10 Fun Things to do in Langkawi, Malaysia

Gorgeous beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, bizarre rock formations and jungles with a wide variety of wildlife are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Langkawi. 

Langkawi, also known as the Jewel of Kedah has been on my bucketlist forever. I never made it to the island until now, so I was really psyched when I received an invitation from Naturally Langkawi to visit the island and do some fun activities.  

 

With an archipelago of 99 islands, Langkawi is a tropical paradise surrounded by white beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, bizarre rock formations and jungles with a wide variety of wildlife.

 

On top of all that, Langkawi is a duty-free island, which means tobacco and booze are ridiculously cheap there.

 

The best time to visit the island is between December and March, it's dry season and temperatures are around 30°C or more. It can get quite hot, but there is always a nice breeze in Langkawi.

 


HOW TO GET TO LANGKAWI

 

The easiest is via plane. From Kuala Lumpur it's a 1 hour flight. There are several airlines for this route, AirAsia, Malindo Air, Firefly and Malaysia Airlines. If you visit Penang, the island south of Langkawi, you can also fly over to Langkawi with AirAsia or Firefly. Flights can be as cheap as $10, no joke.

 

For finding the cheapest deals, I recommend Kiwi.com, it's a brilliant flight search engine.

 

 

WHERE TO STAY IN LANGKAWI

 

Please check my other blog post Four fabulous places to stay in Langkawi. Alternatively, if you're on a budget, check out Airbnb where you can rent a room or apartment from a local! Here are $30 travel credits for your first Airbnb booking!

 
So, let's get this started! Here is a list of my favorites things to do in Langkawi... Enjoy!

 

 

The SkyCab Langkawi: Breathtaking view over the island Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

01 | LANGKAWI SKYCAB

 

Take a ride with Langkawi's popular cable car and enjoy the scenic view over the island. But be aware: the ride is not for the faint hearted, this is one of steepest cable car ropes in the world! I was a bit scared, but of course it's absolutely safe! Once you reach the top of Machincang mountain, you can enjoy a 360 degree view of the islands and the flora around, it's absolutely stunning!

 

Tickets for the SkyCab cost MYR35 (US$10) for adults and RM25 (US$7.5) for children. Avoid weekends, it can get quite crowded. More info here: Panorama Langkawi SkyCab.


 

02 | STREET FOOD AT THE NIGHT MARKETS

 

I got addicted to the night markets in Langkawi. The food is super delicious and relatively cheap!! There is no better place to try local foods, and it won't hurt your budget!

 

You can find grilled chicken or seafood, fresh juices, homemade ice tea, fresh fruits, salads, satay, samosas and many different sweets such as cookies, pancakes... The list is endless. Go there and eat, I promise you'll love it!

 

The night bazar happens daily from 7-10PM, but it changes its location every night. The weekly locations are as following:  Monday at Ulu Melaka, Tuesday at Kedawang, Wednesday at Kuah Town, Thursday in Pantai Cenang, Friday at Air Hangat, Saturday again at Kuah Town and Sunday at Padang Matsirat.

 

 

Jetski Island Hopping in Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

03 | JETSKI ISLAND HOPPING

 

Hands down, this was my favorite activity in Langkawi! For a half day (4 hours) we were exploring the archipelago of Langkawi. The ride is breathtaking, bizarre rock formations paired with white beaches. We did some stops for exploring the islands, jungle trekking and having a swim in a fresh water lake. 

 

Price for the jetski island hopping starts from MYR500 (US$150) - I know it sounds a lot but believe me, it was so much fun to ride a jetski and get crazy in the open sea. I would definitely do it again! 
More info here: Mega Water Sports.


 

Skytrex Outdoor Adventure Park in Langkawi: Climb, swing, crawl and glide through the jungle | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

04 | SKYTREX ADVENTURE

 

If you have too much energy, you will love this! Skytrex is a newly opened outdoor adventure park where you can climb, swing, crawl or glide through the jungle. It's a lot of fun and excitement, but also physically challenging if you're not the fittest person (speaking of myself, haha)...

Needless to say, my favorite was the zipline downhill.

 

 


Entrance fee starts from MYR45 (US$13) - Book online, it's cheaper! A big thanks to the fantastic staff of Skytrex, they couldn't be more friendly and helpful! More info here: Skytrex Adventure.

