An archipelago of 99 islands,
Langkawi is the
Malaysia’s most promoted tourist destination. Away from the main island’s developed areas, Langkawi is rural with mountainous interior, villages, rice paddies and junglecovered hills. A dutyfree location, Langkawi is also the perfect place to buy cheap luxuries and it’s recognized for its excellent dive sites and what some say are the most beautiful beaches in Malaysia. Besides all that, sightseeing attractions that range from the Underwater World and the Cable Car & Skybridge to natural draws such as Langkawi’s offshore islets and the Telaga Tujuh waterfalls make Langkawi Malaysia’s most popular tourist destination.
Featuring an equatorial climate, Langkawi is suited for yearround travel. Shielded from major winds and storms by the mainland on one side and Sumatra on the other, the island has two prevailing seasons – dry season (November to March) and wet season. Temperatures are fairly consistent during the day, ranging from 30°C to 35°C, while at night they drop to 28°C or 29°C; humidity levels remain high at about 80% throughout the year. The most rainfall occurs in September and October, as a result of the monsoon winds.
Where to stay in Langkawi? We will not answer this question by giving our recommended list of hotels and resorts in Langkawi but introduce major areas to stay and their attractions. There are many nice hotels and resorts in Langkawi and the real difficult part is to determine in which town or around which beach to stay.
Pantai CenangDubbed Langkawi’s main vein,
Pantai Cenang is not as rowdy as Bangkok’s Khao San Road but it’s still the island’s most popular stretch. 25 km west of Kuah and 500 metres north of Pantai Tengah, the bay forms a white-sand beach strip, and the area is crammed with unobtrusive budget and mid-range beachfront accommodation. Mostly due to the burgeoning package tour clientele, Cenang has plenty of places that offer water sports and boat rentals. Good restaurants with an emphasis on Westernised local dishes, and the best
nightlife in Langkawi, results in an odd jumble of backpackers, expats, Asian tourists and families crowding the restaurants and bars come nightfall.
For resorts and hotels in
Pantai Cenang, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Pantai Cenang Hotels page.
![Where to stay in Langkawi? - Pantai Cenang]( "Where to stay in Langkawi? - Pantai Cenang") |
| Pantai Cenang in Langkawi is Langkawi's most popular beach. |
Pantai TengahThe first of Langkawi’s western beaches,
Pantai Tengah is situated just around the southern bend of the Pantai Cenang road. A family-friendly strip, with some low-key chalets as well as a few all-inclusive resorts, Tengah has the longest stretch of beach on the main island. The bay’s out-of-the-way location means that the water isn’t renewed by the tides and as a result looks quite murky. There’s not much sightseeing here, but there are quite a few spas, and tour operators are abundant. Eating out used to be limited to the various restaurants attached to the motels and resorts along the strip, but lately local enterprise has begun to hit Tengah’s food scene. The nightlife isn’t as prolific as Cenang but it’s popular with the locals.
For resorts and hotels in Pantai Tengah, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Pantai Tengah Hotels page.
KuahWith an estimated 11,000 inhabitants, Kuah is easily Langkawi’s largest town. The arrival point for most ferries, it features a strip of modern high-rise hotels and duty-free shops along the main road, which hugs what little beach there is. Sitting on reclaimed land, it’s more of a fishing beach than a recreational one. Kuah’s not an unattractive place – in fact, the whitewashed Al Hana Mosque, which dominates its waterfront, is one of Langkawi’s most popular sightseeing attractions. The town will probably be your first view of Langkawi and it’s the place to settle any business matters as it’s one of the only places on the island for banks, post office, police station, a hospital and fast food eateries.
For resorts and hotels in Kuah, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Kuah Hotels page.
![]() |
| Kuah and its famous eagle statue (Dataran Lang) in Langkawi Eagle Square.According to folklore Langkawi’s name came from two Malay words – ‘helang’ (eagle) and ‘kawi' (reddish brown): hence lang-kawi. - Source : Langkawi Info |
Padang MatsiratLocated towards the northern end of the island (skirting the airport), a right turn off the main road brings you to Padang Matsirat (The Field of Burnt Rice). It’s only a few kilometres off the road that leads to the west coast beaches, and it offers many sightseeing spots (Makam Mahsuri, Snake Sanctuary and more). You’re going to need to rent a car to get to them as most of these spots are located far from each other. That being said, it takes the top spot as one of the best places to stay, especially if you’d like a quieter atmosphere than
Pantai Cenang or Tengah. There are a few good restaurants and attractions in the vicinity but if you’re looking for nightlife then stick closer to less provincial areas of Langkawi.
For resorts and hotels in Padang Matsirat, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Padang Matsirat Hotels page.
Pantai KokPantai Kok is on the far western stretch of Langkawi. Hands down it’s the best beach in Langkawi – it’s quieter and more secluded than Cenang or Tengah and enjoys a very intimate feel. Major sightseeing attractions include the popular Oriental Village plus its only 2 km from the Telaga Tujuh waterfalls. High-end resorts like the Sheraton and Tanjung Sanctuary dominate lodging options here, but there are also a number of attractive chalets along the beach. The beach itself is beautiful with clean sand and clear waters, a thoroughly modern marina (Telaga Harbour Park) with a string of good shops, bars and restaurants, plus a
petrol station, bank and post office.
For resorts and hotels in Pantai Kok, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Pantai Kok Hotels page.
Datai BayHalfway along Pantai Kok’s main road, there’s a right turn that takes you down a narrow stretch of road leading to the north coast. After 10km, a road to the left leads to Datai Bay – home to some of Langkawi’s most exclusive resorts. The site of Datai Bay Golf Course (one of Malaysia’s top-ten golf clubs), the area’s crowning glory is located at the end of the curving road that takes you past the headland, where a couple of secluded coves afford great views of several Thai islands in the distance. Back-tracking from Datai Bay, there are a couple of reasonable stretches of undeveloped beach; you’ll find Pantai Pasir Hitam (Black Sand
Beach) here – a strip of beach with sand that looks as if it has been sluiced with tar.
For resorts and hotels in Pantai Kok, their room prices, latest deals and discounts as well as customer reviews refer to
Langkawi Datai Bay Hotels page.
![]() |
| Datai Bay (Facilities seen here are Datai Langkawi Resort) - Source : ewtc.com |
