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Langkawi Intro
Just off the Malay Peninsula's west coast near the Thai border, Langkawi has some of Asia's best beaches and virgin rainforests thriving with wildlife. The tropical island is a beautiful tranquil retreat from the real world and ideal for those who want to unwind in peace.
This is an island of legends and myths. Geographical features of the main island and the 100 odd surrounding islets are interpreted poetically. Stories can be a little laboured, and the modern tourist attractions somewhat manufactured. There's little doubt that Langkawi's real offering is its stunning natural beauty.
Langkawi has not been indiscriminately developed and defaced like other formerly beautiful islands, so if you want bright lights and action then look elsewhere - this is a place for low-key beach life.
BEACHES
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This island has some stunning beaches (Pantai).
The two main public beaches are Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, both just south of the airport in the west. They are broad, long and for the most part clean and cleared regularly. They are open to the public and are not very busy, even on public holidays. As with all local beaches, the sea is clean and the sand slopes gently down, great for kids of all ages.
Beach life on Langkawi is pretty laid back - there is not one disco on the sands.
North of the airport is Pantai Kok, but being remote has very few visitors except from the resorts overlooking the excellent beach.
Perhaps the best beach on the island is Pantai Datai on the northwest tip. A secluded and protected bay, it offers the best sand and cleanest waters and is buffered against most weather.
Another superb beach is the Pantai Tanjung Rhu, again huge, clean with pristine waters. It is open to all but the owners of the only resort on the beach, the Tanjung Rhu, may restrict usage sometime soon.
One of the more famous stretches lies on the north coast. Pantai Pasir Hitam or Black Sands Beach was apparently turned black by an angry Mermaid frustrated by a fisherman who stole her magic ring. The colour actually comes from mineral deposits and has become more white than black in recent years. Swimming is mediocre and there are no facilities.
ATTRACTIONS
Many attractions revolve around the island's natural beauty and myths. There is some form of folklore behind each major geographical feature of the 100 or so islands.
More recent additions have been added to try to give Langkawi more scope, but frankly the island's man-made attractions are contrived and really can be missed.
The Craft and Cultural Complex to the north is one of the better ones, and perhaps the only one that is worth the effort. Its cultural section provides a succinct version of all the local legends and is a good start point.
Craft and heritage sections are well done with batik making and weaving demonstrations. Don't be put off by the myriad of handicraft stalls when entering the complex.
The best known legend is the tragic tale of Mahsuri, a beautiful young woman wrongly accused of adultery and sentenced to death. In the final throes of death she cursed the island to seven generations of barren prosperity. Her shrine is revered by local inhabitants but is little to look at. Nearby is a traditional Kampung (village) with a well. The water is reputed to have healing powers.
Air Hangat Village is not a village but a touristy development desperately dwarfing a tiny hot spring. Legend has it that the spring was the result of a family feud over a son's roving eye which lead to a punch up at a wedding feast. A free-for-all broke out with smashed banquet items being hurled miles away, giving rise to the island's main features. Kuah is Malay for gravy, Belanga Perak means 'broken pot' so it's clear what a mess it all was. Splashed hot water became the springs at Air Hangat (hot water). Visitors can have an hour's soak in a private room, but the modern jacuzzi bathtubs take the edge off the experience.
Close by is the Galleria Perdana, opened in 1995. It has a mix of gifts presented to Malay leader Mahathir over the years. It includes everything from cars to clothes, paintings to pewter, doctorates to tea sets, bicycles to musical instruments. Interesting, if only to see what a man who has everything is given.
Just south is Langkawi crystal, mainly a showroom of the local glass factory with live limited demonstrations. However, as recession bites the kilns are rarely fired and the main factory on Rabak Island is closed.
Langkawi's only town, the uninspiring Kuah lies to the southwest. It has a smattering of shops, banks, ATMs and moneychangers. Eagle Square is marked with an imposing 12m high rusty brown Eagle from which Langkawi gains its name (Brown Eagle). Flanking the square is Lagenda Park, which is a 20-hectare garden with fantasy sculptures portraying the local heritage.
