Langkawi, Kedah
I was on vacation in Langkawi (Pulau Langkawi / Langkawi Island) at the end of May, 2012. So over the next week, I will be sharing a series of posts on my experiences and sights of the island, which is located off the northwest coast between Phuket (Thailand) and Penang (Malaysia).
What does the name, Langkawi, mean? “Lang” is actually short for “helang” which is the Malay word for “eagle” while “kawi” means black (colour) or a “marble” as in “batu kawi”.
Langkawi is actually made up of a total of 99 tropical islands, but only three are inhabited. Whenever “Langkawi” is mentioned, it usually means the main island, where the international airport is. It is not accessible by road. Visitors to the island fly in or take a ferry (or even cruise ship). The other two inhabited islands are Pulau Tuba and Pulau Dayang Bunting, south of the main island.
With a local population of approximately 150,000, Langkawi is a very popular tourist destination. It became a ‘shopping haven’ practically overnight when the Malaysian Government granted it tax-free status in 1987. Holidaymakers who stay on the island for at least 48 hours get to take home cheap booze, ciggies, perfumes, cosmetics and chocolates.
While many people have the impression that a vacation to Langkawi is expensive, it need not be as there are many types of accommodation offered, which would suit any budget. It helps save travel costs when so many attractions are just a stone’s throw away.
My 4D/3N Langkawi vacation was made possible by Tourism Malaysia, Gaya Travel Magazine and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), with generous sponsorships from local enterprises.
Grab your copy of Gaya Travel Magazine, a premier local travel magazine published once every two months, at your neighbourhood Starbucks outlet.
Better still, subscribe to the magazine at a special rate from RM50.49 for one year. For more information, visit: Gaya Travel Magazine website HERE.
Follow my series of posts on my Langkawi vacation to know why you should get your hands on a copy of the magazine! Tags to follow: KCCM1 Langkawi and Gaya Travel Magazine.
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