Going to Langkawi

What to do in Langkawi

by Jenny McKelvie

Until the mid-1980s, Pulau Langkawi (usually referred to as just Langkawi) was a little-known slip of land in the 104-island Langkawi archipelago that dots the narrows where the Indian Ocean meets the fast-flowing waters of the Malacca Straits. In 1986, the Malaysian government gave the island, which is roughly the size of Singapore, duty-free status and invested heavily in its infrastructure and tourist facilities. The result is an island with sturdy roads, a new international airport, a range of visitor attractions, and a sprinkling of world-class resort hotels—making it perfect for families.

The natural beauty that attracted savvy travelers before the 1980s has, mercifully, been preserved. Two-thirds of Langkawi is covered in lush tropical rainforest, which rises and flows along the island's rolling terrain before...

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