Langkawi Island (Malaysia): Complete Resort Guide

Currency exchange, cards and ATMs on Langkawi

On Langkawi, bank cards are in use, you can pay in many places. UnionPay cards from Russian banks work, but they are not widely accepted – you can only pay at isolated points. For example, we were able to pay only at the duty-free in Cenang Mall and at one of the cafes on the main street; elsewhere, they ask for cash or Mastercard/Visa. Local e-wallets and QR code payments are widespread, but they are not yet available to foreign tourists.

The situation with withdrawing cash from ATMs is much better. UnionPay cards work almost everywhere, there are many ATMs. What's great is that ATMs, at least Maybank and CIMB, do not charge any fees on their side – that is, there will only be a fee from the bank that issued the card. We did the math, and it turns out that withdrawing from a card is even more profitable than exchanging cash (via dollars or euros), since the exchange rate here is so-so. The main thing is not to withdraw from Euronet ATMs, they have a large fee. It is also important to withdraw large amounts at a time to minimize your bank's fixed fees. We discussed this in detail in a separate instruction on money and bank cards here: Money in Malaysia.

Cash is also in use on Langkawi, and you can't do without it in most cases. All payments are only in local ringgit, dollars and euros will not be accepted (except in rare cases privately). Cash can be obtained from ATMs or exchanged.

Exchange offices are available at the airport, at Kuah international port, in Kuah city and in the Cenang and Tengah areas. We drove around and compared rates in different places – here's what we found:

• Airport. Quite a good rate, you can exchange a hundred or two dollars or euros for the first time, and then look for a better one on the spot.
• Kuah Port. The worst rate we encountered. Moreover, the exchange office has limited hours (from 10 AM to 6 PM). If you arrived here on an international flight from Thailand, exchange the minimum. You can exchange baht.
• Kuah city. There are many exchange offices here, and we found the best rate here, but not everywhere. For example, at Langkawi Parade mall, the rate is noticeably lower than on Cenang. The best rate was at two exchange offices on Jalan Pandak Mayah 1 (exchange offices on the map). So if you need to exchange a large sum, we advise you to go here. But don't forget to compare rates in neighboring places on these streets and in Cenang, as things can change.
• Cenang and Tengah. There are exchange offices, but there are fewer than before, many old ones have closed. The rate here is slightly higher than at the airport, but lower than in Kuah. But here it's important to walk around and compare rates at different exchange offices on the main street, as the rate fluctuates a lot. We definitely do not recommend exchanging at Maybank in Cenang Mall – it had the lowest rate.

Backup option near the airport. One kilometer from the airport on Jalan Lapangan Terbang, there are two exchange offices right on the street. Their rate is slightly higher than at the airport (but again, we remind you: you need to compare each time), so if you are light, you can walk to them after arrival from the airport. Here is where they are on the map: exchange offices near the airport.

As for which currency to bring, euros or dollars are best. Yuan is also exchanged, but we calculated – it turned out to be less profitable in the end. You can also exchange pounds, Singapore dollars, Thai baht, and many other currencies at exchange offices. We saw ruble exchange only at the airport, the exchange rate was catastrophic.

Important about dollars: Old series dollars can be exchanged, but not everywhere and at a discount. For example, at one point, the rate for new 100 dollars was 3.58, and for old ones – 3.28 (a difference of 8.4%). At the exchange office near the airport: for new – 3.79, for old – 3.7 (difference 2.37%). Therefore, if you don't have the opportunity to buy new dollars, it's better to take euros – it will be more profitable and you won't have to look for places that accept old series.

Where to eat on Langkawi

Food prices on Langkawi are almost no different from the mainland. In the very center of the tourist area of Cenang, you can eat very economically – a simple everyday dish based on rice or noodles is inexpensive, seafood dishes are more expensive, but still affordable. For a full list of prices for food, drinks, and entertainment, see the section above.

For a quick estimate of the food budget, you can focus on these ranges:

• Budget option – meals in budget cafes: about 12–15 ringgit per person per meal with a drink.
• Comfortable option – seafood dishes, dinner in a restaurant with a view or beer: from 40 ringgit and above.

Considering 3 meals a day plus drinks, snacks and fruit, one person can budget from 50 to 160 ringgit per day depending on appetite and choice of places. If you plan to order exotic seafood (lobsters, crabs), the budget will of course increase.

