Professional Documents
Culture Documents
5 STAR HOTELS
Star Rating Location
Over the years, with encouragement from the Federal Government, the island has now been
transformed into one of the more exclusive resort destination in Asia for leisure travellers and
convention organisers.
Langkawi Island Tour Packages (Per person basis)
Duration Tours Price / person
RM 150.00 (Adult)
1/2 d Half Day Eagle Feeding & Mangrove Jungle Tour
RM 110.00 (Child 3-12 yrs)
RM 75.00 (Adult)
1/2 d Langkawi Island Hopping Tour
RM 65.00 (Child 3-12 yrs)
RM 150.00 (Adult)
1d Full Day Pulau Payar Marine Park Snorkeling Trip
RM 110.00 (Child 3-12 yrs)
Pulau Payar Marine Park Snorkeling & Underwater RM 250.00 (Adult)
1d
World RM 160.00 (Child 3-12 yrs)
RM 240.00 (Adult)
1d Mangrove Expedition Tours
RM 170.00 (Child 3-12 yrs)
** airfare may not be included for tours that include flight ticket.
**Any request/reservation, please contact us with complete details such as full names, number of
travellers, dates of tour, your hotel name and any other relevant information. As a Malaysia hotel
and tours specialist, we assured that your holiday plan is well planned for your maximum enjoyment.
Introduction
Pulau Langkawi... Gentle breezes ripple the waves as they reflect the
rays of the sun; nearby, the majestic red eagle spreads its wings,
ready to fly as high and as far as the eye can see. Today, at the
beginning of the new millennium, Pulau Langkawi, like its namesake -
the eagle, is set to soar to greater heights and new-found fame.
There is also the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace show or more popularly known as LIMA,
held every year around November. Visitors to Pulau Langkawi during LIMA are naturally drawn by the
opportunity to see the congregation of flying machines which have fascinated mankind since time
immemorial. They simply cannot resist the temptation of being able to witness the flying stunts of pilots,
both military or otherwise. The island also beckons with promises of lazy sun-soaked days at the beach
with the waves lapping at one's feet, not to mention the intriguing legends that abound in Langkawi.
The three western bays - Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah and Pantai Kok
- are the most commercialised as they are the main beaches of
Langkawi island. Pantai Cenang is by far the most popular one with its
wide choice of comfortable accommodation at reasonable prices and its numerous restaurants and eateries.
That is not to say that there aren't any luxurious and expensive hotels there - there are indeed, and there
is something to suit almost everyone.
Langkawi, in its original form is very pleasant. It boasts of pristine beauty; a mountainous inland with
limestone outcrops, the vivid green of its vegetation contrasts greatly with the white sands of its beaches
and the inviting blue-green waters just beckons to visitors.
In a sense, Pulau Langkawi seems to have experienced a complete reversal in its fortunes - it is today an
extremely popular holiday retreat amongst wealthy tourists. This is very evident in the fact that the newest
area being developed, Datai Bay, or Teluk Datai to locals, and Tanjung Rhu, caters to every comfort that
the rich and affluent could wish for in a holiday - luxury amidst nature.
Visitors to Pulau Langkawi may be caught off-guard by its rusticity and slow pace of life. Most of its
inhabitants still retain their traditional ways of living - going to sea and reaping their hard-earned harvest
from the ground. At present, it is not as well developed as Penang, another popular tourist destination in
the northern region of Malaysia, although it is larger. In fact, Pulau Langkawi is almost as big as Singapore,
Malaysia's neighbour down south.
Pulau Langkawi's past is said to have controlled its destiny for the last two hundred
years or so. It is widely believed that its present underdeveloped state was brought about by the curse of
an innocent woman, lusted after by a man and envied by his wife. This is the legend that is Pulau
Langkawi.
The Pulau Langkawi of old is all padi fields, kampung (village) style living, complete
with laidback atmosphere, bullock carts and dirt roads. It is also of fascinating plants
and creatures, beautiful beaches, fishermen and stagnant development. It was only
when Malaysia's first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj, (who
was also a member of the Kedah royal family), served as a District Officer in Kedah
that Langkawi started on its long road to modernisation and growth. The island then
captured the imagination of the current Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir
Mohammad, with its charm, history and potential as a tourist destination. After
becoming Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir, who had served in Pulau Langkawi as a young
doctor, proceeded to actively develop Pulau Langkawi together with the Kedah
government and there are plans to turn Pulau Langkawi into a premier tourist
destination in Malaysia.
The Pulau Langkawi of today boasts of many modern amenities and infrastructure while
still retaining its traditional facade. World class resorts and golf courses have been built
alongside the more traditional accommodation of chalets and resthouses. An airport
services tourists with direct flights to the island, and as for sailing enthusiasts or the
affluent who own luxury yachts, Pulau Langkawi has a marina where they can park their boats when not in
use.
Other new tourist attractions include the Eagle Square, the Pulau Langkawi International Book Village and
several theme parks.
