Langkawi Travel GUIDE AND TRAVEL itinerary
Langkawi Travel Guide: Just off the northwest coast of Malaysia, in the Andaman Sea, there’s an archipelago of around a hundred lush and tropical islands showcasing verdant mountains, misty jungles, mango forests, and incredibly beautiful white sand beaches. Langkawi is the main island in this region of just four inhabited islands in this archipelago and it is a natural paradise.
Langkawi is known as ‘the jewel of Keddah’ but the word ‘Langkawi’ means ‘Red Eagle’ for which the island is also famed.
As I write, I’ve just returned from my fourth amazing visit to Langkawi. At around thirty kilometres off the Malaysian mainland it’s an easy commute to the island by ferry using Langkawi Telaga Harbour Marina or by air using Langkawi International Airport (LGK). I highly recommend adding Langkawi to your Malaysian itinerary as there is so much to experience here.
This is my Langkawi Travel Itinerary – so travel with me – and let me be your Langkawi Travel Guide!
Langkawi Travel Guide And Top Itinerary
The first time I visited Langkawi, I’d island-hopped from Thailand all the way down the Andaman Sea to reach the Thai border located on the tiny island of Koh Lipe from where I took a ferry to Langkawi and to enter Malaysia.
The second time I flew to Langkawi directly from the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
The third time I visited – and also most recently when I travelled with my best friend – we flew directly to Langkawi from the neighbouring Malaysian island of Penang with budget airline Air Asia.
Note: Although there used to be a relaxing ferry service between the islands of Penang and Langkawi, sadly, the ferry stopped operating during the pandemic and has yet to resume. But it’s only a convenient 40 minute flight time from Penang to Langkawi and the cost is similar anyway.
HOW LONG TO STAY ON LANGKAWI
Each time I have visited Langkawi I have stayed on the island for around five to seven days to allow for sightseeing and also relaxation. But I believe there’s easily enough to do – or not to do – for a two-week holiday here. Equally, if you are short of time, then don’t hesitate to grab a three-day break or a long weekend and experience the highlights. Langkawi is an island you can dip in and out of because (like me!) you’ll always want to go back.
WHERE TO STAY ON LANGKAWI
I’ve stayed in mid-range hotel accommodation and I’ve also stayed in a motel-style budget accommodation.
I do occasionally like to stay in high-end and luxury hotels and resorts and there are plenty to choose from on Langkawi.
I have always booked my accomodation on Langkawi using Booking Dotcom. Most recently I stayed in the Tengah Beach Area area at Fuuka Villa, which I can highly recommended to you. The area of Tengah Beach is regarded as the nearby quieter sister to the main tourist hub of Cenang Beach.
Fuuka Villa is not set at the beach but a short distance inland and in a quiet spot. There are just a few guest bungalows sited around a nice swimming pool. The accommodation is clean and safe and well appointed with repeat customers and many excellent reviews. The owner and staff are very helpful, friendly, and nice. To be honest, it’s usually booked up well in advance, so you’d be lucky to get in here but it’s always worth a try. Check availability here.
If you are wondering which area is best for you to stay in Langkawi then do read my post Where To Stay In Langkawi.
CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT PLACE TO STAY ON LANGKAWI USING THIS MAP
LANGKAWI ISLAND PRIVATE TOUR
I recall on my very first visit to Langkawi, being unfamiliar with the island and what to see and do while travelling with my late backpacking husband, we booked a private one day tour of the island, which was fantastic. You can certainly explore Langkawi independently by taking Grab taxi’s to all the locations and experiences that I’ll be highlighting to you in this post or you can book a similar private one day tour and have a private driver for a whole day for a very reasonable cost.
WHAT TO DO ON LANGKAWI
LANGKAWI TRAVEL GUIDE AND TOP ITINERARY
Klook.comLANGKAWI SKYCAB CABLE CAR
Langkawi Cable Car: Known as The SkyCab this is currently the world’s steepest cable car ride offering the best scenery in Langkawi. Even if you are a little bit wobbly about heights or cable cars (as I am!) it’s such a fantastic experience that I really believe it’s worth pushing yourself outside your comfort zone to do this.
You’ll take the SkyCab from Base Station and the steep journey in a large and comfortable cable car will whisk you up the Gunung Machinchang Mountain to Top Station and reward you with a birds-eye view over what is claimed to be the birthplace of Malaysia and the oldest rainforest jungle in South East Asia.
At Top Station and you’ll find a viewing platform and 360 degree views of the beautiful mountain range and the archipelago of surrounding islands that lay like an emerald necklace across the Andaman Sea. Here you’ll also find the brand new attraction known as The Eagles Nest.
Find out more about opening times and schedules and how get your SkyCab tickets online to save waiting in line.
THE SKY GLIDE
The Sky Glide: After taking the SkyCab Cable Car to the Top Station you can get to the curved Sky Bridge by walking but it’s a challenging trail with a steep path and lots of steps. I recommend you take the Sky Glide instead, which is a small rail based ‘elevator’ that takes just two minutes to reach the Sky Bridge. You can add the SkyGlide to your online ticket or buy it at Top Station. Find out more about the Sky Glide and buying your ticket online.
