Stopover of the Month: Langkawi

Langkawi,officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah, is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the
eponymous Pulau Langkawi.

Sheltered by the mountainous backbone of Peninsular Malaysia, Langkawi escapes the northeastern winter monsoon entirely and enjoys sunny skies in winter when the eastern provinces are flooded. Coupled with natural white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage and craggy mountain peaks - but hampered by inaccessibility - the island was at one time touted as "Malaysia's best-kept secret".

The 10,000 hectares of Langkawi and its islands were declared a Geopark by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 2007. Three of the main conservation areas in Langkawi Geopark are Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park and Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest park.(Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake).

Reasons to visit:

Perfect for an iydillic island getaway just before the F1 season resumes its calendar spot in Singapore.

The Langkawi International Airport is one of the 7 international airports in Malaysia and connects the island to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Penang, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Phuket and also Subang. On the island, a main road runs through the whole island. Rental cars and taxis are available in Langkawi.

Verdant greenery arching over crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches, majestic boulders reaching skyward, yawning caves whispering of fables and adventures - welcome to lovely Langkawi!

Climate:

As far as temperature is concerned, there is no “Best Time” to visit the island of Langkawi, although precipitation may be a factor.

Temperatures remain fairly consistent throughout the year on Langkawi. The average high temperatures hover around 90 degrees and the lows drop to only the mid 70’s no matter what month it is. If concerned about the details, on average, the hottest month of the year is February, and the coolest month is October, but these tiny variations are rarely felt.

The rainy season is from September until mid November, during which time on average, there are about two hours of rain per day. An hour of this precipitation usually comes during the night time. Even during rainy season, the mornings are usually filled with sunshine, with the rain coming during overcast afternoons. The mid-season (neither dry nor rainy) is from mid April until August. The mornings are again sunny, but the afternoons can be overcast. The dry season is from mid November until mid April, during which time there is very little rain.

Must See:

The Langkawi Cable Car or Panorama Langkawi Cable Car is one of the major attractions in Langkawi Island, Kedah, Malaysia. It provides an aerial link from near Burau Bay Resort at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, which is also the location of the Langkawi Sky Bridge. The total length is 2.2 km and it was officially opened in 2003.

Langkawi Cable Car is located just north of Telaga Harbour, Pantai Kok, with the entrance within 'Oriental Village' - a theme shopping centre housing in 30 individually designed buildings showcasing Malaysian and Oriental architecture. It is located just north of the Langkawi International Airport, on the north-western coast of the main island of Langkawi. It is just an approximate 40 minutes drive from Kuah town and 15 minutes drive from Langkawi International Airport.

A cafe at the Top Station offers delicious refreshments and unbeatable views with refreshing cool breezes, which allow visitors to enjoy Sunsets at 708m above sea-level.

For the adventurous visitors, a two and a half Kilometre jungle track linking Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) to the Middle and Top Stations has been built to allow visitors a safe and secure hike. Along the trekking route, visitors will observe at first hand the unique change in the flora from the lowland to the top as well as the many species of flora endemic only to the Machincang forest reserve. They will also observe the numerous geological features along the route. A short 20 minutes trekking between the Middle Station and Top Station has also been built for the visitors to explore the valley between the two stations.

The Curve Hanging Bridge is another unique attraction to the Langkawi Cable Car. The bridge is located atop of the Machinchang mountain and forms part of the Gunung Machincang Geo-eco Tourism Park. The sky bridge hangs at about 100m above the ground, swinging out over the landscape to give visitors a unique spatial experience. Measuring 125m in length, the structure ranks among the world’s longest curved suspension bridge.

Why not try?

Visiting stunning beaches? Some of the most popular beaches are Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Burau Bay, Pantai Kok, and Datai Bay.

Pantai Cenang is a picturesque beach with seemingly unending stretches of fine white sand. It has numerous restaurants and bars for evening entertainment, several hosting live music and for watching the sun set. The beach is contoured by tall coconuts and casuarinas. Pantai Tengah is separated from Cenang by a small cape. It too faces the setting sun and is populated more by hotels than bars making it less busy in the evening. Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is the favourite place of migratory birds in Langkawi. Pantai Kok is a peaceful beach with the backdrop of limestone hills. Datai Bay has a combination of forests and sea. The milky beach is backed by lush forest.

Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls aka Seven Wells, located on the Northwest corner of the island, 45 kms from Kuah, walking distance from Oriental village and cable car (10 minutes).  This waterfall is named after the seven natural pools along its path. Legend has it that fairies used to come down to the pools to bathe and frolic. There are 2 viewing areas at Telaga Tujuh. The lower area is at the base of the waterfall and the higher area is where the 7 pools are. You can bathe in the pools and even slide down the slick rock between them. Be warned, to get to the 7 pools, you have to climb 300 steps which can get quite slippery when
wet.

The Summer Palace, (Pantai Kok) was the palace used as the set of the Hollywood film "Anna and the King". The building has now been closed off as it is in a state of disrepair and disintegration and is thus a danger to visitors. Adults RM5, Children RM3.50.

