Once traveling over the Penang bridge coming from the main land, not just an island but a metropolitan city arises ahead. An island scattered with industry, housing estates and condominiums, but also an island with a long trading and exciting history and many of these elements can still be found when excursioning around Penang.
History of Penang
The Sultan of Kedah was convinced by the British captain Sir Francis Light to surrender Pulau Penang (BetelNutIsland) to the British East India Company. The first city was named after King George III, and Georgetown is still the major heart of the island. After 100 years of British occupation the island joined the Federation of Malaya in 1957.
Pulau Penang or Penang for short (sometimes referred to as Pinang) houses a multi cultural population of nearly 1,5 million inhabitants. Pulau Penang is part of the State of Penang which can be found in the North Western tip of Malaysia.
Georgetown booming heart of Pulau Pinang
Georgetown Is the main administrative and commercial district of the island. Its heritage and colonial history can be found on every street corner, as many building and sites are kept intact and withstood the passing modern times.Georgetown definitely a modern city wrapped in a historical package.
ChinaTown and Little India are a must-visit district an exciting and well preserved area, and gives perfect insight into the lives of early settlers.
Hotels And Accommodations in Penang
Accommodation on the island is plentiful, whether one wants to be pampered in a five star hotel or resort or just basic or standard accommodation, Penang will comfort the travelers needs. Georgetown, Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi is where all the top class accommodations are found.
Food of Penang
Penang offers its own fine cuisine which of the historical background is a wild mixture from various cultures. And the seas surrounding the island bring fresh catch to every plate every day.Asam Laksa a spicy soup, and Char Kway Teow a noodle dish should not be missed. Coffee houses in Penang are called Kopitiam, and offer a wide variety of foods and desserts.
All over the island quality entertainment can be found, for nightlife the island offers plenty of pubs, clubs and restaurants, we recommend Upper Penang road, Gurney Drive and Batu Ferringhi.
Penang Shopping
Penang is definitely a shoppers heaven, the many shopping centers, bazaars and markets offer a wide variety of goods. Penang’s port brings the best from all over the world to this island of abundance. Jalan Penang, Lebuh Kapitan Keling, Lebuh Chulia, Lebuh Cambell,Batu Ferringhi and Chowrast Bazaar should not be missed.
Culture and Traditions
Pulau Penang’s geographical location brought a wide range of cultures and traditions to the island. The exotic culture is found in many heritage sites open to the public, to list a few; Kek Lok Si Temple, Fort Cornwallis, Dharmikarama Burmese Temple, Acheen Street Malay Mosque, City hall, Khoo Kongsi temple Complex, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Little India, The State Mosque, St. Anne’s Church and Victoria Memorial Clock Tower. Exploring the island the toursit will understand there are many more to be to discovered.
Recreation in Penang
However a large part of the island is changed into housing and industrial estates, Pulau Penang offers a wide range of fascinating natural attractions. Penang’s Northern shores are reserved for sun lovers; the pristine beaches offer idyllic sites and sceneries and stretch for miles, Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang are world famous and all water sports can be found here. But Penang also offers a National Park, Tropical Spice and FruitGarden, Botanical Garden, Butterfly Farm and BirdPark. Penang Hill has to be done once in a lifetime, either hiking or taking the charming Penang Hill train to the 830 meter high summit, the views from this standpoint will awe everyone. The island also offers excellent Jungle trekking trails and absolute top notch gold facilities and driving ranges.
Museums on Pulau Pinang
If museums and galleries are preferred, Penang has plenty to offer too. Venues to put on the checklist, Penang Museum, Forest Recreation Park Museum, P. Ramlee’s House, WarMuseum, ToyMuseum, University of Science Malaysia Museum and ArtGallery, USM ABN-AMRO Arts Centre.
Getting to Penang
Whether travelling by road, rail, sea or air, Penang will cater to every traveler’s needs. PenangInternationalAirport connects to all major capital cities in the area. From Butterworth its only a small crossing by ferry, and sometime is faster than the congested Penang bridge. The island offers plenty of taxis, and within Georgetown small three wheelers are found called Trishaws, very smart and inexpensive way to get around town fast.
