Travel Guide
Langkawi Island or locally known as Pulau Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 small islands located off the coast of Kedah state, at the meeting point of the Andaman Sea and the Straits of Melacca. Some of these islands are so small that they are actually uninhabited. Langkawi Island is the largest island within this cluster of islands and is approximately 478 kilometers in size. The other inhibited islands are Pulau Dayang Bunting, Pulau Singa Besar and Pulau Beras Basah.
The name Langkawi is actually derived from a combination of two malay words "Lang" and "kawi". Lang, which is the short form of the word Helang, means eagle while ?kawi? is a Sanskrit word for marble. Legend has it that during the ancient days, many fishermen saw eagles clutching marbles flying over the skies of Langkawi. Hence, this is how this place is named.
Langkawi Island is most famous for 2 things - its pristine beaches with clear water seas and its legend and myths. Langkawi Island is also granted duty free status; as such tourists can find many items here cheaper than the rest of the country.