langkawi magazine

When exotic birds, squirrels and monitor lizards cross your path at a holiday resort, you know this is a place to get in tune with nature.

A sweeping stretch of white powder sand stretched from the edge of the trees to the calm azure sea with decorative small islands backed by verdant green jungle.

Lada wants Langkawi, which celebrates its first anniversary as Tourism City on Sunday, to be a well-known centre for eco-tourism, among other attractions, in this region.

The little-known island of Langkawi in northwest Malaysia is discovered by the New York Times.

Sitting on crystal clear emerald waters, dolphins are a regular sighting. Facing the calm waters of Andaman Sea, the recently-opened resort complements other attractions on the island

One of the few restaurants in the world set within the unspoilt natural mangrove

Sheraton Langkawi spa has become the place for couples looking to rejuvenate mind, body, soul and all those aching muscles.

The magical island of Langkawi, off the west coast of Malaysia offers the best golfing and spa treatments.

Conceptualised to capture the imagination of holiday-makers, clusters of cabanas are arranged strategically like a little village by the bay around tropical rain forest.

We fly northwest to Langkawi Island, where dense rainforest fringes intimate beaches, rural villages, thundering waterfalls, caves, and rice paddies. The island is postcard perfect and home to a world leading Malay restaurant.

Much of Langkawi's charm is natural. Except for the excellent road that connects the entire island, most of it remains undeveloped - flat paddy fields and buffaloes, attap houses, rolling hills and white sandy beaches at the coastline.

It has been more than 20 years since I last set foot in Langkawi, Kedah. Those days, the island was little known - it was a mere glint in Mahathir's eye. Tourists had not heard of the legendary Mahsuri, and the wildlife still roamed free on land and hill.

Avid photographer Suzy Schmidt explores the discipline and rewards of not taking a single photo on one of the world's most beautiful islands - Langkawi.

I very much enjoyed my stay in this most individual of hotels. It is superbly managed, and every aspect of the service is outstanding. Even when it is full there is no feeling of congestion in any area; this hotel is guaranteed to de-stress anyone who likes forest or jungle.

This site lists many of Langkawi favorite eateries.Bon Ton is one of the few places on the island where you can find the interesting Nyonya cuisine--a style of cooking unique to the Chinese community that settled in the Straits Settlements of Malacca and Penang. It is a blend of Chinese, Indian and Malay cuisines. As you step inside, Balinese artefacts greet the eye.

I stayed at Pelangi Beach Resort for 10 nights and thought I was in Paradise. It is well presented, with staff that can not do enough for you. The rooms are large, with air-conditioning, and are set in beautiful, well kept grounds. There are lakes, and two large swimming pools. I recommend the one away from the main building, as it has fewer kids, and the bar in the pool helps too!

If you are in Malaysia, Langkawi is an island you should contemplate visiting. We went and were not diasppointed. Flying from KL we found Air Asia were cheap, ticketless and no frills. Langkawi Airport is small, clean and efficient cutting out the wait. We hired a car from the airport - you have to use your negotaiating skills here as prices are open to haggling!

We found Langkawi to be a lovely island,very scenic,with beautiful beaches,and plenty of wildlife. The food was great,really cheap,and the duty free status of the island,meant that drinks and cigarettes were a real bargain.

If there's one human figure that the wild animals of Langkawi are familiar with, it's got to be Irshad Mobarak. The 44-year-old naturalist spends his working days and free time creeping around the forests and mangroves. Besides being a resort guide, he's also an experimental farmer - he cultivates mushrooms.

Nature guide Irshad Mobarak pointed out a plant growing on a limestone rock by the mangrove river in Langkawi, as we cruised by. This is an ancient species that's endemic to the limestone formations between Langkawi and Phuket - It's been around for 260 million years, and palaeontologists believe dinosaurs fed on them. It grows a metre every 200 years.

The Tanjung Rhu Resort offers a class of travel that can only be described as eco-luxury. Set in "1100 acres of poetry", it offers fine accommodation with lots of natural woods and local marble bathrooms.

The canopy of the rainforest is one part of the forest that I am least familiar with. After all, most of us would see the rainforest along forest trails or following river courses. So when I learnt that there was someone on Langkawi that had established a route up to the canopy I jumped at the chance to experience it for myself.