Pulau Penang, an exciting island with enough entertainment and leisure activities for every traveler. Tourists will go home, satisfied and with lots of stories and pretty pictures.
South East Asia is the place where East meets West, and this is definitely true when we look into culinary affairs. All cultures unite in kitchens around this region. For all means we can place Kuala Lumpur In the center of this dining universe.
Whether one is looking for cheap and inexpensive dishes or in search of fine dining adventures, Kuala Lumpur offers the best of all worlds. Prices are reasonable for the quality and services offered. Tips are not expected.
Malaysia’s Food Obsession
Malaysia is truly obsessed with food, it is a food culture and the whole nation evolves around food.In this country one will never go hungry and the variety offered is enormous.
Malaysians love to eat outside, either in well air-conditioned restaurants, mamak stalls, food courts or road side hawkers.
Lets look at the basics first, most Malaysians love to feed themselves on a high carbo basedbreakfast, which are mostly taken between 8.00 am and 10.00 am. Most favorite dishes are; nasi lemak which is a form of sticky rice with mild to hot sambal, roti Chennai little fluffy pancakes eaten with a curry or Mee Goreng which is a noodle dish. Most people arrive first at work and then go for their breakfast.
Lunch is taken at 1.00 pm, the moment the whole nation goes for lunch, we advise to avoid this time for lunch, unless one loves crowds and waiting in line.Nasi Champur (rice with mixed dishes) is definitely a most favorable dish.
High tea and a coffee break at 4pm, is part of the working day routine. Most people will consume their beloved Kuih, a variety of sweet or deep fried snacks and wash it down with a Tea-O or Kopi the local variety of milky tea or coffee.
For dinner there is no set time, and Malaysians love supper, a last meal of the day around midnight shared with friends preferable at a local coffee shop
Food Paradise Jalan Alor
When talking about food in Kuala Lumpur the first thing that comes to mind is Jalan Alor. Jalan Alor is a bustling side street of Jalan Bukit Bintang during the day, but a 400 meter long stretch of outdoor food festival during the night. A wide array of local and international dishes can be found here; sitting at plastic tables and chairs does not sound very romantic but is an absolute must to have done once in a lifetime. It’s an exciting street with lots of activity and sublime mouth watering bites.
ChinaTown and Petaling Street
Petaling street food paradise is smaller in scale than Jalan Alor but definitely worth a visit, a semi open air food paradise with savory delights from all regions of Mainland China.
Kuala Lumpur Restaurants
Kuala Lumpur has one of the finest arrangements of restaurants to be found anywhere. All countries and cooking styles from around the globe can be found in the heart of K.L. The Middle Eastern influence can be felt, as Malaysia is becoming a more popular travel destination for this region. Culinary food establishments are spread out all over the Golden Triangle, but the main concentrations can be found at
Starhill Gallery – The cluster of restaurants in the basements breaths a welcoming atmosphere once decending down the escalator. Up class dining in a candle light ambiance with soft live jazz music in the back ground, a great place to unwind the day.
Pavilion Shopping Complex – More than fifty high end and mid class restaurants can be found at The Pavilion. The up class food court in the basement is a real treat. The Pavilion is a true paradise for the palate, and a fabulous venue to start the day or evening.
KLCC Suria – On all floors of this immense mall in between the Petronas towers, nourishment for the inner body can be found, a wide range from fast food and budget restaurants to seriously chic establishments can be found here. A visit to the food courts are good value for money.
Berjaya Times Square – In this ten floor shopping arena, restaurants can be found on all floors, the main food court is at the tenth floor, and the main restaurant area at the second and third floor surrounding the entrance of the indoor theme park. Time Square for long and timeless dining.
All 5 star Kuala Lumpur hotels offer multiple fine dining and lunch accommodations which are available to non resident visitors.
