Is 1 Week in Langkawi Enough?

Is 1 week in Langkawi enough?

Yes, I think it is. At the end of the day it’s a personal choice, but having 1 week in Langkawi is a nice rounded number that will allow you some time to breathe, yet also give you time to explore the island properly.

Check out this video to see some of the stuff to do in Langkawi!

If you’re an active person who loves to hire a scooter and explore, or book a few full day activities then 1 week in Langkawi will be perfect.

If you prefer to go slow, then rest assured you can read through this post and choose to leave out the activities you deem boring or too expensive and still have plenty of fun.

Keep in mind that just because 1 week in Langkawi is enough to cross off all the activities I am about to list here, that doesn’t mean that there is no value in staying longer. Malaysia has some of the best entry requirements in the Southeast Asia region, allowing 90 day stays without a visa!

So if you want a nice quiet place, with all of the comforts of the western world, and some of the better looking beaches around, then feel free to pull up stumps for longer.

*Disclaimer

Affiliate links may be present on this page. These are links to websites such as Amazon, where if you decide to purchase something, then they will offer me a tiny commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and is just a way for me to try and support myself and the blog. I only link to the best of the best with careful consideration, thank you.

What’s Langkawi all about?

For a quick rundown of Langkawi and what it’s all about then head over to the Langkawi travel guide.

Things to do With 1 Week in Langkawi

Alright let’s cut to the chase. We’ve established that 1 week in Langkawi will be enough for most people. Now let’s look at what you’ll actually be doing to keep yourself busy.

Langkawi is a tropical island and caters to a wide variety of age groups and fitness levels. From your typical beach activities at Pantai Cenang, to a few little spots to view as you bust around on your scooter, to some more exciting but paid for events like the Skybridge or Zip-lining through the jungle!

Go to the Beaches

Pantai Cenang

What is it?

Imagine your typical tropical island beach activities and that is Pantai Cenang for you.

How much does it cost?

Free entry to the beach, just the activities that you choose to do that will cost you money

Opening Hours?

24/7

What do you do here?

If you take a stroll down the beach you will find unending amounts of shacks/shops that offer all of the typical activities like;

• SUP Rental
• Banana Boat Rides
• Jetski Hire
• Parasailing
• Island Hopping (both by boat or jetski)
• Kayaking
• Speed Boat Rides etc…

Besides that the beach front has a ton of restaurants, bars and nearby shopping malls just off the beach.

How do you get here?

Most people will choose to stay in Pantai Cenang, so you can just walk down to the beach.

How long will I spend here?

You could spend all day here, depending on what you like to do, there are endless activities and all the food options you can think of.

When to come?

Whenever suits you.

Do you recommend it?

Yes, it is easily accessible and is really good to visit both during the day but then again at night, when there are different activities on display.

Tanjung Rhu

Tanjung Rhu offers a similar array of activities with the addition of being able to see the mangroves of the nearby Kilim Karast Geoforest Park on a boat tour.

The beaches here are the opposite side of the island to Pantai Cenang (see the map at the bottom of the post) but it will only be a 30 minute scooter ride and you can spend all day here, there’e plenty to do and there are lots of food options.

In my opinion this is the best beach of the 3 listed here, although without the modern conveniences of Pantai Cenang which is surrounded by shops.

(Shot using the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6)

Black Sand Beach

Black Sand Beach is the place to go if you hate the crowds at the other beaches. You will be greeted with a lot less people, but also a lot less to do. The food and drinks options are minimal as well.

It is a bit of a drive, but it is on the way to Tanjung Rhu, which is the best beach in my opinion.

I personally don’t recommend this beach for those wanting to spend a long time at the beach, there are no activities and the food and drink options here are very limited, but it is a cool place to check out on the way north, or to avoid crowds.

(Shot with the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. They are very drone friendly in Malaysia).

Visit the 3 Waterfalls

What is it?

There are 3 main waterfalls that everyone will try and visit during their stay in Langkawi;

• Temurun.
• Durian Perangin.
• 7 Wells.

All 3 offer places to swim in nice cool refreshing water at the bottom of the waterfalls.

How much does it cost?

Durian Perangin Waterfalls cost 2 MYR to visit, which is essentially nothing, the other two are free.

Opening Hours?

