Day 1: Explore Langkawi’s Islets and Mangrove
Daytime
After arriving and checking in, your first day is best spent exploring Langkawi’s islets and mangroves. Spanning almost 100 square kilometres, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park is home to mangrove swamps, various wildlife, and a floating fish farm as well as limestone caves and formations that are over 500 million years old. Due to its popularity, you can easily find boat rentals, jet-ski tours and riverboat cruises that suit your budget and preference.
Available in the morning and afternoon, island-hopping in Langkawi entails a visit to three prominent islets surrounding the main island. Depending on season and tour operators, this half-day tour is priced between RM35 and RM50 per person. The Pulau Dayang Bunting and Pulau Beras Basah islets allows for several hours of recreational activities such as swimming, paddle boating, snorkelling, and sunbathing, followed by an eagle feeding session at Singa Besar Island. It’s quite a magnificent display of white-bellied eagles swooping down from the sky to catch their prey on the water.
In The Evening
After a long day of exploring during the day, the bustling Pantai Cenang is the ideal setting for a sunset dinner by the beach. Offering magnificent views of the Andaman Sea and Gunung Mat Cincang, these beachfront restaurants serve a variety of local, Asian, western, and European cuisine, not forgetting fresh seafood.
Thanks to its duty-free policy, Pantai Cenang is also fitted with rows of bars and lounges offering plenty of alcoholic offerings at attractive prices. Visitors can unwind on hammocks or beanbags on the beach, catch the latest match on LCD screens, strike up a conversation with fellow tourists or locals, and enjoy live music until late.
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Day 2: Experience Langkawi’s Duty-Free Shopping
Start the second day of your Langkawi holiday with a morning hike to the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls (Seven Wells Waterfalls). Located in Mount Mat Cincang, the natural formation comprises a series of seven connected natural pools fed by seven separate waterfalls. After a steep climb to the top of the waterfalls, past huge rocks and through the seven pools, you’ll be greeted with beautiful views of Burau Bay and Pantai Kok. You are also likely to spot several macaques and hornbills along the way.
Next, visit the vertigo-inducing Langkawi Sky Bridge, a 125-metre-long curved pedestrian bridge that overlooks Gunung Mat Cincang, Telaja Tujuh waterfalls, and several islets surrounding Langkawi. Accessible via the Langkawi Cable Car, tickets are priced at RM35 for adults and RM25 for children (2-12 years old). Once you’ve arrived the final station (approximately 700 metres above sea level), it’s a ten-minute walk to the stainless steel bridge.
Kick start your duty-free shopping spree at Oriental Village, an Asian-themed dining, shopping, and entertainment hub at the base of the Langkawi Cable Car. A major portion of the shops here offer duty-free goods, casual attire, souvenirs, and local handicrafts.
Evening
For the best shopping deals in Langkawi, look no further than Kuah Town, which is a 20-minute drive from Langkawi International Airport. You’ll find rows of standalone perfume stores, cigar shops, confectionary outlets, wine boutiques, sports outlets, massive shopping malls, and department stores selling imported goods at discounted prices.
Dining-wise, there’s plenty of local seafood and Chinese eateries scattered across Kuah, while fast-food joints such as McDonald’s and KFC are located within the Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall if you’re looking for a quick bite while shopping.