Langkawi Travel Guide
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Where the beautiful Andaman Sea meets the Strait of Malacca, Langkawi Island positions itself as one of the best emerging island paradise destinations in the region. Since 1990, the Malaysian Tourism Board has dedicated itself to promoting the island and developing it as an ideal travel spot. Now, after a decade of work, the island has proven itself as one of this country's holiday gems.
Its biggest competition comes from Phuket, Thailand's beach-lover fantasy to the north. But, day for day and dollar for dollar, I'd take Langkawi over Phuket hands down. Why? Well, despite being pumped up by government money and promotional campaigns, Langkawi remains relatively unheard of on the travel scene. So, while you get the same balmy weather, gorgeous beaches, fun watersports, and great seafood, you also avoid the horrible effects of tourism gone awry -- inflated prices, annoying touts, and overcrowding. Besides, I've stayed in almost every luxury property on Phuket, and can testify that Langkawi's finest resorts can compete with pride.
This small island also claims a Hollywood credit, starring in the 1999 film Anna and the King. Langkawi played the part of Thailand to Jodie Foster's Anna Leonowens and Chow Young Fatt's King Mongkut (Rama IV). The Thais wouldn't allow the filmmakers to shoot on location in their kingdom (and rightly so, as King Mongkut, their revered father of modern Thailand, has been continuously portrayed in the West as a stubborn, immature fop who got all his great ideas from a common English tutor -- indeed, historians agree that according to many well-documented sources, Anna Leonowens's famous account of her time at the Royal Palace had more basis in her imagination than in reality), so Hollywood turned to neighboring Malaysia for location filming. The palatial Thai-style buildings constructed for the set have never been torn down, and you can still hear all kinds of local gossip about the film's stars.
Technically, Langkawi is a cluster of islands, the largest of which serves as the main focal point. Ask how many islands actually make up Langkawi and you'll hear either 104 or 99. The official MTB response? "Both are correct. It depends on the tide!" On Langkawi Island itself, the main town, Kuah, provides the island's administrative needs, while on the western and northern shores, the beaches have been developed with resorts. The west-coast beaches of Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah are the most developed; however, the concept of development here should be taken in relative terms. To the north, Datai Bay and Tanjung Rhu host the island's two finest, and most secluded, resorts.
One final note: Malaysia has declared Langkawi a duty-free zone, so take a peek at some of the shopping in town, and enjoy RM4 (US$1.05) beers!