Fast Food in Malaysia
All the world renowned fast food brands are found on any corner in the city and on every floor of every mall. Malaysia loves fast food. And the wide variety of chains and franchises are here to tickle the fast food taste buds and truly will not disappoint you.
Outside of Kuala Lumpur fine dining can be found in areas like Ampang, Bangsar, Sri Hartamas, Damansara Utama and Bandar Sunway.
When visiting Kuala Lumpur bring your wonder lamp, because in this city all your shopping wishes can come true. Looking for low end or high end goods, Kuala Lumpur is a kaleidoscope for anyone who loves to shop.
The Kuala Lumpur Shopping Experience
Probably the number one sport in Malaysia is called shopping, and the retailers provide the answers to all demands. Wares from all over the world flood the Malaysia marketplaces. Most shopping malls open their doors from 10.00am till 10.00pm, and during these times you can shop till you drop in a welcoming air conditioned atmosphere. The heart of the city is called the Golden Triangle and here are all the main shopping complexes and Kuala Lumpur hotels located.
Main Shopping Malls and Centers in the Kuala LumpurCityCenter
Avenue K at Jalan Ampang
Can be found opposite of KLCC Suria and offers a wider array of top brands and branded goods. Fairly new shopping complex with a luxury feel to it.
BB Plaza & Sungei Wang at Jalan Bukit Bintang
BB Plaza and Sungei Wang are two malls attached to each other, catering for the low end market, but tons of fun to shop there, hundreds of small and tiny boutiques with lots of nif nafs, paradise for bargains. The shopping center forms the heart of Jalan Bukit Bintang.
Berjaya Times Square at Jalan Imbi
Times Square is huge ten floor shopping mall, includes an indoor theme park, theaters, convention center and hotel can be found at Jalan Imbi or at the Imbi Monorail station. The weekends can be extremely busy, as lots of activities are organized in and around the shopping complex.
Central Market
Central Market is not so much of a mall, but more a cultural heart of the city with lots of little stalls selling arts and handy crafts, great place for traditional Asian souvenirs. Situated close to Petaling street at Jalan Hang Kasturi.
ImbiPlaza at Jalan Imbi
ImbiPlaza is the low end electronics mall in Kuala Lumpur, great deals can be found in this little electrical paradise. Located just behind Sungei Wang at Jalan Imbi
KLCC Suria at the PetronasTowers
KLCC Suria endless shopping, floor after floor showing the most international luxury brands Malaysia has to offer.
Kota Raya
Kota Raya is located in China Town and 100% low end mall, but absolute worthwhile the visit, many little shops offer a variety of goods nowhere else to be found in the city.
Lot 10 at Jalan Bukit Bintang
Lot 10 is one of the older malls in K.L. but 2009 was the year of a large facelift for this mall with its own atmosphere, trendsetting and a great shopping arena. The mix of shops is not the standard as found in many other malls. Their RoofTopGarden is definitely worthwhile visiting in the evening. Also the new Food Court in the basement is a must visit
The Mall
The Mall is not a very large mall, but a nice place to visit if your hotel would be in this part of the city, located next to The Legends Hotel at Jalan Putra.
Pavilion Shopping Complex at Jalan Bukit Bintang
Pavilion offers a wide variety of luxury goods, even some high end car dealers have their premises here, immaculate array of food and dining options. Ample evening entertainment can be found here too.
Petaling Street in ChinaTown
Petaling Street is not a mall but a street with a canopy, found in the center of ChinaTown. Full of vendors, often offering counterfeited goods, but great bargains to be found in this bustling little sphere. Just be careful.
Plaza Low Yat
Plaza Low Yat are 6 floors of cameras, telephones, PC’s and laptops, if you can’t find it here, you will not be able to find it anywhere. Low Yat is Malaysia’s largest IT and Lifestyle Mall, Situated next to BB Plaza and Sungei Wang
Kompleks Sogo
Kompleks Sogo caters towards the lower end of the market, very popular with the Malay and Indian community, great bargains and lots of local goods especially fabrics to be found around Sogo, located at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
Starhill Gallery at Jalan Bukit Bintang
Star Hill gallery can be found opposite of Pavilion Shopping Complex, probably the most exclusive shopping mall in the whole of Malaysia, an absolute must visit location, fine dining with live jazz background music playing every evening of the week. Don’t forget to visit the 50.000 sq feet spa area on the fifth floor. The top floor offers a small exhibition of local artists.
