Langkawi

Langkawi lies north of the Strait of Malacca in the southern Andaman Sea near the border between Malaysia and Thailand. A few kilometres to the north lies the neighbouring Thai island of Ko Tarutao. The island group's main town, on the main island, is Kuah.
Langkawi's highest point is Gunung Raya, rising to 890 m above sea level in the main island's central-eastern area.

Langkawi is the collective name for an archipelago of around 99 island in the Andaman Sea, close to the north Malaysian coast. Only two are inhabited-Pulau Langkawi, the main island, and Pulau Tuba, and these are islands of rocky mountains, lush jungle and white sandy beaches lapped by green water.

By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 45,000, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah is an archipelago of 99 islands (an extra 5 temporary islands are revealed at low tide in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia.

The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. Langkawi is sometimes translated as "Land of Eagles", and you can still see white-bellied fish eagles here.

However, the group is more popularly known as the "Isles of Legends", and the best known of these is of Mahshiri, a beautiful woman falsely accused of adultery. It is said that when executed for this crime, she bled white blood, and cursed the islands for seven generations. Her tomb remains a major tourist attraction.

Curses notwithstanding, Langkawi has seen dramatic economic development in recent year in 1987 it was designated a tax-free zone and later gained recognition as a UNESCO World Geopark. This combination has resulted in over two million visitors every year.

Some of the best hotels in Malaysia are now situated here (this is not a budget destination!), mostly on the western side at Pantai Tenghah and Pantai Cenang, though the north coast is also developed. Despite this growth in tourism, the main town of Kuah retains its fishing heritage and relaxed lifestyle.

Government policy prohibiting beachfront development over coconut-tree-height is both commendable and in keeping with the up-market approach. Tax-free shopping aside, water sports are the major attraction here.

Scuba diving and snorkelling are best within the Pulau Payer Marine Park. The interior of the island offers jungle trekking in one of the world's oldest rainforests, which is home to more than 200 bird species.

Highlights
The cable car ride to the top of Gunung Mat Cinang. Legend Langkawi Dalan Taman in Kuah a 20-hectare (49-acre) theme park with gaint sculptures illustrating some of the islands' many legends Crocodile Adventure on the north coast-Malaysia's largest crocodile farm, with over 1,500 saltwater crocs.

Telaga Tujuh-the "Seven Pools" which you can slide down over the moss, preferably stopping before the water cascades over acliff to form a 90 m (295 ft) waterfall. The palace built in 1999 for the film Anna and the King which you may visit whilst it still stands.

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Tioman Island

Tioman has been used for thousands of years by fishermen as an important navigation point and a source of fresh water and wood. During the past thousand years, it has played host to Chinese, Arab, and European trading ships, and often porcelain shards can be found on beaches around the island.

In more recent history, Tioman played host to both the British and the Japanese during the Second World War, and the waters around the island are littered with war remains (including HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales).

Tioman is the biggest and most impressive island at the east coast. There is a brisk jungle covers a ridge on the west section of the island, which ends at the idyllic location of a beautiful palm fringed beach. Tioman offers a wide range of activities for visitors: snorkeling in crystal clear water, discover the beautiful underwater world when you go diving, or just laze on the beach while you work on that tan. Also, there is a jungle on the island that is just begging to be explored. The dense forest is a habitat for many kinds of flora and fauna.

Tioman was discovered as a holiday destination quite some time ago. It was the setting for the supposedly mythical magical island of Bali Hai from the 1958 Hollywood movie 'South Pacific'. In the 70s the Time magazine selected Tioman as one of the world's most beautiful islands.

Tioman is still rated as one of the world's most beautiful islands. It presents itself as a paradise island in the tropics. But sometimes you have to search for this paradise off the beaten track.

Tioman Island (locally known as Pulau Tioman) is a small island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Pahang, and is some 39 km long and 12 km wide. It has eight main villages, the largest and most populous being Kampung Tekek in the north. The densely forested island is sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a popular scuba diving spot. There are also a lot of resorts and chalets around the island.

Its beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie, South Pacific as Bali Hai. In the 1970s, TIME Magazine selected Tioman as one of the world's most beautiful islands.

Apart from its diverse marine life, the inland rainforest area, encompassing approximately 12,383 hectares, in Tioman is a strictly enforced nature reserve. There are several protected species of mammals on the island, including the Binturong, Long-tailed Macaque, Slow Loris, Black Giant Squirrel, Red Giant Flying Squirrel, Mouse deer, Brush-tailed Porcupine, and Common Palm Civet, from a total of 45 species of mammals and 138 species of birds, including the majestic Frigatebird. Moreover, Tioman has species that are endemic to its shores. The soft-shelled turtle and the Tioman walking catfish are both unique and can be seen on rainforest walks.

The island is served by ferries from the Malaysian mainland, and a propeller plane service by Berjaya Air from the Seletar Airport in Singapore and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Kuala Lumpur.

The island was used by Arabian merchants in the 10th century, as well as merchants from India, Persia and China who came to export betelnut, sandalwood and camphor. In 1830, pirates landed here and took 70 of its inhabitants away as slaves, leaving the island deserted for 15 years. In the 1920s the island was again deserted after a devastating outbreak of malaria swept through the population.

The most popular activity for visitors to Tioman Island today is snorkelling, and some of the best sites include Paya, which offers a variety of colourful corals and fish, Pulau Tulai (Coral Island) and Renggis Island where the water is pristine. At Air Batang there is a vast garden of yellow coral, and turtles can be spotted here.

Already the most developed of Malaysia's eastern islands, Tioman is the site of $10 million marina project, complete with cargo jetty extending 175 m (574 ft) into the sea at Kampung Tekek. The Malaysian Nature Society and WWF Malaysia have described the project as a disaster for the environment.

Construction has already caused the widespread death of corals and much of the marine life around the site, so be sure to choose one of the other beaches for snorkelling and diving.

At Juara, a lovely quite beach on the east coast of Tioman, three rivers flow down from the mountains and onto the beach, offering a refreshing alternative to swimming in the sea. A path leads from the beach to a series of waterfalls in the jungle where you can swim and climb over the large rocks.

The interior of the island, around 12,000 hectares (29,652 acres) of dense verdant rainforest, is a strictly enforced nature reserve. there are many endemic species here, and among the protected species of mammals are the mouse deer, binturong, black giant squirrel, long-tailed macaque, slow loris, brush-tailed porcupine, red giant flying squirrel and common palm civet.

If you are lucky you may spot a soft-shelled turtle or a Tioman walking catfish while in the rainforest.

Travel Guidebooks in Malaysia