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Langkawi Island Photos 1

History of Langkawi 2

Langkawi which means Reddish Brown Eagle in the Malay language is nestled on the Thai-Malaysian sea border and is the main island from a cluster of 99 islands during high tide and more than 104 islands in low tide.
Legend has it that Langkawi used to be the habitat of spirits and classical Malay literature Hikayat Merong Maha Wangsa states that Garuda, the mythological giant eagle rested in these islands.
Lying off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, about 30 kilometres from Kuala Perlis and 51 kilometres from Kuala Kedah, Pulau Langkawi, as it is popularly known, covers an area of 32,848 hectares. The island is divided into six districts namely Mukim Kuah, Padang Matsirat, Ayer Hangat, Bohor, Ulu Melaka and Kedawang and has a population of approximately 45,000 inhabitants with most of them being the Malays.
Out of the many small islands surrounding Langkawi, only Pulau Tuba - a fishing village, is inhabited.

With a geological history dating back to 500 million odd years, the islands contain bizarre rock formations that stir one's imagination and perplex the mind. Numerous caves like the mystical Gua Cerita, the haunted Gua Langsiar and Gua Kelawar with their stunning stalactites and stalagmites, taunt the adventurous.
Fine beaches fringed with lush tropical vegetation offer sun-filled days of complete relaxation. The crystal clear emerald waters under azure skies provide a host of water sports and recreational activities, and a magical world of marine life. Unspoilt and rustic, it is a tropical paradise spectacularly endowed by nature.

But Langkawi is more than captivating beauty ' it is also a land steeped in legends and shrouded in mysteries. Its past is filled with legendary tales of wronged maidens and lovelorn princes, all of whom have left their mark for posterity.
The best-known legend is that of Mahsuri, a beautiful maiden who lived here some 200 years ago. She was wrongly accused of committing adultery and sentenced to death by those who were envious of her. White blood oozed out as soon as she was stabbed proclaiming her innocence.
With her dying breath, she laid a curse upon the island ' that it should remain barren for seven generations. The Mahsuri's Masoleum is a sombre reminder of the wronged maiden.

As it turned out, in 1821, Langkawi was savagely attacked by the Siamese. Upon knowing the inevitable fate of the island following the battle, Datuk Kerma Jaya, the headman of Kampung Raja, the ancient capital of Langkawi, ordered that Padang Matsirat, the village granary, be burned and all the wells poisoned in order to starve the enemy.
From then on, the island slipped into a slumber. This legend is perhaps the main allure of Langkawi.

Call it superstition or coincidence, the island's slumberous existence ended seven generations later. Modernisation crept-in swiftly and the lethargic landscape of the land was given a careful face-lift.
On 1 January 1987, the Federal Government declared Langkawi a duty-free port and in 1990, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) which is housed in the LADA Complex was set up to develop the island as a tourist destination, as well as to improve the socio-economic conditions of the local people. Today, Langkawi has blossomed from a once sleepy hollow inhabited by farmers and fishermen into a prime holiday spot for domestic and international travelers. Its main town, Kuah once a sleepy hollow, is now a thriving and bustling commercial district.

On 13 January 1996, Malaysia saw the launching of MEASAT I into the earth's orbit. Langkawi was chosen to house the MEASAT Satellite Control Centre to monitor and control all MEASAT satellites in-orbit operation. The erection of the centre at Gunung Raya, the highest peak of the island, brought Langkawi's name up further in the world map.

More and more tourists from all over the world are beginning to stream into the island for various reasons ' the idyllic pristine beaches such as the Pantai Cenang, Pantai Kok and Pantai Datai as well as the many small islands namely the Pulau Dayang Bunting, Pulau Payar and Pulau Singa Besar surrounding Langkawi.
Another reason behind the arrival of many visitors are the numerous international events held on the island. Some of the international events include the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Show (LIMA), Tour de Langkawi, Langkawi International Motor Show and Langkawi International Dialogue. The venue for most of these events is the The Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre, which covers a land area of 7500 sq feet.

To cater for the growing number of travelers flying into the island, Langkawi International Airport, located at PadangMat Sirat, has expanded three times within the last decade and undergone major renovations costing RM90 million.
Luxurious international class hotels and resorts spring up like mushrooms all over the island. Langkawi has suddenly gained worldwide attention as a prime tourist spot, the nation's aerospace centre and as a host of top-notch events.

Information and Fact about Langkawi

Government:
Constitutional Monarchy

Population:
64,732 (2008)

Ethnic Groups:
Malays - 65% (including Bumiputera 12%)
Chinese - 26%
Indian - 8%
Others - 2%

Languages:
The official language is Bahasa Malaysia, although English is widely used.

Climate
Langkawi is very warm and humid with temperatures ranging from 25c to 35c. The rainy season is during August/ September, although there are occasional showers throughout the year.

Prickly heat sometimes happen - to avoid it, keep cool, bathing often, dry the skin using prickly heat powder or resorting to air-conditioning.

Visas
All transit visitors who fly into Malaysia are eligible for a visa free visit, as long as the period does not exceed 72 hours. Regulations may change from time to time; please check with the nearest Malaysian Embassy before you start on your trip.

Currency
The currency, known as Malaysia Ringgit (RM), is issued in denominations of RM100, RM50, RM10, RM5, RM1. The coins, referred to as 'sen' (cents) are in denominations of 50sen, 20sen, 10sen, 5 sen and 1 sen.

Seven major banks are available in Langkawi: Namely Maybank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Bumiputera Commerce, Perwira Affin Bank, Bank Islam and Bank Simpanan Nasional. Most ATM's are linked to international banking networks such as Cirrus, Maestro and Plus and not forgetting Visa and Mastercard allowing withdrawal from overseas accounts easy. ATM's are available at the Langkawi Airport, Kuah Town and the Jetty Point Shopping Complex.

