Langkawi

Langkawi The Island Of Mahsuri By : Siti Aishah Binti Mahadi

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LANGKAWI

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah) is an archipelago of 104 islands 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. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as largest town.

Langkawi is a duty-free island.

There are two island areas: the Southern Islands, with a heavy tourist population and the islands to the north east which are more secluded without tourist traffic.

Langun Island has a fresh-water

lake like Pregnant Maiden Lake only without the tourists and has Sand Spit Beach on its south-facing orientation. Dendang Island next to it forms a bay popular with Langkawi sailing yacht tour operators who favour the area for its natural beauty and peace. Some of the most popular beaches are Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Burau Bay, Pantai Kok, and Datai Bay. Pantai Cenang is a picturesque beach with seemingly unending stretches of fine white sand. It has numerous restaurants and bars for evening entertainment, several hosting live music and for watching the sun set.

The beach is contoured by tall coconuts and casuarinas. Pantai Tengah is separated from Cenang by a small cape. It too faces the setting sun and is populated more by hotels than bars, making it less busy in the evening. Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is the favorite place of migratory birds in Langkawi. Pantai Kok is a peaceful beach with the backdrop of lime-

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stone hills. Datai Bay has a combination of forests and sea. The milky beach is backed by lush forest. The Langkawi Cable Car takes visitors up to the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang, where the Langkawi Sky Bridge is located. The Sky Bridge has been closed for 2 years and remains closed in 2014. Tourists can enter the island via ferry from Kuala Perlis or by flight from Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia and Fireflyz provides budget connection to the island. The island of Langkawi can be reached by sea and air. The Langkawi Jetty Point connects the island to main destinations like Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah, Penang and Tamalang. There’s also ferry service to Satun town and to Ko Lipe island in Thailand. The Langkawi International Airport is one of 7 international airports in Malaysia and connects the island to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Penang and also Subang. On the island, a main road runs through the whole island.

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CABLE CAR

It is just an approximate The Langkawi Cable 40 minutes drive from Car or Panorama Lang- Kuah town and 15 minkawi Cable Car is one of utes drive from Langkawi the major attractions in International Airport.

Langkawi Island, Kedah, Base Station Malaysia. It provides The Base Station is loan aerial link from near cated at the Oriental VilBurau Bay Resort at Te- lage (at the foot hill of the luk Burau to the peak of Machincang mountain Gunung Machinchang, range). From the base, which is also the loca- visitors will be taken up tion of the Langkawi Sky to the Machincang range Bridge. The total length via the Langkawi Cable is 2.2 km (1.4 mi). It was Car on gondolas givofficially opened in 2003. ing the visitors views of Langkawi Cable Car is the surroundings forests, located just north of Tel- the Telaga Tujuh (Seven aga Harbour, Pantai Kok, Wells) waterfall as well with the entrance within as the sea. The cable cars ‘ORIENTAL VILLAGE’ are closed weekly for - a theme shopping centre maintenance. housing in 30 individually designed buildings Middle Station showcasing Malaysian Cable Car Middle Staand Oriental architecture. tion It is located just north An intermediate Cable of the Langkawi Inter- Car station on the eastern national Airport, on the ridges provides access to north-western coast of the the eastern cliffs with its main island of Langkawi. 3 vertical chimneys and

the 360-degree views The journey from the Base Station to Middle Station will cover 1,700 meters in length and upon reaching the Middle Station at an elevation of 650m above sea level, visitors will be able to alight and walk up to the viewing platforms.

Top Station

Cable Car Top Station A short walk up the stairs from the top station will take visitors to the two viewing platforms at the top of Gunung Machinchang. A cafe at the top station offers refreshments and views with cool breezes, at 708m above sea-level is about 5 degrees Celsius (+/-) cooler than lowlands.

Some Facts for Langkawi Cable Car System Horizontal distance : 2079 m Vertical rise: 680 m

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Inclined distance: 2158 m Haul rope diameter: 50 mm Bull wheel diameter: 6.10 m Passenger per gondola: 6 persons Design speed: 5 m/s Operating speed: 3 m/s Turn around trip time: 28 minute Hourly capacity: 700 passengers/hour Number of stations: 3 Number of in-line towers: 2 Height of Tower 1: 38 m Height of Tower 2: 70 m Longest free span: 950 m (between Tower 2 & Middle station) Steepest gradient: 42 degrees Construction period: 16 months (April 2001 - August 2002) Testing & Commissioning period: 3 months (August 2002 - October 2002).

Legend Mahsuri

Mahsuri was the daughter of a couple who moved from their native Phuket to the island of Langkawi in search of a better life. She was the most beautiful in all of Langkawi and married the warrior Wan Darus.

As was required of him, her husband had to go to war, leaving Mahsuri behind to fend for herself. It was during this time that Mahsuri befriended a young man named Deraman. The village chief’s wife was jealous of Mahsuri’s beauty. She spread a rumour that Mahsuri was unfaithful and was having an affair with Deraman in the absence of Wan Darus. Eventually the rumours grew strong enough that the villagers openly accused her of adultery. Mahsuri pleaded her innocence, but no one believed her.

Mahsuri was to be tied to a tree (or pole) and stabbed to death but it didn’t work. After every execution attempt failed, Mahsuri told them to kill her with her family’s kris.

When she was stabbed, white blood flowed from the wound, signifying her innocence. Some birds flew above her to cover her body. With her dying breath, Mahsuri cursed Langkawi to have seven generations of bad luck.

The kingdom was soon taken over by Siam. The villagers at Padang Mat Sirat burned their own paddy fields rather than let them fall into the

hands of the Siamese.

