Langkawi Attractions
Things to do and places to see in the beautiful islands of Langkawi
Jun 5, 2009
Langkawi, is a cluster of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland of north-western Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah in Malaysia. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.
Getting to Langkawi
You can reach Langkawi by road, rail or air, from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Express ferries provide regular services daily to Langkawi from both Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis. The journey to Langkawi from Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis takes 1 hour 15 minutes and 45 minutes respectively.
The least time consuming way (albeit more expensive) to reach Langkawi are the direct air services from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, provided by Malaysia Airlines on a daily basis and Air Asia five times weekly.
Getting Around
The most convenient way of seeing Langkawi is to hire a self-driven car at the airport itself. You are not even required to pay any deposit against the vehicle!
Things to Do
Beaches: Beaches are the main attraction here – and they come in all forms – white, black, pebble.
1. The Cenang beach (Pantai Cenang) is the most popular beach, where all kinds of water sports can be enjoyed. Snorkelling, para-gliding and island hopping are very popular.
2. Pantai Kok is a grand sweeping bay, situated relatively far. However, the quite serene beach that it offers more than makes up for it. Limestone hills with mysterious caves can be explored here with the help of a guide.
3. Pantai Pasir Hitam or the Black Sand beach, is an unusual beach with a strange colouration. The sand is mixed in white and black shades, giving the illusion of pollution. Actually, on the contrary, rich tin and iron ore deposits wash up on the shore constantly, creating that false idea.
4. Pasir Tengkorak is undoubtedly the most beautiful and serene beach in Langkawi. The white sand feels like a plush carpet and the blue-green water is very inviting.
5. Pantai Pebble is a strange beach containing pebbles of all shapes and sizes.
Shopping: Langkawi is a duty – free shopping paradise.
A majority of the shopping malls in Langkawi is to be found near Kuah. The Shopping Paradise Duty Free Centre near the Underwater World near Cenang Beach is a treasure trove of cigarette, liquor, cosmetics, watches, clothing, accessories, etc. The Saga Shopping Centre and the Jetty Point Shopping Complex are other places worth shopping at. Batik, a type of Malay garment is one of the best cultural handicraft items to pick up here.
Other Attractions:
The Underwater World is a must-see with its leopard sharks, dinosaur fish, corals, penguins, etc.
The Crocodile Farm is an interesting place (and a lovely drive) where you can see how crocodiles are bred.
The Snake Sanctuary is also interesting, and there are many varieties of snakes to view. It is home to a collection of deadly and non-poisonous snakes from all over the world.
The Cable Car Ride is an amazing experience. The base station of the Langkawi Cable Car lies adjacent to the Oriental Village shopping center. The cable car takes an exclusive L-shaped route over the scarp on Mount Machincang and the ancient rainforests offering you one of the world’s steepest slanting rides at 42°. In fact the Langkawi Cable Car boasts a of single rope cable car at 950 meters which is considered of the world’s longest free span.
Langkawi is the perfect holiday spot for singles, couples and families. There are enough things to do and places to see to plan a fun-filled vacation of about 5 days.