Towards the interior is the rather glamorously named Malaysia Book Village. Six Kampung-style wooden houses sit in tranquil surroundings, a relaxing setting for a good read. The book collection itself is weak, with two houses empty and the book selection very limited.
Executed maiden Mahsuri's curse was fulfilled when the Siamese invaded in the early 1800s. Part of the local defence strategy was to hide the rice supplies but the rice was torched in battle. At the developed Field of Burnt Rice traces can apparently be seen but you have to look very hard. If hunting for traces of burnt rice is your thing then by all means give it a visit.
On Pantai Kok is an interesting Thai style replica Summer Place built for the 1999 movie Anna and the King. The set houses colourful props and costumes used in the film. TVs continuously loop the movie which is degrading through overuse. The set is pretty impressive and not a bad diversion.
On the north side of the island is the very modern Ibrahim Hussein Museum housing one of Malaysia's best-known artist's modern and creative works. You may meet the man himself as he spends much time there.
Langkawi revels in its natural beauty and the scenery beats the forgettable touristy efforts the island has sprouted in recent years. Much of the north side is virgin rainforest, centuries old. Treks are arranged by some of the hotels near the forest. There are over 400 species of butterfly alone and over 200 species of birds. Add to this macaque and languir monkeys, fruit bats, and a wide range of snakes and lizards.
WHAT TO DO
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There is plenty to do.
One option is go-carting at the very professionally-run Morac International Circuit. Water sports provide most of the entertainment and are generally courtesy of the hotels.
Sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, fishing, kayaking, and snorkelling - all are available. Parasailing is also found on Cenang and Tengah beaches. Diving is best at Pulau Payar Marine Park 45 minutes south of Langkawi.
Many hotels have opened spas with surprisingly good massages, many with locally made oils. At the top end, the Datai's Mandara Spa is to die for - but at a whopping price. Other hotels are much cheaper including the Kampung Tok Senik Resort, also very popular. Most hotels offer or arrange some sort of service.
Cenang beach features Underwater World, a marine aquarium with over 5000 fresh and salt-water fish. Sharks and stingrays drift above your head in a perspex tunnel. It's a hit with families but try to avoid the weekend and public holiday rush.
The crocodile farm and snake sanctuary are fairly interesting and educational, and loved by kids. Feeding time at the crocodile farm is quite a sight, but there is always a feeling that these animals are best left in the wild.
2002 saw the launch of Canopy Adventures, an air trek through the rainforest canopy near the Book Village. Activities for the agile include a 120m slide and 30m vertical abseil. The same company does day and night jungle treks.
In late 2002 a cable car opened giving sweeping views of the noble mountain Gunung Mat Cincang. The island boasts three world-class golf courses that are all relatively underused. The Datai Bay Golf Club is particularly impressive although not especially eco-friendly having been chain sawed into the rainforest.
EATING OUT
Food can vary. Restaurants and chefs come and go, so it is best to check with others what's hot.
Most local restaurants are around Pantai Cenang and some of the best food is served in the hotels - although some serve some truly bad food. Some restaurants are on the tourist circuit, so the food is aimed at large groups, taking the edge off the quality. One such restaurant, the Barn Thai, is situated 500m into a mangrove swamp and is accessed via a wooden walkway. The restaurant is a fascinating old wooden building, the food being little to write home about but certainly not bad.
Another popular choice with the tour groups is Siti Fatimah, serving-Kampung style Malay food by the roadside. For local food, Nelayan Restaurant in Bukit Malut, run by a local fisherman dishing up catch of the day, is worth a try.
The Datai has some excellent restaurants with top dishes but with very high prices to match. The Beach Garden Resort on Pantai Cenang has an excellent reputation for consistently good food served by its Swiss chef who is often out chatting to the guests. Next door is the Casa Del Mar, another of the better choices.
