Langkawi is an archipelago made up of 99 islands and is home to lush jungles, turquoise waters, and beautiful karst formations that rise from the sea. Here you’ll find one impressive sight right after the other… no wonder it is considered Malaysia’s number one island!
Almost as big as Phuket Island in Thailand, there’s so much to do in Langkawi. It can be overwhelming planning a trip here but this guide is all you need: we’re breaking down all of the best things to do on the island, costs, and the time you need to visit them.
If this is your first time on the island, make sure to read our Langkawi: Your Go-to Guide to Malaysia’s #1 Island before you go for tips on how to get here, where to stay, and more.
Now, let’s get to it!
Also read: From Langkawi to Tioman: 7 Must-Visit Malaysian Islands
Best Things to Do in Langkawi
1. Sky Cab and Sky Bridge
One of the island’s most famous attractions! Located on the complex known as Panorama Langkawi, Sky Cab is the cable car that takes you up to Mount Machincang, where the longest curved suspension bridge in the world awaits you – the Sky Bridge.
Inside the complex, you’ll find many more activities such as the Sky Rex 3D experience, a 3D Art gallery, the Telaga Tujuh Waterfall, and the Sky Trail, a guided hiking experience to one of the oldest geological formations in the country.
A new attraction called Eagle’s Nest SkyWalk, which is a glass platform with panoramic views of the island has also just been inaugurated in January 2024.
🎟️ Cost: For foreigners, the Sky Cab ticket costs around RM 85 per person (~17 euros). Once up there, you need to buy separate tickets for the Sky Bridge, which costs RM 6 (~1.50 euros) per person.
⏰ Plan your time: Separate at least half a day for the Sky Cab + Sky Bridge combination.
2. Island Hopping
You’re on a 99-island archipelago, you can’t miss an island-hopping tour!
They’re sold all around and usually include stops at Dayang Bunting, an island famous for housing a huge freshwater lake known as the Pregnant Maiden’s Lake, Singa Besar, a wildlife sanctuary, and Beras Basah, a tiny island with soft sand beaches all around it.
These usually also include the famous eagle feeding where the boat stops near a set of islands and the driver throws chicken meat into the sea so the eagles dive down to get it. If you can get a tour that doesn’t throw food to the wild animals, please do so.
This activity, despite providing a beautiful scene to tourists, affects the whole ecosystem. Some of the local tour providers are already taking action – but they’ll still take you there to watch a different provider feed the eagles like ours did… the irony.
🎟️ Cost: you can find tours from as low as RM 45 per person (~ 9 euros) on the stalls around Cenang Beach. A private chartered tour starts at around RM 350 (~ 70 euros) for the whole boat of up to 8 people.
Note: Dayang Bunting has an entrance fee of 6 ringgits per person which is not included in the tour price. In the lake, you can also do other activities such as kayaking and iAQUA (sea scooter). Costs for those range between RM 20-50. They only accept cash so take some with you!
⏰ Plan your time: guided tours usually start in the morning with a pick-up at your hotel at around 9 AM. You can expect to be back at your hotel at around 2-3 PM.
3. Kilim Geoforest Park
The Kilim Geoforest Park is part of Langkawi’s UNESCO-listed Geopark. You can visit it by joining what they call a Mangrove tour. These typically involve a boat trip through the park’s mangrove forests, where you can spot various wildlife such as eagles, monkeys, and occasionally otters or monitor lizards.
Highlights often include the Bat Cave and the fish farms, as well as a stop at a floating restaurant, where you can pick live seafood to be prepared fresh for you (lunch costs are usually not included in the tour price).
🎟️ Cost: these are a little more expensive and usually start at around RM 200 per person (~ 38 euros). A great option to save money is this private tour which goes for around 100 euros but for a group of up to 10 people – if you have 2 friends to go with you, this is already worth it!
⏰ Plan your time: guided tours usually start in the morning with a pick-up at your hotel at around 9 AM. You can expect to be back at your hotel at around 2-3 PM.
4. Chase Waterfalls
If you’re a waterfall lover, then Langkawi has quite a few options for you! They’re best visited after the rainy season, at around the end of November and December, as they start to dry up after that.
Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls (Seven Wells Waterfall): Known for its seven natural pools formed at different levels of the waterfall, it is located near Sky Cab and requires a bit of hiking.
Durian Peragin Waterfall: A multi-tiered waterfall located on the northern side of the island. The lower segments have some (not so well-maintained) infrastructure with little gazebos and bridges, and the waterfall has a pool big enough for a dip.
Temurun Waterfall: This is the most beautiful waterfall on the island, in our opinion! It’s a very steep climb up there but so worth it.
🎟️ Cost: Free. Telaga Tujuh has a parking fee of RM 2 for cars and RM 1 for motorbikes, cash only.
⏰ Plan your time: Combine your Sky Cab and Sky Bridge visit in the morning, with a hike and dip at Telaga Tujuh in the afternoon! For the other waterfalls, 2 hours to visit each is more than enough.
