The Langkawi archipelago is a pristine paradise with a biodiversity of beauty. Its mountains, rainforests, mangroves and beaches are a nice refuge for travelers. Even more the islands offer amenities with its restaurants, hotels, spas and tourist destinations. I enjoyed my time there from the cruise port and love sharing tips. So, read on and discover more about how to plan a Langkawi Malaysia day tour.
About Langkawi
The duty-free island and archipelago, Langkawi, lies in the Strait of Malacca. Overall, it consists of about 104 islands about 30 km off the coast of Malaysia. Inhabits live on only 4 of the islands. The name Langkawi has many interpretations. One of the most popular being reddish-brown eagle as a symbol of the islands. Mountains and forest-covered hills cover almost two-thirds of the islands.
Langkawi became transformed into a tourist resort in the late 80’s. The main religion of Malaysia is Islam. Other religions include Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. The official language is Standard Malay, while most locals speak Kedah Malay. Annually, Langkawi receives about 2,400 mm (94 inches) of rain. December to February is the dry season. The wet season is March to November.
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Langkawi Malaysia Day Tour
Outside the Porto Malai cruise terminal, I caught a private taxi for a tour around the island. In one day I visited main sites: Langkawi Skybridge Cable Car, Tanjung Rhu Beach, Eagle Square and Pantai Cenang Beach. Overall, this tour reached the 4 corners of the island in one day. So, this itinerary was a great introduction to Langkawi if you are short for time.
Langkawi Sky Bridge Cable Car
About a 20-minute drive from the cruise terminal, I took the cable car to the Sky Bridge. At the base of the cable car is Oriental Village. This Asian-themed area offers food, shopping and the 3-D Art in Paradise Museum.
The cable car takes you to the summit of Gunung Mat Chinchang. Here, the cable-stayed, pedestrian sky bridge stretches 125 m (410 ft) long and stands 660 meters high. It’s the longest curve single pylon suspension bridge in the world. An inclined lift called SkyGlide takes visitors from top station to bridge. However, when I visited the SkyGlide was undergoing maintenance. It was steep steps down, so be forewarned.
The panoramic views are stunning of the islands, Seven Pool Waterfalls and Mat Cincang Mountain. Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls ‘Seven Pools” is near the cable car below. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island. However, I was there in January during dry season. So, I didn’t stop to see them because they display much less water this time of year.
Tanjung Rhu Beach
On the northeast coast of Langkawi is the gorgeous Tanjung Rhu Beach. It lies in a remote part of the island and normally is pretty quiet. Even more, it offers nice beachfront restaurants, shopping and tourist kiosks. So, if you are looking for a quiet beach with white sands and turquoise waters this is a great location.
Eagle Square (Dataran Lang)
In Kuah, the main town on the island, is the iconic Eagle Square. Here the symbol of Langkawi is on full display at the end of a star-shaped platform. The eagle statue stands facing the water at a height of 12 meters. The area is a fun place to wander with fountains, monuments and gardens.
Next to the Eagle Square is the Lagenda Park. This park spreads out over 20 hectares with landscaped gardens. It showcases themes about folklore and legends about the island.
Pantai Cenang
Near the cruise port, Pantai Cenang is one of the most popular beaches in Langkawi. It offers a wide variety of water sports, such as jet skiing, snorkeling, swimming and paragliding. There are numerous beachfront restaurant, bars and shops.
Near the beach is the Underwater World Langkawi. This offers a great way to learn about the marine life surrounding the islands. Also, about 500 different species live here with an underwater tunnel to observe the underwater world.
If You Have More Time
Langkawi UNESCO Geopark Mangrove Cruise
If I have a chance to go back to Langkawi, I would do a Kilim Karst Geoforest Park and Mangrove Tour. This park lies along the northeastern side of the island between Tanjung Rhu Beach and Eagle Square. This mangrove forest park offers limestone caves and 3 river estuaries. The tours include seeing wildlife, such as, eagles, monitor lizards, crocodiles, macaques, snakes and tree crabs.
Enjoy Langkawi!
The pristine archipelago is filled with ways to explore its stunning beauty. Its mountains, rainforests, mangroves and beaches are a getaway. And if you only have a day, it’s easy to organize an incredible itinerary. If you visited Langkawi and have tips on how best to enjoy it, please leave comments below.
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