When in Langkawi, eat lots of seafood and local fare. From left: The Crab Langkawi Farm & Village, Telaga Seafood Restaurant and Cili Kampung.
Looking at all the fancy private yachts, catamarans and boats at the marina in Langkawi, Kedah I wondered who owned each vessel (there’s one called Sea-E-O), and how wonderful it would be if they allowed me to use their boats for free every weekend.
“Excuse me, watch out!” said a stranger carrying a cooler box walking past us on the boardwalk. That broke my daydream but by then my attention had steered to the Sea Wolff, a nice-looking yacht which we promptly christened, “our yacht”.
The Sea Wolff is run by Avante Holidays, a local cruise operator offering luxury cruises and private yacht tours of the island. We were there to experience its luxury sunset cruise service, which comes with dinner and drinks, some water activities and a stopover at one of Langkawi’s 99 islets.
There were six of us in the group, but only a few ventured out to do the activities, one of which was the “jacuzzi net”. A large net tethered to the boat is released into the water; guests jump into the water, holding on to the net to secure their position. When everyone is ready the boat starts to slowly move, creating “bubbles” in the water for the jacuzzi effect.
I wasn’t a big fan of this partly because I can’t swim and kept thinking of the worst things that could happen to me while floating and treading water in the open sea wearing a life jacket, feeling helpless ...
Later, looking at videos of other people doing the same thing, it actually seemed like a fun activity to try. Just don’t let your intrusive thoughts take over when you’re in the water.
Sunset cruises and cruise tours are very popular in Langkawi and there are companies like Avante that provide private chartered services.
The weather wasn’t great that day – we were there during the rainy season anyway – so the sunset view wasn’t the best but still, I bet anyone would rather be on that yacht in Langkawi, than being stuck in traffic or the office somewhere else.
Langkawi is one of those fascinating destinations that has something for every kind of traveller, though it is popularly known as a family destination. This is because it is fairly convenient for families to move about on the island and have enough activities and attractions to entertain the young ones.
Affluent folks looking for something more private and posh would probably choose to spend their holidays at one of the handful luxury resorts around the island like The Datai, The St Regis, The Danna and The Ritz-Carlton.
Those who have been to Langkawi before and have checked out all the main attractions would also perhaps opt for these types of accommodations, as there’d be plenty to do within the premises. For instance, The Danna at Telaga Harbour Park in Pantai Kok has a few cool Ceclo electric pedal boats perfect for those who kept skipping leg day at the gym, and now need to catch up. But in a fun way.
The beachfront resort gives complimentary guided morning walks too, where guests can learn about the building’s colonial-inspired architecture, check out its gardens and listen to legendary folk tales of the island. Try your luck and ask the guide for some stories about the hotel’s most famous guest, a prominent politician known not just in Langkawi but the world over.
The Danna is close to the Panorama Langkawi, where you will find the Langkawi SkyCab, SkyBridge, SkyGlide and the newest attraction, the Eagle’s Nest SkyWalk. Officially opened in March 2024, the Eagle’s Nest SkyWalk is located in the Middle Station.
The Danna Langkawi is located on Pantai Kok, and on a clear day, you will get a great view of Mount Machinchang and its surrounding forest.
Essentially a viewing platform, the SkyWalk is partly shaped like an eagle’s head, while at the end of the walk lies its “nest”, complete with a few giant eggs. This part portrudes out of the cliff, and looks rather precarious but it has been thouroughly tested for safety.
If you dare, walk (or crawl, we don’t judge) all the way to the nest for a closer look at the surrounding Mount Machinchang.
In case you didn’t know, the SkyWalk is a glass-bottomed platform located 650m above sea level.
If you wish to skip this, then continue riding the SkyCab all the way to the Top Station (708m). From here, take a short walk up a few stairs to the viewing platforms on the mountain’s peak. This is also where you will find the SkyBridge, one the of the world’s longest curved suspension bridges.
Back on the ground level, it was time to eat. And boy, did we eat. We had tasty local fare at the “viral” Cili Kampung restaurant in Kedawang, fresh crabs and other seafood at Crab Langkawi Farm & Restaurant at Kampung Kubang Badak, hearty meals at Smiling Buffalo, a unique (and social media famous) dining spot, and more.
Seafood is obviously the main draw here when it comes to food but there is a wide variety of cuisines available. We tried to look for more local dishes as we wanted to see just how different it would be from what we’re used to eating in the Klang Valley.
Verdict? Not too different but the ingredients seem more fresh somehow. Plus, everything was more palatable.
Was it the fresh air or the laid-back, relaxed vibe of the island that influenced how we tasted our food? I can’t be sure ... maybe my travel buddies and I need to return some time soon to find out.
When in Langkawi, eat lots of seafood and local fare. From left: The Crab Langkawi Farm & Village, Telaga Seafood Restaurant and Cili Kampung.
