Just an hour by plane from Singapore, you'll find the Malaysian island of Langkawi. Even though it's so close, it feels like you are on an island paradise a million miles away. The transit time from Singapore to our hotel in Langkawi was hassle-free and pace of life completely slowed down. Everyone we met on the island was really friendly and only to willing to help us which made this trip one of my favourites.
My best memory was probably straight after we'd arrived and had settled in to the hotel and headed over to Nam (more info on this must-go-to restaurant below). We cracked open a bottle of white wine and watched the sunset. The restaurant wasn't very busy since it was still early for dinner, and perhaps I just needed a break, but it was so calming being able to actually hear the silence.
Details
Where did I go: Langkawi, Malaysia
How long did I go for: Friday - Sunday
We took the Tigerair flight at 3:55pm and arrived at 5:20pm in Langkawi (needed ½ day annual leave).
We returned on the 3:35pm flight on the Sunday, arriving back in Singapore at 5:15pm.
Here is the full list of flight times available from Singapore to Langkawi and here from Langkawi to Singapore.
Visa requirements: No (for British passport holders)
British passport holders are given permission to stay in the country for 3 months on arrival.
Not sure whether you need a visa? Use the link below in the "Useful Information" section to check.
Travel time: 3.5 - 4 hours from Changi to arriving at our hotel in Langkawi
We were through immigration at Langkawi airport in around 30 minutes, so it didn’t pose any time issues for us. Also our hotel was about a 15 minute taxi ride from the airport, so we were out of the airport and at our hotel, checking in, just after 6pm.
Where did I stay: Temple Tree at Bon Ton
The hotel is a unique concept with restored villas which can either be rented as a whole or as individual rooms. This place was one of the pricier hotels we stayed in at around SG$200 per night (it was quite soon after I moved to Singapore and I hadn't gotten the swing yet of finding the best hotel deals in Asia!) but did come highly recommended.
We stayed in one of the Estate rooms which, according to the hotel manager, originally housed Indian workers on a rubber estate. It’s definitely one of the more original places we’ve stayed since starting our travels in Asia. Hotel staff were really friendly and helped us when it came to planning our holiday and what we wanted to do over our few days.
We found the room to be clean and spacious, it ticked all the boxes for what we wanted in a weekend getaway. On top of that, breakfast is put in the room fridge every evening for you to have at your own convenience the next morning, which is an added bonus as you're not having to get up and make your way to the breakfast room before it closes at 10am!
Tip: stay at the Temple Tree, where rates are significantly lower than its sister hotel “Bon Ton”, however you can gain access to all the facilities at the Bon Ton.
Itinerary
Car Rental
The hotel helped us rent a car for the weekend, which we used only on Saturday since that was the only full day we had on the island. It was really cheap at SGD20 per day and allowed us to drive around the island. The roads are open and empty so it’s also great for anyone who is a nervous driver.
Shopping
In 2015, Malaysia implemented GST in the country, however Langkawi has duty-free status, which means it’s amazing for shopping! We hit up The Zone Shopping Paradise and bought swimming gear, which if you live in Singapore, you’ll know is uber expensive. We even bought a Tefal pan for cooking (side bar: buying this pan was totally worth it, after a year of use almost every day it still works like new)!
Langkawi Sky Bridge and Sky Cab
On the Saturday we went to check out the Langkawi Sky Bridge. We took the "Sky Cab" (a cable car) travelling over jungle and rocks up to a height of 650m above sea level which is where you end up at the Sky Bridge. We actually decided to be adventurous, and take a glass-bottomed cab - obviously don't do this if you're scared of heights! The actual bridge and viewing platform is located at the "Top Station" and when you make it there, you are 708m above sea level. Needless to say, the 360 panoramic views are astounding, as you can see from my amateur photos below! You can see the Langkawi islands and as far as southern Thailand.
Note: When we visited, there was a bit of a walk to the Sky Bridge, and it wasn't very well maintained. We were in flip-flops, and even though we had checked with the guards prior to making our way to the bridge and were reassured that it would be fine, it really wasn't! So beware, and I would definitely advise wearing trainers.
For normal sky cabs without express lane passes, the cost is RM45. I would advise express lane passes, which are RM95, as the queues were pretty long. If you fancy being a bit daring, the glass-bottomed is RM95.
Langkawi Jet Ski Tour
On our final day, we went on the infamous Langkawi Jet Ski tour. The tour operators that we used were Seeman Watersports. We did the 3 hours tour which was RM550, which was regardless of single or double riders. You visit around 6-7 islands in the total amount of time including:
Diamond Island
Wet Rice island
Big Lion island
Pregnant Maiden Island (looks like a pregnant lady lying down, and the guides are only too happy to point out her feminine lumps!!)
You ride the jet ski's on your own, with the tour guide on a separate one leading the way. He'll guide you through the water to the islands, showing you particular rocks and views on the way. This activity was another highlight of the trip so I would definitely recommend going for it!
Food highlights
Nam at Bon Ton Resort
The biggest highlight, food wise, was Nam at the Bon Ton. Honestly, the food was some of the best I’ve had since moving to Asia, which is attested by the fact that we returned for lunch on the day we were leaving!
When we had dinner, we ordered a mix of western and local cuisine. However for this restaurant the western food really was the stand-out. The food was fresh and the flavours were on point. The dessert also didn't disappoint, and was a chocolate lover’s dream. As you can see from the dessert shot below, I couldn't snap my picture fast enough before my other half tucked in!
Restoran Siti Fatimah
Since we were driving around the island, we also found some local joints serving local Malay food, one in particular was called “Restoran Siti Fatimah” and the food was amazing.
It's super casual with you needing to serve yourself from a huge array of dishes located towards the back of the restaurant. After you've taken everything you want, you head over to the cashier who figures out how much you owe and once you've grabbed a seat at one of the long plastic tables, all that's left to do is tuck in!
The 2 plates shown in the picture came to under SGD10, so it was a complete steal and the food was delicious!
Website links and other useful information:
Accomodation
Temple Tree at Bon Ton: http://www.templetree.com.my/
Visa
Not sure if you need a visa? Check here
Activities
Sky Bridge and Sky Cab: http://www.panoramalangkawi.com/skybridge/
Seeman Watersports: http://www.seemanwatersports.com/
The Zone Shopping Paradise: Lot 970, 971, 973, Underwater World, Jalan Pantai Cenang
Restaurants
Nam at Bon Ton Resort: Jalan Pantai Cenang Lot 1047 Langkawi, Pantai Cenang, 07000 Pantai Cenang, Kedah, Malaysia
Restoran Siti Fatimah: Jalan Pantai Cenang Lot 1047 Langkawi, Pantai Cenang, 07000 Pantai Cenang, Kedah, Malaysia
More articles on Malaysia: Looking for something a little different to a normal island getaway? Check out my itinerary for planning a trip to the lush green Cameron Highlands.