There are more smaller malls to be found in The Golden Triangle which are all an experience by themselves, enjoy meandering around to discover new shop locations is a pleasure in itself.
Other Shopping Malls Around Kuala Lumpur
Just outside the City center you will find more gigantic shopping complexes.
Mid Valley Mega Mall with The Gardens right next to it, 1-Utama in Petaling Jaya, The Curve in Damansara, Bangsar Village and Bangsar Shopping Center, Sunway Pyramid and IOI Mall in Subang Jaya to list a few.
Shopping in Kuala Lumpur is a fun and exciting experience, lots of bargains and good selection of local souvenirs can be found all around the city. The shops are never far from hotels in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s focal point of tourist activities and tourist attractions. Travelers really love this city. Nature and action, outdoor or indoor activities and just fun and exciting travel tours with the family, Kuala Lumpur offers it all. A lot of tourist attractions can be found within the city center. Transport is easily arranged for activities outside the city center.
A fast way to see an overview of the city is to take the KL Hop-on Hop-off glass roof double deck bus.While riding the bus a good glimpse of the diverse, contrasting and colorful scenes Kuala Lumpur has to offer can be viewed. The ride travels along 44 main attractions of the city. The traveler can hop on or off at any time. The bus stops close to all the main hotels in Kuala Lumpur.
Overview of The Main Tourist Attractions of Kuala Lumpur
JadeMuseum
This little museum shares the art of Jade, the fruits of nature.. Jewelry, artifacts, weapons and ornamental carvings are all on display
Aquaria KLCC
An ocean of discovery, located inside the KL Convention Center, next to the PetronasTowers. This highly interactive attraction focuses on edu-tainment. Learn more about our seas and marine life while walking through the 90 meter aquatic tunnel. Aquaria KLCC is a must see attraction in Kuala Lumpur, fun for he whole family.
Forestry Research Institute Malaysia
Malaysia’s geographic location offers lush rainforests and FRIM offers a close insight to the forest while still in the city center, even a tree top walk is part of the tour.
Kuala LumpurTower – Menara KL
The Menara KL or the KL Tower reaches 421 meters above sea level , the highest building on the peninsular. The panorama deck offers an incredible aerial view of the city.The Sri Angkasa restaurant offers the finest local foods with the best view ever.
PetronasTwinTowers
The PetronasTwinTowers are KL’s world wide trademark dominating the Kuala Lumpur skyline and overlooking the city like a giant cathedral. Suria KLCC is one of Malaysia’s largest shopping centers and is located inbetween the petronasTowers. The park behind the towers offers a brilliant and relaxing walk, with many features and art by local artists. The Malaysian Philharmonic hosts their concerts at the KLCCTowers, and the sky bridge offer a wide angle view of the city.
Petrosains Adventure Science
Petrosains is a hands-on museum focused on the young visitor and their parents. Once inside, a knowledge accumulating transformation will take place; the science of petroleum is fun…!
BatuCaves near Gombak
BatuCaves is a must see attraction, attracting hundreds of thousands religious Hindu pilgrims per year. The BatuCaves should not be missed, The 272 step staircase will lead the visitor to the main cave, surrounded by tranquility the breaths a lot of energy. Nut vendors will offer nuts to the tourist to feed the hundreds of monkeys visiting the site daily.
Petaling Street in ChinaTown
Petaling Street the bustling heart of ChinaTown, teeming with vendors offering their ware, however there is a warning for counterfeiting. Do bargain, before buying. This is the place where shopping is fun. Delicious traditional Chinese cuisine can be found all around this exciting area.
