Snorkeling is best done at Pulau Payar Marine Park. Not far off from where you start are beautiful coral reefs and makes it a lovely place to spend your time. The marine park is extremely popular with tourists who come to snorkel in the calm, shallow waters. Because it gets so busy, Payar Island isn’t the place to go for a serene diving experience – there are too many swimmers! It is the place to go, however, to check out the abundance of tropical reef fish that call the island their home, including colorful angelfish, sergeant majors, butterflyfish, moray eels and stingrays. Baby blacktip sharks skirt around swimmers in the shallow water and it’s not unusual for the odd barracuda to make an appearance. Another great way to experience the marine life is to hire a glass-bottomed boat and circle the island.

Tour The Island

A great way to get around the island is by hiring a car. You can get maps of the island from the tourist information center at Kuah town, Langkawi’s commercial hub. While in Kuah, you can check out the local market and walk around the “Lagenda” park, a 20-hectare park featuring sculptures of all the island’s many legendary figures. A short drive from Kuah is Cenang Beach. Cenang Beach has lots of budget chalets, restaurants and cafes and is very popular with backpackers. Here, you can visit the Underwater World aquarium, the place to go for those who want to take in some marine life without donning a dive mask. Not far away is the shrine of Mahsuri, dedicated to Langkawi’s most famous historical figure. A young lady who lived 200 years ago, Mahsuri was wrongly accused of adultery and sentenced to death. It is said that as she lay dying, her blood ran white as proof of her innocence and she laid a curse on the island folk for seven generations. The curse ended, coincidentally, with the development of the island in the 1980s. Near the shrine is a traditional Malay village and a botanical garden, both worth a visit.

Swimming

The best place for swimming is Tanjung Rhu Beach. This is because it is perhaps the best coast line in this area with long stretches of white sand and shady areas provided by lines of casuarina trees. In addition to the Tanjung Rhu Beach, there are the Pantai Kok and Pantai Teluk Burau beaches. These are both 25 km from Kuah Town. These two beaches are very attractive and ideal for swimming because of their moderate to calm waters.

Langkawi Cable Car

A recent addition to Langkawi is the Swiss-made cable car system. These are really exciting and recommended for you as well. Visitors can take the cable car ride up the mountain and get a magnificent view of Langkawi and the surrounding islands. At the Oriental Village, you may have cable car rides inside the bubble-shaped cable cars. These take you for a 2.2km ride up the mountainside. The angle of inclination is set at 42 degrees approximately. On reaching Gunung Macincang at 708 metres, you have the best of the surrounding areas. Southern Thailand and mainland Malaysia are visible from the lookout point at the summit. Another cable car ride takes you to the next mountain top. There’s also a drop-off point for a jungle trek.

Shopping in Langkawi

Identified as a duty- free shopping zone for shop-lovers Langkawi is next to heaven. The shops decorate with its vast array of imported goods offers for its customers wide options for selecting the best for them. Most of the shopping establishments are stationed around the central commercial area.

Underwater World Langkawi

This is another major attraction of Langkawi. The underwater world has a collection of more than 5,000 species of fish and marine life. The walk-through is a 15-meter one through a tempered glass tunnel. It is through this tunnel that you can see the aquarium, and the tunnel itself leads you to a duty free shop and even a restaurant. So, going to see the aquarium means that you will get a lot more to enjoy. Also, around a hundred meters towards the north is the ‘Rice Museum’ with mini golf-courses.

Take A Boat To A Nearby Island

The mystical Island of the Pregnant Maiden is a 15-minute boat ride from Langkawi. It’s a spectacular setting, with a huge limestone hill in the middle of the island rising high above a dense rainforest. A strenuous hike and an equally tough uphill climb takes visitors to the Cave of the Banshee, which locals believe is haunted by a spirit who lures people to the cave and, like a tropical version of Dracula, sucks their blood. There are no stalactites and stalagmites in the cave but there are thousands of bats. There is also a large freshwater lake on the island which is a good place to swim. Also, if you happen to be trying for a baby, take a swig of lake water, which is reputed to possess magical qualities and endow fertility to those in need!

Trekking To Caves

Traveling to Gua Cerita (Cave of Stories) is recommended because it has some history behind it that is interesting. The aborigines had occupied this place many years ago and have left their signatures behind. In addition to this being a fascinating trace of their occupancy, the signs that the aborigines left behind include the fact that it shares resemblance to the holy verses of the Koran. However, they are not clear enough to read, and therefore cannot be confirmed as holy verses.
In addition to the Gua Cerita, there is also the Gua Kelawar also known as the (Cave of Bats). It is located in the mangrove swamp around the Kilim River. A boat ride would be required to take you down there, and this takes about an hour. On the way there, you will get to see some wonderful limestone cliffs and hills.

Go Birdwatching

Langkawi is a great destination for birdwatching both for the indigenous bird species and the migratory birds who flock to the island from September to March. Gunung Raya, the forest reserve at the center of the island and the mangrove swamps on the coast are good places to look for birds. Some birds to spot include the Sooty Tern and other tern species, the Purple Heron, the Brahminy Kite and the Sea Eagle.

Nightlife in Langkawi

The bars and the night clubs of Langkawi is an inseparable part of Langkawi. The innumerable music clubs and bars are there to rock you. The Charlie's Place Restaurant and Bar, the Coco Jam Fun Pub & Disco are among the few reputed ones.

Sports in Langkawi

The long list of sports activities that Langkawi has in store for you are sure to provide you an unlimited scope of fun. Swing your golf clubs at the Datai golf course or have a ride on the impressive horses back. In addition to these the waters of Langkawi welcomes you to have a sail. Located around the islands the calm waters, the gentle breezes offer for one a perfect sailing condition.

Golf Clubs in Langkawi

Golf courses of Langkawi are a prime attraction for tourists. Langkawi has three main golf courses namely the Golf Club Datai Bay, the Gunung Raya Golf Resort and the Langkawi Golf Club. All the courses are of international standard and offers its players with highest customer-satisfaction range

Buy Traditional Crafts

Spend a few hours shopping for souvenirs in Langkawi. The Langkawi Craft and Cultural Center is a good place to buy traditional batik fabrics, wood and marble ornaments, paintings and other crafts. The center also displays the work of local artisans.

Try Canopy Trekking

Langkawi is one of the very few places in the world that offers this obscure sport. To canopy trek you need to abseil, climb, rappel and glide over treetops on a cable system 100 feet above the ground. The canopy trail in Langkawi was developed by a German expatriate with the help of the local forestry department. The sport is physically and psychologically demanding but the feeling of gliding from tree to tree and rappelling down is too exhilarating to miss.

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