Langkawi :: Langkawi island :: langkawi car rental

Langkawi's designated Duty Free Port status makes shopping here quite fun and very popular. It carries the largest selection. Enjoying duty free status within Malaysia makes Langkawi a great place to pick up some superb bargains during your holiday, although it is neither as cheap, nor is there as much variety as you will find in Kuala Lumpur. There is a large mall called Langkawi Fair, where you can pick up the best bargains, and one of the best places to go shopping for luxury goods is the Langkawi Parade, where you can browse the high-end boutiques. For souvenir hunting, it's a good idea to wander through the markets along the harbour front and pick up locally produced handicrafts such as Langkawi Craft Complex.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Introduction Langkawi island

The Langkawi archipelago is a cluster of 99 islands just off the coast of Kedah, close to Perlis and just south of Thailand.

Pulau Langkawi, noted for its legends and beautiful views, is the most developed in the group. It has good beaches, abundant marine life and offers an idyllic retreat from the urban jungle.

A duty-free port, this island of scenic, tranquil landscapes, has become a favorite destination for local and international visitors alike.

Langkawi is accessible by ferry from either Kuala Kedah (75 minutes) or Kuala Perlis (45 minutes).

Ferries usually leave on the hour from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm. Both ferry terminals offer ample parking facilities at just RM5 per day.

There are daily flights to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur which land at Langkawi International Airport. The entire cluster of islands covers an area of 47,850 hectares and is separated from the mainland by the Straits of Malacca. Of the 99 islands in the group, only Pulau Tuba, Pulau Singa, Pulau Dayang Bunting, and Pulau Langkawi are inhabited.

Mainly a padi-growing and fishing region, Pulau Langkawi's residents have diversified into more commercial and tourism-related activities. The main commercial areas are in the towns of Kuah, Padang Maksirat and Padang Lalang.

The island of Langkawi is steeped in legend and there are some fascinating stories connected to several tourist attractions.

Visit the Tomb of Mahsuri, the Field of Burnt Rice, the Hot Springs and the Beach of Black Sand. Boat tours are organized to Tasik Dayang Bunting, (Lake of the Pregnant Maiden), Gua Cerita (Cave of Stories) and the Gua Langsir.

Labels: hotel langkawi, islands langkawi, langkawi, langkawi Beaches, langkawi car rental, pantai langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 7:39 AM

Islands: Coral Garden

Coral garden is located on the western tip of Pulau Payar. This dive site features both hard and soft corals along the island's rocky terrain with depths from 5 to 15 metres. Huge boulders carpeted with dendronephythya soft corals offer numerous crevices that attract marine life seeking refuge from predators. Fish life is abundant, with damsels, fusiliers, lionfish, schooling jack and occasional huge groupers.

Labels: islands langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 6:17 AM

Islands: Grouper Farm

Suitably named, this dive site located towards the Southern end of Pulau Payar is home to small schooling fish nervously darting about due to the presence of numerous groupers. Hard corals dominate the seascape with the reef top gradually sloping down to about 15 meters to the sandy bottom. If a slight current is present, a drift dive is the best approach to this site, but watch out for spiny sea urchins.

Labels: islands langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 6:14 AM

Islands: Pulau Payar

Pulau Payar is located 30 km south east of Langkawi and north of Penang Island.

This marine park extends over a number of islands with Pulau Payar being the largest. It takes an hour to get there from the Kuah Jetty by speedboat. There is a floating platform moored off Pulau Payar which has a restaurant and underwater observation chamber to view the marine life surrounding a reef. It is a good area for snorkelling or taking rides in glass-bottomed boats.

No form of accommodation is available on the island, only the Marine Park centre occupies its solitary beach. The best diving is to be found from the Western tip to the Southern and Eastern portion of Pulau Payar.

Labels: islands langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 6:14 AM

Islands: Pulau Segantang

This twin rocky outcrop is located 13 kilometres towards the west of Pulau Payar. Pulau Segantang features steep rocky terrain plunging into the sea to a sandy bottom at 20 metres. Nurse sharks, barracudas and jacks are very common here. Fusiliers will swim curiously around intruding divers. Here, hard corals and sea fans are found on the slopes between 15 to 20 metres. Lobsters, moray eels and mollusks are also commonly observed.

Labels: islands langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 6:12 AM

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Islands: Pulau Kaca

Situated towards the east of Pulau Payar is some easy wreck diving off Pulau Kaca. Dozens of sunken fishing trawlers are found around Pulau Kaca creating artificial reefs. Rocky topside topography gives way to hard coral growth at 5 metres and slopes to a sandy bottom at about 18 metres.

A diver does not require any bearings to locate the wrecks, as he is bound to encounter the scattered vessels in almost any direction.

Coral blocks on the sandy bottom are inhabited by abundant small reef fishes, mollusks and nudibranchs. Try to maintain good buoyancy, as the sandy seabed is littered with sea urchins.

Labels: islands langkawi, pulau langkawi

posted by Anonymous @ 2:47 AM