Kuala LumpurLakeGardens
Kuala LumpurLakeGardens or locally know as Taman Tasik Negara are all within walking distance of the city. The traveler can find, The Bird Park, OrchidGarden, ButterflyPark, Deer Park and HibiscusGarden, a great district to roam around for nature lovers and walking enthusiasts alike. It really takes the toursit away from the big city and daily life, relax and enjoy nature at its best.
Among these main tourist attractions, many more activities can be found in and around the city. The NationalMuseum, Jalan Buklit Bintang, Central Market, Merdeka Square, just to name a few. All around the city, small art galleries and handicraft shops, can be found and are all worthwhile visiting.
Kuala Lumpur will not bore the traveler for a second; a new activity is always around the corner.
Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur Shopping Mall, hotel, convention center, amusement park, it’s a total all-in-one shopping experience. A wonderful paradise for the whole family.
Shopping in Kuala Lumpur
Shopping in Kuala Lumpur is a sensation by itself, Kuala :Lumpur or K.L as the locals call it, is one of the safest places on earth, and shopping here is exciting and fun. Food and restaurants are abundant. People are genuine friendly, and as a tourist people are welcomed in a thriving Asian culture. Jalan Bukit Bintang is the famous tourist and shopping street and it runs parallel to Jalan Imbi. Berjaya Times Square or BTS is located at Jalan Imbi.
BerjayaTimes SquareShopping Center has its own Mono Rail Station, and a large taxi stand and bus station all very close to the main entrance.
Berjaya Times Square is more than just a well air conditioned shopping center. The shopping center is squashed between two huge fortyfour floor towers. The West tower is the apartment building and the East tower is the four star luxury hotel. The two towers are connected by the shopping mall, the convention center and the swimming pool area.
Situated at Jalan Imbi, this total complex has the touch and feel of grandeur, and it is makes its name worth the while. The complete building is covered in beautiful brown marble which make the building shine and stand-out from anything surrounding it. BTS is a distinguished location and definitely part of the Kuala Lumpur skyline.
Berjaya Shopping Complex
Walking through the main entrance at Jalan Imbi, the shopping complex opens up like the inside of a cathedral. Open space must have been on the mind of the designing architect. Ten floors of endless shopping. Well available throughout the building, elevators and escalators all over the building. to get the visitor from A to B. Beautiful wide railings to make gazing over and inside the “grand cave” easy and an adventure by itself.
Shopping is an experience here and a well sorted array of stores offer their wares. Wellness seems a theme to be found around any corner. From hair salons, nail and facial centers to day spas, its all under one roof.
The latest fashion can be found in many trendy shops, and definitely the young fashion shopper will find the finest and latest funky and hip ensembles.
Ideal Playground for Kids
This is also the ultimate kids place, on the fourth floor you will find a full blown amusement center including a five story high indoor rollercoaster of almost one and half kilometers. Drop the kids and enjoy the shopping experience, as professional entertainers take care of the safety of visiting kids.
The first and second floor have great facilities for any cinema fanatic, movies play here from early morning till well after midnight.
Food and Restaurants Everywhere
Food as anywhere in Malaysia is in abundant, on the third and fourth floor plenty of restaurants are located, from western grill houses, fast food, pizza, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and many more local Asian delicacies. The tenth floor hosts a food court which is a variety of little kitchens cooking all sorts of local cuisine. Prices here are a little more friendly than the restaurants, however if one come from the western part of the world, nothing in Kuala Lumpur is really expensive.
Easy to reach by public transport, and if considering to bring the car, do not worry about parking at Berjaya Times Square, one of the nearly 4000 parking slots will be waiting.
Tourist or business, Times Square is definitely worth the visit.
Malaysia’s currency the Ringgit Malaysia for short RM is worth five times more than your Euro, and six times more than your British pound and three and half times the US Dollar. Malaysia offers the opportunity to live on a couple of Dollars a day.
The city can be a bit confusing at times, because of some hills and small mountains in the city center. Kuala Lumpur maps are available from any convenient store.