Of A Woman Wronged…
Once upon a time, there lived in Pulau Langkawi, a childless couple,
Pandak Maya and Mak Andam, who prayed for a child. Their prayers were
answered when they had Mahsuri, a sweet delightful child who grew into
a beautiful young woman. Being such a beauty, she had many suitors but
she soon married a warrior in her village. Their idyllic lives were disrupted
when her husband went off to defend their village against attackers. A
travelling poet arrived at the village and Mahsuri was said to have allowed
him to stay at her house. This soon gave rise to the vicious gossip that
Mahsuri was a faithless wife.
Another version claims that Mahsuri's mother-in-law was jealous of her while others say that a
spurned suitor was behind the treachery. Yet another version says that the village headman was so
enamoured of Mahsuri, that he tried to make full use of her husband's absence to his advantage.
Needless to say, his wife was not amused and plotted to have Mahsuri punished and done away with.
Hence, she accused Mahsuri of being an adulteress, an offense puniDespite her parents' pleas and
the cries of her child at her skirts, Mahsuri was dragged away and tied to a tree. Vehemently
protesting her innocence, she begged for mercy, but the villagers, under the influence of the
headman's wife, gave her no quarter. The people really should have believed her when all the spears
that they threw at her fell harmlessly at her feet. They were baffled but still convinced that Mahsuri
was guilty of wrong-doing. They would not release her no matter what. shable by death.
Finally, Mahsuri, having resigned herself that only her death would appease them, told them how
they could kill her. She would only die by the blade of the ceremonial sword kept at her home.
Someone was sent to fetch it and legend has it that the sky became overcast and there was thunder
and lightning as Mahsuri was fatally stabbed. It is said that Mahsuri bled white blood, symbolising her
innocence and purity, and with her dying breath, she laid a curse on Pulau Langkawi and its
inhabitants, proclaiming that they would know no prosperity nor progress for seven generations.
Soon after her death, Pulau Langkawi was attacked by the Siamese. To
prevent the invaders from getting the upper hand, the villagers poisoned
their wells and burnt their padi fields, which effectively put an end to
their food supply and means of income for the coming year. The evidence
of this burning can still be seen today, two hundred years later, as
charred and blackened rice grains surface from the ground especially
after it rains heavily. Do you not think it strange that the rice grains have
not turned into soil after so long? Some things have to be seen or
experienced first-hand to be believed.
Once, there were two influential families in Pulau Langkawi and they were all set to become even
more powerful when their children decided to get married. However, during the celebrations, there
was a disagreement; things got rough and literally out of hand, when they started fighting and
throwing things. As it was supposed to be a wedding celebration after all, it would not have been
surprising that there were no weapons. So the clans used whatever they could get their hands on and
that meant the food and crockery. Each flung whatever they could at the other.
As a result, visitors to Pulau Langkawi today get to visit the main town of Kuah, which is Malay for
gravy. This is where the gravy was believed to have been spilled and where it seeped into the ground,
Kisap (seep) is the name of the place. Where the hot water was believed to have splashed, there
spouted hot springs and was subsequently named Telaga Air Hangat, literally, Hot Water Wells and no
prizes for guessing that there is a place named for all that broken crockery - Belanga Pecah. As for
the two patriachs who started this ancient food fight, they have been turned into two of the island's
major mountains so that they can always see the results of how their rashness had scarred the
unmarked beauty of Pulau Langkawi.
Pulau Dayang Bunting also has a legend about fairies. On this island, there is a beautiful lake, with
tranquil waters, often hidden from view by thick foliage and the lack of a good guide - its existence
lost to humankind until fairly recently. The local people had long known of its existence but could not
find their way there. Surrounded by lush tropical forests, the silence broken by the occasional sounds
from the exotic birds that live there, this lake is reputed to have been the bathing spot for a fairy
princess and her handmaidens.
Unable to resist the lure of the clear inviting water, the princess would
descend from her home and bathe there with her retinue. One day, a
villager - a mortal man - chanced upon them and promptly fell in love
with the princess. After they left, he watched and waited for them to
return. When they finally came back, he hid in the undergrowth and
when they were safely in the water, he took the princess' discarded
clothes and hid them. Naturally, she couldn't return to her home and
agreed to marry the man. Then one day, she discovered her husband's
deception and heart-broken, she left him. But before returning to her world, she went to the lake
once more and blessed it, saying that any woman who wanted a child could get her wish fulfilled
after drinking water from the lake.
This legend gained credence when it was said that a couple, childless after almost twenty years of
marriage and not for lack of trying, drank from the lake. Only then did they have their prayers
answered. They had a baby girl.
Today, a white crocodile is said to be living in the lake. It is indeed a very lucky person who manages
to get a glimpse of it for it is hardly ever seen. Guardian spirit or a real albino crocodile, no one is
able to say for sure but many believe in the authenticity of this legend that has brought many a
despairing couple to its banks, who have put their faith in the good-will of a broken-hearted fairy
princess who had loved the lake and who has given Pulau Langkawi another legendary legacy in Tasik
Dayang Bunting, that is the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden.
