Top 10 beaches in the world , Malaysia

9. Langkawi, Malaysia

Crafts – Asian Heritage Center

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah) is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.

Most Popular Beaches in Langkawi

Pantai Cenang

Pantai Cenang – Langkawi’s main vein – may not be as rowdy as the Las Vegas strip but it is Malaysia’s most developed west-coast beach; its shores are a gorgeous mix of white sand, crystalline turquoise-blue waters and verdant palms.

Crammed with mostly budget to mid-range hotels, Pantai Cenang – located 25 km west of Kuah – is also home to more than a few high-end resorts. When the sun goes down a peculiar jumble of backpackers, expats, Asian tourists and families throng the main road to eat, drink and window shop.

Pantai Kok 

 

The beach along Pantai Kok is dominated by mostly high-end upscale resorts like the Sheraton and Tanjung Sanctuary. The beach is beautiful with clean sands and clear waters but it’s the tourist attractions, as well as the relative peace and quiet, that makes this place so popular.

Lined with a thoroughly modern marina, Pantai Kok, on the western part of the island approximately 12km north of Pantai Cenang, fronts a beautiful bay surrounded by limestone hills and verdant jungle. On the waterfront, at Teluk Burau, is the spanking-new Telaga Harbour Park, a yachting marina with a string of shops, bars and restaurants, plus a petrol station, bank and post office. Additionally it has several recreational attractions including a cable-car ride to the peak of Mat Cincang Mountain and the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls.

Pantai Kok’s relatively undisturbed locale as well as its verdant greenery makes it doubly popular – especially if you love nature or want a quieter holiday destination.

Pantai Tengah 

 

Situated just around the southern road bend of Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah is a basically a continuation of Pantai Cenang. It is the longest stretch of beach in Langkawi – there are a few basic chalets here as well as a few big, all-inclusive resorts here that are especially popular with young families.

There’s not much sightseeing here; truth be told that’s the case for most of Langkawi Island. However, there are more than a few ways to kick back and relax; spas are a dime a dozen and finding a tour operator to liven your day up with an island-hopping or mangrove eagle-feeding tour is as easy as pie. Pantai Tengah is a good place for gastronomic options and the nightlife scene here is definitely something to shout about but shopping outlets are sparse.

Tanjung Rhu

 

Located just beyond Pantai Pasir Hitam, Tanjung Rhu has one of Langkawi’s best shorelines. The waters are as clear as crystal, the sand is powder-fine and driving towards this beach you’ll have to pass a dense corridor of jungle. The area is absolutely secluded and the atmosphere is silent and peaceful. Bordered by intermittent limestone crags, Tanjung Rhu is gorgeously breathtaking and even though it may be as hot as Hades in some of the other areas of Langkawi, here the air is crisp, clean and cool.

There are a few roadside stalls selling Langkawi’s local favourite – mee gulung – but other than that the area is quiet. Featuring clean roads, this quarter of Langkawi Island is the domicile of the Tanjung Rhu Resort as well as the Four Seasons Resort and the well-heeled tend to gravitate here.

Top 10 Things to Do in Langkawi

1. Langkawi Cable Car 

Pantai Kok Attractions

 

 

The entrance for the Langkawi cable-car, which takes visitors all the way up to Mount Mat Cincang, Langkawi’s second highest peak,  is located in The Oriental Village in the upper northwest of Langkawi Island, near Pantai Kok. Entering the village and passing through the pleasant oriental garden and souvenir shops, visitors make their payment at a counter before stepping onto an escalator which brings them to the cable-car pedestal.

Once in, the cable-car ascends; you’ll begin to notice the temperature dropping and a windy breeze begin flowing into the cabin through ventilation slits at the top.

 2. Al-Hana Mosque in Langkawi

Kuah Attractions

Al-Hana Mosque is billed as the largest and most popular mosque in Langkawi. A peach-and-gold structure situated to the west of the picturesque Lagenda Langkawi Dalam Taman, along Persiaran Putra, the mosque is topped with a gold onion-shaped dome and enjoys a great location close to the waterfront.

Also known as Masjid Al- Hana, it is located in Kuah and the whitewashed shrine is close to many of the island’s best-known tourist attractions including Dataran Lang and the Kompleks Jeti Pelancongan. Plus, it is only a short walk away from many of Kuah’s duty-free stores.