Now about the places to eat. Generally speaking, you can eat almost everywhere. There are plenty of establishments of different cuisines and types. Mostly represented are local cuisine (Malay + Indonesian), a lot of Indian and Thai, and Chinese. In general, all these cuisines in Malaysia are so intertwined that in one cafe you can try several national cuisines at once.

A special place definitely worth visiting is the Pantai Cenang night market (market on the map). It's like an outdoor food court with many different stationary and mobile cafes, a very atmospheric and very popular place among tourists. The selection of dishes and cuisines is huge, prices are moderate.

Another cool place is the Thursday night market (market on the map). This is just a weekly gastronomic festival where you can try street fast food that you won't find elsewhere.

Another night market operates in Kuah on Wednesdays and Saturdays (market on the map). It is more local, selling everyday goods, but of course, there is also a great food court with inexpensive local dishes and fast food. It is worth visiting even for the atmosphere as an attraction.

If you prefer more sterile conditions for eating, you can go to McDonald's (there are two on Cenang) or KFC. There are also many "civilized" catering establishments on the main street of Cenang and in the Tengah area with normal tables and chairs, full menus, and even bank card payment. Prices in them may be slightly higher than in regular establishments for locals, but acceptable. Just check whether the menu prices include tax and service charge, as some establishments add it to the final bill, resulting in an unpleasant surprise amounting to 10-20 percent of what you ordered.

Finally, a separate category of establishments are restaurants with sea and sunset views. They are especially popular with tourists who travel by rented transport. For example, this includes several cafes on the beach near the airport (cafe on the map), a boat-shaped restaurant Kapal Layar Langkawi (restaurant on the map), or even just food carts in the evenings on the causeway opposite the plane (place on the map). In short, if you are on wheels, you will find many such atmospheric and romantic establishments.

Is a visa needed for Langkawi

The visa regime and entry procedure for Langkawi and Malaysia are extremely simple: For tourists from Russia, no visa is required for 30 days, insurance is optional. Upon entry, they may ask for a return ticket and hotel booking, but usually they don't.

International flights arrive directly to Langkawi, as do international ferries from Thailand. Both have full passport and customs control, everything happens as standard.

But since international flights directly to Langkawi are very limited, in most cases you will get here with a connection via Kuala Lumpur Airport. So you will go through border control there, and arrive in Langkawi on a regular domestic flight without passport control.

At Kuala Lumpur Airport, in the main international terminal KLIA, there are automated passport control gates, located to the right of the regular counters. If you have a new-generation passport (biometric) and have filled out the MDAC, you can go straight to these gates, where the passport is scanned, a photo is taken, and fingerprints are taken, after which you go through the turnstile. All this is done without the involvement of border guards, independently, in a couple of minutes; no stamp is placed in the passport.

Mobile communication and internet on Langkawi and where to buy a SIM card

On Langkawi, cellular communication and internet work excellently, prices are very affordable even by Southeast Asian standards. There are no blocks, all messengers and sites work and open without problems.

You can buy a SIM card right at the airport upon arrival. There are counters of local mobile operators that sell tourist SIM cards at official prices without any "markup". For example, we bought a Tune Talk tourist SIM card at Kuala Lumpur Airport for 30 days with more than 100 GB of data and unlimited calls for only 35 ringgit. It performed excellently throughout our trip, we can recommend it.

If you didn't have time to buy a SIM card at the airport, you can easily buy it at the resort, possibly with a small markup. On the beaches of Pantai Cenang and Tengah, SIM cards are sold in travel agencies and trade shops; you will find them all on the main street. If your hotel is located somewhere isolated, you can go to the airport, the tourist area, or Kuah city for a SIM card.

If your phone supports e-SIM, you can buy a card online and activate it immediately after landing. This is very convenient, and you won't have to exchange currency to buy a SIM card at the airport at an unfavorable rate. You can buy an E-SIM card on the website Trip.com, which accepts Russian cards and SBP.

Finally, in any, even the most run-down hotel, there is Wi-Fi in the rooms and common areas.

