Kangar, Malaysia + Add a trip

Automobiles

Langkawi is a relatively easy island to navigate, and rental cars offer the best way to explore the island. Make savings by asking your concierge to recommend a car from an outside agency, which they will be happy to do. Drive carefully at night, however; Malay villagers, motorbikes and livestock can take a 'relaxed' approach to road safety.

Planes

Langkawi International Airport is served all year round by Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang; AirAsia (www.airasia.com) operates three flights a week from Bangkok. In high season, several major international carriers run direct long-haul flights to the island.

Trains

Dialing

Malaysia: +60; Langkawi: 4 (04 when dialling within Malaysia).

Reads

Malay is a surprisingly easy language to pick up, made more so with a copy of Malay for Everyone: Mastering Malay Through English by Othman Sulaiman. Take stock with A Short History of Malaysia: Linking East and West by Virginia Matheson Hooker. White Is the Color of Death by JN Catanach is good ol' escapist beach reading: a mystery entangling an American professor with Chinese bandits and British soldiers.

Do go / Don't Go

Luckily, Langkawi enjoys good, consistent weather all year round. It tends to be moistened a little during the August and September rainy seasons, but showers are usually short and sharp, providing just enough downtime for a quick nap.

Cuisine

Blending rice, spice, noodles and seafood, traditional Malay food is available in abundance on Langkawi, but there's also plenty of tourist-friendly fare for the less adventurous palate. The most popular dining areas are Kuah Town, Pantai Kok, Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah. The latter two brim with every kind of restaurant imaginable - from upmarket, trendy eateries to backpacker cafés. Local Indian and Malay foods can be found in Kuah and Padang Matsirat.

Taxis

Taxis are cheap in Langkawi. In the more developed areas of the island, such as Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah, you can easily flag one down outside of your hotel. Otherwise, ask the concierge or a member of staff to call one for you.

Tipping

Not the norm; most establishments add a 10 per cent service charge to your bill.

Currency

The Malaysian ringgit (RM) - the exchange rate is roughly RM7 to £1; RM3 to $1.

Packing

Clothes that scream, 'I'm in a ridiculously relaxed, sun-drenched state'. Beach and resort wear - light cottons and linens - would be most appropriate. Mosquito repellent is an essential for those who don't want to become an insect buffet. Trekkers should don dank-jungle attire.

Arts

Pop into the Ibrahim Hussein Museum & Cultural Foundation (www.ihmcf.org). Hussein is one of Malaysia's top artists and he's often hanging around and amenable to a chat about his sensuous and intricate artworks.

And...

Shopping

Shopping is not Langkawi's most rewarding pastime, but if you really need some retail therapy, mosey down to Langkawi Fair (www.langkawi-fair.com.my), the island's largest shopping centre. This huge two-floor mall has more than 150 different retailers flogging swimwear, local handicrafts, books and cameras.

Viewpoint

For an inspiring bird's-eye view of the island, ride the Langkawi Cable Car (www.langkawicablecar.com.my), which rises to the summit of one of its highest peaks, Mount Mat Cincang. The views are simply stunning; on clear days, you can see Thai islands dotted around the ocean. The mile and-a-half cable car journey starts from just behind the Oriental Village, within walking distance of the Mutiara Burau Bay resort. The round-trip fare is RM25.

Something

Langkawi is blessed with several stunning waterfalls. The most beautiful and accessible is Seven Wells, known to locals as Telaga Tujuh. It's quite a sight: water cascades into seven pools, which anyone can splash around in. Pack drinking water and a swimsuit and make the short trek up to the top. If you're lucky (and/or hallucinating), you might encounter a few fairies - local legend says that this is where they come for their supernatural ablutions.

January Islamic New Year celebrations. February Le Tour de Langkawi is one of the best bicycle races in Asia and a hoot to watch (www.tdl.com.my). Traditional Hindu holiday Thaipusam sees devotees piercing their bodies with skewers and hooks. April Sea-sport-centric Langkawi Water Festival. Extreme sports enthusiasts can try to endure the Wilderness Langkawi Challenge, an adventure race that combines cycling, kayaking and running. June Pelangi Cup International Open: serious golfers can sign up to take part in this annual contest on the gorgeous greens of Gunung Raya Golf Club. October The Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali, is a glitteringly beautiful visual treat. The island's Muslims take part in Hari Raya Puasa, marking the end of the fasting month. Markets sprout up across Malaysia, selling festive clothes, foodstuffs and knick-knackery.