Although you could technically visit these at any time, they are best visited during daylight hours. During the heat of the day is a good time to come and swim in the nice cool water.

What do you do here?

Swim underneath the waterfalls, take pictures, relax.

How do you get here?

Each of the waterfalls is highlighted on the map at the bottom of this page, but once you park your scooter you will have varying degrees of difficulty in getting to the waterfalls.

Durian Perangin
This is the easiest of all of the waterfalls to access, the area is built for easy access with pathways for the majority of the walk and a small amount of stairs.

Temurun
Temurun has a few more stairs to navigate, some of them quite large, but it is by no means difficult. You could climb this in any footwear, just try not to fall over. Unless you’re a shit person, then fall over all you want.

7 Wells
Challenging, in relative to the other waterfalls on this list. It is a stairway all the way to the top, but it is quite a walk. It is 638 steps to the top, and it is very humid and tiring, but once you get to the top you can relax in the water.

So basically, anyone can do it, but don’t take your nan ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

How long will I spend here?

Probably an hour at each, maybe a tad longer at 7 wells if you stay in the water for a while.

When to come?

During the day, so you can see the staircases, and also so the water is more enticing to dip in.

Do you recommend it?

Yes.

I visited all 3, all 3 are worth a visit. I was there in the middle of the dry season and there was still water flowing at all 3 locations, but don’t expect it to look like the Google images during the dry season.

Durian Perangin is the only one of these 3 waterfalls that you are required to pay for. Fortunately the payment is a measly 2 MYR, which is basically nothing.

It is also the easiest to walk around, with the nicest looking infrastructure of the lot, with plenty of places to sit back and relax.

7 Wells Waterfall is a bit of a longer walk. There are hundreds of steps to take and it gets very humid amongst the trees. You’re bound to see monkeys coming out to try and steal food, as well as people dripping in sweat as they rest at one of the benches.

Once you get to the top you can see lots of pools of water, this waterfall has the largest area of pools for swimming in, but it is also the busiest of the lot.

Entry to the waterfalls is right near the Umgawa Zip-lining tour operations building, so you can easily combine the two activities into the one day.

Skycab and Skybridge

What is it?

Skycab is a gondola cable car ride to the peak of he second highest mountain on Langkawi, Gunung Machincang (708m above sea level). It is one of the steepest cable car rides in the world, ascending at 42° and has the longest free span for a cable car at 950m.

As for Skybridge, well it is basically as described. A big bridge that currently occupies space that used to be the sky (as with a lot of bridges). It is 125m long and sits over 50m from the ground beneath, at an altitude of 608m above sea level.

How much does it cost?

85 MYR for the Skycab.

6 MYR for the Skybridge.

Opening Hours?

09:30 – 19:00

What do you do here?

The Skycab is a ride to the top, there is a middle station you can get off if you like for photos, or ride it straight through to the top. Once at the top there are two viewing platforms offering 360° views of Langkawi.

The Skybridge is a little lower in the valley, but it is a great spot to come for photos and it is not very often you will find a suspension bridge like this with the same sort of scenery.

How do you get here?

Scooter or Grab.

A Grab from Pantai Cenang to the Oriental Village where the Skycab is will cost you 25 MYR.

Scooter parking is free.

How long will I spend here?

I think you could easily spend 4-6 hours here, because not only is it a great place, but there is plenty to do. At the foot of the mountain where the Skycab station is are numerous other activities, bucketloads of restaurants, and plenty of things to walk around and look at.

When to come?

Either early or late.

I went up at 16:00 and didn’t have to line up for any more than 2 minutes, I was at the top until 18:00 and on the way down I got a Skycab to myself. Which made the ride that much more enjoyable, with nobody to criticise my singing.

Also, avoid coming here on days when cruise ships are docking, because this is one of the activities that they do as part of their day tours from the boat. That means lots of older people, walking slowly, making a nuisance of themselves.

Do you recommend it?

Definitely!

It is about 5°C cooler up here than it is at ground level, the views are amazing, it is different than a lot of other activities that you see around Southeast Asia, and the price is reasonable for what you get out of it.

(Shot using the Sony A7R III with the Sony 16-35mm f/4).

Umgawa Zip-lining

What is it?

