The Luxurious Archipelago of Langkawi, Malaysia

The 25 mile long island which lies less than 20 miles off the North West coast of Malaysia across the Straits of Malacca was once thought to be cursed by the dying words of a beautiful maiden executed on trumped up charges of adultery.

Langkawi, she vowed, would not prosper for seven generations and so everything from crop failures to invasion by Siam was blamed on it. The curse was apparently lifted by the birth of her seventh descendent which, rather pragmatically, coincided with the place being given tax free status in 1987.

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LOCATION

Langkawi, on Northwestern shore of Malaysia is an archipelago of Langkawi Islands.

Situated just where the Indian Ocean narrows down into the Straits of Melaka, it was once a heaven for pirates.

CLIMATE

Langkawi falls into the tropical weather zone, but unlike many other parts of Malaysia, it enjoys far more sunshine, dry spells and a stable weather. This is mainly because it is well protected by the Malaysia’s mainland on its east and the Indonesian island Sumatra on its west.

So if you plan to visit Langkawi anytime of the year, you can expect enough sunshine during the day time even during the rainy season. While there may be rains, thunders and even continuous lightning splitting the sky in the evenings and striking the ocean, next morning when you wake up, you will again likely find a bright & clear day.

TRANSPORTATION

There’s no bus service on Langkawi so you have to rely on taxis and rent-a-cars. Next to the KFC opposite Jetty Point in Kuah there’s a taxi service counter, where you purchase taxi vouchers.

Prices are per vehicle not per car, so a four-person or more tag team will save some ringgit.

If coming in by ferry you may be greeted by the ever-so-friendly taxi for hire greeting service. If you choose one of these friendly chaps, be sure and get your ticket before handing any cash over. From the ferry terminal to Kuah a taxi should cost six ringgit and to the International Airport 18, while a taxi to Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah goes for 24 ringgit and to Pantai Kok 40.

Behind KFC, where the ticketing offices are situated, are a number of travel agents arranging motorbike and car rentals, accommodation and sightseeing tours. The latter is hardly necessary since there are many ‘travel’ agencies throughout Langkawi selling exactly the same thing.

For those who do decide to rent their own transport, here are a few things to keep in mind. Most cars or motorbikes around Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah beaches can be hired for as little as 90 ringgit for a car and 30 ringgit for a bike per day.

There are good roads and signs to just about anywhere a road can take you but remember to have your international driving license handy in case you get pulled over at a check point. It would be terrible if you had to pay 300 ringgit as a fine. If you have a good map marked with points of interest together with some good driving skills then there shouldn’t be any problem getting around the island.

WHAT TO SEE

Dataran Lang

One of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions, Dataran Lang, also known as Eagle Square, is a 12 metre-tall sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight is displayed atop an elevated platform.

Located at the southeast corner of Pulau Langkawi, Dataran Lang offers breathtaking views of Kuah Bay, as well as housing beautiful miniature fountains, terraces and bridges – an ideal place for snapping postcard-perfect holiday photos.

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Langkawi Sky Bridge

The Langkawi Sky Bridge, situated at the ‘end’ of the Langkawi Cable Car ride, is a 410ft-long curved pedestrian bridge above Mount Mat Cincang.

Located 2,300ft above sea level, the Sky Bridge offers an exhilarating view of the surrounding rainforests and tiny islands surrounding Langkawi.

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Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls

Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls is billed as Langkawi Island’s most wonderful natural attraction with locals claiming it to be the home of faeries.

Set on Langkawi’s western headlands, its name means Seven Wells Waterfalls, referring to a series of seven connected natural pools fed by seven separate waterfalls in Mount Mat Cincang.

Visitors can enjoy a dip in the cool water or brave the steep climb to the top of the waterfalls.

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Taman Lagenda Langkawi

Located beside the Kuah jetty, Taman Lagenda Langkawi is a beautifully landscaped folklore-themed park.

The open-air ‘garden museum’ faces the Kuah waterfront and has a total of 17 colorful sculptures (with signboards in English) depicting Langkawi legends including legends of heroic giants, mythical birds, evil ogres and beautiful princesses.

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