MALAYSIA
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA – WEST COAST •• Pulau Langkawi lonelyplanet.comPlus Langkawi is fun. You’ll see all sorts of
wholesome Malaysian revelry going on (hun-
dreds of Malays line dancing on a beach is un-
forgettable), but come night, there’s plenty of
Western-style booze-fuelled fun about – and
the beer is cheaper here than nearly anywhere
else in Malaysia.Orientation
The Langkawi archipelago sits 30km off the
coast from Kuala Perlis and 45km from the
border town of Satun – Langkawi is the biggest
and most-visited island. In the southeast corner
of Langkawi is Kuah, the major town and the
arrival point for ferries. On the west coast are
Pantai Cenang (cha-nang), a lively beach strip
with shops and restaurants, and adjacent Pantai
Tengah, which is a bit quieter and a short walk
to Pantai Cenang. During the monsoons (May
to October) and sometimes beyond, jellyfish
make swimming a problem.Information
The only banks are at Kuah, although there are
ATMs at the airport and Telaga Harbour Park
and money changers tucked into and around
duty-free shops and at Pantai Cenang.
Tourism Malaysia (%966 7789; Jln Persiaran Putra,
Kuah; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm) offers comprehensive
information and advice about the island.Sleeping
During peak tourist times (November to
February) Langkawi’s rooms fill quickly
but at other times of the year supply far
outstrips demand.PANTAI CENANG
The gorgeous 2km-long strip of sand at Pantai
Cenang has the biggest concentration of ho-
tels, and is popular with everyone from 20-
something backpackers to package tourists.
The water is good for swimming, but jellyfish
are common, so you might feel a bit tingly
when you go for a dip.
oGecko Guesthouse (%019 428 3801; re
[email protected]; dm RM10, r RM25-70; a) ‘How
long you been here?’ ‘Two weeks.’ ‘How long
were you going to stay originally?’ ‘Three
days.’ Yep – that’s the vibe in this most back-
packer of backpacker joints. There’s a jungly
collection of bungalows, chalets and dorms,
lots of dreadlocked folk in the common area
and very good chocolate milkshakes behind
the bar – book early.Rainbow Lodge (%955 8103; dm RM15, r from RM40)
Set a little ways back from the beach, this is a
cheap place to rest in between eating, drink-
ing, hangover and more drinking. The dorm
looks like a barracks, but it’s a good spot for
meeting folks.
Sweet Inn (%955 8864; r RM50-70; ai) A cute
yellow building dotted with umbrella-ed ta-
bles, rooms that keep cool and a common
area where meeting fellow travellers is easy
and breezy. Just behind and almost sharing
the same grounds is Daddy’s Guest House (r RM40),
where rooms are a bit cheaper. It looks a little
like an apartment block, but rooms are nice
and top-floor ones have sea views.
Palms Guest House (%017 631 0121; r from RM65;
aiW) Run by a friendly English couple,
rooms here feel like the guest suite in a family
cottage by the sea. They’re clean and centred
around a gravel-strewn courtyard shaded by
palms, and there’s free wi-fi.PANTAI TENGAH
Pantai Tengah is less built-up and is popular
with Malay families. Zackry Guest House (www.za
ckryguesthouse.langkawinetworks.com; dm/s/d RM20/30/40;
ai) is a friendly, sprawling guest house
inhabited by happy travellers boozing it up in
the common area, Irish owner Neve and her
Malaysian boyfriend Chaz and several large,
friendly dogs. Rooms are clean and cosy, and
there are no phone bookings.Eating
Langkawi’s proximity to Thailand means
that the Thai penchant for fiery chillies has
found its way into local dishes. There’s a pasar
malam north of Pantai Cenang held once or
twice a week; it’s a good place to get authentic
Malay food on the cheap.
Tomato (%955 5853; mains from RM4; h24hr) Not
red but still good, this branch serves excellent
rotis and a standard curry-rice Indian/Malay
menu at all hours.
Red Tomato (%955 9118; mains from RM18; h8am-
3pm & 6-11pm Sat-Thu) Run by expats, this place
cranks out some of the best pizza and pasta
on the island.
oChampor-Champor^ (%955 1449; mains
from RM18; h7-10.30pm) Dine on imaginative
regional cuisine such as pan-fried bama-
koise (a local fish) with banana, tofu satay
and coconut-crusted calamari. The tranquil,
open-air garden filled with sweet incense and
surrounded with plants and native carvings470