Inexpensive and Safe Backpackers Country
Food and travel are seriously inexpensive as long as one stays away form the Star B’s, Mac D’s and KayeFCee’s. Malaysia is a true Walhalla for backpackers hiking around the globe, relatively undiscovered and foremost safe. One of the best features of this country is that people leave each other alone. No hassling in the tourist area’s but friendly people who will make time for you for a courteous chat, helpful in directions or with navigating you around the MuddyCity. Kuala Lumpur owes its nickname to the valley where the river Klang and Gombak created their muddy shores, it’s a modern well paved capital now.
Areas to Stay as a Backpacker in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur offers a wide area of hotels. Where to stay as a backpacker? There are three main areas where cheap hotels, lodges and guest houses can be found, Chow Kit, ChinaTown and Bukit Bintang. Some backpackers hostels and guest houses are found in ChinaTown, but the majority is located in Tingkat Tong Shin and at the end of Jalan Bukit Bintang cornering with Jalan Pudu.
Tingkat Tong Shin is packed with guest house after guest house, and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, many nationalities find a safe haven here. Guest houses will make you feel welcome, most offer internet facilities, a locker and breakfast. But breakfasts can be found all around the area, in easy accessible open restaurants or street food stalls offering local delicacies.
Places to Eat in The CityCenter
Parallel with Tingkat Tong Shin, Jalan Alor which is a local food paradise stretches over 700 meters. The empty street during the day turns into a hustling and bustling open air food festival in the evenings. Local hawkers offer a wide variety of fresh catch. Choices range from Chinese, Malay, Indian or Thai cuisine it all can be found here. The large variety of fresh seafood delicacies is an amazing and tongue inducing temptation. Most restaurants offer a photo album; only an index finger is needed to point out the different dishes. Always ask portion size for one person, and order a variety of dishes. This will definitely offer a colorful variety of tastes and smells. When ordering fish, request a price first, a guest might end-up paying premium prices for average fish. Prices here are cheap for the quality of food offered.
Traveling In And Out of Kuala Lumpur
Backpacking from the Bukit Bintang and ChinaTown area makes traveling easy. Everything is offered in walking distance. The main bus station Puduraya station can be found at Jalan Pudu and lays in between Jalan Bukit Bintang and ChinaTown. Busses will travel anywhere on the Malaysian Peninsular, busses to Singapore leave every 15 minutes, and comfortable luxury sleepers are available for all corners of the country. Chow Kit is a little further from the city center, but easy to reach as there is a Mono Rail station in the heart of Chow Kit. Chow Kit is a great place to pick up some bargains and deals.
Backpacking and hiking in Kuala Lumpur is safe, fun and easy and above all extremely cheap.
Langkawi surround by sandy white beaches and emerald light and bright green waters, has been attracting tourists ever since mankind can remember. But with budget airlines flying to this destination, more and more foreign tourists have found this duty free haven, with its attractive imported but above all local goods.
The local goods are mainly souvenirs, batik, pewter, silk, handicraft, sea food snacks and lots of other local delicacies. Lots of souvenirs shops can be found all over the island, many souvenirs are made of local wood, coconuts and marble, well crafted and refined in detail, but above all good value for money.
Duty Free Shopping
Langkawi’s Duty FreePort status, makes shopping in many cases very attractive, and picking up good bargains almost has become a popular sport here. Kuah is the only city on the island group called Langkawi, city actually would be overrated it’s more a nice thriving little town,
When traveling by ferry to Langkawi, the Duty Free shopping spree can start the moment the visitors step off the ferry. Just outside of Kuah, Jetty Point Duty Free Complex offers a wide range of products; most popular are alcohol, cigarettes and chocolates, ladies and men’s apparel.
The modern and well air-conditioned Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall offers at least 100 shops scattered over two floors.Samudra Duty Free Department Store offers a wide spread of duty free products, cosmetics, fragrances, leather, liquor, cigarettes and sports apparel and gear.
There are more duty free outlets in and around Kuah, SagaShopping Center and Langkawi Duty Free, where also international branded clothes and confectionery, luggage and household appliances can be found. Just outside of Kuah the Teow Soon Huat Departmental Store in Pokok Assam, is another great place to spend an afternoon shopping.
