Langkawi

Hi, Welcome to Langkawai

Langawi is an island of legends and myths, and really is an island of outstanding beauty.

We stayed at Berjaya Langkawi Beach And Spa Resort Hotel, and our room was unbelievable. You can see the view we had from our balcony above. We  had an upgrade which gave us great views across the sea and to wake up to sunshine really did make a good start to our day.  There wasn't a lot to do here touristy wise, but the hotel offered a good selection of activities and tours. We wanted to take a tour and chose the island tour so we would have a good idea of what was about.  If you love scenery then this is the place, but don't expect any luxuries outside of the hotel  ha ha!

Langkawi is a duty-free shopping haven offering a range of local and imported goods for those with a yearn for shopping  (I am saying nothing here) Most of the island's shopping areas can be found in and around Kuah. A good place to start one's shopping spree is the modern Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall, consisting of 100 retail lots housed in a 2-storey building. Its anchor tenant, the Samudra Duty Free Department Store, stocks a wide selection of items such as perfumes and fragrances, cosmetics, leather wear, sports gear, ladies' accessories, confectionery, beer, wines and cigarettes.

We hired a car for one day and took along another couple with us, so at least if we got lost we had another set of eyes to at least try and get us back ( that was our theory anyway).  One of the places I would recommend to visit would be the film set of Anna and the King with Jodie Foster. It was a good couple of hours well spent viewing the costumes and  some of the buildings that were used in the scenes for the summer house.

Other places that really should be visited are Eagle Square and The Batik Village and Underwater World.

Dataran Lang - Eagle Square

The main attraction of the square is the magnificent 12m statue of the reddish brown eagle majestically poised for flight. According to local folklore, Langkawi derived its name from the eagle or "lang" short for "healing". In old Malay "kawi" denotes reddish brown - hence Langkawi means reddish brown eagle! It was baking hot the day we visited this famous landmark and there is no escape from the sun or heat, so be warned.  I have to say though its a spectacular sight and shouldn't be missed. While we were there we were lucky enough to see a scene from a film that was being made with the Eagle as the backdrop, this is one time I (Jan) had to remain quiet.

Fields of Burnt Rice - Padang Matsirat

Executed maiden Mahsuri’s curse was fulfilled when the Siamese invaded in the early 1800s. Part of the local defence strategy was to bury the rice supplies and thwart the invading Thai’s causing them to starve. Unfortunately, the rice was torched in battle. Rice traces can apparently be seen after a downpour but you have to look very hard. If hunting for traces of burnt rice is your thing then by all means give it a visit.. we read about it and decided to pass.

Pantai Kok

On Pantai Kok is an interesting Thai style replica Summer Palace built for the 1999 movie ‘Anna and the King’starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yuen Fatt. Built as the Summer Palace for the Siamese monarch in the story, the structure has since been "recycled" as a tourist attraction. The set houses colourful props and costumes used in the film. The admission charge is a bit steep but the place itself is well maintained and worth a visit. Cultural performances also are carried out at regular intervals here.

Underwater World

Underwater World, is a marine showcase featuring 5000 of both fresh and seawater fish and marine life, it is the latest attraction on the island of Langkawi.  Inside you will find a giant tank housing large species, such as sharks, stingrays, groupers and green turtles.  They drift above your head in a Perspex 15m tunnel, giving a spectacular view of the exhibits.Flash photography is not allowed.  Inside this complex is also a duty free shopping arcade where you can take advantage of duty free wine, spirits and gifts.
 

Air Hangat

Air means  `hot'  Hangat means `water' in Malay

The Air Hangat Village (above) is built on four acres of land about 14 kilometres northwest of Kuah. This modern complex includes a 3-tier hot spring fountain, an 18 metre-long hand carved river stone mural depicting the legends that enshroud this location and souvenir shops. As the legend goes, two feuding families fought to keep their romantically involved son and daughter apart. On that fateful night, the two families hurled not just insults but jugs of gravy and hot water at each other. Suddenly, lighting bolts pierced the skies and the moment was forever frozen as the heads of both families were transformed into two peaks. Today, the spot upon which the gravy landed is called Kuah (or gravy). And where the hot water splashed, hot springs emerged, the exact spot upon which this place was built. Legend or not, the hot spring water is believed to have healing power and can cure ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis as well as rejuvenate the mind and soul. Rick was the only one game enough to try it.

Langkawi Crocodile Farm

It is estimated that the 20-acre farm has more than 1,000 crocodiles, including several rare ones, as well as some alligators. The Langkawi Crocodile Farm, registered with the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES), has conveniently divided its ponds so as to satisfy a whole range of common fascinations of these reptiles. Among them are Periodical Pond, Breeding Pond, Bridge Pond, Feeding Pond, Jumping Pond and Show Pond.  If you visit, look out for 28-year-old Bujang Kawi, the oldest inmate born without teeth. Its length is about four metre while its weight is more than 454 kg.

We did stay around to watch the feeding of the crocodiles but to be honest it wasn't worth hanging around for neither were the displays, but I have no doubt children would see it very different to how we did.

Cable Cars

If you dont have a fear of heights, this is really well worth doing, you will honestly not regret it. The Station is located at The Oriental Village, which was near to where we were staying. It is a must-see attraction where you will enjoy the glide above the rainforest. On the top station, there's two 360 degree platforms for you to enjoy the view of the Andaman Sea from 708m above sea level. The temperature at the top of the mountain is average 4 - 5 Celsius lower than sea level.
 

Oriental Village

If you are looking for a place to eat, I really would advise that you take a walk around the oriental village.  There is every culinary delight you could think of here and they serve meals from lunchtime through to dinner time.