License Moneychangers can be found all over the island namely: Langkawi International Airport, Jetty Point Complex, Kuah Town, Pantai Chenang, Padang Matsirat, Langkawi Fair. Banks and most hotel do provide money changing facilities.

Health Risk

The only vaccination requirements are yellow fever for those from infected areas. Cholera, smallpox and malaria have largely been eliminated. Tap water is safe for drinking in Malaysia. Hotels usually provide bottled water for guests in their rooms.

Strategical Geography of Langkawi Island

Langkawi, a cluster of 99 islands separated from mainland Malaysia by the Straits of Malacca, is a district of the state of Kedah in Northern Malaysia and lies approximately 51 km west of Kedah. The total land mass of the islands is 47,848 hectares, while the main island of Langkawi itself has a total of 32,000 hectares. The main island spans about 25 km from north to south and slightly more for east and west. The coastal areas consist of flat, alluvial plains punctuated with limestone ridges. Two-thirds of the island is dominated by forest-covered mountains, hills and natural vegetation.













The island's oldest geological formation, Gunung Matchincang, was the first part of South-East Asia to rise from the seabed in the Cambrian period more than half a billion years ago. The oldest part of the formation is observable at Teluk Datai to the north-west of the island, where the exposed outcrop consists of mainly sandstone (quartzite) in the upper parts and shale and mudstone in the lower parts of the sequence.

Tourism Langkawi Island

On June 1, 2007, Langkawi Island has been given a World Geopark status by UNESCO. Three of its main conservation areas in Langkawi Geopark are Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park and Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest park.(Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake). These three parks are the most popular tourism area within Langkawi Geopark.

The Kilim Karst Geoforest Park (The Kilim River)

This area actually consists of three river estuaries that stretch from the Kisap village approximately 10km to Tanjung Rhu and they are all interconnected. They are rich in wild life and tourists may see hairy nosed sea otters, brown winged kingfishers, monitor lizards and swimming macaque monkeys. Limestone, inherently porous forms caves and there are several in the mangroves. One of Langkawi's natural beauty spots is the Pirate Lagoon just outside the river. Technically this is a collapsed cave (hong) consisting of a cave entrance from the sea emerging into a hidden lagoon with towering, limestone escarpments and smaller caves. In the days when Kedah formed the gateway into China for the silk route, pirates on Langkawi used these caves to secure their profits.

Pregnant Maiden Lake

Pregnant Maiden lake lies on Dayang Bunting Island and is an extremely popular tourist attraction playing host to thousands of tourists a day. With most of the resorts and budget accommodation more readily accessible to the Southern islands this area receives the bulk of pressure from exploitative tourism.

Langkawi Islands

There are two island areas. The Southern Islands, with a heavy tourist population and the islands to the North East which are more secluded without tourist traffic. Langun Island has a fresh water lake like Pregnant Maiden Lake only without the tourists and has Sand Spit Beach on its South facing orientation. Dendang Island next to it form a spectacular bay popular with Langkawi sailing yacht tour operators who favour the area for its natural beauty and peace.

Some of the most popular beaches are Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Burau Bay, Pantai Kok, and Datai Bay. Pantai Cenang is a picturesque beach with seemingly unending stretches of fine white sand.It has numerous restaurants and bars for evening entertainment, several hosting live music and for watching the sun set. The beach is contoured by tall coconuts and casuarinas. Pantai Tengah is separated from Cenang by a small cape. It too faces the setting sun and is populated more by hotels than bars making it less busy in the evening. Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is the favorite place of migratory birds in Langkawi. Pantai Kok is a peaceful beach with the backdrop of limestone hills. Datai Bay has a combination of forests and sea. The milky beach is backed by lush forest.

The Langkawi Cable Car takes visitors up to the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang, where the Langkawi Sky Bridge is located.

Tourists can enter the island via ferry from Kuala Perlis or by flight from Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia and Fireflyz provides budget connections to the island.

History of Langkawi Island

Langkawi, the beautiful archipelago of Malaysia, is shrouded in mythological legends. Its actual history & origin has lost its course in the passage of times. According to the legends, the term 'Langkawi' is said to have connections with the kingdom of Langkasuka, which is centered in the present Kedah. The historical documentation is little; however, the Chinese Liang Dynasty record (500 AD) refers the kingdom of 'Langgasu' as being established in the 1st century AD.

Another reference of the island's name has been made in the book The Legends of Langkawi by Tun Mohamed Zahir. It says that the term 'Langkawi' is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Langka (beauty) and Wi (innumerable). As per the book, Langkawi means the place of immense beauty. One more reference states that Langkawi means Eagles' Island. According to it, the term Langkawi is a combination of two words Lang and Kawi. Where 'Lang' is a corrupt form of Malay word 'helang' which means eagle, 'Kawi' means marble.

Since both eagles and marble are found in abundance in Langkawi, probably the place was named after the fact. Indeed, the Eagle Square at the island was built to commemorate its name. About 200 years ago, according to the folklore, a young woman, name Mahsuri, was accused of adultery and was executed by the people in spite of her earnest innocence. Just before her death, Mahsuri laid a curse on the island that it will remain barren for seven generations. That's about the mythological history of Langkawi.

As far as political history is concerned, the Sultanate of Kedah used to rule over the island. In 1921, when Kedah was conquered by Siam, Langkawi also passed in the ruling hands. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred the holding power to the British, who held the state until freedom, excluding a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. The Thai influence can be still seen in the culture and food of Langkawi. In fact, Thai language is also understood by many people on the island.