It involves abseiling, rappelling, climbing, jungle trekking and gliding high above the ground on a cable system resembling a flying fox. It offers a fantastic adrenaline rush and it pushed me to physical extremes that I thought had been lost in the dark recesses of my brain.

Its biggest competition comes from Phuket, Thailand's beach-lover fantasy to the north. But, day for day and dollar for dollar, I'd take Langkawi over Phuket hands down. Why? Well, despite being pumped up by government money and promotional campaigns, Langkawi remains relatively unheard of on the travel scene

At dawn and dusk hornbills flutter between the fronds of the palm trees. Regular piercing screams signalled that the newest hotel guest had caught their first glimpse of one of the monitor lizards, some up to six feet long, that regularly amble across the lawns. Little brown monkeys are everywhere and have been known to sneak into hotel rooms and help themselves to the mini-bar.

The Australian architect, Kerry Hill, was involved from the outset in selecting the 750-hectare site, which includes a beach, untouched rainforest and a sensitive ecosystem of swamps, streams and wildlife. A further distinctive element of the terrain is a ridge that drops sharply to the waterfron

Resorts are all about relaxing and doing,well, very little, right? Not anymore. Discerning guests are now looking for more. Discover how one resort in Malaysia is using its horse-sense to give guests an 'experiental holiday'

An intriguing mix of comfortable sophistication and raw jungle, unchanged for perhaps millions of years, makes Langkawi an appealing prospect for those tired of more obvious holiday destinations. Excellent beaches, near-perfect weather and some of the friendliest people you will find anywhere - this island is fast finding a place on the itineraries of those who know Asia well.

Hotel guests and visitors are inspired by the message on signage: "We must not conquer nature. We must preserve it. Please keep our resort clean." All plants and animals are protected on the resort's property and many species can be found in the adjoining forests and along the beachfront.

An island to the south of Langkawi which can be reached in about an hour by speedboat, Pulau Payar lies between the smaller islands of Pulau Kaca, Pulau Lembu and Pulau Segantang. It is the only island off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia that has marine and coral reef life similar to that of the Indian Ocean.

Active in politics since 1945, Mahathir was a member of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) from its creation in 1946. After graduating from medical school, Mahathir entered government medical service as a practitioner on Langkaw Island (Pulau Langkawi).

Here, you see words of humility from a professional and public servant who is ever in attendance when his service is called for, and dispenses his remedies when the need arises. This has allowed the political will in Dr Mahathir to lead Malaysia and to tide through one of its roughest patches in the regional economic crisis.

The Datai is superlative, offering a mix of guest accommodation all of which are beautifully appointed and boast spectacular views from private verandahs.

The Datai is embedded in the rainforest slopes of a small bay in the north-western corner of Pulau Langkawi. Luxurious, yet discreet, the hotel has been carefully integrated into the forest

Tropical Langkawi will torment you. Not while you're there; oh, no, you'll love it then. It's when you've had to wave goodbye to it and fly home, when the suitcase is tucked back under the bed, when the tan has faded and normal life has been resumed...

I was prepared for a royal fleecing. We had stayed at a different 5-star resort on Langkawi before and it was the worst vacation of a lifetime. We swore we'd never go back, but the allure of Tanjung Rhu had me curious enough to take the plunge. Tanjung Rhu just turned out to be one of those truly sublime experiences that elevated us to a different state of mind.

Fans of traditional architecture need look no further than Pulau Langkawi's Bon Ton resort You can choose to stay in the century-old Black Coral, 60-year-old Yellow Orchid (formerly the home of a fisherman), the painstakingly restored 80-year-old White Frangipani or the equally venerable Blue Ginger.

Checking into Langkawi is an incredibly painless process. All pertinent officials, Port Captain, Immigration and Customs, are located in the same location the Ferry Jetty Building, which is found just to starboard of the large eagle statue that juts out onto Kuah bay

We've gone! We've played! We've been conquered! By both the course and its overwhelming beauty!" These reports from Landmark Berhad's new 18 hole golf course in Datai Bay. The majestic Gunung Macincang peers down from the South and to the North, the Thai Island of Toratao seems to be floating on the cool aquamarine waters of the Andaman Sea.

