Pulau Langkawi It is the largest island of the 99 that form the Langkawi archipelago, northwest of Malaysia. Despite not having very beautiful beaches, in recent years it has become a tourist focus important, especially for the Malays themselves, but also for Chinese, Russian and Japanese. And it is that the mixture between a lush and rural natural environment, rice fields and green hills, with some of the most modern tourist attractions in the country, attract a good number of visitors every year.
But it was not always the case, popular beliefs considered these islands as a cursed place: Legend has it that many years ago there was a young woman named Mahsuri That died tragically. However, before closing his eyes for the last time he launched a curse on the islands that would last 7 generations. Well, coinciding with the end of this curse, the momentum of tourism in Langkawi and the development boom began.
These are the best places you can not miss on your visit to the island:
Sky Cab and Sky Bridge. It is the crown jewel of the island. The Sky cab It is a cable car that runs a distance of 2.2 km and rises more than 700 meters high. At one point it reaches 42º of unevenness, to become one of the steepest cable cars in the world. The final platform is placed on the top of the second highest mountain in Langkawi (Gunung Machinchang), from where there are magnificent views of the Langkawi coast, with small islands in the distance and wild nature around. But before it stops at an intermediate platform, with a beautiful viewpoint. Be careful because sometimes you have to stop due to the strong wind.
Langkawi Skycab
The Sky bridge It is a curved bridge of 125 meters that can be traveled from the upper platform, where the cable car arrives. The views are very cool and the trembling in the legs should be equally remarkable. It can be reached on foot from the platform or by taking theSky glide, a glass cabin that takes about 2 minutes to reach the entrance to the bridge.
Langkawi Skybridge
- Where: These attractions and a lot more are in the Oriental Village, northwest of the island.
- Prices: There is no single ticket for the Sky Cab, but there are different tickets that combine it with other attractions. The cheapest one costs 55 MYR and also gives you the entrance to the SkyDome, the SkyRex and the 3D Art Langkawi. The Sky Bridge costs 5MYR and the Sky Glide 10 MYR can be purchased on the top platform.
- More info: www.panoramalangkawi.com
Seven Wells Waterfall. They are the most impressive waterfalls in Langkawi, they are also a step away from the Oriental Village. Do not forget the swimsuit, here you can take a refreshing bath. In addition you can also do a trekking to climb to the top of the waterfalls, maybe you find the fairies that frequent this site, according to the locals. They are free, motorcycle parking costs 1 MYR. Other waterfalls on the interesting island are: Temurun Waterfall Y Durian Perangin Waterfall. Check out the map at the end of the article to check its locations.
Seven Wells Waterfall
3D Museum (Art in Paradise). It was one of the most pleasant surprises of the island, then we saw that it is not so uncommon and that museums like this are in several places ... but we liked it a lot, it also seems to be the second largest in the world! They are paintings on the walls and floors that, seen in a certain perspective, seem to reach a third dimension. There are signs on the floor in each of the paintings that suggests the exact place to take the photo. Highly recommended! It is in Oriental Village and is included in the ticket of 55 MYR of the Sky Cab, the entrance exclusively to the museum costs 38 MYR.
Langkawi 3D Art in Paradise
Al-hana Mosque and Dataran Lang, in Kuah. If you are going to pass through this city, where ferries arrive from the mainland, you cannot miss its two main attractions. The Al-hana mosque It is the largest in Langkawi and, although not comparable to other more impressive ones in Malaysia, it is a good opportunity to contemplate this style of architecture. You can visit it inside, but always with respect and dressing appropriately.
The Datarn Lan, or also called Eagle Square is one of those pretty geeky statues that Asians like so much. The 12-meter sculpture of a giant eagle ready to take flight leaves no one indifferent! It can be one of the symbols of Langkawi and one of the most photographed places.
Dataran Lang Kuah
Climb to the top of the Gunung Raya. With its 881 meters, it is the highest peak in Langkawi. If you have rented a motillo you can climb up a scenic road, you will enter a tropical rainforest with a lot of different flora and fauna (beware of monkeys) and once you get up, you will enjoy beautiful views of the whole island. If you can come at sunset!
Sunset from the top of the Gunung Raya
Tanjung Rhu Beach. If you are looking for white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and idyllic surroundings, Langkawi is not your place. However, there is a beach that can approximate that idea:Tanjung Rhu Beach. They say it is the best beach on the island, you just have to get there to check it out. Of course, it is not a stone's throw from anywhere, so we advise you to rent a motorcycle and arrive by yourself. There are a few resorts and part of the beach is private, but there is a public access area. Although you can also hire the sunbeds of the hotels and spend a day of sun and water.
Another beach that seems to be quite interesting isDatai beachHowever, it is not accessible. We tried to arrive by motorcycle, but a security guard blocked our way and we had to turn around ... We ended up in the private Pass Tengkorak Beach, quite ugly, but yes, free.
Tanjung Rhu Beach
Pantai Cenang, the backpacker area. It is the area with more atmosphere of Langkawi, with many cheap accommodations, bars and restaurants. It also has the plus of the beach! Of course, it is not a blow, but to sunbathe and cool off is not bad. There is a lot of option for water activities. If you prefer a little more peace, just go a little further south to the beachTengah Beach.
Pantai Cenang Beach
How to get to Langkawi from Malaysia? There are different ports in Malaysia from where you can take a ferry to the port of Kuah, in Langkawi:
- Kuala Perlis: 18RM, 45 min
- Kuala Kedah: 23RM, 1hr 30 min
- Penang: 60RM, 2 hrs 45 min
- Satun (Thailand): 30RM, 1hr 15 min
- More information
Schedules and prices of ferries to Langkawi
How to get to Langkawi from Koh Lipe (Thailand)? Ferries between the island of Koh Lipe (in Thailand) and Langkawi only work between October and June, with different schedules depending on the season. The price is 1,000THB and takes 1hr 30 min. Being two different countries, there is an immigration office in both the port of Koh Lipe and Langkawi.
- More information
How to get to Langkawi by plane? There are several connections with low-cost companies: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang are the most common.
How to get around Langkawi? A good option is to rent a motorcycle, the price is around 20-30RM per day. We also use Grab to move from the airport and take a short tour. From the airport to Pantai Cenang it should not cost more than 12-15RM (if you book it at the taxi counter the price is 20RM). If you arrive by ferry, up to Kuah the price will be about 4-6RM and up to Pantai Cenang about 20-25RM.
We believe that the best option is to stay in the Pantai Cenang area or in the less crowded Pantai Tengah: there are many options for all budgets, restaurants galore, modern cafés and more shabby and beach, of course! But there are also very cool options inside the island, we booked with Airbnb on this site, with a pool and a very good treatment, for less than € 25 per room. You already know that if you make an account with Airbnb from this link you have € 25 discount on your first reservation.
* Photocredit: shutterstock