Umgawa is the place to do zip-lining in Langkawi. There is another organisation called Skytrex but I was told by the owner of the hostel that it is far more child oriented so I can’t really comment on it.

This tour is pricey though!!

How much does it cost?

The full course, which involves 12 zip-lines, 3 bridges and the 1 abseil costs 500 MYR!

The half course, which involves 6 zip-lines, 1 bridge and 1 abseil costs 239 MYR.

Opening Hours?

08:30 – 16:30

What do you do here?

You zip-line through the jungle, and get an education along the way. The guides are really good at what they do.

The longest zip-line is over 200m long.

How do you get here?

By scooter or Grab, it is the same location as the Skycab, it is about 300m down the road.

A Grab will cost you 25 MYR.

How long will I spend here?

The full course will take 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The half course will take 1 hour.

I know that doesn’t work out mathematically, in theory the half course will take 1 hour and 15 minutes, but it doesn’t. Deal with it.

When to come?

During opening hours would be beneficial for all involved.

Do you recommend it?

Yes, if the cost isn’t an issue.

I found it “fun” rather than “exciting”. I don’t regret doing it at all, but it won’t get your heart racing if you’ve done more exciting activities in the past like sky diving, abseiling, snowboarding or whatever it may be.

It was fun watching those with fear of heights do it though.

I didn’t get any good photos from the day, seeing as how I only had my GoPro and my Insta360 One X (affiliate links).

Umgawa Zip-Lining Video

(Video shot using the GoPro Hero 7 Black and the Insta360 One X).

Jetski Island Hopping

What is it?

Island hopping. On a jet ski.

There are a different number of tours available to do, most of the reputable companies follow the same rough pattern, offering 3 different levels of tours. Each one more expensive, but also covering more of the island than the last.

The 3 most reputable companies that I was told about were;

Mega Water Sports – These guys are the originals, I have never heard a bad word spoken against them, they are super professional.

Alyna Watersports – This is who I went with, I have no complaints, not even if I tried to think of one tiny detail. It was one of the better activities I have ever done and the guide was awesome.

Seeman Watersports – Although I have seen some reviews about their other beach activities not being good, take it with a grain of salt (everyone loves to complain). Their jetski tours are held in high regard and are considered to be very professional and safe.

How much does it cost?

It cost me 650 MYR for 4 hours. BUT this was only one package.

I suggest you look through their respective websites linked above, but I will break it down with a rough aggregate for you;

Shortest packages – 600-700 MYR, 3 hours.

Medium packages – 700 – 800 MYR, 3.5 hours.

Longest packages – ~1000 MYR, 4 hours.

Keep in mind that if you are with a friend or partner, these prices can be split, but then the downside is you don’t get to drive the jestki all the time as someone is on the back.

Opening Hours?

Most of these guys will open around 09:00, depending on the season you may have to book a tour a day or two in advance.

There are generally 2 times when the tours leave. 10:00, then again at 14:00 for the second batch.

What do you do here?

You ride a jet ski, then you make stops at different islands depending on the tour that you have booked.

If you are super lucky, with the right tide and the sea conditions then you might be able to ride through a cave and out the other side, but they don’t advertise this because it can never be guaranteed.

How do you get here?

They all operate off of Pantai Cenang beach, so you can just walk here if you’re staying in the area, like I suggested in the Langkawi travel guide.

How long will I spend here?

The tours range from 3-4 hours.

When to come?

Be warned that it can be very choppy at the start of the tour as you have to ride out to the islands across deep channels, with big waves. Once you arrive at the islands though the water is flat, you can go flat stick and just glide over the water.

So I guess, if it is at all possible, try and pick a day that isn’t too bad weather wise. Depending on your level of confidence,

Do you recommend it?

Jet ski island hopping was by far the best activity I did during my 1 week in Langkawi!

However it was also the most expensive. The 4 hour island hopping tour that I went for was with a company called Alyna Watersports and I can definitely recommend them.

I was lucky enough that nobody else was doing the tour, so I essentially got  private guide for 4 hours, which allowed us to only stop quickly at the boring stuff and move on to islands that are normally out of the time limit.

He also let me ride his jet ski (that’s not a euphemism).

Unfortunately all the jet skis that are handed out to the tourists are limited to about 70km/h and don’t really accelerate that hard, but the guide’s jet ski is a proper weapon!

