A post about Langkawi, the ‘Jewel of Kedah,’ caught my eye on a travel blog whilst I was in Vietnam. My travel tastebuds were tickled by this oasis of emerald rainforest, aquamarine ocean and alabaster-white beaches. It has to be said that the blogger was staying in the fancy Ritz-Carlton luxury resort and most of the photos were of the hotel and that’s certainly not somewhere my humble travel budget will stretch to for many years (if ever). Nonetheless, I had a Google of things to do in Langkawi and pulled up more photos of this intriguing island.
Once Langkawi dropped onto my radar, Malaysia was planted firmly on my travel wish-list. Oddly, Malaysia isn’t a country I’d heard much about at all before I set off on my travels around Southeast Asia. Odd, because Malaysia is such a diverse country with so much to tempt travellers. Beyond the glossy capital, Kuala Lumpur, you have heaps of beautiful nature to experience. There’s world-class scuba diving in the Perhentian Islands, trekking through some of the oldest rainforests on the planet and wandering among the sweeping tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands. Now I’ve spent four months exploring Malaysia, I’m appalled at my own ignorance about this wonderful country.
A plan to visit Malaysia fell into place after I arranged a 7-week cat sitting assignment in Kuala Lumpur. In Thailand, I realised that I could cross the border onto that alluring green island like a buccaneer from Koh Lipe. Whilst crossing a border by boat sounded like something right out of an Indiana Jones film… it wasn’t.
Anyway, if you came here looking for things to do in Langkawi, here are some of the activities that I’d recommend.
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Tried & Tested:
9 Things to Do in Langkawi
A full week is the perfect amount of time to spend on Langkawi. This will allow you plenty of time to explore the island and try some of the fun outdoor activities but also gives you a chance to chill and enjoy the beaches. However, if you’re on a shorter timeframe then I reckon you can still experience the best of the island with a three-night stay.
Here are a couple of my favourite things to do in Langkawi!
1. Explore the island by motorbike
The best way to explore the island is on the back of a motorbike. However, if you aren’t confident about driving one you can also hire a car or even hire your own driver. Langkawi roads are narrow, twisty and hilly, but in excellent condition. Once you have your own transport it makes planning your own things to do in Langkawi much easier.
Buddying up with my dorm mates, we each hired a motorbike and set out to tour the island en masse. They led us high into the mountains, where we stumbled upon a creepy old resort. Read about that below – it warranted its own paragraph as one of the weirdest things to do in Langkawi!
Besides the hotel of horrors, Langkawi is abundant in natural delights to visit on your two-wheeler. There are four waterfalls to visit, Seven Wells (named for its seven pools) is the most spectacular. At least I think it is. One was dried up when I visited, and the other two I couldn’t actually find. Seven Wells is great for a dip, so don’t forget your swimming stuff if you go. You can indulge your inner child on the natural water slides formed by the rocks and jump into the deep plunge pools.
With your scooter, you can also take the deliciously scenic road right up to the top of Gunung Raya, the highest mountain on Langkawi. The views are similar to those that you’ll get from the cable car, but with a slightly hair-raising ride thrown in!
2. Sneak into the creepy ghost hotel
Finding ourselves at this mysterious abandoned building, we decided to explore and see what we could find. Failing to spot the ‘strictly prohibited – do not enter’ sign, we mooched around the interiors. Honestly, we were sure someone brought the sign out after they saw us wander inside.
Inside the building, we found discarded bags and clothing, smashed computer screens and bust-up bathrooms. Plus a spookily derelict pool brimming with weeds and green gunk. We decided we must be in a horror film and started deciding the pecking order.
Safety un-murdered and back in our hostel later, we had a scout on Google to see what we could uncover. It turns out the resort is (or was) the D’Coconut Hill Resort. In its heyday, it looked fancy. It’s hard to tell exactly when the hotel fell into disrepair, with some chilling Trip Advisor reviews going back to 2015.