By Air
Thanks to the new international airport (04-955 1311) at Kuala Muda, 20 kilometres west of Kuah, visitors
who suffer from seasickness and were not able to experience the natural beauty of Pulau Langkawi are now
able to do so. The airport sees the arrival of domestic flights from the main cities in Malaysia, like Kuala
Lumpur, Penang, Johor Baru and Ipoh while international flights come in from Changi Airport in Singapore
and Kansai Airport in Japan. The airlines that service the Langkawi airport include Malaysia Airlines System
(MAS), Silk Air and Air Asia. There are also many shops at its complex that are worth a look.
A few hundred metres away is a large duty-free complex, where shoppers will be able to get goods free of
tax, and the international convention and exhibition centre where the Pulau Langkawi International
Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition is held every year around November.
By Boat
There are four departure points for visitors who opt to travel by boat or ferry to Pulau Langkawi and they
must make their way to Kuala Perlis in Perlis, Kuala Kedah in Kedah, Georgetown on Penang island while
tourists who are in Thailand will depart from Satun.
Getting Around
In promoting Pulau Langkawi as a green holiday destination, the government has prohibited visitors from
bringing in their own cars and vehicles in an effort to control pollution and traffic congestion. As such,
visitors must rely on taxis, rented cars and motorbikes, bicycles and public transportation. If you are flying
in to Pulau Langkawi and plan to take a taxi to your next destination, it would be helpful to know that you
can pay the driver using a coupon that is on sale at the desk at the airport terminal. As taxis are the most
common form of transportation in Pulau Langkawi, you could end up spending quite a sum on fares alone.
Public Transportation
Public transportation is available in Kuah. There is a bus station in front of the City Bayview Hotel. Buses
ply the route from the jetty to the centre of town and passengers are charged a ringgit each way. The only
other destination of the public buses is Pantai Cenang. A one-way trip is RM1.70 but the buses going to
Pantai Cenang are few and far in between.
Places of Interest
SUMMER PALACE LANGKAWI, situated at Pantai Kok, is one of the
island's latest attractions. In 1999, 20th Century Fox commissioned the
construction of this magnificent and expensive movie set for the making of
the film 'Anna and the King'.Open: 9-00a.m/10.00p.m. (Daily) Admission:
RM3.50 (adult), RM2.00 (child)
Places of Interest
UNDERWATER WORLD Langkawi, a marine showcase featuring both
fresh and salt water fishes and other forms of marine life, is a must-see
attraction. Located at Pantai Cenang, this aquarium features more than
5,000 types of marine life, exhibited in more than 100 tanks of different
sizes. The highlight is a giant tank housing large marine species. Open:
10.00a.m/6.00pm (Daily) Admission: RM18.00 (adult) RM10.00 (child).
KAMPUNG BUKU MALAYSIA in Langkawi is the first and only book village
in South-east Asia. Situated in a rainforest reserve at the foot of Gunung
Raya, the highest peak on the island, the Book Village provides book lovers
a tranquil setting to indulge in their hobby. It is located at Lubuk
SembilanOpen: 9.00a.m/6.00p.m. (Daily) Admission: Free.
Places of Interest
TEMURUN WATERFALL A cool respite awaits nature lovers in a forest
reserve located near to a popular beach, Pantai Pasir Tengkorak in Datai.
TG. RHU BEACH A popular white, sandy beach located in the area of the
same name. Here casuarinas trees align the shoreline. Situated in the north
and 22 km from Kuah town.
BLACK SAND BEACH The interesting feature of this beach is the colour of its
sand, due to tin & mineral deposits. Located in the northern region of the
island.
CAVE OF BATS The home of the Malaysian fruit bats, this cave is located
along the Kilim River and is only accessible by boat. Also houses gigantic
stalactites and stalagmites.
< back
Places of Interest
ORIENTAL VILLAGE A unique & inspiring tourist complex, complete with
an Inn, 4 restaurants & 25 individual duty free shops, the latter offering
original designer labels for the discerning shopper. Situated at the foothills of
mountain Mat Cincang in the north.
Langkawi Cable Car - Station located within Oriental Village. 360 degree
compass platform for easy orientation. Enjoy the fascinating view of the
Andaman Sea and Langkawi Island.
Langkawi Bird Paradise - Discover the exciting world of birds and nature
.... with hundreds of world's rarest and most beautiful birds greeting you as
you stroll through tropical gardens.
Restaurants
Barn Thai Restaurant -
Kg. Belanga Pecah, Mk. Kisap, Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman
Tel: 604-966 6699
Fax: 604: 966 6669
email: barntlgk@tm.net.my
Dataran Lang (lang Square)
37, Jalan Pantai Cenang, Padang Matsirat, Kuah, Langkawi.
Tel:604-955 5000
Fax:604-955 8888
Malay cultural show nightly except Thursday
(7.15PM - 8.30PM)
Thailand Restaurant
411, Kelibang, Kuah, Langkawi.
Tel:604-966 8888 Fax:604-966 1100
Thai cultural show nightly except Thursday
(8.45PM - 9.30PM)
Ferry Rates
Two Way (RM) One Way (RM)
Adult 85 45
Child 55 30
Infant 40 20