Jet Ski Island Hopping Video

(Video shot using the GoPro Hero 7 Black and the Insta360 One X).

(Shot with the GoPro Hero 7 Black).

Kuah Town

What is it?

Kuah is the main hub of Langkawi, but not the best place to stay. It is worth visiting though, if just to see the impressive eagle statue that the island is so well known for. Besides the eagle statue, you might see some pretty funny tourists walking around and then you can laugh at them behind their backs.

If you need to catch a ferry out of Langkawi, or you are arriving in Langkawi then this is where you will depart and arrive from. There are a plethora of shops suited to the western tourist, heaps of places to eat, and most importantly there is plenty of air conditioning to be found.

How much does it cost?

That’s entirely up to you here. There’s a shopping centre and heaps of restaurants, but there aren’t necessarily activities that will cost you ‘x’ amount of dollary-doos.

Opening Hours?

10:00 – 22:00.

What do you do here?

Walk around the waterfront, see the big monitor lizards, take photos of the eagle statue, people watch, and go shopping if you want.

How do you get here?

By scooter there is free parking.

If you come by Grab it will be 20 MYR.

How long will I spend here?

If you come here, aim for lunch or dinner, spend an hour walking around the waterfront and then sit down for a meal somewhere.

When to come?

If you come here as part of a loop around the island, try to plan your arrival around lunch or dinner time so that you can splurge a bit on whatever takes your fancy.

Do you recommend it?

It is not without its charm, plus you only spend what you allow yourself to. So yes, I do recommend it.

Bonus tip – To win the admiration of the locals, pretend that you are a baby eagle waiting to be fed, and hang out below the eagle’s beak squawking as annoyingly and loudly as possible.

Gunung Raya

What is it?

Gunung Raya is the highest peak in Langkawi at 872m above sea level.

Not everyone comes up here but if you have 1 week in Langkawi you will have enough time to make your way up. The views on the way up are very nice, the drive is probably the best part about it.

Although there is a path to walk up here, I’d recommend taking a scooter. Unfortunately at the time of writing, the peak of the mountain was very inactive, with the restaurant up the top seemingly closed down.

I am unsure if this was a permanent closure or a seasonal closure, but there were construction workers around so hopefully it was for renovations. Remember to take water because there are no shops up the top.

How much does it cost?

Free entry.

Opening Hours?

As far as I can tell there aren’t any. But there is a toll booth with a gate as you drive in so they can close the road if thy wish to.

What do you do here?

It is basically just a lookout at the moment, but there is construction work ongoing at the peak, so hopefully soon there will be food and water available at the top (there used to be).

How do you get here?

Ride your scooter, riding to the top is half the fun.

How long will I spend here?

The scooter ride will take you about 15 minutes, maybe longer if you stop frequently at the lookouts, any scooter will make it to the top, the roads are not too steep.

With a brief stop at the top and at a few lookouts, it will take about 1 hour, maybe 2.

When to come?

Entirely up to you, some people come up here for the sunrise, but I think during the day is the best so you can enjoy the view as your ride up and down the winding roads.

Do you recommend it?

Yes.

It is fun, it is free, so why the hell not?

Take your own water though, as it stands currently there are no shops anywhere.

Closing Notes

Although these are what I considered some of the better options to do, there are plenty of things on offer for people on Langkawi, this is a large enough island with a thriving tourism industry, which means all of the normal tourist things (such as getting a massage, or drinking yourself stupid with tropical cocktails) are readily available.

The Underwater World is also popular, but more so with the older crowd. It’s just an aquarium at the end of the day, so if you haven’t been to one then feel free to check it out. It is easy to get to if you are staying in Pantai Cenang and it costs a reasonable 45 MYR, and sometimes cheaper online.

If you have more money to spend you may want to indulge in some shopping. Langkawi is a duty free island which brings a lot of people across from nearby locations to shop, or stock up on cigarettes, chocolate, and booze I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also keep in mind that there are plenty of other ways to explore the island, you don’t have to ride a scooter, you can hire a car. Instead of island hopping on a jet ski, you can take a boat tour that will allow you to relax a bit more.

I also went scuba diving from Langkawi, but the visibility was poor and if you get the chance I would recommend going to Thailand and diving at the Similan Islands instead.

Map Showing The Activities Locations