Malaysia 1998 Part 4:Langkawi

We travelled from Penang to Langkawi by ferry which took about 2 hours and cost around £20 return. Langkawi and Malaysia were preparing for the Commonwealth games later that year so they were getting ready for the influx of visitors. Langkawi is about the same size as Jersey in the Channel Islands and is made up of 99 Islands separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Malacca. Langkawi has replaced Penang as the duty free shopping Port, specialising in electrical items, perfumes and cosmetics.

We had booked into the Datai 5* Luxury Hotel as having booked in advance, we got a very good rate. (Langkawi was not as popular when I first went as it is now so everything was a lot cheaper!!!!), however my cousins and their children came with us to Langkawi and they had not booked in anywhere, but the Datai was full so I decided to stay in an alternative Hotel with them. The Datai is on the southern tip of the Island so it is a little out of the way. We were only in Langkawi for 2 nights so decided to try and do as much as we could in the short time. There were 8 of us all together and the Hotel recommended that we try and book a mini bus for the day and agree a price as it may work out cheaper than all paying for separate tours.

We ended up hiring a 8 seater minibus and driver for the day, I think it cost us about £10 per person and he would take us wherever we wanted to go all day and act as our guide. It was good as he also told us the best things to do. The first place we visited was Eagle Square which is the first landmark you see when arriving in Langkawi by boat. The square has Duty Free shops, restaurants and scenic ponds among other attractions.

Next we headed to Langkawi Crocodile Farm at Kubank Badak. There are daily shows and you can watch feeding. After the crocodile farm we went to Tanjung Rhu beach, which could rival any Caribbean Beach, and it was deserted. From the beach, you can take a short boat ride to Gua Cherita caves or Caves of Legends as they are known. The beach and caves are definitely a must see when visiting Langkawi.

The caves have small sandy areas around them which if you want to be totally secluded, you could use as your own private beach. Because Langkawi is small, you can get around the Island in about 3 hours. Other things you might like to do, which we never got time to is to ride a cable car up to Mount Mat Cincang which is Langkawi's second highest peak. You can ride the cable car from The Oriental Village which is in the Upper Northwest of Langkawi. It does get cool up the mountain, so I would recommend a jumper.

There are also waterfalls that you can visit such as Telaga Tujuh. Air Terjun Temurun and Durian Perangin Falls. The best time to see the falls in full flow is towards the end of the year when there is more rain. There are restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets in Langkawi from Barbies on the beach to seafood restaurants, whatever your taste, you will find something to suit.

For all the budding golfers, there are three 18 hole Golf Courses on Langkawi, said to have some of the most spectacular views in Asia.
If luxury Spa is your thing, Langkawi has plenty in most of the large resort hotels. There are lots of other activities to do in Langkawi if you get bored sunbathing of or shopping such as diving, horseriding and sailing. Langkawi as I mentioned earlier is a duty free tax haven for shopping and has lots of shops and Malls. You can buy designer clothes, electrical items and cosmetics among other things a lot cheaper than on the mainland. You can also buy local handicrafts. Tobacco and alcohol a lot cheaper.

The only advice I would give is to check how much you can buy as there are restrictions as to how much you can take back with you. Langkawi also has its fair share of nightlife with lots of pubs, bistros and nightclubs, dotted around the Island. The main resorts on Langkawi are Kuah, Pantain Cenang, and Pantai Kok. It easy to get around the Island either by hiring a car, taxi or motorbike. There are buses, but they are not very regular or frequent so I would not really recommend this. There are tours that you can book if you fancy exploring further afield such as Marine, Yacht and Islands Tours. I think that Langkawi is a fabulous Island to visit and has everything that anybody could want. It is also very cheap and a lot easier now to get to, as it has its own international airport with daily flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Penang. We had to get the ferry back to Penang to catch our flight to Singapore as there was no airport when we were there.

The weather is nice all the year round, but the wettest months are July to Mid September. The currency is Ringgit, but some places will accept foreign currency. The official language is Malaysian, but English is widely spoken. Throughout the year Langkawi hosts various festivals including golf tournaments, Jazz Festivals and Fishing tournaments, so I would check details before booking to make sure that you can get booked into accommodation as it can get very busy.

Coming Soon...Singapore and Sentosa Island