EAGLE SQUARE

Langkawi's most prominent landmark for visitors arriving by sea. Situated near the Kuah jetty, the main attraction of the square is the magnificent statue of the reddish brown eagle majestically poised for flight.

The square is beautifully landscaped and features scenic ponds, bridges, covered terraces, restaurants and barrel vaults made of bricks. Its close proximity to the sea and an ideal spot for leisurely walks and a tranquil setting for dining in the cool evenings.

The square is beautifully illuminated at night and presents a dramatic scene as you approach the island by sea.

Langkawi Island

MAPS

Langkawi Island

Langkawi island is an archipelago of 104 islands lying in the north western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The exact location of these tropical islands is at the site where the Straits of Malacca meets the waters of the Andaman Seas.

The largest of these islands is called Langkawi Island and is bigger than the Penang Island.The other islands in this group are Island of Pregnant Maiden (Pulau Dayang Bunting), Lion Island (Pulau Singa Besar) and Beras Basah Island.The smallest of these islands are atolls roughly the size of an ordinary house!

Langkawi is coined from the Malay words Lang and Kawi. Lang is a brown eagle and Kawi is a local manganese stone.The ancient fishermen must have seen eagles flying clutching the manganese stones! A giant monument of a brown eagle clutching the manganese stone greets all visitors to Langkawi near the Kuah Jetty.

The main tourist attractions of Langkawi Island is its virgin white sandy beaches.The beaches have very gentle continental slope and the water is crystal clear.
This island is unique in the sense that it has so many legendsand myths associated with it.Langkawi Island is therefore also called Pulau Lagenda or Legendary Island.

The most talked about legend is that of Mahsuri who is said to have laid a curse on this island for seven generations.Luckily the period of this curse is over now and Langkawi Island is fast becoming an internationally recognised tourist destination.

The government of Malaysia has declared the entire Langkawi Island as a duty free zone. Hence this island is also termed Duty Free Island.All goods sold in this island are exempted from government tax.Therefore this Legendary Island is a haven for the shoppers.You only need to stay in Langkawi for a minimum of 48 hours to take back home a reasonable amount of tax free goods.

Getting There

By Road
Visitors travelling by road have to drive to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis on the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the main take-off points by ferry to Langkawi. The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kedah takes about 6 hours while Kuala Perlis is another one hour away. Car parking facilities are available at both points.

By Air
The Langkawi International Airport at Padang Mat Sirat is about 20 km from Kuah and 8 km from the beach resorts in Pantai Cenang. Direct air services from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi are provided by .Malaysia Airlines on a daily basis and Air Asia five times weekly. Silk Air also flies regularly from Singapore to the island. There are also direct international flights to Langkawi from Osaka and Taipei.

By Rail
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) or Malayan Railway provides comfortable and economical rail services from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar and Arau. From Alor Setar or Arau, you can take a taxi or bus to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis respectively and then proceed by ferry to Langkawi.

By Ferry
There are 4 ports of embarkation from where one can take a ferry to Langkawi Islands.Three are in Malaysia and one in southern Thailand. The ports are:-

1. Kuala Perlis in Perlis
Kuala Perlis is about 30.5 Km from Langkawi Island.It provides the shortest route to the island.This fishing village at the mouth of Perlis River is becoming increasingly important as the transit point to Langkawi.Its ferry terminal has been upgraded recently to upgrade the passenger facilities. Kuala Perlis can be reached via road and rail.Keretapi Tanah Melayu or KTM (Malayan Railways) provides comfortable train service (Langkawi Express) from Kuala Lumpur to Arau,from where one can take a taxi to Kuala Perlis.

2. Kuala Kedah in Kedah
Kuala Kedah also provides ferry services to Langkawi Islands.One can travel to Kuala Kedah by road or rail.Train travellers have to proceed to Kuala Kedah in a taxi from Alor Star.A new jetty terminal has been constructed here to cater for the increase in the passenger flow to Langkawi Island.

3. Georgetown in Penang Island
There is also a ferry service from Penang Island to Langkawi.

4. Satun in South Thailand
There are 3 ferry services daily to Lagkawi from Satun.

Pantai Kok, Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Datai and Burau Bay

Idyllic beaches such as Pantai Kok, Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Datai and Burau Bay offer carefree sun-filled days and quiet evening strolls. First-class accommodation in modern hotels or captivating chalets is available. A wide range of exciting water-sports provides fun and thrills for the energetic. Restaurant outlets in the hotels and outdoors serve a variety of appetizing cuisine.

KUAH

The main town located on the south-eastern tip of Pulau Langkawi. It is the take-off point to the neighboring islands. The name "Kuah" is a Malay word meaning "gravy" and is associated with an ancient legend of two battling giants who overturned a gigantic pot of curry at the spot where the town now stands. Once was a rustic town with a few streets, present day, Kuah is a thriving center of modern hotels and shopping-cum-business complexes, but without the overcrowding and bustle of modern cities. Kuah is a duty free shopping haven with a wide variety of goods sold at attractive prices and its restaurants offer excellent culinary delights, especially fresh seafood.