Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Magical Langkawi a lushly forested island off Malaysia's northwards, Kedah state, and almost adjacent to the Thai border (so if you are working your way down from Thailand, hop onto a ferry to this gem of an island), is made up of an archipelago of 99 unspoilt beautiful islands set in the Andaman Sea just 30km from the Malaysian peninsula. Langkawi enjoys sunny weather all year round as it escapes the northeastern winter monsoon.

Its name, Langkawi, is made up of the Malay words "helang" for sea eagle, and "batu kawi" for marble. But to the original inhabitants of the island, the legend is that Langkawi was related to an ancient kingdom of Langkasuka, which in the olden language translates to "the land of all your wishes". Credence was given to it from Chinese historical records in the Liang Dynasty (circa 500 AD) which referred to it as "Langgasu" in the 1st century AD.

Langkawi Beach at low tide in the morning. Seen is a typical "sampan" or small traditional boat.


With picturesque mountain peaks such as this and 99 islands rich in biodiversity and lush tropical foliage it is easy to see why the 100,00 hectares Langkawi was declared a Geopark by UNESCO in 2007.

The curvy suspended sky bridge atop Mount Matchincang offering breathtaking views of the surrounding islands, mountain ranges & the coastline below is a must see. Don't worry about getting up as there is a modern cable car. I personally think that the vista of the coastline is as impressive, if not at par with the view from atop Table Mountain, of Cape Town, South Africa! But of course it's a matter of personal opinion!


Sun worshippers on the beautiful beach of the exclusive Tanjung Rhu Resort, Langkawi. With its idyllic sun kissed beaches Langkawi has been a well kept secret among the discerning. But recently Langkawi International Airport has been bringing planeloads of vacationers from the Far East (cute Japanese girls in bikinis!), Eastern Europe, the Gulf region and even Russia, so do check with your local tour agent, if you are particular about slapping on oil with different nationalities! LOL!

Aerial aerbatics performed by the Red Arrows, British Royal Air Force. (Pic Source)

The airport come December every year, is also the home of LIMA or Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Show, so if you're a fan of aeronautical acrobatics you might want to time your visit to coincide with the airshow. Bring along sound mufflers as the screaming jets can be deafening!