5 days in Langkawi

Day by day

1. Day 1: SkyCab cable car and Langkawi Sky Bridge

   SkyCab cable car, Langkawi Sky Bridge and Seven Wells Waterfall (Telaga Tujuh), then Pantai Cenang in the evening.

   1. Morning

      SkyCab cable car

      Go up first thing in the morning; cloud often builds over the summit by early afternoon. (2–3 hours with the Sky Bridge, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Langkawi Sky Bridge

      Check before you go whether the bridge is open; it closes for maintenance and in bad weather even when the cable car runs. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Nasi lemak

      Morning stalls in Kuah and along the main road through Pantai Cenang; look for small banana-leaf parcels stacked on tables.

   4. Afternoon

      Seven Wells Waterfall (Telaga Tujuh)

      The upper pools are slippery; wear sandals with grip and keep food hidden from the macaques at the car park. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Pantai Cenang

      Beach bars with beanbags, live music and fire shows on the sand, plus late-night mamak restaurants along the main road.

2. Day 2: Kilim Karst Geoforest Park mangrove tour and Galeria Perdana

   Kilim Karst Geoforest Park mangrove tour, Galeria Perdana and Pantai Cenang beach, then Pantai Tengah in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kilim Karst Geoforest Park mangrove tour

      Choose an operator that does not feed the eagles; the practice disrupts their natural behaviour and better tours focus on the geology and the mangroves instead. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Galeria Perdana

      Stop here on the drive back from a morning mangrove tour, when the afternoon heat makes outdoor sightseeing hard. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Laksa Kedah

      Local warung and night-market stalls around Kuah and Padang Matsirat.

   4. Afternoon

      Pantai Cenang beach

      Swim at the southern or northern ends away from the jet-ski launch areas, and come back for sunset with a drink from a beach bar. (Half a day, free).

   5. Evening

      Pantai Tengah

      A few quieter bars and restaurant lounges for a relaxed drink after dinner.

3. Day 3: Eagle Square (Dataran Lang) and Island-hopping boat tour

   Eagle Square (Dataran Lang), Island-hopping boat tour and Underwater World Langkawi, then Sunset sail in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Eagle Square (Dataran Lang)

      Visit in the late afternoon, when the light falls on the statue and the square is cooler. (30 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Island-hopping boat tour

      Bring cash for the lake's pedal-boat and lifejacket rental, and keep bags closed around the monkeys on the jetty path. (3–4 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ikan bakar

      Seafood grills along Pantai Cenang and the night markets that rotate around the island's towns.

   4. Afternoon

      Underwater World Langkawi

      Pair it with a late-afternoon swim on Cenang beach right outside. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Sunset sail

      Catamaran and yacht cruises leave from Telaga Harbour and Kuah in the late afternoon, sailing past the islands as the sun goes down.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Pulau Payar Marine Park

   About 45–60 minutes by boat each way. Getting there: Organised boat trip from Kuah.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Pulau Payar Marine Park

      About 45–60 minutes by boat (Organised boat trip from Kuah); about 30 km.

   2. Day

      Pulau Payar Marine Park

      A protected group of small islands south of Langkawi with coral gardens, reef fish and juvenile blacktip reef sharks in the shallows. Best for families, beach and couples.

   3. Evening

      Back in Langkawi

      Dinner: try Roti canai.

5. Day 5: Tanjung Rhu beach and Black Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Hitam)

   Tanjung Rhu beach, Black Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Hitam) and Mahsuri's Tomb (Makam Mahsuri), then Beach dinner at Pantai Tengah in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tanjung Rhu beach

      Check the tide times: at low tide you can wade out across sandbars towards the islets. (2–3 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Black Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Hitam)

      Combine it with Tanjung Rhu on the same drive along the north coast. (30 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Roti canai

      Mamak (Indian-Muslim) restaurants in Kuah and Pantai Cenang, many open late into the night.

   4. Afternoon

      Mahsuri's Tomb (Makam Mahsuri)

      Combine it with lunch at a local warung on the road to Padang Matsirat. (1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Beach dinner at Pantai Tengah

      Several restaurants set tables on the sand in the dry season, with the sun setting behind the islands.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for SkyCab cable car before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Pantai Cenang keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Pantai Tengah ($$$) suits couples, families, beach and quiet stays. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–25 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.8 hours in January to 12.5 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Langkawi
• 2 days in Langkawi
• 3 days in Langkawi

Questions travellers ask