If you visit this abandoned hotel whilst on Langkawi, I’d love to know what state the place is in now! This is probably one of the strangest things to do in Langkawi, and for me, it was one of the most memorable.
3. Ride the world’s steepest cable car
That’s right, this humble little island is where you’ll find the world’s steepest cable car! The SkyCab takes you up to the summit of Gunung Machinchang – the island’s second-highest mountain. At the peak, you can appreciate Jurassic Park-esque scenery and take in a soaring seascape across the Langkawi archipelago.
Panorama Langkawi operates a bunch of other options for clocking Langkawi from above, beyond the cable car there is also the SkyGlide and the SkyBridge. You can choose to add on these additional extras or skip them.
Although it’s one of the most popular things to do in Langkawi, lots of travellers comment that the cable car is too expensive. When I visited, it cost RM55 (£10). I personally didn’t feel that was so bad so I coughed it up. Apparently, now it costs RM85 (£16) for the regular gondola, or you can upgrade to a glass-bottomed one. At my visit, I also tapped on the extra RM5 to walk along the SkyBridge nature walk, which I felt was worth it for the additional views.
4. Chill on the beaches
As one of the main selling points of the island, Langkawi has a couple of beaches to choose from. Most of the backpacker accommodation (and indeed some of the fancier digs) are in Pantai Cenang, which is the touristic centre of the island. Located in the southwest of the island, Pantai Cenang is long, golden and sandy soft. It’s the perfect place for catching up on some vitamin D and catching the sunset from – and the likelihood is that your accommodation will be close by.
Alternatively, you can drive up to Datai Bay in the north-west of the island. This upscale beach has the whitest sand on Langkawi and some of the islands’ swankiest hotels. This is technically a private beach for guests of the resorts. However, to my understanding, you can access the beach either by paying a sum or ordering food and drink at one of the resorts. I believe the rules change from time to time, but your guesthouse would be able to advise you.
Another option, which I absolutely love, love, love, is Tanjung Rhu Beach. Tucked away on the north coast this is the most peaceful spot to sunbathe among nature. There are a few stalls selling food and drinks near the car park and the beach is free to access. The water here was more lake-like than ocean-like – with an emerald tint. I thought it was lovely and refreshing but perhaps not to everyone’s swimming tastes!
5. Go Ape
Who doesn’t love zooming through a jungle canopy on a zip wire?! There are a few different zip wire providers on Langkawi to choose from. Umgawa is one popular option, as is Skytrex, who I opted to go with after I researched where to spend a day monkeying around.
I booked their Extreme Challenge course, which I believe has since been rebranded as Island Extreme. Be warned there are a couple of very tall trees to climb so be prepared to sweat like a beast under the Malaysian sun. But it’s worth it for the zip wires of which there are many on the route. The course was in great condition, the staff briefed us thoroughly in good English and the harnesses were in great shape. This, in my opinion, is one of the most fun things to do in Langkawi on a budget!
6. Feel flash at the Dash Resort
Whilst I couldn’t afford to stay at the Ritz-Carlton, I did masquerade at a fancy resort for an afternoon.
Dash Resort Langkawi is a swanky beachfront resort which at the time I visited was not officially open. As they trained up their staff, Dash welcomed backpackers to lounge by the pool. All we had to do was purchase a drink or some food. There was a slight supplement for a towel, lounger or bed. They’re channelling an Alice in Wonderland vibe with the decor, which I loved. You won’t miss the giant ‘Blue Rabbit’ or the golden cat in wellies, who I figure is an artistic take on the Cheshire Cat.
Now Dash is fully open but guests are still welcome to eat, drink, swim and worship the sun on their lovely terrace. The sunset from their infinity pool with a cocktail is a decadent but worthy splurge. Get in quick before the Instagram influencers descend with their selfie sticks. Although, they probably have, by now, sadly.
7. Go duty-free shopping
As a shop-a-phobic and sort-of-minimalist, this isn’t something I’d usually bother mentioning. However, Langkawi is a duty-free island. So, if you do need to replenish any travel gear, stock up on Reece’s Pieces or buy cheap things, this is the place. I bought a litre of Tanqueray for under a tenner, which kept me company for the next seven weeks in KL, that was my splurge.
