langkawi magazine
Reviews SECTION
Beautiful and Scenic View Holiday Villa
Langkawi Island is one of the well known islands of Malaysia. It is also known as the island of legand because of the folklores and tales that has been passed down for centuries revolving places on the Langkawi. Langkawi is actually not just one island, but is made up of a group of 99 tropical islands lying off the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is located about 30km from Kuala Perlis and 51km from Kuala Kedah on the mainland. The island is approximately 55 minute flight from the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Langkawi international airport is small but has excellent service in my personal opinion.
Langkawi derived its name from `helang` which means eagle in Malay language; and kawi, meaning reddish brown. The 99 islands of Langkawi was famously known by the Malaysians to have been cursed by a fair maiden when wrongly accused and then executed cruelly. Today, the islands are free from the curse and is has been turned into a true vacation hideaway for the locals and international tourists alike.
There are many hotels in Langkawi. Most have pretty high standards and good service because they are mostly owned by the top international hotel chains. The place that I had stayed was Holiday Villa Langkawi. It is situated southwest part of the island, known as Pantai Tengah (or Middle Island.
The location of the hotel and resort could not have been better. There are great choices of rooms, ranging between 77 USD to 100 USD per night depending on seasons. The resort has nice amnesties and service. There are outdoor jacuzzis and pools, but most would probably just run out to the sandy beach which is practically less than 5 minutes away. The scenery is spectacular from most rooms.
The resort is about 15 minutes from the airport by taxi or rented cars, and 20 minutes away from downtown. There are services on the beach that offers tours and island hopping by boats. Food is not a problem as the resort has 24 dining restaurant that offers both local, eastern and western cruisines.
There are no formal taxi services in town, as most are called hired cars, that give a general quote depending on distance traveled. The locals are generally friendly. It is not hard to get addicted to shopping when one travels on the island. There are however very few banks around, and they are located in the downtown area.
US dollars are widely accepted at most stores, but it is good to use local currencies. It is reminded that one should exchange all Malaysian currencies back to their own currency before leaving Malaysia. Malaysian currency can only be used in the country itself.
Overall, my stay in the hotel was great. The staff were helpful and friendly. They love tourists, and because tipping is not a well known habit for most Malaysian (or South Eastern nations in general), one will realize that the staff were more sincere here than those of the hotels in the west.
Recommended: Yes
Rooms: Good
Quality of Service: Good
Location: Very Good
Pros: The location is excellent, and service is worth the money paid.
Cons: Monsoon seasons bring in the wave and rain; so plan trips ahead of time.
The Bottom Line: Great island with lots of adventure. The hotel is of moderate and affordable price with good service.
Langkawi 27/05/2004
