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Langkawi,
officially known as Langkawi the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata
Kedah) is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off
the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the
state of Kedah, which is adjacent to
the Thai
border.
On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of
Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in
conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. By far the largest of the
islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792,
the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also
an administrative district with the town of Kuah as largest town. Langkawi
is a duty-free island.
There are
two island areas: the Southern Islands, with a heavy tourist population
and the islands to the north east which are more secluded without tourist
traffic. Langun Island has a fresh-water lake like Pregnant Maiden Lake
only without the tourists and has Sand Spit Beach on its south-facing
orientation. Dendang Island next to it forms a bay popular with Langkawi
sailing yacht tour operators who favour the area for its natural beauty
and peace.
Some of the
most popular beaches are Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Burau Bay, Pantai
Kok, and Datai Bay. Pantai Cenang is a picturesque beach with seemingly
unending stretches of fine white sand. It has numerous restaurants and
bars for evening entertainment, several hosting live music and for
watching the sun set. The beach is contoured by tall coconuts and
casuarinas. Pantai Tengah is separated from Cenang by a small cape. It too
faces the setting sun and is populated more by hotels than bars, making it
less busy in the evening. Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is the
favorite place of migratory birds in Langkawi. Pantai Kok is a peaceful
beach with the backdrop of limestone hills. Datai Bay has a combination of
forests and sea. The milky beach is backed by lush forest.
The Langkawi Cable Car takes visitors up to the peak of Gunung Mat
Chinchang, where the Langkawi Sky Bridge is located. The Sky Bridge has
been closed for 2 years and remains closed in 2014.
Tourists can enter the island via ferry from
Kuala Perlis or by flight from
Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia and
Fireflyz provides budget connection to the island.
On June 1,
2007, Langkawi Island was given a World Geopark status by UNESCO. Three of
its main conservation areas in Langkawi Geopark are Machincang Cambrian
Geoforest Park, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park and Dayang Bunting Marble
Geoforest park (Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake). These three parks are
the most popular tourism area within Langkawi Geopark. In 2014 Unesco
issued a 'yellow card' warning threatening the status of the Geopark.
The island
of Langkawi can be reached by sea and air. The Langkawi Jetty Point
connects the island to main destinations like
Kuala Perlis,
Kuala Kedah,
Penang and Tamalang. There's
also ferry service to Satun town and to Ko Lipe island in Thailand. The
Langkawi International Airport is one of 7 international airports in
Malaysia and connects the island to
Kuala Lumpur,
Singapore,
Penang and also Subang. On
the island, a main road runs through the whole island.
Sources:
Wikipedia
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