Langkawi travel guide: Where to stay, eat and play in Malaysia’s Jewel of Kedah

LANGKAWI, Malaysia – Stepping into the gargantuan colonial-era Straits House at the Temple Tree boutique resort that will be our home for the next few days, my wife and I are faced with a first-world dilemma: Which of the four bedrooms should we sleep in?

As it turns out, this dilemma is a metaphor for our trip to Langkawi, the resort island off the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Over the next five days, we discover that despite its fame as a beach getaway and duty-free haven, Langkawi offers an array of activities and experiences that leave us spoilt for choice.

The island might come across as a 1990s-era tourist destination of yesteryear. But that gives the Jewel of Kedah even more of a sparkle.

It is quieter and more laid-back than beach hot spots like Bali and Phuket. Just a five-minute drive from Langkawi’s most touristy area, Cenang Beach, lie swathes of paddy fields, lush rainforests and idyllic village life.

Wooden homes, fishing ponds and the odd farmer tending to his buffaloes add to the rural feel, keeping the island’s kampung vibes strong in the midst of modernity.

At roughly 25km long and wide – about two-thirds the size of Singapore – and with a population of just 100,000, the island has retained much of its natural greenery since the 1980s, when former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad turned the backwater into one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations. Here are some highlights.

At the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park in the northern part of the island, we get a glimpse of Langkawi’s flora and fauna on a late-afternoon cruise through a mangrove swamp.

The four-hour tour can also be done on a kayak, but we opt for the more comfortable option of a boat (Dev’s Adventure Tours, langkawi-nature.com, RM210 or S$68 a person). As we glide through narrow channels darkened by interlocking tree branches above, our enthusiastic guide points out as many kingfishers, macaques and snakes as he can.

“Can you see him? He’s sleeping,” our guide whispers, pointing to a snake coiled up among the gnarly roots emerging from the water. He manoeuvres the boat right up to the tree stump, but warns us repeatedly to keep our hands inside. “Or else this,” he adds, holding up a hand with a missing finger. “King cobra.”

We emerge safely from the thicket and out onto a stretch of open water just off the Andaman Sea, to the amazing sight of dozens of eagles swirling above.

Drawn by food thrown from several other boats, the brown brahminy kites and white-bellied sea eagles – the two most prominent species here – take turns to dive into the water. It makes for great photos, but our guide shakes his head.

“They throw chicken skin, which is bad for the eagles,” he says with a frown, his comments revealing the constant tension between the commercial demands of tourism and efforts to preserve Langkawi’s wildlife.

The next day, we are introduced to more black giant squirrels, egrets, herons and hornbills on a cycling tour (RM205 a person). The guide, also from Dev’s Adventure Tours, leads us on a four-hour ride through Kuala Teriang and beyond, for a close-up view of paddy fields and kampung life.

Kuah town, the island’s administrative centre, is worth a visit for the food stalls at its night markets and Eagle Square, dominated by a giant, imperious-looking eagle perched by the sea.

The “Lang” in “Langkawi” comes from “helang”, or eagle in Malay, says Mr Fauzan Ramli, Temple Tree’s assistant resort manager.

Mr Fauzan takes us to one of the night markets, where we encounter a huge assortment of local food, from fried chicken and nasi lemak to samosas and Ramly burgers.

It prompts yet another dilemma on what to eat, though we eventually settle on satay (RM7 for 10 sticks), murtabak (RM3 each) and apam balik (RM2 for three) – all wonderfully hot and greasy.

Langkawi SkyCab is another popular spot. Cable cars take visitors to the top of Gunung Machinchang, the island’s second-highest peak, for an aerial view of the deep green rainforests and azure waters of the bay.

A stop at the 125m-long curved suspension bridge called Sky Bridge offers a toe-curling view of the forests below (go to str.sg/r4ZSf for the various ride combinations available, with prices starting at RM33 an adult).

Cenang Beach hosts sea activities such as jet skiing and banana boat rides. In the evenings, fire shows, where performers light up their acrobatic stunts with twirling flaming torches, add to the vibrant nightlife.

At the night theme park Dream Forest (RM98 an adult, RM78 a child), I feel like I am in an Avatar movie, as we take a 1.2km walk through a natural forest illuminated by thousands of multi-coloured spotlights, glowing bulbs on waving stalks and LED lights on the ground.

