About Langkawi

Langkawi is an extremely beautiful tropical island that is found in Malaysia, on the North East Coast. One great thing about this island is the fact that its natural beauty is one that has remained unspoiled. The island is densely populated with mangroves and rainforests that are confirmed to be millions of years old. What about the surrounding water? They are known to be filled with various types of marine life. During the monsoon season, it remains unaffected and rather maintains its sunny skies while other provinces are flooded.

Formerly, this island remained a sleepy backwater and was even taunted as “Malaysia’s best kept secret”. Why is this so? This stems from the fact that though it had naturally white sand beaches, rough mountain peaks and thriving jungle foliage, it remained inaccessible. All that is in the past now because in 1987, Langkawi was granted a long desired status – tax free status. In 2007, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Langwaki and its surrounding 99 islands a Geopark. All these led to a boom as far as tourism is concerned. Within a short period, this once sleepy backwater island became a popular island that is on almost every travel agency’s tourism radar.

The Route to Langkawi

Several options are available to you if you decide to go to Langkawi. You have the option to fly, drive or even take a train. Should you decide to go there by train, you start off by taking a train from KL Central station to Arau. From there, you take a taxi to Kuala Perlis. An hour journey on a ferry from there takes you to Kuah Town which is on Langkawi Island. It is generally advised that you should book your tickets in advance, especially before any peak period which includes school holidays and Christmas. If you decide to wait till when you want to travel, you might have difficulties in securing a ticket.

It is also advised that you should buy your return ticket the same time to avoid unpleasant situations where your return trip is delayed just because the tickets were all booked out. You can purchase tickets from any of the KTM stations or better still, online. The ticket prices range from RM103 if you desire to use the top bunk and RM95 for the lower bunks. There is also the second class sleeper which is used mostly by those who are traveling alone.

What to do in Langkawi

You have finally arrived in Langkawi, what next? You would surely want to look around and feel and see first hand what the island looks like. There are a lot of activities for you in Langkawi which includes but not limited to scuba diving, jungle trekking and lots more. Firstly, you need to hire a car and get some maps of the island from the island’s tourist information centre located in Kuah town which is known to be the commercial hub of Langkawi. Drive down to the Lagenda park and talk a walk round the 20 hectare park and relish the view of the several sculptures of most of the island’s legends.

Next place to see is the Cenang Beach. This beach is known to host several chalets, cafes and restaurants that are sure to serve your needs no matter how tight on budget you are. Backpackers find this spot very beneficial and interesting. You would also love to try the cable car ride and also cross the hanging bridge. This hanging bridge is 700m high and gives you a broad view of the surrounding islands and Thailand. The list is endless, what with the seven wells waterfall and other tourist attractions.

Where to eat

This brings us to where to eat. It is true that most of the resorts where people lodge have restaurants but the only way you will come to appreciate the island more is when you go out there and savor the sweetness of the various local delicacies prepared in the numerous food stalls and restaurants. Sometimes, the seafood or fish you order is priced by the weight and other times, there is a set price. One of the restaurants where you are sure to get the best of local delicacies is the Nam Restaurant, Pantai Cenang. They offer you an extensive variety of Western and Asian food, especially if you are the adventurous type. They offer several starter combination meals and entrees. Their prices range from RM10 to RM94.

There is also the Kampung Nelayan Restaurant which is located in Kuah. You would need the assistance of the local taxi drivers to locate the restaurant. Be aware that this restaurant is always filled up and you might have to wait a few minutes to get your own table but it is actually worth it because aside from serving great seafood, their food is not expensive. What are you still waiting for? Take that trip today to Langkawi island and savor the goodies the locals are eager to offer you.