3. Langkawi Eagle Square - Dataran Lang

Kuah Attractions

Also known as Eagle Square, Dataran Lang is one of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions, a large sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight. A sight that greets visitors to the island via ferry, the 12 metre-tall statue is one of the island’s most instantly recognizable monuments.

Located at the southeast corner of Pulau Langkawi, besides offering beautiful views of Kuah Bay, Dataran Lang has beautiful miniature fountains, terraces and bridges, making it the ideal place for those postcard-perfect holiday photos. The square is a good place to watch ferries ply across the harbour but plan a trip here early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is at its least intense.

4.Langkawi Sky Bridge

                 Langkawi Sky Bridge

Langkawi Sky Bridge is a 125 metres (410 ft) curved pedestrian cable-stayed bridge in Malaysia. It is located 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level at the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang on Pulau Langkawi, an island in the Langkawi archipelago in Kedah. The last scene of Indian movie Don: The Chase Begins Again was filmed here The Langkawi Sky Bridge is accessible by the Langkawi Cable Car.

 5. Langkawi Underwater World

Pantai Cenang Attractions

Spread across nearly six acres, Underwater World Langkawi is one of the island’s best-known attractions. Located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang (almost at the border of Pantai Tengah), beside the Zon duty-free shopping centre, it is Malaysia’s largest aquarium. The huge white-washed structure houses more than 200 different species of marine and freshwater fish including harbour seals, rockhopper penguins, sharks, giant rays and the enormous Amazonian arapaima – the biggest freshwater fish in the world.

6. Langkawi Beaches

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi’s white sand beaches are simply some of Malaysia’s best. From its sandy bays to sweeping coastlines, the island’s beaches are beloved by locals, beach-bummers and travellers from across the world.

Pantai Cenang and its southern appendage of Pantai Tengah is the island’s most developed stretch and the place to head to for trendy restaurants and bars. Pantai Kok, located 12 km north of Cenang, fronts a beautiful bay surrounded by heavily forested mountains with limestone caves. Those looking for a more upscale affair can head to the sandy strips of Tanjung Rhu and Datai Bay. 

7. Langkawi Islands

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi isn’t just one big island, but a collection of around 100 islands that form an archipelago. While most are uninhabited, a few have been designated for tourism so that visitors from all over the world can admire and appreciate the magical beauty of Langkawi. There are many island tours available from operators to get you started. Note that most tours do not operate during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as the seas become choppy and potentially dangerous.

8. Langkawi Waterfall

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi has a few waterfalls that offer a scenic and peaceful location for a picnic or simple relaxation. However, these waterfalls tend to be quite shallow and slow-moving during the dry seasons. When there’s rain, however, the waterfalls will begin bursting with life once again. The best time to see these waterfalls in their element is during the rainy season at the year-end.

9. Sunset Cruise in Langkawi

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi Sunset Cruise is a mid-afternoon daytrip that takes you sailing on the Andaman Sea as you kick back and relax on board a yacht. The upscale adventure starts off at the Awana Porto Malai jetty; once on board, there is an open bar with chilled soda, fruit juice, wine, and beer.

The cruise takes you within almost-touching distance of some of Langkawi’s deserted islets – unique limestone outcrops and exotic marine life are part and parcel of the voyage. Friendly yacht staff top up drinks and generally encourage a boisterous time. The million-dollar moment happens when the sun sets on the horizon and you are lounging in a deck chair with a cold drink.

10. Sungai Kilim Nature Park in Langkawi

Langkawi Attractions

Sungai Kilim Nature Park is a 100sqkm protected mangrove swamp with mangrove forests, remote beaches and blue lagoons. From the river banks up to the estuary, there is a good variety of flora and fauna here, ranging from the overhanging ‘bogak’ trees to iguanas, macaques and tree crabs.

Located at the northeast tip of Pulau Langkawi, the Sungai Kilim Nature Park is also noteworthy for the beautiful limestone rock formations emerging from the river bed to the unique mangrove swamps all the way to the sea. Fun fact: Note the interesting (and funny) names that some are called: the Temple of Borobodur, the Elephant Stone and the Hanging Gardens.