Safety on Langkawi

Malaysia as a whole is one of the safest countries in the world. It ranks in the TOP 10 globally and holds third place in safety among Southeast Asian countries after Singapore and Brunei. The difficulties here may only be caused by natural hazards. Here's what you need to know:

• Jellyfish. Yes, jellyfish exist in the waters of Langkawi, and they are dangerous. Fatal cases have occurred, albeit extremely rare. Unfortunately, it's impossible to say unequivocally when the jellyfish season is on Langkawi. The highest number of dangerous jellyfish stings statistically occurred from October to December (but these are isolated cases). The season of nuisance from dangerous and non-dangerous jellyfish is observed from late February to July due to water warming.
• Monkeys. There are many monkeys on Langkawi, and they pose a real threat. Not only do they steal and snatch things (they hunt for food, but may also grab glasses, caps, jewelry, smartphones) or damage vehicles, but they also carry rabies (fatal without immediate treatment). In case of a monkey bite or scratch, seek medical attention immediately. Read our instruction: How to behave around monkeys.
• Insects. Dangerous insects exist. We personally encountered a tick and subsequent infection with borreliosis (Lyme disease). This happened during a hike up a mountain through the jungle, so don't worry too much about it. However, you need to protect yourself from mosquitoes, as they are carriers of malaria and dengue fever. No special protective measures are needed, just repellents and ointments to ward them off, close windows in the room, use air conditioning, use a canopy over the bed if there is no air conditioning.
• Digestive disorders. The probability is high, but not because the food is bad or spoiled, but because it's unfamiliar and spicy.
• Vaccinations. No special vaccinations are required.
• Insurance. Definitely and 100% get insurance, at least with minimal coverage. If you plan to rent a vehicle or engage in active types of entertainment, keep in mind that insurance in tour packages may not cover such activities; it's better to take out an additional policy.

• ☂ Travel insurance on VisitorsCoverage
• ☂ Travel insurance on Insubuy

Hotels and accommodation on Langkawi, where to stay

In general, Langkawi is considered a resort for the rich, and there is not a very large selection of budget accommodation here, compared, for example, to Phuket or Samui in Thailand. Nevertheless, budget accommodation can still be found, but it is better to search and book in advance, especially during the high tourist season (from November to March). In general, it is difficult to find good free rooms on the spot at this time. Also, an influx of vacationers and rising prices occur during weekly weekends and periods of school holidays (see the calendar of holidays and school holidays in Malaysia), when local families with children flock to the island en masse.

The order of prices for accommodation on Langkawi not in peak season is as follows:

• Dorm bed in a hostel – from 30 ringgit
• Room without air conditioning for two – from 60 ringgit
• Room with air conditioning – from 80 ringgit
• Comfortable room with air conditioning and en-suite facilities, pool – from 200 ringgit
• Five-star hotel room – from 600 ringgit

If you are willing to spend a lot of money on a comfortable holiday, you can find very expensive luxurious hotels on Langkawi with their own grounds and beach. The cost of a holiday in a five-star hotel when booking in advance with special offers and discounts will be from 150 dollars per night for a double room.

You can find and book accommodation on Langkawi online, including payment with Russian cards, on these trusted sites:

• Trip.com – the largest selection of options and low prices, our choice in SEA 99% of the time.
• Ostrovok.ru – an old reliable Russian booking system
• Yandex.Travel – here you can save with a subscription and Plus points

When to go to Langkawi: choosing the tourist season

Langkawi Island is located in the equatorial climate zone, and it is hot and sunny all year round. You can relax here all year round, but to avoid ruining your holiday, you should consider the presence of high, medium and low seasons:

High season lasts from November to March, with the peak in January-March. This is the ideal time for a beach holiday, as rain, clouds and wind will not interfere. There is almost no rain during this period, the sea is very calm, without waves.

Medium season falls on April-August. This is the optimal time for those who want to save money and get a good holiday. At this time, rain may occur, the sky may become cloudy, but it is short-lived. Bad weather, as a rule, occurs in the afternoon and passes very quickly. Literally after an hour or two, there is no trace of the past downpour. What is good during this period is that there are significantly fewer tourists and prices are lower. Some hotels offer discounts up to 50% off the high season price!

Low season (rainy season) in September and October. At this time, rains become more frequent. The sky is often overcast. In fact, even at this time you can have a good holiday, you just need to be prepared for the fact that it may rain for several hours every day, and part of the tourist infrastructure closes for repairs and renovation.

* best time to visit;
acceptable time to visit;
not recommended time to visit