Fifteen years ago, Langkawi was just a backwater island supporting small fishing communities. When the government came in with big money to develop the place for tourism, they thought they needed a catch, so they dug up some old moldy "legends" about the island and have tried to market them as bona fide cultural attractions. Basically, these attractions appeal more to local tourists.
In terms of beaches and watersports, most resorts are self-contained units, offering their own equipment rentals and planning their own outings.
Outside of your resort, there's some fairly decent diving to be had. Asian Overland (tel. 04/955-2002; www.asianoverland.com.my) can arrange day trips with two dives to Payar Marine Park within Langkawi's extensive island network. They charge RM280 ($81/£50). You can also snorkel for the day for RM160 ($46/£29) per person. There's an interesting snorkel attraction off Langkawi -- a platform in the middle of the sea that floats above a coral reef. Day trips to the platform include rides in a glass-bottomed boat, snorkeling, and lunch on the platform. It's an all-day affair for RM230 ($67/£41) per person, starting at 8am and getting you back to your resort just before dinnertime.
Asian Overland also plans round-island boat trips to "island-hop" at beaches and into mangrove swamps (interesting), with a stop at the Pregnant Maiden Lake (one of the before-mentioned overhyped places). The mangrove tours are very educational, but ask them to show you the eagles, not feed them. They'll tailor your tour so you can see the sights that most interest you.
The best thing going for Langkawi is that the island's natural assets have been preserved despite the modern infrastructure to accommodate tourists. Unlike Bali and Phuket, visitors can relax on the beaches and not be hassled by hawkers trying to sell things.
One piece of infrastructure that stands out is the cable car that extends to the summit of Mount Macinchang. It's a dramatic, near-vertical lift high above the rainforest canopy to the 706m-high (2,316-ft.) rocky summit. From here visitors can see most of the island's attractions and peer off into the distant islands of southern Thailand. The departure point for the ride is Oriental Village at Burau Bay. There is a carnival-like atmosphere here, with restaurants and souvenir shops that all seem to sell basically the same items. The 14-minute ride to the summit is one of the world's steepest, at 42 degrees, and it has the longest free-span single-rope cable in the world. At the top, there is a 125m (410 ft.) curved platform across a deep chasm. Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 10am to 6pm; Wednesday noon to 6pm; Friday to Sunday 9:30am to 7pm. Call tel. 04/959-4225 for more information. Prices are RM25 ($7.25/£4.50) adults, RM18 ($5.20/£3.25) children.
Sailors will enjoy visiting one of four marinas in Langkawi. The international charter company Sunsail (tel. 04/966-5869; www.sunsailmalaysia.com) operates from Royal Langkawi Yacht Club on Jalan Dato Syed Omar, where keen sailors can rent yachts to sail around the islands or to Phuket in neighboring Thailand.
Perhaps one of the loveliest additions to Langkawi's attractions is the Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation, Pasir Tengkorak, Jalan Datai (tel. 04/959-4669). The artistic devotion of the foundation's namesake fueled the creation of this enchanting modern space designed to showcase Malaysia's contribution to the international fine-arts scene. If you can pull yourself from the beach for any one activity in Langkawi, this is the one I recommend. Mr. Hussein has created a museum worthy of international attention. Truly a gem. It's open Saturday through Thursday from 10am to 6pm; adults pay RM12 ($3.50/£2.15), children visit for free.
