12 Fun Facts About Langkawi, Malaysia

by Janis on December 28, 2014

We will be visiting Langkawi, Malaysia on a cruise call on December 31st, so we did a little quick advance research.

The Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia, at the peak of Gunung Machinchang, is reached by taking the 1.4 mile long Langkawi Cable Car. The Sky Bridge is currently closed but is scheduled for re-opening in the first quarter of 2015. Photo by Flickr user “The Dilly Lama.”

We will be visiting Langkawi, Malaysia on a cruise call on December 31st, so we did a little quick advance research.

12 Fun Facts About Langkawi, Malaysia

1. Located about 18 miles off the coast of northwestern mainland Malaysia in the Andaman Sea, Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 to 104 islands (depending on the tide, some of the islands are covered by water.)

2. Four of the islands have residents. Pulau Langkawi, or the island specifically named Langkawi, has a population of about 65,000 people, making it the most populated of all of the islands in the Langkawi archipelago. There is also an administrative district named Langkawi with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town.

3. The islands of Langkawi are a part of the Malaysian state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border.

4. Langkawi is a duty-free area. Langkawi was a sleepy backwater until 1987, when the island was granted tax-free status with the intention of promoting tourism and improving the lives of the islanders. Because of Langkawi’s tax-free status, alcohol is much cheaper than in the rest of Malaysia.

5. Under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, the British gained power over Langkawi that continued until Malaysian independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain in the culture and food of Langkawi today.

6. The 1.4 mile long Langkawi Cable Car is one of the major attractions on Langkawi Island. It provides an aerial link from near Burau Bay Resort at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, where you can get a great view of Pantai Cenang.

7. The island Langkawi does not have public transportation, but you can use taxis, or rent a car, motorbike, scooter, or bicycle to get around. All taxis work to a fixed price system, a fare from one part of the island to another always being the same price.

8. Driving is on the left side of the road. It is important to watch out for tourists, children, chickens, cows crossing the road. Snakes like the warm asphalt of the roads at night.

9. The Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls, also known as the Seven Wells waterfall is named after the seven natural pools along its path. There are two viewing areas at Telaga Tujuh; the lower area at the base of the falls, and the higher area with the seven pools. You can swim in the pools and even slide down the slick rock between them, if you are willing to climb more than 300 slippery steps to reach them.

10. The Laman Padi Rice Garden is a museum providing in-depth details on the process of cultivating rice.

11. The 40-foot tall reddish-brown eagle at Dataran Lang (also known as Eagle Square) was built as an emblem of the island. According to folklore Langkawi’s name came from two Malay words – “˜helang’ (eagle) and “˜kawi’ (reddish brown): hence lang-kawi.

12. Pantai Cenang is Langkawi’s most popular beach with powdery sand and a plethora of beachfront restaurants and bars.

Have you visited Langkawi, Malaysia? What fun fact can you add in comments below?

If you enjoy learning interesting facts about far-flung destinations, check out these other Fun Facts posts:

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