Langkawi Island

General information

Langkawi Beach

Langkawi Island (Langkawi, Pulau Langkawi) is located in the north of Malaysia in the archipelago of the same name of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. Both the island and the archipelago are near the maritime border of Malaysia and Thailand (Langkawi on an interactive map of Malaysia). The island is part of the state of Kedah, and is located at a distance of 30 kilometers from the mainland. The maximum length of the island is 30 kilometers. The capital and largest city on the island is Kuah. Of the 99 islands, only 4 of the largest are inhabited.

When tourists talk about Langkawi, most often it means the island of Langkawi, and not the archipelago. It is the most popular island resort on the west coast of mainland Malaysia and rivals Penang in popularity, well ahead of it.

The Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia positions the island as a holiday destination for wealthy tourists, but, fortunately, in practice everything is not quite so. Of course, in Langkawi there are several beaches built up with luxury expensive hotels, where a simple tourist with an average income can not get, and there is nothing much to do there. But still, the main part of the island's beaches, including the most popular beaches of Pantai Chenang and Pantai Tengah, are very affordable, and they are also the most fun places on the island. Even the most budget traveler with a backpack on his back can easily find accommodation for himself, whether it is an inexpensive hotel in Langkawi or a room in a guesthouse. And the prices for food and entertainment here are not prohibitive: everything is very affordable and inexpensive, and alcoholic beverages and cigarettes are generally sold without duties, unlike the rest of Malaysia, where they are very expensive.

Langkawi Beach Panorama

Holidays in Langkawi

Eagle Square

Holidays in Langkawi are primarily beach holidays. The beaches, both on the island of Langkawi and on the neighboring small islands of the archipelago, are very clean and cozy. There are also quite a few secluded beaches. Having settled next to such a beach in a bungalow, for a while you can become the owner of your own beach, or even a small uninhabited island. If you want active entertainment, shopping, delicious food, then this is enough on the island. You will not be bored with idleness here. Of course, Langkawi is no match for the riot of entertainment with legendary Pattaya in Thailand, or even on the scale of street trade with the same Penang, but you can choose to visit cable car and bridge Langkawi, aquarium, crocodile farm, African buffalo farm, fruit the plantation. You can also visit the numerous waterfalls of the island, take a trekking walk in the jungle, and on the beach, in addition to swimming, do water sports (entertainment). And you can go along with the tour or hire a boat yourself to go on an excursion to the nearby islands.

Suspension bridge

The evening can be spent in one of the many restaurants or cafes, tasting traditional Cuisine of Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Chinese cuisine. Unfortunately, the evening will have to end with gatherings in a bar, restaurant or cafe, since there is practically no night entertainment on the island.

No outstanding historical or cultural attractions in Langkawi you will not find. But there are many natural attractions and beauties, tourist attractions and entertainment, so the island will have something to see and do.

There is no public transport on the island. You can rent a motorcycle, a car or just a bicycle and go explore the back streets of the island yourself.

And one small but good gift to the guests of the island is that the whole island is a duty-free zone. Accordingly, prices for many goods, including very expensive alcohol in Malaysia, are low here. You can buy goods without duties in duty-free shops, which are located in all tourist places.

Langkawi weather, tourist seasons

Sunset at Chenang Beach

The island of Langkawi is located in the equatorial climate zone, and throughout the year it is hot and sunny. You can relax here all year round, but in order not to spoil your vacation, you should take into account the presence of high, medium and low seasons:

High season runs from November to march, with the highest peak in January-March. This is the perfect time for a beach holiday, as rain, clouds and wind will not interfere at all. Doges in this period almost never happens, the sea is very calm, without waves.

Mid-season falls in April-August. This is the best time for those who want to save money and get a good rest. At this time, it may rain, the sky is covered with clouds, but all this is short-lived. Bad weather, as a rule, happens in the afternoon, and passes very quickly. Literally in an hour or two there is no trace of the past downpour. What is good in this period, tourists are much less, prices are lower. Some hotels offer discounts of up to 50% of the price in high season!

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

Current Langkawi weather and forecast

Langkawi time

Time in Malaysia and Langkawi is ahead of Moscow +5 hours. Does not translate from winter to summer.

Useful information

Map Of Langkawi

Dutch Fries in Langkawi. The island has a large number of Dutch-free shops. The interior of some of them is more like a souvenir shop or a wholesale warehouse, but the prices and assortment are less than that of airport dry-fries. Before you decide to buy, go around several such stores, since prices in them may vary.

Where are the Dutch free shops in Langkawi? Dutch Fries can be found in any tourist destination, including all beaches. The largest concentration of dry-fries in The Oriental Village (Oriental Village) - more than 30 stores. There are a lot of Duty-Free shops in the Chenang Beach area.

Banks, ATMs, credit cards. most national banks have their branches on the island, and they are located in the city of Quah. In each bank you can find an exchange office and an ATM (supports international plastic cards Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, Maestro). ATMs are also installed at Langkawi Airport, various locations in Kuah, Kuah jetty, Pantai Chenang Beach. Credit cards are accepted in almost all stores and hotels.

Currency exchange, exchange offices in Langkawi. Exchange currency on the island will not be difficult, but the rate here is lower than in Kuala Lumpur or in Penang, so if possible, it is better to take care of currency exchange in advance in KL. Almost any hotel can exchange currency, but at a reduced rate. Also exchange offices are located at the airport, Kuah, Jetty Point Complex (shopping center near the Kuah Jetty, Pantai Chenang, Padang Matsirat, Langkawi Fair. The most favorable exchange rate in the shopping centers of Kuah. In Pantai Chenang, the course is lower, but closer to the Underwater World Aquarium it rises. The difference in the exchange rate in different Langkawi exchangers can reach 5%, so it makes sense not to rush and look for where the rate is more profitable.

Langkawi airport exchange rate. The exchange rate at Langkawi Airport almost does not differ for the worse from the exchange rate at the exchange offices at the resorts. So you can safely change the currency to local money for the first time.

Where can you go snorkeling on the island of Langkawi? To be honest, snorkeling, nowhere. Sandy beaches, constant waves and, accordingly, muddy water. The underwater world is quite poor. For snorkeling you need to swim to the neighboring islands. For this purpose, there are organized excursions for the whole day, and you can also rent a boat.

Swimming at Pantai Pasir Tengkorak Beach. If you go swimming at Pantai Pasir Tengkorak Beach, keep a close eye on your belongings, and it is better to swim in turn. The monkeys living here can easily leave you without a purse or clothes.

Traffic. traffic in Malaysia is left-handed. To quickly cope with the restructuring from right-hand traffic to left-hand traffic, mark with something bright and noticeable, such as tape, the right part of the steering wheel of a motorcycle or the dashboard of a car, and always stay on the road on this side.

Snakes on Langkawi. There are indeed some species of venomous snakes on the island, but the chances of encountering a snake even while taking a tour of the island jungle are very low. You can safely go on trekking excursions without fear of meeting them.

Gas stations and petrol in Langkawi. 1 liter of gasoline in Langkawi costs 2.1 ringgit, which is about 26 rubles. Refueling is not very much so it is better to decide in advance where you will refuel. Where the gas stations are located, you can ask the locals, and they are also marked on free tourist maps that can be taken at the airport, hotels and travel agencies.

Reviews of Langkawi

• Review: April-May 2011. Savages in Malaysia. Part 2. Langkawi
• Review: first trip to Malaysia "for exploration" (October 2011)
• Review of a trip to Malaysia: Langkawi Island 7.01.13