Impact

Many locals of Langkawi believe the legend to be true, citing the decades of failed crops that followed Mahsuri’s death. Langkawi was also attacked by Siam numerous times, the last invasion taking place

in 1821. The field which was torched by the farmers is still known as Beras Terbakar or “burnt rice”.

It is only at the end of the 20th century, after the seven generations have supposedly come to pass, that Langkawi began to prosper as a tourist destination. The descendants

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of Mahsuri continue to live in Phuket, Thailand, and have on occasion returned to Langkawi to visit her tomb. Among them was Sirintra Yayee, also known as Wan Aishah Wan Nawawi, who came into the spotlight during her visit to Kedah in 2000.

GALLERY MAKAM MAHSURI

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PEKAN KUAH

Pekan Kuah is a town and district capital of Langkawi, Kedah, and is the entry point for those coming by ferry from either the mainland or Penang Island. The town is centered on its jetty, which brings in flocks of tourists each year who come to enjoy the shopping and other attractions of Langkawi. Over the years, Pekan Kuah has developed into a modern and vibrant town with many shopping and dining opportunities, helped by the astounding growth of visitors to Langkawi.

The name ‘Pekan Kuah’ comes from the Malay word for gravy, and legend has it that the town arose from a cup of gravy spilled on the land by two giants fighting.[citation needed] Pekan Kuah has a wide range of hotels but no resorts, as the town has no proper beach despite being located by the sea. Also, the nightlife in Kuah consists mostly of eating out in seafood restaurants, though there are a few bars and pubs located in some of the hotels.

Still, Pekan Kuah boasts many facilities and attractions, making it a convenient and attractive place to

stay despite the lack of beach and night spots. Today, Pekan Kuah is indeed booming as a commercial center with shopping complexes, restaurants, fast food outlets, hotels and handicraft shops sprouting all over the horizon.

that depict the many legends found in Langkawi, such as the duel between two giants that led to the formation of Mat Cincang and Raya Mountains, mythical birds and fairy-tales of princesses. In addition, there are 4 artificial lakes and a man-made beach to complePlaces of Attraction ment the picturesque scenery. The While Pekan Kuah is more of a park is open from morning till late commercial center and shopping at night and is within walking diszone, there are a few landmark tance from the jetty. attractions you can visit in Pekan Kuah. Most of these are recre- CHOGM Park ational parks where you can come Also another park within to enjoy some rest and relaxation Pekan Kuah, the CHOGM Park as well as the gentle cooling breeze was built to commemorate the 1989 from the sea.

Commonwealth meeting in Malaysia. Langkawi was the retreat desTaman Lagenda tination for the Government heads Taman Lagenda or Lagenda Park that attended the function. Today, is a recreational area dedicated to the Park still carries the flags of all Langkawi’s heritage of myths and the Commonwealth Nations that fables. The park covers an area of participated, standing tall in the 50 hectares of reclaimed land and garden that is lushly planted with is more of an open-air museum trees. This is a good place to take a built with the theme of a flower- stroll and relax in. ing garden. Indeed, the park is full of flowers, shrubs and fruit trees Al-Hana Mosque growing around pathways and Al-Hana Mosque in 2007. along ponds that dot the garden. The Al-Hana Mosque is one of Along with the flowering vegeta- the Edddisland’s largest and most tion, the park has 17 sculptures popular mosques. It is convenient-

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ly located in Pekan Kuah to accommodate Muslim patrons and also receive visitors who come to view the architecture. Indeed, this majestic mosque incorporates motifs and carvings from Uzbekistan along with traditional Malay elements. Also, the mosque has sentimental value to Langkawi as it was opened by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1959.

Shopping

Langkawi has been allotted as a duty-free zone within the country. Pekan Kuah has the highest concentration of shopping centers and shop lots that retail dutyfree goods and souvenirs.

Jetty Point Mall

The Jetty Point Mall enjoys a strategic location by being part of the jetty complex itself. This makes it a frequent last-minute shopping place for visitors before they disembark on ferry back to the mainland.

Housed with the mall are many shop lots that stock various dutyfree goods. In addition, there are cafes, bakeries and fast food outlets such as KFC and Starbucks with wireless internet access.

Langkawi Fair Shopping cluding a food gallery, a department store and a supermarket Mall

The Langkawi Fair Shop- selling fresh, frozen and canned ping Mall is one of the largest foods. This is one of the most popshopping malls in Langkawi with ular places to shop in Langkawi over 100 individual shops and an despite being located at the fringes adjoining supermarket cum de- of Pekan Kuah. With a family-oripartmental store. Duty-free goods, ented theme, one can find housealong with souvenirs, fashion ap- hold commodities, family apparel, parel, sports attire and electronic electronics and groceries besides items, can be purchased here. Other fashion clothing, tobacco, liquor, facilities include fast food outlets, confectionery, local souvenirs a food court, and luggage bags all at duty-free m o n e y prices. Services include money exchanger and change, ATM and a tourist inforan informa- mation counter. The only cinema tion counter in Langkawi is located on the 10th for tourists. floor and there is abundant parking available on-site and also in T e o w the multi-level car park attached to S o o n shopping mall.

Huat Saga Shopping Center “Teow Soon The Saga Shopping Center is anHuat” is a other one of Langkawi’s most eslarge duty- tablished shopping complexes. It free shop- provides a wide range of houseping mall hold items and perishables such as with over wine, beer, spirits, confectionery, 40 outlets, dried food and tobacco at duty8 food and free prices. Stuffed toys, shoes, b e v e r a g e ceramics and crystal ware are also outlets in- available.

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