It is RM35 one way from PPC and if I am not mistaken if you buy to and fro ticket it is RM60. It leaves for Langkawi at 8.00 am and leaves Langkawi and back to Penang at 5.00 or 6.00 pm daily. It was meant for day trippers from Penang but sadly many Langkawians wants to do day trips to Penang as well but unable to as they did not have a same departure time the other way round.

I think you should skip Seaview Hotel as the location is out of place (it is in Jalan Penarak). Both Langkasuka and Seaview are owned by Teow Soon Huat so Langkasuka Hotel is a better choice since it is walking distance to Langkawi Mall where a few duty free shops like Zeno, Idaman Suri are located. WanThai ( very nice Thai Malay restaurant is also located here).

Since budget is the main concerned, Baron Hotel is even nearer to the shopping areas and also the pasar malam.

Price is about standard, not much cheaper really. Even if you venture yourself the price might be even cheaper if it is a low season but high season your price is definately cheaper. You didn't mention which chalet though.

Advantage is, you save time as it is prearranged instead of wasting time looking into this room and that room, looking for the elusive cheaper chalets, ha,ha,ha. So more time for jalan jalan but then again it is alos an adventure going around unplanned as I always do.

Wah! I envy all 8 of you. You can actually check in lelong.com where I have seen an ad for Lagenda apartments wwhich I think can fit your requirements nicely. It's nott expensive and for van rentals, there are many over there, no worries. I think the drive will take approximately 4 to 6 hours depending on your driving speed.

You don't have to drive all the way till K.Perlis. Alor Setar will do. After the first toll, go straight at the traffic lights and lookout for Kuala Kedah junction. Also check my earlier treads for fishing info in Langkawi. First boat to Langkawi normally starts at 7.30am.

I think Holiday Villa has better beaches and nearer to the actions in Pantai Cenang and Langkawi Lagoon although new and nice rooms, it is situated near Kuala Triang which is a small fishing village and it is situated beside a river mouth (Sungai Melaka) which is actually quite muddy although it is compensated with a nice swimming pool. Best bet is still Holiday Villa and Awana Porto Malai is also another hotel without a beach but with a nice boardwalk beside a boating marina.

Have a nice holiday!

Years has gone by and the catch in Langkawi is dwindling. Local anglers is going further and further away from the shores for better catch. For deep sea fishing there is a sunken wreck 10 nautical miles South of Pulau Singa. You must also time your fishing dates with 'air mati' when the current is the weakest.

The only person I know that can will do these charters is Pak Hassan in Kuala Triang. You can look for him by contacting Pak Deris in Alu Alu Fishing in Kuah (I don't know if they are still operating) or you can contact the bell counter in Sheraton Beach Hotel.

I kg. garoupa is quite common in Langkawi and those that are fished at the sunken wreck is about 8 kg. and above is you get the right tide.



This one is caught a few kilometres off Pulau Timun. Then again, there are no guarantees in fishing!

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Added on August 14, 2010, 1:05 am In Langkawi Mall (not to mistaken with Langkawi Fair) there is one language center that gives language tuition. I can't recall the shop's address but it is adjacent to an Indian restaurant beside Vision Travel and a clinic. The street is called Persiaran Bunga Raya and at the other end of the street from Kamdar and Affin Bank. The language center is located on the first floor of the shop with rough pebbles on the corridor . (It is an end lot and used to be a pub, I think it still is).

My daughter used to take French lessons there but the quality of the tuition is so so only. The tutor is Patrick and he used to be a DJ on the local Langkawi FM channel. Good Luck!

As for music center, there's one on the main road to the airport from Kuah. From Kuah , on the way look to the right. After about 2 kilometers from Teoh Soon Huat, look to the left and try to locate Singapore Cake House. The music teacher is also the owner of the cake house. I know she teaches piano but violin, my guess is NO! If you can't locate the cake house, the cake house also have a branch in Pandak Mayah area. The corner shop along TM PLaza.

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Added on August 14, 2010, 1:19 amThis post has been edited by etigge: Aug 14 2010, 01:19 AM

Maybe you can charter a boat to Pulau Cepu which is just off the southern tip of Pulau Singa. Personally the only fish I get here is 'ikan gerut' but I did dive there once and I see a lot of groupers there, big ones. I never hooked them though. In Langkawi, anglers goes out on Thursday nights and nets for live squids the whole night and some light fishing while doing that. Only in the morning, do they go out to fishing spots to do fishing.

As for trolling, Langkawi has plenty of barraccudas. You can charter a boat and head for a place called 'hujung buluh' and the islands around there are full of barracudas. Only thing is barracudas are successfully trolled on 'air besar' days and fishing is better on 'air mati' days. Most boatmans knows 'hujung buluh' which is also the spot for squid catching.

Happy fishing.

48 hours ! It is shortened to 48 hours to be eligible to enjoy 1 litre of liquor and 200 sticks of cigarettes and also RM500 worth of duty free items like pots, pans etc. It used to be 72 hours but after appealed by the locals the Customs decided to shorten it. It also applies to Pulau Tioman as well. Just remember to keep your ferry ticket stubs. Even more safer, have it chop and sign at the Customs counter when you arrived showing your Mycard!