Tours to consider:

• Jet Ski Island Tours or Jet Ski Safari: Breathtaking view touring the islands of Langkawi on a jet ski. You will be given a choice of three different tours. Private tours can be arranged. The tours take approximately 4 hours and leave at 9am ending 1pm. They have pick up service and can depart from Pantai Cenang or Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort.
• Island Hopping Tours: You will be brought to several islands around Langkawi, usually the Pregnant Maiden Island and Pulau Beras Basah. A dive into the cool deep Pregnant Maiden Lake is a must. The tours take 4 hours and leave at 9.30AM and 2.30PM. They have pick-up service and can be booked from any hotel/motel.
• Birdwatching Tours: There are over 200 species of birds on the islands. The best times to watch them are the early mornings or early evenings.
• Kayaking & Swimming Adventure: This is a 4 hour tour. Paddle along the mangrove forest. Opportunities to see kingfishers, sea eagles, kites, plovers, herons, fiddler crabs and mud skippers.
• Jungle Trekking in the Rainforest. 4 hour tour. Pick up from your hotel. Lots of monkeys and birds. Junglewalla also offers tours suitable for families or advanced hikers. Jungle trekking is free if you follow any of the numerous jungle trek routes available throughout Langkawi. The vegetation is not dense and will be a memorable experience.
• Mangrove & Limestone Cruise: The tours lasts for 4 hours. Explore the mangroves forest and the ancient limestone outcrops and rock formations and possibly walking fish, Kingfishers, and Eagles. Prices vary, depending on the quality of the guide as well as the package components. Alternately, you can charter a boat.
• Scuba Diving & Snorkelling: Best around Pulau Payar Marine Park (20km south of Langkawi). There is a viewing platform for relaxation between underwater adventures.
• Helicopter Joyrides: See Langkawi from Aerial View at a very afforable price. A new excitement in Langkawi.

Restaurants:

Practically all resorts have their own restaurants and most tourists choose to eat in, but there are a few other options as well. Be adventurous and strike out on your own to savour the numerous foods at the stalls and restaurants all over Langkawi. Try one of the many seafood restaurants. 

If you choose order seafood or fish, take note if the price is by weight or by a set price for the dish. The unwary can be hit with a much larger bill than expected. Also, beware of restaurants telling you that they only have the bigger size lobsters available, as that is what they tell everyone (a common practice at Coco Beach Restaurant and Palm View Restaurant, at Pantai Cenang). When your lobster or crab is served, you will discover that you will definitely be paying for 900g of shell instead of meat! To counter this, order fish, squid and prawns to be safe.

Nam Restaurant (tel. 04/955-6787), is considered the best restaurant on Langkawi and perhaps in all of Malaysia. Located within the small and charming Bon Ton Resort, Nam serves "West meets spice" dishes along with an excellent selection of wines and dreamy desserts in a Balinese-inspired setting. Arrive at sunset for predinner drinks, and stay after your meal for drinks at the resort's fun Chin Chin bar. If you're in Kuah town looking for something good to eat,  the best local dining experience can be found at the evening hawker stalls just along the waterfront near the taxi stand.

If you're feeling flush you could try these more expensive options:

• Feast (Sheraton Hotel). International buffet and ala carte menu. A varieties menu from unique local cuisine to western dishes. Choose to dine inside in air-conditioned environment or having your dine at terrace while enjoying the nature environment overlooking the Andaman Sea.
• La Sal at Casa del Mar, (Pantai Cenang, on the beach). As expected on holiday, dining is a relaxed, quality experience at your Home by the Sea. Food offers the best in Modern Asian and Western Cuisine with a focus high quality fresh produce and is served by attentive and friendly staff. The bar offers a wide variety of wine from the old and new worlds. The cocktail list is exciting and innovative with themed cocktails around our magical sunset, pool side relaxation and post dinner period.
• The Light House, (The edge of Pantai Tengah). Fantastic food on the beach wonderful views.
• The Loaf, LOT NO. C9 Perdana Quay (Telaga Harbour Park),closed Thursday. Japanese style bakery & bistro owned by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia. Quality breads and full meals. Amazing view of the harbour and the yachts especially if you have your breakfast al-fresco outside. Attentive staff. Try Tun's Favourite Breakfast set (2 softboiled eggs, a bowl of mutton curry and thick toasted bread) with coffee and orange juice.  Good place to have a leisurely breakfast.
• Mare Blu, (Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour Park). The only authentic Italian restaurant on Langkawi island. The restaurant offers typical Italian food, good wines and draft beer. The Mediterranean style surrounding is just beautiful and the tables are set up right on the waterfront.
• Papadam, (Pantai Cenang, near Underwater World). Indian restaurant that also serves Arabic food.
• Sunsutra, Jalan Teluk Baru (Pantai Tengah). Fine dining restaurant that serves great Western food too. If you're a big fan of lamb, you must try their lamb shank. Tender and full of flavours. Its portion is huge too! Good for someone who wants a hearty meal.
• Unkaizan, Lot395 Jalan Telok Baru Pantai (Near to Awana Porto Malai). Japanese restaurant, with excellent food and wonderful service!