langkawi magazine

Nature SECTION

Langkawi Takes The Leads

The islands abound in lush mangrove forests and unspoilt scenery. Several ecologically-sensitive developments have been taken around the Tanjung Rhu mangrove area. And tucked away amongst the mangrove trees along Sungai Kisap lies the mangrove-friendly Barn Thai Langkawi Restauran, owned by the YTL Corporation.

Built in the heart of an unspoilt mangrove forest, the restaurant was the brainchild of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. This is no ordinary restaurant. Diners reach the restaurant either via a 450m wooden walkway through the forest or by boat from Tanjung Rhu.

This is no ordinary restaurant. Diners reach restaurant either via a 450m wooden walkway through the forest or by boat from Tanjung Rhu. It's unique because this is one development where nature comes first.

`Not a single mangrove tree was distributed during constructuin - the walkway and restaurandt were built around the trees!` enthuses manager Chiam Kah Jiat. `Our staff are encouraged to tell quests about eco-tourism as this ensures that littering does not become a problem.`

Barn Thai Langkawi is an eco-tourism development that other operators should be encouraged to follow. The restaurant has a strict policy on waste removal - nothing is dumped on-site. All rubbish is removed for treatment elsewhere. This policy has paid off and the unsploit environment continues to attract tourists from all around the world.

Langkawi