A word of advice for the not so mobile. The Andaman is a multilevel property and some rooms can be quite a distance from the main areas. The multilevel design may also make it challenging for less mobile guests. Because of the hotels location and the desire to preserve the jungle, the majority of rooms have no sea view as it is obscured by the luxuriant growth. we were, however, fortunate enough to have a fabulous view of Datai Bay and the Andaman Sea.

The sun, the beach, the trees... this is what langkawi really is about. Do not be tricked by advertisements about its aquarium, it's crocodile farms and all sorts. The essentials of this mystical place is its natural nature beauty.

Indulge yourself in luxurious idleness within touching distance of a candidate for best beach in the Far East. Laze on a long stretch of sunned, white sand beach interrupted only by the gentle lapping of an azure sea dotted with densely-forested islets. On Langkawi there"s far too much to see and do in this natural wonderland to stay too long on the beach.

The KL International Airport (KLIA) was voted second in the Best Airport category of the Telegraph Travel Awards 2004.

Built like an American football player, Irshad Mobarak has commanding presence, but is really a gentle giant.

Irshad MobarakHe's been on TV and works out of an exclusive resort area. He also set up the first eco tourism programme for Langkawi together with the late Miles Baddeley and local naturalists. Irshad Mobarak really is committed to Langkawi and sharing an appreciation for its natural wonders.

I duly beat a gentle retreat across the South China Sea to Langkawi (its full name is rarely used), otherwise known as the island of sea eagles. It is one of those rare places that faithfully marries ecological responsibility to luxury tourism. A fact recognised by its 2001 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which praised the way the hotel is so successfully integrated into the surrounding rainforest and ecosystem of swamps, streams and wildlife.

Meet Irshad Mobarak, a consummate naturalist at the Datai, Langkawi, who delights in passing on his knowledge and skill to nature lovers.

German born (Swiss Australian citizen) Chef Ueli Bachofner was drawn to the kitchen from as early as he can remember."Unlike other kids my age who preferred playing outside, my favourite place in the whole house was in my mother's kitchen," he remembers "where I spent hours just watching and helping her cook loving the steam, the noise and the flavours." The passion that he couldn't quite understand at a tender age became obvious as he grew older. When he finished school at age 16, he became a kitchen apprentice at a hospital for diabetics in Davos, Switzerland.

AS a political leader, former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad drew admiration for his approach in bringing his country towards development. One of Asia"s longest serving leaders, he retired from politics recently after steering his country for 22 years from an underdeveloped nation to one of Asia"s powerful economic tigers with a stable political order. Under his leadership, the Malaysian government gave much attention to the upliftment of the majority but impoverished Malays, or Bumiputras, through a host of state interventions — from access to quality education, to secure employment, and other measures designed to empower the majority Malays.

Are you tired of crowded tourist islands? Tired of aggressive sex industry? Go to Langkawi. Nightlife is very quiet, which is a good thing if you are looking for a peace and harmony. Weather is always fabulous and duty free status gives a lot of opportunities for those who are a shop-a-holic.

Memorable dining experiences aren"t just about delectable cuisine, good company and a nice ambience. It"s also about `walking` that extra mile to get to your destination. At Barn Thai Langkawi, you have to literally amble on a 450m long winding boardwalk to have your appetite satiated.

Langkawi derived its name from "helang" which means eagle in Malay language; and kawi, meaning reddish brown. The 99 islands of Langkawi was famously known by the Malaysians to have been cursed by a fair maiden when wrongly accused and then executed cruelly. Today, the islands are free from the curse and is has been turned into a true vacation hideaway for the locals and international tourists alike.

We were very pleasantly surprised with this accommodation - more like a boutique B&B than a resort. We visited early November 2004.

Langkawi is tucked into the northwest of Peninsula Malaysia on the Thai-Malaysian border. It is an archipelago of 104 islands collectively known as Langkawi of which only 3 islands are populated.

A scenic, calm, romantic honeymoon in Malaysia.

Sprinkled with orchids, the open-air spa is a little slice of heaven. But be warned. As you soak in the soothing waters on a cliff-top overlooking the Andaman sea, you may not be alone. For monkeys swing between rainforest trees, occasionally stopping to stare at the strange humans. This was magnificent Malaysia in a nutshell - sophisticated luxury shoulder-to-shoulder with the raw beauty of the jungle.

