airport to the Sunsail base is approx. 20 - 30 minutes.
• If your holiday is flight exclusive, we request that you send your travel arrangements to us so we can assist with transfer details where required.
PLEASE NOTE: Guests arriving separately should bring a copy of the charter contract / invoice.

CURRENCY
• The unit of currency in Malaysia is the Ringgit.
• Money exchange is available at the airport and in most medium sized towns.
• We recommend that sufficient money is changed before arriving at the base (airport is easiest). You can change money in Kuah town at the jetty, approx a five-minute walk from the base.
• Currency can be exchanged commission free at any high street First Choice Retail travel agent on production of your Sunsail invoice. You can pre-order your currency from a First Choice travel agent by telephoning them in advance on 0870 9005154 to find your nearest branch.

BRIEFINGS
• The personalised chart briefing given on your arrival describes the cruising area and any potential hazards.
• The yacht briefing introduces you to your yacht, it’s systems and rigging. It is carried out individually for each yacht. It is important that all systems and equipment are fully understood. Briefings are mandatory.

SAFETY
• All yachts are equipped with life jackets and a harness for everyone on board. We leave it up to you to decide when personal safety equipment should be worn.
• We suggest that children who are not strong swimmers should not be allowed in a dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and that they should wear a buoyancy aid or harness when on deck.
• Children under the age of 16yrs should not operate an outboard engine.
Illness or injury
• Contact a member of Sunsail staff as soon as possible on either a lead boat or at Sunsail base or Club.
• If you need to make a claim for curtailment due to illness, ask the base manager for assistance and contact your insurer’s emergency medical service immediately.
• Your insurance company will assist with travel arrangements, advice and payment of bills.
• Obtain receipts for any medication, treatment or transport you have to pay for and submit with your claim.

PROVISIONING
• You can provision online before you depart. The provisioning pages will confirm the latest order date for your chosen destination.
• It is usual for charterers to eat on board for the first 2-3 nights, since the first 3 days of most of the cruises take in the eastern side of Langkawi and Tarutao which has little in the way of restaurants or shops.
• In summary, we offer clients the following advice for their provisioning:
7 to 10 day charter 2-3 days provisioning
14 day charter 4-5 days provisioning
April to October Eat on board 70% of the time.

BASE FACILITIES
The Sunsail base at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club is very close to the main town of Kuah. It is accessible at all states of the tide.

Facilities adjacent to the base include:
• Water, fuel & electricity
• Showers and toilets
• Hotel
• Provisioning store
• Restaurant
• Bar
• Telephone
• Swimming pool
• Clothing and dive shops
• Car hire
• Diving Company

BOARDING/DEPARTURE
• Your yacht will be ready at 1800 hrs for boarding. Please be aware that the yacht and chart briefings will be arranged on your arrival. At the end of your charter your yacht will need to be vacated by 0900 hrs so we recommend that you return to the base the day before.

EQUIPMENT ON THE YACHTS
Sunsail yachts are equipped with just about everything you will need for a safe and enjoyable holiday.
• A deposit is required for dinghy, outboard engine, windsurfer, ocean kayak, cruising chute and GP.
• A refundable security deposit of £300 (regardless of number of items booked) is payable by credit card or Travellers Cheques at the Sunsail base against the loss or damage of these items, whether included in the basic holiday price or as an extra.
• You will be given a checklist on arrival to make sure you have all the items listed on the inventory.
• Please inform the base manager before you leave the base if anything is missing as it is not always possible to replace or exchange items once you have departed on your cruise. Stolen items must be immediately reported to Sunsail management and the local police. An incident report will be completed for insurance purposes
• Any problems with, or damage to, your yacht must be reported to the local staff immediately. If not we cannot be held responsible.
• Each yacht is equipped with two pairs of snorkelling equipment, linen and bath towels and navigation equipment. Please bring beach towels with you. We advise you not to bring self-inflating life jackets or buoyancy aids fitted with gas-cylinders as they may not be allowed on the aircraft.
• Clothing – In Sunsail locations dress is informal, but we ask you to respect local etiquette. Wet weather gear and fleeces are advisable for early and late season.

