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Loving Langkawi’s Hidden Beaches

05/17/2013 by Kristin Addis 7 Comments

Day 220

For someone who fancies herself an off-the-beaten path traveler, Langkawi in Malaysia would not seem like an obvious addition to the itinerary.  Given its status as a duty free shopping hub, coupled with the numerous beach resorts that dot its shores, I was a little unsure if I’d even enjoy my time there.

However, as a solo traveler, when I have a friend in close proximity, I do what I can to make our paths cross.  In this case, Victoria and I had a chance at our fourth country together, so we naturally had to make it happen.  I’m glad we did, because we both ended up enjoying Langkawi immensely.

One of the best things we did was renting a car to drive around the island, giving us an opportunity to test out the cable car, take in the amazing view, and explore some of the lesser-known beaches on the island.

The cable car, though touristy, is definitely worth the time and ringgit.  The views of the waterfalls and jungle fauna are spectacular.

The vista from the top was equally impressive:

langkawi attractions
Wow

If not a bit cloudy and ominous by the time we left!

langkawi attractions
Rain’s a comin’!

Following the cable car adventure, the drive along Jalan Datai was probably my favorite, given the more secluded beaches. Datai Beach, in particular, was completely deserted, and probably the most beautiful beach we saw:

langkawi attractions
Why isn’t anyone else here??

Then, there was the famous black sand beach.  Neither of us had ever seen black sand before, so naturally, we had to check it out:

langkawi attractions
That is, indeed, some black sand

Lastly, Cenang Beach was gorgeous, with white sand and bath water-temperature water.

It turns out, even on islands that would normally seem touristy, there are still off-the-beaten path adventures to be had.

Do it yourself:

  • Getting there: AirAsia offers cheap flights nearly hourly from Kuala Lumpur.  If in Georgetown/Penang, access the pier at either 8:15 or 8:30am to take the ferry across.  It takes right around 2.5 hours.
  • Eat: Consult the map for which night market is happening on your night of the week. Some of the best eats can be had for less than a dollar (total, for the evening) per person.
  • Stay: Stay: Cenang Beach, near the airport and a 15-minute car ride away from the pier, is probably the easiest area with the most options for food and car rentals. We chose Rainbow Lodge guest house which appeared to have the cheapest accommodation.
  • Imbibe: One Love Langkawi is a great bar during happy hour, with reggae music and beach BBQs, but the real gem is a pop-up bar just outside of a small convenience store, a short walk away on the side of the street opposite to the beach.  Walk down the sidewalk with the beach to your right and you can’t miss it.
  • Rent: Cars can be rented from any red T shop for 65 to 80 ringgit (manual vs. automatic transmission).
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About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

« Offbeat Travel: Climbing to the Railay Beach Lagoon
Off-the-Beaten Path: Motorbiking Borneo »

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I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

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Comments

  1. Bobbi Lee Hitchon says

    05/23/2013 at 5:55 am

    Great photos and videos! I love Langkawi. Landed there at the end of my last trip to SE Asia. I finally found my perfect spot in the region!

    Reply
  2. Langkawi says

    06/05/2013 at 8:02 am

    Nice to hear you nguys liked Langkawi so much. The cable car is amazing, a bit to steep maybe for some people. The beaches in that part of the Island are also one of a kind.

    Reply
  3. David @ That Gay Backpacker says

    08/27/2013 at 9:12 am

    I am currently in Penang and pondering a trip to Langkawi. You may have tipped it for me 🙂

    Reply
  4. Sab says

    01/16/2015 at 9:30 am

    perfect, thats all i need to know! heading there in 2 weeks! bookmarked! thank youuuuu

    Reply
  5. Conner says

    05/27/2015 at 5:33 pm

    Defiantly gonna check out datai beach today, thanks!

    Reply
  6. Mathew says

    01/24/2016 at 8:49 pm

    Great advise on the beaches. We’re in high season so it’s pretty crowded everywhere, but nice to find some less-touristy ones on Jalan Datai.

    Update on car rental: From Kuah Ferry Terminal you should be able to get a small automatic for 50Rm a day, or a slightly bigger one for 65Rm. Just get your haggle on because they expect it and start high.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/25/2016 at 1:09 pm

      Thanks for the update!

      Reply

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