Langkawi: The jewel in Malaysia's tourism crown
WITH its pristine beaches and turquoise waters, Langkawi is one of the most famous island destinations in Asia. In fact, the island's official name is Langkawi Permata Kedah, which translates into Jewel of Kedah. Kedah being a state on the west coast of Malaysia along the country's border with Thailand.
Geographically speaking, Langkawi is actually an archipelago of 104 islands. It is interesting to note, however, that the vast majority of these islands disappear under water during high tide.
Another bit of interesting trivia is that the smallest of these islands are only a few square meters. The largest though is Langkawi Island, which covers about 320 square kilometers and is home to a population of 65,000.
Alluring attractions
Langkawi has a lot to offer visitors, but it's the virgin sand beaches and crystal-clear seas that rightly get the most attention. There are plenty of upscale resorts on the island, where guests can indulge in unbridled luxury and get access to private beaches like Burau Bay and Pantai Kok.
The popular beach of Pantai Cenang boasts numerous eateries and is easily accessible by taxi. Lines of casuarinas trees and endless vistas on Burau Bay beckon guests to never leave. Burau Bay faces both east and west, so you can catch your shares of both the glorious sunrise and the mellifluous sunset.
In Langkawi, the prime attraction is the Sky Cable that takes visitors to the peaks of the Machinchang Mountains. These mountains are described as the “birthplace of Malaysia” and were formed about 550 years ago.
The starting point of the Sky Cable ride that takes you to the famed Sky Bridge is itself located in a place called the Oriental Village. Also in the Oriental Village are shopping outlets, spas, tattoo artists, shows, games, palmistry, animal exhibits, elephant rides and much more.
On the cable car, riders can have their choice of various cable cars and gondolas. Most of gondolas have an opaque base, while others have a glass bottom that lets you see the magnificent views below.
There are fewer glass-floored gondolas, so waiting for one could take a long time — but it's worth it for the views.
From the base station in the Oriental Village to the Sky Bridge is an exhilarating journey of 700 meters above sea level with views that left me speechless. I was enchanted by sights on the 120 meters long and 1.8 meters wide Sky Bridge, which afforded views of the rainforest, cliffs, mountains and the magnificent Seven Wells Waterfalls.
For the romantics at heart, you can tie a “love lock” on the Sky Bridge and seal your love forever. Before the Sky Bridge is a walking trail into the rainforest which I was adventurous enough to take on and was duly rewarded by the sights and sounds of the Malaysian rainforests.
Flora and fauna
The famed mangrove and island hopping tours in Langkawi take you to the Kilim Geoforest Park, home to the Kilim River. My mangrove tour started on a booming powerboat that took us down the deep, silted river through a mysterious, entangled mangrove forest.
Eagle and fish feeding are the other attractions of both such tours. While eagles flock to eat food thrown at them from the powerboat, the fish you feed from your own hands.
Next on the mangrove tour was a visit to a cave, where, armed with a flashlight, I saw hundreds of bats hanging upside down from the cave roof.
I also recommend the Langkawi Wildlife Park and Bird Paradise, where visitors can enter enclosures to interact with colorful and cuddly animals, including rabbits, parakeets and ostriches.
Langkawi is the first and only officially endorsed geological park by UNESCO in South East Asia. It's also a haven for shoppers, with duty-free shopping available throughout the island.