The Local Crafts Complex
The Langkawi Craft Complex to the North of the island is a magic place to shop for souvenirs to bring home. Items found here will thrill and excite anyone and make the visit to Langkawi unforgettable. Items from the Langkawi Crafts Complex hang on walls or stand in living rooms all around the world.
At Pantai Cenang one of the most popular beaches, at Langkawi Underwater World, the Shopping Paradise Duty Free Centre is located in the same building, among many other items tourists will find watches, fashion, jewellery and batik made cloth and fashion.
Shopping Malls
Most shopping centers have great bargains, ready and waiting for shopholics.
Duty free rules - After staying at least 48 hours on the island, visitors are allowed to bring one bottle of liquor and one carton of cigarettes back to the mainland. When flying out of Langkawi, local regulations of the destination airport apply.
A few things to think about when buying delicate goods in Langkawi, some goods might be illegal in the country of arrival, among those could be decorative ornaments made of seashells, and any item made of crocodile leather.
Buying such goods also helps the trade in these items, and the world would benefit if animals seashell are left where they belong, in their own habitat and among other corals and marine life.
Most international credit cards are accepted in all shopping complexes. World wide delivery can be arranged by most art and souvenir shops, if items are too bulky to fit in the suitcase.
Langkawi, a true duty free paradise and tourists will enjoy the many shopping options offered.
Shop around first, before buying, as bargains are always around the corner in this shopper’s haven.
Langkawi is probably not famous for its nightlife, there are no long party streets, or stretch of cozy cafés and bars, the tourist needs to search for the real nightlife. Langkawi is not a party destination pur-sang, however good night spots can be found.
Any evening in Langkawi start with the sun setting behind the horizontal glistering of its azure blue waters, when the night air starts to tremble and the orange of the sun disappears and changes the blue skies in a star sparkled sheet covering the island. A true sunset is best experienced at the beach, where the sand cools down the feet, and a glass of chilled wine or any other cooling drink enhances the spectacle.
Langkawi Sunset Dinner
Dining at sunset is an absolute once in a lifetime experience in Langkawi. And many hotels, resorts and restaurants will cater for the opportunity. Just before sunset is also the moment when all the locals will flood the beaches, as they hide for the blistering sun during the day. But a day without a sunset is a day not lived.
Once the darkness falls, the evening can start, and in and around the beach areas, like Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah people will find a place to sit and relax, have a drink and search for dinner, walking from restaurant to restaurant exploring their menus can be great fun, surrounded by vibrant sounds and delicious smells the traveler knows the evening has started.
Party Till Late At Night
For the more party animals the evening can start in some of the beach bars, which have all their own style, from reggae and blues to lounge music, and some even have live music by local musicians, mainly playing international requests. When lucky and the mood is right, the speakers move from inside to the outside of the bars, and groups of people can be found dancing at the beach, an awesome experiences, to dance the night away with the sea roaring in the background.
Disco and Dance Halls
Real large scale discotheques are not found in Langkawi, but some addresses we could recommend are Black Henry Pub and Disco and Chime at the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort , Coco Jam Fun Pub & Disco at the Frangipani Langkawi Resort and Spa. Both locations offer live entertainment on a regular basis also depending on the season. Other great nightlife spots would be Dallas Karaoke, Burau Beat Pub, The Beergarden, Breeze Lounge, Little Lylia’s Chill Out Café, Yellow Cafe and The Bistro. Nightlife is enjoyed by tourists and locals alike, a great way to meet new friends, and hear great stories about Langkawi and venture for new ideas and sites to discover.
Music in many of the night spots is not towards one genre but more catered for a large and international crowd, the deejays and live bands will make guests listen to the latest hits or swing to popular music from the seventies and eighties. Whether the visitor enjoys R&B, pop, rock or disco the bars and discos will cater to the needs of all party-goers.
Langkawi, magic silent island in the Andaman sea, caters for peace and tranquility, but if swing is in the air anyone is welcome too.