LANGKAWI SKY BRIDGE
Langkawi Sky Bridge: The world’s longest curved and free span suspension bridge! The Sky Bridge is a walkway that spans the distance between two jungle covered mountains and is an incredible feat of engineering. The views all around from the bridge are breathtaking and seeing the rainforest and virgin jungle far below you is truly incredible.
To add to the experience there is a glass panel in the floor of the pathway to stand on (or to lay on – watch my video!) so you can really get a feel of the height and the wild jungle terrain beneath you!
THE EAGLES NEST SKYWALK
NEW!!! The Eagles Nest Skywalk has officially now opening to the public. At 38 meters long, 30 metres wide and 645 meters above sea level, this eagle shaped observatory and – Langkawi’s NEWEST attraction – is the longest freestanding cantilevered skywalk in the world! Just my previous visit to Langkawi, this attraction was under construction, and I was excited to return and experience it for myself. Located on a mountain ledge, the Eagles Nest – inspired by Langkawi’s icon, the eagle – gives you the experience of a bird’s eye view and of a ‘sky walk’ on a glass floor above the verdant jungle far below.
Find out more about this incredible attraction from the Official Website and I recommend buying your admission tickets for this experience online from Klook to save waiting in line at Base Station.
SKY BISTRO
Sky Bistro: At the top of the mountain and at 700 metres above sea level, we ate a light lunch at the Sky Bistro, and we were entertained by a cute monkey licking a stolen fork! At this stop off point, I also saw there were ‘love locks’ on the bridge. Love locks are padlocks that couples attach to bridges, fences, or monuments to symbolize unbreakable love. I also saw there was a vendor selling engraved love locks. I decided I’d get one engraved with my name and that of my late husband to leave on the skybridge as we’d visited this bridge the last time we’d travelled together to Langkawi. I locked it in place and now wear the key as a special necklace. You can read more about my most recent visit to Langkawi as part of a three month trip across Asia – Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea – in My Asia Diaries.
TEMURUM WATERFALL
Temurun Waterfall: Temurun Falls on Langkawi is the tallest waterfall on Langkawi. It’s a three tier waterfall situated in the Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park within Langkawi’s UNESCO Global Geopark status and on the northern face of Mount Machinchang.
The Temurun Falls are to be found a short five minute walk on a path from the car park area through lush and ancient rainforest. The cumulative drop of the Temurun Falls is about 200 meters (656 feet) and there are both shallow and deeper bathing pools to enjoy.
The water is clean and cool and fresh so do take a towel and a swimsuit with you. If you want to climb up the tiers do take care as there’s no handrail and to reach the top I’d recommend water shoes to protect your feet from sharp rocks.
Again, watch out for wild macaque monkeys in the rainforest leading up to the falls and up to the upper tiers but be warned that the monkeys can get a bit feisty if you feed them as they’re sure to want more from you. They’re also known to steal so keep a keen eye on your belongings. I was fascinated by the monkeys and thought they were so very cute!
PANTAI CENANG BEACH AT SUNSET
Cenang Beach at Sunset: After a busy day sightseeing it’s wonderful to head back from the mountains and the jungles to Pantai Cenang – Langkawi’s hub and tourist area – with its beautiful 2km white sand beach and its bars, restaurants, souvenir shops, hotels, homestays, and beach resorts. It’s fabulous to sit with a cold drink at a beach bar overlooking the Andaman Sea and to watch the sun go down on a special and truly memorable day on Langkawi.
SUNSET CRUISE PARTY
Our sunset party cruise boat was very nice – a large and well equipped catamaran – and once everyone was on board we set off around the coastline and sailed between the most picturesque rocks and tiny islands in the sea off Langkawi. I booked our sunset cruise with drinks and buffet online with ticket agent Klook. I use Klook often and so highly recommend it to you.
Everyone was enjoying the sea air and the stunning views. The all-inclusive drinks flowed as the crew prepared a delicious BBQ and buffet dinner. Music played. Everybody had fun. We danced on deck and the drinks flowed. Highly recommended!
WHAT TO EAT IN LANGKAWI
The best food in Langkawi is in my own opinion – seafood – and it’s super affordable here. Every times I’ve been to the island, I’ve been sure to eat at restaurants specialising in shellfish and other seafoods. There are street food stalls, small off the street restaurants, and large busy seafood restaurants along the main strip opposite Cenang Beach. All are amazing!
That said, I’ve also eaten fabulous local Malaysian food and delicious Chinese, Thai and Indian food too.
The neighbouring island of Penang might be known as the food capital of Malaysia but Langkawi can hold it’s own when it comes to both local and cosmopolitan cuisine!
LANGKAWI SHOPPING
Interestingly, Langkawi is a duty-free island. This means goods brought into the island are not subject to government tax or import duties and that in turn makes purchases in shops and restaurants on the island less expensive to locals and to tourists than on the mainland.
This special duty-free provision was originally made in 1987 to make Langkawi ‘a shopping haven’ and to attract more Malay tourists. These days, the more affordable nature of the island is also now being appreciated by international tourists.
But as you can see, Langkawi has a lot more to offer visitors than a cheap holiday or vacation.
Is Langkawi on your destination wish-list?
Have you already been to Langkawi?
Let me know? Leave a comment!
