Langkawi is one of the most beautiful and commercialized islands in Malaysia and is a favorite tourist attraction due to its spectacular beaches, clear blue water and plethora of things to do on a holiday with your family or friends. We have shortlisted the top 10 family-friendly things that you must do when you are in this paradise to make your vacation fun and full of great memories.
Want more? Check out our top recommended hotels for kids in Langkawi!
The Ocean is calling! Once in Langkawi, there is nothing that can stop you from hitting its amazing beaches (called Pantai in Malay) where you can, swim, play and sunbathe all day long. Langkawi being quite a big island, is surrounded by a number of good beaches. Some of the popular ones are mentioned here.
Pantai Cenang- It's a great family beach with plenty of watersports, beach-bars, spas, eateries, and shops along the beach-side road. Undoubtedly this place is full of hotels and resorts with different budgets to choose from. Tunjhung Rhu and Datai Bay are the most beautiful private beaches with magnificent views and limited entry to the public. Those looking for an upscale affair with luxury resorts can definitely head to these. Pantai Tengah and Pantai Kok are the other beautiful beaches to visit.
Located at Oriental Village, SkyCab is one of the major attractions for tourists with its gondolas taking you from the foothills to the top of the mountains while you enjoy breathtaking views of lush green mountains on one side and the mighty ocean on the other side. Gondolas will leave you at the observatory deck on top of the breezy mountain, spend time enjoying the stunning views, and taking some awesome family photos. Try the popular SkyBridge. It's a great way to see this stunning island.
Located at the last station of the SkyCab, it is a 410ft long curved pedestrian bridge above Mount Mat Cinchang. It's a place that truly makes you feel on top of the world and has breathtaking and amazing views of the whole of Langkawi. There is a walking path to the bridge but it's not safe especially for kids and elderly people. So, we suggest buying tickets SkyGlide (a kind of elevator) to reach this bridge. Ticket booth for both the SkyBridge and SkyCab are located at Oriental Village which itself is a very family friendly place with lots of shops, food stalls, kids play area, etc to spend time in case of long queues for tickets.
If you are a thrill and adventure lover and want to explore beyond sea and beaches, then Island hopping is surely a hit for you. There are plenty of half day tours including pick-up and drop-off from the hotel. Tours start from Taluk Baru Jetty located at Pantai Tengah and taking about 4 hours to complete. The boats are usually small with 10-12 people takes you to three different islands which offer activities like swimming in freshwater lakes, paddle boating or you can simply enjoy the splendid scenery and nature. However, we do not recommend this with babies and toddlers who are difficult to manage in such fast-moving boats. Carry your water bottles, some snacks, and sunscreen in your backpack! Beware of monkey snatching too.
The next best reason to visit Langkawi is its duty-free shopping. Its got plenty of duty-free stores selling items ranging from confectionery, luggage, sports shoes, perfumes, cooking utensils, liquor, etc. You can also get Handmade souvenirs as well as authentic batik and songket prints at attractive prices. Teow Soon Huat duty-free shopping, Zon Shopping Paradise, and Jetty Point are some of the popular duty-free stores. Just remember that not all stores are duty-free as well as prices may differ to some extent from one to another duty-free store.
Yet another place where you can spend your afternoon watching more than 1000 crocodiles of different sizes (from juvenile to large adults) and species (crocs and alligators). Crocodile feeding ponds and gimmicky animal shows are the main highlights for more family-friendly entertainment. If you dare, cross the bridge over the giant pond with deadly crocs, be careful not to lean over the railing!
Night Markets in Langkawi are such a lively affair. Locals and tourists roam around the colorful stalls offering stuff like fresh produce, local food items, inexpensive apparels, handbags, watches, toys and much more. However, many of these items are imitation goods, so do bargain. They take place every day in Pantai Cenang and Kuah from evening until late at night. Since night markets are usually crowded we recommend you keep a close eye on your kids all the time.
Jetski tours, megawatersports.com
Parasailing, langkawiadventure.com
Mahsuri's Tomb & Museum, langkawi-info.com
Jungle Experience, www.littlestepsasia.com/all-cities/articles/travel/jungle-experience-habitat-penang-hill
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