 

 

Explore the natural wonders at Kilim Karst Geoforest Park in Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

05 | KILIM KARST GEOFOREST PARK

 

Take a boat and explore the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, an area of more than 100km², that features a breathtaking landscape of limestone formations, mangrove forests, caves and beaches.

 

The Kilim Karst Geoforest Park is ranked as Langkawi's #01 Attraction on Tripadvisor, you can't leave the island without seeing this natural wonder!

 

More info here: Langkawi Geopark.

 

 

Taste the mouthwatering seafood of Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

06 | LANGKAWI'S SEAFOOD

 

Every time I'm traveling to a place that's near the sea, it's a must for me to eat seafood! Langkawi's cuisine was over the top and I enjoyed some of my most delicious meals there. The image above is taken at a place called Hole In The Wall - a floating restaurant and fish farm inside Kilim Karst Geoforest Park. They offer a wide range of seafood, lobsters, crabs, squid, sea bass, red snapper... You name it, you get it!


Alternatively, here is a list of the best seafood restaurants in Langkawi

 

 

Enjoy Parasailing in Langkawi with Naam Adventure | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

07 | PARASAILING

 

Another favorite of mine: Parasailing and enjoying the beautiful view of Tanjung Rhu, one of the best beaches in Langkawi (more on beaches in #09). Loved this activity, frankly, I could do that for hours but unfortunately after 10 minutes I had to go down. 

 

 


One day, I will get my own boat and then I will do parasailing all day. Until then I keep staring at this image... The fun starts from MYR245 (US$70), more info here: Naam Adventure.

 

 

Get lost in the picturesque rice paddies | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

08 | WANDER ALONG THE RICE PADDIES

 

If you're a city person, you'll probably be amazed by this. I really loved wandering along the rice fields in Pantai Cenang, taking images of the picturesque scenery.

 

There is a rice museum, too (and it's free)! It's more like an outdoor museum, a great place to learn about rice cultivation. If you get tired, have a rest at the little restaurant next to the museum, and enjoy the stunning surroundings.

 

 

Catching the sunset in Pantai Cenang Beach, Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

09 | THE BEACHES

 

Langkawi offers some pretty lovely beaches with white powder sand and emerald waters. However I have to admit that the sea is not crystal clear in Langkawi. But the beaches are definitely good enough for a relaxed afternoon picnic, some beach bumming or just watching the sunset. These three were my favorites:

 

  • Tanjung Rhu at the northern tip of Langkawi is probably the most picturesque beach on the island, surrounded by bizarre limestones. 

  • Pantai Cenang is the most popular beach in the touristic center of the island, at the south-western tip of Langkawi. If you walk towards west, you'll find some grass to lay on. The area in front of Meritus Pelangi Resort is a nice spot to catch the sunset... (photo above).

  • Tengah Beach further south is a relaxed alternative to Pantai Cenang. A quiet beach without the crowds. The beach is 15-20 minutes walk from Pantai Cenang.

 

 

Get some awesome shots at the 3D Museum Art in Paradise in Langkawi | One of 10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

10 | 3D MUSEUM ART IN PARADISE

 

If you love art and selfies, you will lose yourself in this place. Actually it's hard to capture the giant 3D paintings while taking selfies, make sure to bring a friend or at least a tripod!

 

The museum features places such as the gondolas in Venice, the pyramids in Egypt, safaris and rainforests, surf spots and loads of fantasy landscapes. A great place for a fun afternoon!

 

Entrance fee is MYR38 (US$11). If you plan to visit the Skycab (#01) as well, they sell cheaper combination tickets. More info and images here: Art in Paradise

 

10 Fun Things and Activities to do in Langkawi, Malaysia © Sabrina Iovino | via @Just1WayTicket

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LANGKAWI?

 

There is actually so much more to do in Langkawi, two weeks are certainly not enough to discover all the things that this island has to offer. If you've been to Langkawi, I'd like to hear about your favorite activities.

 

Thank you for reading! Happy travels! 

 

 

This trip was made possible with Naturally LangkawiAll opinions are, as always, my own.

 

           
   

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Sabrina Iovino is the founder of JustOneWayTicket.com. She's half German, half Italian and has traveled to more than 50 countries around the globe. She feels weird to write about herself in the third person, so she'll switch now. Phew...much better! Let's restart:

Hi, I'm Sab! This is my blog and I write about the things I love. Mostly.

 

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