Langkawi – port information.

Most cruise ships dock approx 30kms and 20 minutes from the nearest town when calling into Langkawi. Langkawi is known as the Jewel of Andaman Sea, it is an archipelago of 99 islands with an extra 5 revealed at low tide. Although Malaysian there are influences of Thai in its culture and food. Langkawi was a sleepy back water until 1987 when the island was granted tax-free status with the intention of promoting tourism which would then improve lives of the locals. The islands were declared a Geopark by UNESCO in 2007.

There are only a few places of interest but the main two being Kilim Geo Park and the Cable Car or Sky Cab. So we decided to take a taxi and visit both. We agreed a good price and set off through beautiful countryside the driver even took us to his village and showed us his house.
Kilm Park and mangroves is a wonderful nature reserve full of stunning geological forms of limestone, fossils, caves, lagoons and beaches. If you look closely you can see all sorts of wildlife from monkeys, mud crabs, monitor lizards and crocodiles. I was amazed when we stopped to feed the eagles which were hoovering overhead truly breath taking. Our driver threw bits of chicken into the air and sea and the eagles preformed for us.
We stopped at a floating fish farm with over 40 species of fish and got to hand feed the stingrays, tickle the tummy of a crab and just admire the stunning views.

On arrival at the cable car (after I had nearly past out at the height) We wondered around the village until I managed to get my nerve to go up the 2.2km 15 minute ride. This is one of the steepest cable cars in the world.

There is a base station then onto a middle one which is where I decided to call it a day but after walking around the wooden platform overlooking the amazing views I persuaded myself to venture higher. Well it was more across to the other side of the mountain where there was a further two viewing areas and a train that took you up again to a glass sky walk but thank goodness the clouds were low so my husband decided against it. Well that was his excuse think he was as afraid of the height as I was. I found on the journey down if you sat with your back towards the ground it was not that bad, although I talked the poor couple sharing our gondola with us to death. Once feet firmly on the ground there was still many other attractions on this site all connected with the sky cab.

Underwater world, Tanjung Beach, Mahsuri’s Memorial along with a massive Duty Free shopping complex are also good to visit. There is certainly enough to fill your time in port on this beautiful island.