5. Beach Hopping
Pantai Cenang might be the most popular beach, but Tanjung Rhu, Datai Bay, Pantai Tengah, and Pantai Kok should also be on your list! They offer a much more serene experience than Cenang, which is usually filled with banana boats and jet skis.
🎟️ Cost: Free
⏰ Plan your time: Datai Bay and Pantai Kok can be done in one day (make sure to include a stop at Sandy Skull Beach on the way) and so can Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah. Tanjung Rhu is a little bit more secluded but close to the mangrove so you can combine those two activities in one day.
6. Kota Mahsuri
Legend has it that two hundred years ago a beautiful young girl named Mahsuri was falsely accused of adultery and cursed Langkawi with seven generations of misfortune.
Right after her death in the 18th century, a number of adversities fell upon the island such as the occupation by the Siamese army which led to residents burning their rice fields and poisoning their wells. Coincidence or not, Langkawi only regained its prosperity after the passing of the seven generations period.
Nowadays, you can visit her tomb and the complex around it, which includes a museum, a small stage, and an exhibition space.
We know visiting cultural and historical sites when the beach is calling (more like screaming) is not everyone’s cup of tea. But in case it is yours, Kota Mahsuri is worth visiting!
🎟️ Cost: RM 10 per person for foreign tourists and RM 5 for children.
⏰ Plan your time: 1 to 2 hours here should be enough to see it all. The complex is located about a 20-minute ride from Cenang Beach.
7. Diving
Langkawi has some good diving spots around the main island. Pulau Payar Marine Park is the most popular one and consists of four smaller islands accessible via tour boats from Kuah jetty. Visibility here is definitely not as good as what you find in the nearby Koh Lipe or the Perhentian Islands, but there’s plenty to see!
🎟️ Cost: Dives start at around RM 450 per person (~ 90 euros).
⏰ Plan your time: Most of the dive trips start in the morning and end by 4 to 5 PM, so this is a full-day activity.
8. Snorkeling Tour
Except for Datai Bay Beach, you won’t find many snorkeling spots on the main island. The best reefs are found around the offshore islands and you can reach them by joining a guided tour or by chartering a private boat.
The most popular snorkeling spot is Pulau Payar Marine Park, which is also the one you’ll find being sold almost everywhere.
For a less crowded experience, Pulau Bumbon Besar and Pulau Timun are great options. Both can be reached by taking a boat ride from Kuah Jetty.
Pulau Dangli Beach is another awesome option, and you can arrange a private boat ride at Tanjung Rhu Beach jetty.
🎟️ Cost: Pulau Payar Marine Park tours start at RM 210 (~ 40 euros) per person. For Pulau Bumbon Besar and Pulau Timun, you can expect to pay around RM 80-100 per person for group trips. Pulau Dangli Beach can only be reached by private charter, which goes for RM 450 per boat of 8 pax capacity.
⏰ Plan your time: Snorkelling tours are usually a 6-7h activity, so we recommend separating a full day for that.
9. Eagle Square
The origin of Langkawi’s name is believed to be derived from the words helang, eagle in Malay, and kawi, which denotes a reddish-brown color. This is a nod to the reddish-brown eagles that are native to the area. The main island even boasts a giant statue of an eagle!
Eagle Square is one of Langkawi’s most iconic landmarks. Located in Kuah Town, it features a huge statue of a reddish-brown eagle in flight, symbolizing the island’s name.
🎟️ Cost: Free
⏰ Plan your time: We don’t think this is a must-do activity, but it’s a quick ride from Cenang Beach and can be a great end-of-day activity. Especially if you decide to stay for dinner at Kuah town.
10. Duty-Free Shopping
Langkawi is a duty-free island! Like many other islands in Malaysia, such as Pangkor Island near Kuala Lumpur, this is a great place to buy chocolates and alcoholic beverages. Key shopping areas include Kuah Town, Cenang Mall, Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall, and the Oriental Village at the base of Sky Cab.
🎟️ Cost: Highly depends on how much of a chocolate lover you are!
⏰ Plan your time: This is a great evening activity! Except for the Oriental Village which can be visited whenever you do the Sky Cab tour during the day.
Bonus: 5 Less-Known Things to Do in Langkawi
Some other activities in Langkawi you might enjoy are:
🏝️ Paradise 101: a private island getaway where you can enjoy a variety of watersports, from banana boat rides to jet skiing, parasailing, and more.
🖐️ Langkawi Craft Complex: a collection of various local craft products for sale. The complex also houses the Heritage Museum and the Customs & Wedding Museum.
🐠 Underwater World: one of the largest marine and freshwater aquariums in Southeast Asia.
⛰️ Scenic Drive up Gunung Raya: the highest point on the island. From up here you can spot hornbills, eagles, and monkeys. If you’re a tad crazy, you can try the 4,287 steps climb instead of driving.
⛵ Pulau Tuba: the only other inhabited island in the archipelago. Here local people keep the traditional village lifestyle alive. The best way to reach it is by taking a 20-minute boat ride from Kuah Jetty.
