Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea (in the Strait of Malacca) in northwestern Malaysia, not far from the border with Thailand (25 km from Tarutao Island). Sometimes you can read that there are 104 islands in the archipelago. The reason is that 5 small islands are hidden underwater and appear only during low tide. The islands are located about 30 km off the northwestern Malaysian mainland coast and are one of the districts of the state of Kedah. The total area of all the islands is about 478.5 sq. km, of which the main island covers 320 sq. km. About 70% of the main island is covered by mountains, forests, and natural vegetation. The length from north to south is about 25 km and slightly more from east to west. Kuah is the administrative center and the largest city of Langkawi.
Pulau Langkawi is the largest island of the archipelago; the whole cluster of islands is named after it. Most residents live on this main island, which serves the main flow of tourists. “Pulau” in Malay means “island.” So all the islands have the prefix “Pulau.”
Langkawi is famous for its beaches with soft sand and clear water. Pristine white-sand beaches, due to the high mineral content, including magnesium, are recognized as very beneficial for health and help with rheumatism, osteochondrosis, and bronchitis. An added delight of Langkawi is its “duty-free” status.
Vacationing on the island is, of course, primarily beach-based. In terms of the variety of entertainment, Langkawi cannot compare with the legendary Pattaya, but there is still plenty to do here: you can ride a cable car, visit an aquarium, a crocodile farm, a farm of African buffaloes, a fruit plantation, go trekking through jungles and waterfalls, and on the beach, take part in water sports. And you can also go on an excursion to nearby islands together with a tour, or by hiring a boat, on your own.
ClimateLangkawi lies in the equatorial climate zone, so it is always sunny and hot here. On average, the air on the island warms up to +26...+30 °C, and the water to +29 °C.
It is generally considered that the best time to relax in Langkawi is the dry season from November to April, when there is practically no rainfall. However, overall throughout the year the weather on the island is excellent, so you can vacation here in any season. Of course, in Langkawi, as in the whole of this region, there is also a wet season (May - September), but the weather during this period is quite unpredictable: precipitation may be absent for many days in a row, and the downpours themselves are most often warm and short-lived.
