Langkawi SkyCab – The Steepest Cable Car In The World

On my way to Langkawi’s Oriental Village to ride the SkyCab, I thought that it would be my first experience on the famous Langkawi cable car. Ah, I had actually forgotten that I have taken a ride before, six years ago! It was ages ago, no wonder I had no memory of it.

It was only upon my arrival that I recalled my one and only Langkawi SkyCab ride. At the time, my friends and I were only able to ride up to the Middle Station due to maintenance. Thankfully, for this trip, I could enjoy the full experience that SkyCab offers, including SkyBridge and Sky Glide. Yahoo!

Langkawi’s cable car is an iconic tourism product of the island. Located at Burau Bay at a family-oriented entertainment-cum-retail hub called Oriental Village, it is the steepest cable car ride in the world. Taking visitors over 700 metres above sea level overlooking Mt. Machinchang, there is much to see, if you dare to look down!

The highlight of this ride, in my opinion, is seeing Andaman Sea beyond the horizon. The view is simply breathtaking! If you do not fear heights and are into nature, take a ride on the Panorama Langkawi SkyCab and enjoy seeing the hillside flora, waterfalls and wildlife. To make it more fascinating, go on the glass-bottom gondola and experience having the forest underneath your feet. They are not cold, hopefully! Hahaha!

Taking the SkyCab, you can alight at the Middle Station, where you casually take a walk to the viewing platforms, 650 metres above sea level. This is where you are able to immerse yourself in a panoramic view of Langkawi and its neighbouring islands.

The more adventurous visitors, on the other hand, can alight at the Top Station, to access the SkyBridge, another icon of the island. The journey from Base Station to Top Station takes only about 15 minutes covering a distance of 2.2km. That could very well be the longest 15 minutes of your life, though!

Completed in 2004, SkyBridge is the longest free-span and curved suspension bridge built atop the Machinchang Mountain. While a visitor can walk to SkyBridge from Top Station via the SkyTrail, it is recommended that one should take the SkyGlide, a type of elevator, as it provides yet another one-of-a-kind experience.

Langkawi’s SkyBridge, hanging at about 100 metres above ground, is suspended from a 82-metre high single pylon. It can accommodate up to 250 people simultaneously. If you feel that the bridge swings, it is real and purposely built in this manner to give visitors a unique spatial experience.

Along the 125-metre bridge, there are three glass-bottom flooring, for tourists to have an unobstructed view down the valley. Once again, this is not for everybody, especially acrophobics. Price for SkyBridge is RM5 (adult) and RM3 (child). This is not inclusive of SkyGlide fare, which is RM10 per adult and RM7 per child (2 – 12 years of age).

Other attractions at the Top Station include SkyBoutique, SkyBistro and SkyPos. Their names pretty much explain what they are! Once you have had enough of the bird’s-eye view of Langkawi, it’s time to descend, also by SkyCab. The fare for both ways are RM40 (Malaysian adult) and RM30 (Malaysian child). Non-Malaysian adult pays RM15 more while child, another RM10.

At the Base Station, there are also scores of other attractions and activities. Time Travel, Bumper Car, SkyDome, Sky Adventure Park, 6D Cinemotion, F1 Simulator and 3D Art Langkawi are just a few that I can name off hand. Each attraction has its own entrance fee, although there are combo packages that are cheaper on the whole, than buying individual tickets.

For more information about Langkawi SkyCab, SkyBridge and all other attractions within Langkawi Oriental Village, click on this official website. This is also where you obtain the latest information on SkyCab schedules, including temporary closures for maintenance.

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