Things to do in Langkawi at night
Once your day in the sun is coming to an end, the fun doesn’t stop there.
Whilst Langkawi’s food scene doesn’t rival that of Penang, you can still enjoy a great meal and kick back with some drinks.
Here are your options for things to do in Langkawi once the sun sets.
8. Surf the night markets
Malaysian food is legendary and on Langkawi, you have not one, not two, but seven night markets to choose from. This is the schedule at the time of writing, however, check with your accommodation in case this changes:
- Monday: Ulu Melaka Market (Jalan Makam Mahsuri Lama, Ulu Melaka)
- Tuesday: Kedawang Market (Kedawang (near Pantai Cenang)
- Wednesday & Saturday: Kuah Night Market (Kuah Town)
- Thursday: Temoyong Night Market (Kampung Temoyong, Mukim Kedawang, Pantai Cenang)
- Friday: Air Hangat Night Market (Padang Lalang, Air Hangat)
- Sunday: Padang Matsirat Night Market ( Kampung Raja, Mukim Padang Matsirat (opposite the Field of Burnt Rice)
Markets typically open from 5/5.30 pm until 10 pm.
9. Party at Pantai Cenang
If you’re after some nightlife, Pantai Cenang delivers some inspiration for every type of traveller.
You can start off your evening with dinner and chilled drinks on the beach. Prices on the beach are a little higher, naturally, but the little restaurants on the side roads are great if you’re dining on a budget. I liked D’Lima Cafe which serves Thai and Malaysian dishes. If you want to eat on the sand, the Yellow Beach Cafe is a cool place and serves Asian and Western food.
The beach bars play music and you can catch the fire shows which run from around sunset to until 11 pm.
In terms of drinks on the beach; Thirstday is the most happening. Kalut has the best fire show, adorable staff and cheaper drinks. If you’re looking for somewhere more zen, check out the Reggae Bar right next to Thirstday. They usually have live acoustic acts there each night.
There are a couple of clubs on the island which open until late. The reggae club, One Love, is worth a visit if you want to dance and sip cocktails. Although (weirdly) they didn’t play reggae the whole night. I went to another club which was much livelier, the Sunba Retro Club. They also host live music throughout the week and stay open until 4 am.
Other things to do in Langkawi
There’s plenty of other things to do on Langkawi if you have a bit more cash to spend.
You can scuba dive, take a jet ski tour, go island hopping or take a tour of the Kilim Geoforest Park. In terms of watersports, I’d recommend popping down to Pantai Cenang and chatting to the friendly vendors. Or, ask your accommodation for tours and trips that they recommend and can help you organise.
For something more chill, you can head to Air Hangat Village and bathe in the hot, salty springs. They offer massages too!
Where to stay in Langkawi
I’ve already mentioned a couple of places where you can stay if you’re after something fancy. The Dash Resort Langkawi and the Ritz-Carlton Langkawi are your go-to luxury digs.
If you’re on a budget like me, I recommend the Dormitorio Hostel. They have private rooms and dorms – the bed dorms are some of the best I’ve ever stayed in! It’s a great hostel for socialising as it’s popular with solo travellers, and the staff were really helpful.
How to get to Langkawi
The Langkawi Island archipelago is located in the Strait of Malacca and is approximately 18.6 miles off the west coast of Malaysia. You can access the island by air or sea.
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia operate daily flights to and from Langkawi from mainland Malaysia. Other providers include SilkAir, TigerAir and Firefly.
Meanwhile, the ferry departs from Penang, at 8.30 am and 2 pm daily. However, if you are travelling from Thailand, you can take a ferry from Satun, Hat Yai or Koh Lipe. Ferry crossings take around 2 hours from Penang and 3 hours from Thailand, subject to sea conditions.
Flights are faster and often very cheap, but I’d recommend the ferry for environmental reasons.
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