A new spirit of cooperation between the governments of Thailand and Malaysia on promoting cross-border tourism resulted in the recent opening of a Thai Consulate on the Malaysian island of Langkawi, which has opened up new tourism opportunities for islands on both sides of the border.

The Island of Langkawi is an exotic holiday destination that offers world-class accommodation facilities and amenities sitting side by side with idyllic beaches, ancient rainforests and quaint villages.
Langkawi, which is part of the State of Kedah, was named after the eagle (helang in Malay language, but colloquially pronounced simply as Lang), hence the imposing eagle statue at Dataran Lang (Eagle Square), welcoming visitors who enter the island from mainland Malaysia through the Kuah Jetty.

Visitors to Malaysia must possess a valid passport or other internationally recognised travel documents that are valid for at least six months beyond the intended visiting period.
The health standards in Malaysia are one of the best in Asia. Hospitals, private clinics and medical supplies, as well as pharmacies are widely available in Langkawi especially at Kuah Town. However, if you are visiting remote or mangrove areas, it is advisable to get mosquito coils or insect repellents to keep mosquitoes at bay. Citizens coming from yellow fever infected areas on the African and South American continents have to produce their yellow fever vaccination certificates for entry into Malaysia.

Taxi is the best option of getting around the Island, as bus is not available in Langkawi. Ensure that to use only the licensed taxis identifiable by their yellow roof sign.
It would also be wise to check taxi-fares at the terminals to prevent your being overcharged as charges are not metered. The following are the official rates, as published by the Ministry of Tourism.

Langkawi situated just off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, about 30 km from Kuala Perlis and 51 km from Kuala Kedah comprises a group of 104 tropical islands during the low tides and 99 Island during the high tides.
Langkawi are richly blessed with a heritage of fabulous myths and legends of ogres and gigantic birds, warriors and fairy princesses, battles and romance. Langkawi offers natural attractions unsurpassed by any other in the region.

There are about 1,000 islands off the coasts of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, ranging from tiny rocky uninhabited islets to the city state of Penang with a population of over half a million.
All the islands, except for the oceanic island of Pulau Sipadan off the coast of eastern Sabah, are continental shelf islands. During the Ice Age, they were connected to mainland Asia. Oceanic islands, on the other hand, are volcanic and have never been connected by land to any continent. Many of the islands in Malaysia have considerable scenic, scientific and educational appeal.