It depends on you actually! If you don't feel like driving and looking at maps, you can relax and let the taxi driver show you around and also not wasting time looking for the right direction. If you want to be adventurous and explore, renting a car might be the fun part of it.

If you take a taxi, you can actually chat with a local and he can recommend places where you can visit and also the best spots to eat etc. It's up to you. The rest of the tours are usually sea bound like Pulau Payar, island hopping. The taxi might cost a little bit more though.

Cheers and enjoy!

Actually they can't really do anything if the hirer says he lend you the car and you also concur that you borrowed it. Just remember to remember the car no. plates when they ask you. I remembered once when a friend of mine got enquired, he can't tell the plates.

There is a service in the morning (if the time is not changed, it's 8.00am departing from PPC) and returning at 5.00 pm departing Langkawi Jetty Point. The fare is RM35.00 one way and RM60.00 if you buy both ways. I don't know if they increase their fare but you can buy the tickets in advance from the counter beside Fort Cornwallis at PPC building.

That place is not very well maintained and now in a dilapidated state. It is nearTelaga Harbor Park in Pantai Kok. At the junction near the beach, the right goes to Berjaya and Burau Bay, take the left and it is only 100 metres after the turn on the right. Look for some old looking wooden structures.

PS. It was made for a set in a scene from a movie so it was never meant to be permanent.

Actually the issue of jelly fish is overblown! I an a scuba diver and have dived around the islands, Pulau Singa, Pulau Tepur, Pulau Segantang, Pulau Chepu etc. The only jelly fish I meet are those not dangerous ones. You have to look out for the Portugese Man-Of-War where their tentacles are very long but rare in these parts. These are the ones that killed a kid a few years ago. It happened in Pantai Tengah and the first aid given was bad and the hospital staff was slow!

Still, just be careful.

Hotel Bella Vista (used to be called Tiara Hotel) has no beach and it is hard to get a taxi there as the location is off the main road. You have to take a turn into a small road off the main road to get to the hotel although it is visible from the main road. The rates are cheap, yes but it is one of the most unpopular hotel in Langkawi. During LIMA they are the one that still have rooms after all are full!

My recommendation is City Bayview if it is in Kuah. The rates are only RM140 per night. Quite a bargain for a four star hotel. If that is still too high, there are Baron Hotel, Citin Hotel and also Condo Istana. Just some pointers!

Bella Vista was built on reclaimed land and they filled the sea with soil rather than sand , imagine the silt and mud. The tiny, puny beach is just a patch of the seaside filled with a few lorry loads of sand to cover the mud. The first management was a failure until they were taken over by Danaharta.

Landmark (The Datai and Andaman) was supposed to manage the hotel but due to a dispute between the owners and management (the owners forbids the sale of liquor but the mangement insists on them). Finally Landmarks gave up even after they bought a plot of land beside it. The owner, Syed something then operated the Hotel himself.

Again that was many years ago but maybe the mangement is better now but I am sure there is no beach, at least no natural beach. Other multi starred hotel in Kuah is the Westin (formerly Sheraton, not be be mistaken with Sheraton Beach).

I think jellyfishes stories in Langkawi are quite jaw dropping. I was browsing through the internet and here is an example;

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g29...kawi_Kedah.html

Imagine deaths by jelly fish are never reported in the news and also classified as drowning VINEGAR, VINEGAR and VINEGAR is a must carry item now if you want to swim in Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah.

Hotel Bahagia is right smack in town near Kamdar. Further down is Restoran Wan Thai which I have always recommended to Muslim forummers. It is just beside Affin Bank and near the duty free shopping but a better shopping area is still Pandak Mayah area.

Mangrove tours is a must to enjoy nature at it's best and island hopping is a must if Tasik Dayang Bunting is interesting to you. Cable car is also something most won't miss and Pulau Payar if you really like snorkelling or diving. I think you can give P.PAyar a miss. It is not so nice anymore, the corals are bleached and the ferry trip agonising! To suffer for beautiful corals and clear waters is OK but then now conditions in P.Payar is bad. The other 3 , I think it is a must! Try to fit in all.

You can rent a car and do one of it on your own. I am sure there are free time.

This post has been edited by etigge: Oct 2 2010, 12:52 PM

Also don't forget Orchid in Kuah and also Yu Loong also in the same area. Nice seafood and price not too bad.

So many are smack in front of the beach. You going at the busiest time of the year!Better book early if they are not already booked. You didn't mention budget but the best will be The Datai,The Andaman.Four Seasons(where Shah Rukh Khan did shooting in Don) Nice beach and villa isn't it?

Then comes Berjaya Beach and Mutiara Burau Bay.Going further down Pelangi,Holiday Villa,Federal Lodge,Langkawi Lagoon(this ones has chalets over the sea like Avillon in PD) and also Westin which is in town near the Jetty.

Others are the non star motels like Malibest, Charlie's place,AB Motel,Langkapuri etc.etc.Check them through Langkawi Gazette.com.