Watch Our “A Day In Langkawi” Exclusive Video Here:

For an island that is largely known for it’s unspoilt beaches and relaxation opportunities, there certainly is a lot to see in Langkawi. While there may not be much in the way of bustling cities, Langkawi offers one or two busy little shopping towns as well as many places to enjoy natural beauty.

Above - Langkawi Offers Some Of The Best Beaches In Malaysia, And Possibly The World

Here are the main things to check out:

Pantai Cenang Beach (’Pantai’ means Beach in the Malay language) – While the picture perfect beaches that are home to some of the five star resorts in Langkawi may be the ones you see in brochures, it’s the beach in Cenang that plays host to the majority. Here in Pantai Cenang there are numerous places to stay and to eat, it’s the most visited public beach in Langkawi. It’s along the Pantai Cenang region that the interesting aquarium, Underwater World is located and it is well worth a trip there to see some of the marine life found in the seas & oceans in South East Asia.

In conjunction with the holidays, Underwater World Aquarium is organizing lots of events till Jan 4th, 2009.  Among them are The Animal Walkabout Program and a snake and magic performance every weekend.  Also the Touch Pools area will be opened to visitors who get the chance to interact live with the marine and freshwater animals.

Your children will have a great time this holiday at Underwater World as there will be special kids activities.  A coloring competition will be organized and free ice cream will be given away.  Catch the aquariums two latest additions - the weedy scorpionfish and the Philippine sea apple cucumber.  For more details and photos, read my page Latest Activities in Malaysia.

Watch our exclusive video on Underwater World below:

Watch sea creatures like the Sea Urchin in the Underwater World Aquarium

…or catch a King Crab nearby!

Near by to underwater world, the Zon Duty Free Shop houses a huge selection of tax free merchandise – you’ll not only find the usual handicrafts and keepsakes, but more sophisticated articles of clothing and more. It’s a great place to visit.

Pantai Cenang is also where you’ll find the largest grouping of establishments offering spa treatments and massages. Typically, these vary in style and substance, and while they are certainly cheaper than most of the five-star spa facilities, they are nowhere near as luxurious.

Of these, “Thai Spa” is one of the most popular, with basic treatments starting for as little as RM40 – the establishment offers a free pick up service from your hotel (ideal if you’re staying at one of the five-star hotels where spa treatments can set you back RM300 and more).

Seven Wells Waterfalls – Hidden within the rainforest, it’s a short but steep hike to get to the Seven Wells Waterfalls. Here you can bathe in the clear waters at the base of the falls – be wary as some of the monkeys here can be quite cheeky. Superb vistas and opportunity for photographs are available here.  Read about the legends about these waterfalls in my page, Langkawi - Legends and Interesting Facts.

Above - The Short Hike To Seven Wells Waterfall Is Worth It

You can picnic at the waterfalls

Kuah Town – This is the capital (main town) of Langkawi and here you’ll find many duty free shops as well as the majority of the banks and money changers in Langkawi. There are also a sprinkling of hotels here, as well as a couple of monuments and places to visit.

The impressive Golden Eagle sits at the very edge of the Kuah Port and also in Kuah is the cultural theme park of Lagenda Langkawi – a well laid out garden that recreates the most famous legends of Langkawi.

Also located at the port is the Jid Al-Hana, a huge building with a golden dome and the Bird Paradise where you can see over a hundred species of local bird life.

If you’re staying at one of the more upscale resorts and are put off by the high prices of tours and day trips, you can get something of a bargain by booking at one of the tour agencies in Kuah. Similarly, you can find comparatively cheap car hire companies in Kuah.

Langkawi Cable Car – The cable car is a must-see, and possibly offers the best views in Langkawi (and possibly even Malaysia). A cable car takes you to the mountain top and there are various vista points to take photographs. The mountain itself is called Gunung Mat Chinchang (’Gunung’ means Mountain in the Malay language), and at the top you can enjoy some snacks and drinks at the snack shop. Many of the views are labeled so you know exactly what you’re looking out over.

Above - Stunning Views Over Langkawi Atop The Langkawi Cable Car Vista Point

Interestingly, the Langkawi cable car has the longest suspension in the world between two cable car stations, and the distance from the bottom to the top is over 2km. The steepness of angle can be as high as a 42 degrees incline – and the highest point that tourists can get to is an impressive 705 metres. The total time taken to get from the base to the very top is around 20 minutes. And aside from the lush uninterrupted jungle (all you see down is thick jungle – no roads at all), the Seven Wells Waterfall is also visible from here. Certain islands belonging to Thailand can also be seen from the viewing points – these are marked clearly for tourists from the vista points (of which there are two).

It’s commonly touted that the temperature at the very top of the cable car is notably cooler (by about 5 degrees) than at the bottom – so you may wish to take along a sweater if you get cold easily. At the top there is a small snack shack where you can enjoy some drinks and sweet or savoury snacks.

Once you finish the cable car experience you can explore the Oriental Village which is a neat mini-town consisting of several quaint souvenir stalls, restaurants and general shops.

Visit Langkawi’s Best Beaches – It’s unthinkable to visit Langkawi without going to some of the island’s most picture perfect beaches. Here are some of the best beaches you’ll want to stroll along at in Langkawi:

Datai Beach – The island’s most gorgeous beach is here, though Datai bay is occupied by the five star hotels of The Andaman and Datai so you may need to visit the hotel’s beach club to get a glimpse of it.

Pantai Pasir Tengkorak – A really secluded beach that is ideal for swimmers.

Pantai Kok - Superb beach area, as good a public swimming place as anywhere on the island

Dayang Bunting Lake – Also known as the Lake Of The Pregnant Maiden, this is an ideal lake for swimming or enjoying some watersports. The water is extremely clear.

Galeria Perdana – This house contains a large collection of awards given to Malaysia’s fourth prime minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed who comes from Kedah, the state in which Langkawi is located.

Gunung Raya – Langkawi’s highest hill point, it takes a bit of a trek to get to the very top but the spectacular scenic views of the island when you get there make it worthwhile.

Lagenda Park – This extensive garden area displays the various legends and folklore of Langkawi.

Kota Mahsuri – The tomb of the maiden, Mahsuri is the attraction here. Her story is one of the many legends of Langkawi. Mahsuri is remembered because she was sentenced to death here for committing adultery (a crime of which she was innocent).

Crocodile Adventureland – Situated within Teluk Datai, Crocodile Adventureland enables you to see live shows including crocodile stunts as well as crocodile feeding. Teluk Datai is also the region where the five-star resorts of Andaman and Datai are situated, and it’s within this area that you’ll find the Temurun Waterfall.

Pantai Kok – Most famously known for the Langkawi cable car experience, Pantai Kok also houses the Telaga Harbour Park where you can sit alongside a waterside café amidst a sea of yatchs.