One of the best restaurants not linked to a hotel is the Bon Ton, also on Pantai Cenang. It serves great meals in a fabulous setting, divine deserts and a great wine list.
Not in the same league but certainly acceptable is Sunset Village Restaurant at the other end of the beach. Others worth trying are The Lighthouse and Sheela's.
Chinese and Indian hawker food is best in Kuah. Some of the better places are not necessarily the best looking. The best yardstick for quality is to see where the locals eat.
SHOPPING
Langkawi is a duty free centre and as such the shopping ought to be good, but shops are limited to a few malls in Kuah. Prices are generally poor compared to Kuala Lumpur.
Langkawi Fair is probably the largest mall, and there is another less inspiring option at the boat jetty.
Kuah has a good-sized supermarket and around the island are other smaller ones. [ATM's are available in Kuah town, at the airport, Ferry Pier and Petronas Pantai Kok]. Moneychangers are plentiful and pretty competitive as are the hotels.
Dotted around the island are various markets but these are generally for local consumption. The odd boutique handcraft and gallery pops up near the public beaches, some with interesting items. Many of the popular tourist attractions have souvenir stalls with overpriced batiks and handicrafts, sometimes rather tacky.
GETTING AROUND
Getting around the relatively small island is simple. Taxis are cheap, plentiful and efficient. They don't use meters but are generally honest, but agree on a price beforehand. Charges are for distance travelled but the cars or vans can be rented by the hour. A typical 15-minute trip is RM 5-10 hourly rates are around RM 20. A nominal call out charge may be applied. Drivers are generally charming and a mine of useful information.
Car and motorbike hire is easy and cheap and can be arranged by most hotels. Check your insurance thoroughly though. While the roads in Langkawi, as throughout Malaysia are well-maintained, the drivers are not all careful and considerate. Driving is on the left.
For the more energetic, bicycles can be hired for a few Ringgit an hour. Kuah jetty links the island to the mainland at Kuala Peris and Kuala Kedah with regular ferries taking roughly an hour.
Penang also has a daily 2 and a half hour crossing. Tours also leave the jetty for Langkawi's outer islands.
Langkawi Airport is conveniently linked to major Malay cities and Singapore. During peak season there are international flights to a few Asian cities such as Hong Kong
TOURS
A host of tours are available through hotels or local agents, many exploring the natural habitat of the coastline. Local agents offer half and full day tours, often good value, but with a real herd-like feeling and unwelcome souvenir shopping pit stops. Organising your own tours by taxi seems more relaxing and flexible.
Eco-tours include boat trips of the mangrove swamps, visits to the bat caves and fish farms. Eagle feeding sees fresh chicken being tossed in the water for the majestic birds to swoop down and snatch, quite an impressive display.
Island hopping is also available to some of Langkawi's 100 or so islets. The three most popular are Pulau Singa with its animal sanctuary, Pulau Beras Basah, home to some of the best flora and fauna, and Pulua Dayang Bunting with its freshwater Lake of the Pregnant Lady.
Further afield is the marine sanctuary at Pulau Payar, 45 minutes away by catamaran. The sanctuary offers reasonable diving.
EVENTS
The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) is probably the island's biggest event. The air show runs alternate years around November / December a time when hotels get booked solid. The island also hosts sporting events like Ironman Triathlon, Le Tour de Langkawi cycle race and the Langkawi Royal International Regatta.
In addition there are small festivals over the year. Generally though, the only time the island does get buzzing is during school and public holidays when Malays soak it up on the beach.
CYBER LANGKAWI
Internet connections are available at most of the hotels. The more expensive properties generally offer a free service whereas others charge. Rates are higher than the various Internet shops around Pantai Cenang and Kuah.
If you have your own computer most hotels offer ports in the rooms but it is often cheaper to use the Internet service provided.
Langkawi