Along the way, we stop to watch videos of local legends such as Mat Raya, Mat Sawar and Mat Chinchang, three giants said to have fought and turned into three hills on the island.

We toast marshmallows at a campfire, and shoot down digital garuda birds in the branches with simulated arrows. The theme park boasts an “immersive experience” and, for once, the marketing brochure does not seem an oversell.

Just as cool are some of the cafes around Langkawi, like Kefi and Halaman in Kuah town and Hidden Langkawi off Tengah Beach, where the younger crowd gathers.

Halaman, which is housed in a converted corner-lot house, is a cosy evening spot, but Hidden Langkawi – despite its name – has clearly been discovered by all and sundry. Even in the heat of the day, it does a brisk business of beer, cocktails and the usual bar bites.

“It’s the ideal spot. It’s right next to the beach and you can see the sunset. But you have to go early – there’s a queue every night,” says Mr Fauzan.

Thankfully, we have the oasis of Temple Tree to retire to, but not before taking a leisurely walk around the grounds of the resort, which is an attraction in itself.

Eight beautiful colonial-era homes dot a former coconut plantation – not replicas, but actual houses carted from different locations across Malaysia, including Ipoh, Penang, Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

These are former homes of wealthy families or farmhouses, all of which are at least 80 to 120 years old. They have been restored to their original condition, albeit with amenities such as air-conditioning, Wi-Fi and hot showers.

Hailing from different states and cultures, the houses, which have just 21 rooms between them, form an eclectic architectural mix.

Each one has its own backstory and features. There is the grand entrance of the stately Colonial House with its beautiful Peranakan floor tiles from Penang; the airy, high-ceilinged rooms of the Estate House, which once housed plantation workers in Ipoh; the ornate Johor House built by a Chinese family in Batu Pahat; and – my favourite – the colourful stained-glass windows of the Negeri Sembilan House.

“We wanted to preserve the culture of Malaysian homes, and give people the experience of not just seeing them, but also living in them,” says resort manager Irene Vairo.

We can attest to this at the 286 sq m Straits House, which comes with its own private pool and garden sitting on a 1,360 sq m lot. Coming from our three-room Housing Board flat, we love the open-air verandahs, high ceilings and numerous doors and windows that draw the view of the greenery outside into the spacious sitting room.

It feels like the right balance of luxury and authenticity, which is what the 18-year-old boutique resort, named after a tiny temple lodged at the foot of a 100-year-old banyan tree in the middle of its grounds, seeks to offer.

While the ornate furniture and decorations around the house lend a touch of opulence, we do not feel completely cosseted and cut off from the kampung, thanks to the creaks of the wooden doors, occasional chirp of lizards, and soft call to prayer from a nearby mosque each morning.

Just as good as the stay itself are the cocktails served at the Ipoh House, a two-storey building that functions as the lobby, restaurant and bar. Sitting at the open-air deck, sipping on a Giant Kiss cocktail (RM30) – a Temple Tree concoction of gula melaka, coconut rum and sago – while admiring the Johor House across the pool, it is easy to imagine what life might have been for the well-heeled in the 1900s.

“Should we hit the beach tomorrow?” I wonder aloud to my wife.

We look around the tranquil surroundings and instantly know our answer: a short walk to Cenang Beach, yet another amble around the Temple Tree estate, followed by a sunset cocktail. That, for us, sums up what Langkawi is all about.

Singapore Airlines, AirAsia and Scoot fly direct from Singapore to Langkawi International Airport daily. Flights take about 1½ hours and start at $160 return in March, based on checks by The Straits Times.

The easiest way to get around is to book a Grab ride, as there are no buses and just a handful of flag-down taxis operating around Langkawi. Or rent a car, motorbike or bicycle to explore more of the island.

Avoid travel from May to November during the monsoon season. December to March brings endless sunny days, but it can be very hot, both in temperature and tourist numbers. April might be a better time – it is shoulder season and cooler.

Langkawi has many accommodation choices, from Airbnb homes and budget guesthouses to major chain hotels and luxury beach resorts. Popular spots are the Cenang and Tengah beach areas, and Kuah town.

Rooms at Temple Tree resort (templetree.com.my) range from RM500 to RM900 a night, while booking one of its eight houses costs between RM900 and RM3,000. Rates vary according to seasons.