MOORING FEES AND TAXES
• ONE WAY CHARTERS - Langkawi - Phuket check out fees: 100 RM per yacht (Payable locally)
Phuket - Langkawi Check in fees: 100 RM per yacht (Payable locally)
• NON ONE WAY CHARTERS ENTERING THAILAND WATERS
175 RM per person plus 100 RM per yacht check out fee.

CHARTS AND PILOT BOOK
• All the charts and pilot books you will need for the sailing area are on board the yacht. Charts and pilot books can be purchased in advance from www.imray.com or www.kelvinhughes.com

EATING OUT
• Eating out is very cheap, about £2 to £5 per person for a meal including beer. Being a duty free island, alcohol is very cheap.
• A selection of restaurants are available along with very good hotels close to the base.
• The town of Kuah is very close by and has many more shops and restaurants.
• Credit cards are widely accepted apart from smaller restaurants.

DIVING
• Diving can be arranged on site with the local dive company at the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club. There are sharks around but these are not dangerous. Leopard and Whale sharks are not a threat to sailors or swimmers.

RACING EVENTS
• Raja Muda International Regatta
Under the auspices of The Malaysian Yachting Association, held from mid-November and starting in Port Klang and visiting Perak, Penang, finishing in Langkawi.
• Phuket King’s Club Regatta
Conceived in 1987 as a tribute to the King of Thailand, the King’s Cup Regatta is held annually on the King of Thailand’s birthday around 5th December. The event has grown considerably in stature over the years, and now attracts yachts from all over the world. Classes include keelboats (racing, cruising and classic), ocean multihulls and catamarans.

WEATHER
Langkawi is an ALL YEAR ROUND sailing destination. There are two main seasons, which are called the wet and dry season, or the SW or NE monsoon, respectively. Seasons tend to be predictable, although there may be inconsistencies as they change from one to the other.
• North East Monsoon (Dry – Nov to Apr)
The NE monsoon, as the months from November to April are called, have wind speeds of force 2 to 5 from the NE. The winds are quite light during this period and temperatures are stable and usually in the region of 30 deg C. It is consistently dry and sunny, with ideal winds for sailing and the seas are generally flat.
• South West Monsoon (Wet – May to Oct)
The SW monsoon, takes place from May to October with winds force 2 to 6, from the SW. There is slightly more wind during this season, making sailing a bit more exhilarating than the NE season, although clients may experience heavy squalls with torrential rain, gusts of up to 50 knots and rough seas. These generally only last for an hour or two and you are never to far away from shelter.

LOST PROPERTY
• If any valuables are left behind in your base, please contact the relevant base as soon as possible after the loss.
• Our base staff will endeavour to locate your property and will contact you with the result of their search.
• Return of property to you will normally be by DHL. The cost of the courier service plus a £15 charge will have to be taken by credit/debit card.
• If goods are left on the plane you will need to contact the airline direct. For First Choice Airways this number is 01293 507160. The office is open between 10am and 4pm. If there is no reply leave and message and they will return your call.
PLEASE NOTE SUNSAIL DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY GOODS THAT SUBSEQUENTLY GO MISSING DURING TRANSIT TO THE UK

PLEASE NOTE
• If you feel that a problem may adversely affect your holiday, you must give our staff the opportunity to resolve it for you. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please ensure that you inform the base manager and it is essential that you complete a holiday report form.
• Unfortunately, claims made for problems not reported first to the base staff and then to the manager locally, cannot be considered.
TO REITERATE THE HOLIDAY BOOKING CONDITIONS, ANY COMPLAINTS OR CLAIMS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE END OF YOUR HOLIDAY.

SUNSAIL – RESPECTING DESTINATIONS
• Sunsail remain committed to looking after the environment and supporting the cultures where we operate and over many years you have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to assist us to leave these areas ‘As good or better than we found them’

PLEASE NOTE: Times and prices are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.
Malaysia Information Sheet last updated 02.07.07