The exotic facial, body and massage treatments are based on the ancient beauty, healing and rejuvenation secrets of various Asian cultures, with Balinese traditions featuring prominently

Although batik, a generic term referring to the process of dyeing fabric using resist technique, may have been popular in Indonesia and some African countries, Malaysian batik has its own specialities which may interest delegates to the Global 2004 Langkawi International Dialogue (LID)

Many batik artists on the search for new paths liberate themselves entirely from the traditional repertoire of motifs, while others seek to renew themselves within the tradition

Looked like a bit of a mish mash of activities, but we all like sun, sea and sand in our family so how could we go wrong. And we didn"t. We had booked out a private trip on Stardust, the Langkawi charter yacht.

Weekends are too short and too precious for us to spend our time travelling, so when we turned up the website for Stardust, a cruise yacht in Langkawi, it fit our criteria for a long weekend break.

Looking back now, it seems like we were an integral part of everything we experienced that weekend; as if we were meant to be there. I don't mind feeling that way at all and welcome the chance to do it all over again as soon as possible.

Imagine a garden of tropical wonders submerged in the warm waters where the Straits of Malacca meets the Andaman Sea - a place where throngs of white banded, clown fish peep from the wistful violet anemones. Sea plants sway vividly to the demands of the moon stirred currents, whilst shoals of pivoting angel fish dance across the ocean floor.

The Sheraton Perdana Resort, just south of the sleepy capital Kuah on the main island of Pulau Langkawi, proved a terrific base for exploring the island where the village lifestyle has been relatively undisturbed by tourism.

Without a doubt, Unkaizan was our favourite restaurant and is definitley worth a visit. So for all of you who are thinking about visiting Langkawi, I would suggest you just book it.

Acupuncture originated in China over five thousand years ago. It is based on the belief that health is determined by a balanced flow of qi (also referred to as chi), the vital life energy present in all living organisms. According to acupuncture theory, qi circulates in the body along twelve major pathways, called meridians, each linked to specific internal organs and organ systems.

Captain"s Grill, one of three restaurants at the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort, is an award-winning fine cuisine restaurant built overlooking the stunning Andaman Sea. Sip on a glass of sparkling Moët & Chandon as you take in the breathtaking sunset; or enjoy an al fresco gourmet dinner of grilled fresh succulent seafood and meats, accompanied by some of the finest wines in the world.

Conceptualized as a luxury passenger vessel, the silolona was designed to be classic in line and style, and to reflect the stringent demands dictated by Lloyd's Register for wooden vessel construction, ensuing the highest levels of safety, stability and performance.

Not even the locals are quite sure how many islands form the archipelago of Langkawi, floating like a shower of lotus petals off the north west coast of the Malaysian peninsula. Some say 104; others plump for 99. But by anyone's calculations Langkawi is a stunner. Cyan waves scroll gently onto crushed-shell beaches, trees sag under the weight of strange fruit, and mist-furled limestone mountains are thick-knit with rainforest.

The island of Langkawi, Malaysia has come into its own as a holiday destination. A beautiful, verdant tropical island with white sandy beaches, brilliant aqua waters and emerald green rice paddies. Then there"s the intriguing heritage of fabulous myths and legends of ogres and warriors, battles and romance, fairy princesses bathing at the Seven Wells Waterfalls, the virtuous Mahsuri, and the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden, which all adds to its mystical allure.

For the best holiday experience, visit the newly-refurbished Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort that claims to offer the best rooms in Langkawi.

Relish a life of adventure, help change the world and... get paid for it!

Just 30km off Malaysia's Andaman coast and barely 25km from north to south, the island of Langkawi is an unlikely spot for an international airport. The largest of an archipelago of 104 mostly deserted specks, five of which are submerged at high tide, it may have the attributes of a holiday-island idyll - fine undeveloped beaches, labyrinthine mangroves and a hilly interior clad in ancient rainforest, with a cable car to speed you 713m to its highest point for a view of the tree canopy.

Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort has recently completed a full refurbishment of the lobby, lobby lounge and Porte Cochere, offering guests a new sense of arrival. The lobby upgrade follows the full refurbishment of their 231 rooms and suites, and is the first Sheraton hotel in Malaysia to feature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed.