LANGKAWI ISLAND

HISTORY OF LANGKAWI ISLAND

LANGKAWI ISLAND, the beautiful archipelago of Malaysia, is shrouded in mythological legends. Its actual history & origin has lost its course in the passage of times. According to the legends, the term 'Langkawi' is said to have connections with the kingdom of Langkasuka, which is centered in the present Kedah. The historical documentation is little; however, the Chinese Liang Dynasty record (500 AD) refers the kingdom of 'Langgasu' as being established in the 1st century AD. 

Another reference of the island's name has been made in the book The Legends of Langkawi by Tun Mohamed Zahir. It says that the term 'Langkawi' is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Langka (beauty) and Wi (innumerable). As per the book, Langkawi means the place of immense beauty. One more reference states that Langkawi means Eagles' Island. According to it, the term Langkawi is a combination of two words Lang and Kawi. Where 'Lang' is a corrupt form of Malay word 'helang' which means eagle, 'Kawi' means marble. 

Since both eagles and marble are found in abundance in Langkawi, probably the place was named after the fact. Indeed, the Eagle Square at the island was built to commemorate its name. About 200 years ago, according to the folklore, a young woman, name Mahsuri, was accused of adultery and was executed by the people in spite of her earnest innocence. Just before her death, Mahsuri laid a curse on the island that it will remain barren for seven generations. That's about the mythological history of Langkawi.

As far as political history is concerned, the Sultanate of Kedah used to rule over the island. In 1921, when Kedah was conquered by Siam, Langkawi also passed in the ruling hands. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred the holding power to the British, who held the state until freedom, excluding a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. The Thai influence can be still seen in the culture and food of Langkawi. In fact, Thai language is also understood by many people on the island.

There's 6 attractive places in Langkawi Island for example:

• Eagle Square (Dataran Lang)
• Seven Wells (Telaga Tujuh)
• Makan Mahsuri
• Laman Padi
• The Dayang Bunting Lake (Tasik Dayang Bunting)
• Underwater World

Eagle Square (Dataran Lang)

One of the most prominent Langkawi Island attractions and landmark here is "Dataran Lang" which is situated near the Kuah Jetty.

Dataran Lang, which, when translated to English means "Eagle Square", is where you would see the famous magnificent marble statue of a reddish brown eagle that is majestically poised for flight. The 12-metre tall Eagle statue sits high at the centre of a massive star-shaped concrete platform that juts out to the sea. Eagle Square comprises the Eagle statue, a high-roofed pavilion where events are held and kiosks selling anything from tidbits to souvenirs.

The eagle is also the first landmark you would see when you travel to Langkawi Island by sea. This magnificent statue stands proudly facing the sea, welcoming you to this legendary island. Dataran Lang is designed with unique architectural concepts with picturesque terraces, beautiful ponds, scenic bridges, restaurants and barrel vaults, which are made of bricks. This square is equally beautiful at night as it is during the day. You can still see the Eagle statue clearly at night as it is radiantly illuminated at night.

Dataran Lang is situated near the Jetty Point Mall, adjacent to the CHOGM Park and Taman Legenda. This square is open to everyone at all times.

Seven Wells (Telaga Tujuh)

The Telaga Tujuh, precisely called Seven Wells, is a beautifully crafted geological manifestation and located 45km from Kuah. While taking the cable car ride to the top of Gunung Mat Cincang, you can perceive the awe-inspiring view of Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls. Located along Gunung Mat Cincang in the north-western corner of Pulau Langkawi, this picturesque waterfall is named such because its gushing water stream is broken by a series of seven natural pools.

At the site, there are seven wells or pools from which water glides delightfully from one pool to another. The stream finally cascades 90 meters down into the seventh pool. Over the years, the rapid flowing water has leveled the sharp rock surface. Further, this lovely waterfall gets a pictorial charm due to the verdant green surroundings. Indeed seven wells present a brilliant sight which one cannot forget during one’s lifetime.

 According to the legends, the fairies could not resist the charm to visit this beautiful place and that’s why, they decided to make it their bathing place. In fact, the surrounding shrubs and plants around the pool are said to have been left by them. If you really want some adventurous trek, take a short climb to the top of the waterfalls. On your way through the rainforest, you will see many exotic creatures like long-tailed macaque monkeys and cream colored squirrels.

You might be lucky to get the glimpse of a hornbill, with its huge hooked orange beak, hanging out of the treetops. Enjoy the chirping of birds, whistling of woods and sound of cascading waters throughout your journey. Once arrived at the top, the quaint vista of the landscape is absolutely stunning and actually, it cannot be restricted in words. Thus, to put in succinct terms, Telaga Tujuh is a wonderful place to visit on your trip to Langkawi.



Makam Mahsuri

According to legend, she bled white blood at her execution, which some believe signifies her innocence. On her dying breath, she laid a curse on the island so that it would remain barren for seven generations. Fact or fiction, the seven generations have since passed and today, finally, Langkawi is a flourishing tourist destination.

 Within the mausoleum walls are Mahsuri’s well, Mahsuri’s tomb, an aviary and a Kedah traditional house. As a mark of respect, visitors are advised to remove their shoes before entering the mausoleum. Nearby, visitors also get to see the making of traditional Malay delicacies and cultural performance shows. Besides that, the new and upbeat place has a huge bird cage with varies species including peacocks. To add to the animal kingdom, there are other animal species, some of which are mouse deers.

Rice Museum (Laman Padi)

Take a walk along Cenang Beach and visit the Laman Padi Langkawi (Rice Museum). Langkawi is part of Kedah. Together with Perlis, these two northern states are known as the rice bowl of Malaysia. Half of the country’s home grown rice comes from here. In Langkawi, paddy is grown only once a year due to the extreme hot weather it experiences. Laman Padi Langkawi (Rice Museum) is the only place you can see green paddy fields almost every month of the year. When rainfall becomes scarce, the museum switches to their alternative water piping system. The rice museum was first established in 1999. This place is located on the corner of Cenang, just opposite Casa Del Mar. This is a very big complex so don't let your kids wander around. They might get lost.

The entrance to the rice museum is in the building at the back. You can most probably find the tour guides and officers sitting in the air conditioned museum which contains a rich collection of “paddy growing and harvesting” tools and information regarding traditional paddy ploughing, seeding and harvesting methods. Ask them for a free tour.

An interesting fact to share was that the farmers back then, used the paddy fields to rear fish as well. This meant they could have a complete meal of rice and fish! How brilliant! There is a small herb garden which the guide will gladly tell you which are edible herbs and which are used as ointments and medicine. We had Mr Rosti as our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and managed to turn the whole tour into a "touch and feel" tour. You will get to smell the herbs and spices as well as chew on them! The tour includes demonstrations on how to grind the rice and how to separate the husks from the rice (rice milling). You will also be introduced to the various modern methods of space saving paddy growing- like the idea of growing paddy on rooftops.

Bird watches should also feel enthusiastic as there are plenty of different birds such as sparrows, herrings and local river birds that come here to feed.
A visit here would be very educational especially to learn everything about rice. It is best to allocate around 1 hour for the tour and to further explore the grounds on your own.

The Dayang Bunting Lake (Tasik Dayang Bunting)

The Dayang Bunting Lake that is on the Dayang Bunting Island itself would be familiar among visitors when their tour guides bring them on an island-hopping tour. The lake, which is on Langkawi’s second major island, is easily accessible by the boats usually brought by the boatmen. The lake is situated at the centre of the island, surrounded by beautiful flourishing greeneries, making the entire scene seem serene and peaceful.

If the name Tasik Dayang Bunting is translated directly, it generally means ‘Lake of Pregnant Maiden’, which also appears to be the largest lake of Langkawi. Tourists would be wondering about the given name of this lake, but behind this island and lake, there are legends to accompany it. In fact, there are numerous folk stories regarding this island and lake, but nobody really knows which of the stories and legends are true.

The most common fable about this lake is the idea that it has mystical powers that could heal infertility. Well, the legend came about a long time ago when a fairy princess fell in love with a mortal prince. They got married and conceived a child but unfortunately, they lost the child not long after it was given birth. The couple decided to lie to rest the child at the area near the lake, and the fairy princess blessed the lake so that any woman that has complications bearing a child would be able to conceive once she drinks the water from the lake. All this was done to avoid the heartbroken that the fairy princess had once gone through. A continuation to this legend is that, the buried child eventually turned into a white crocodile to guard the lake, and would only appear to those that are sincere at heart.

As of today, when visitors are guided by the tour guides, they would be asked to view the hills that structure the setting of the lake. The tour guides would give details about the shape that is formed which resembles the outline of a pregnant lady that is lying on her back. Many visitors are able to visualise this, and this leads to them believing that the legend might somewhat be true.

Well, true or not, we would not know now, right? Then again, the history as well as the beauty of this lake is what makes Tasik Dayang Bunting so captivating for the tourists, and that is all that matters.

Underwater World

Underwater World Langkawi is one of the largest marine and fresh water aquaria in South East Asia. Since the start of its operation on 26 August 1995, it has become one of the must visit tourist destinations in Langkawi and has attracted a large number of foreign as well as local tourists.

The concept and theme of Underwater World Langkawi are geared towards Knowledge, Education and Entertainment. It is built to raise awareness on the importance of conserving our precious aquatic life forms, thus creating understanding of the deep and inseparable bond between man and nature.

Unique to Underwater World Langkawi is the gigantic 15-meter long walk-through tunnel consisting of 500,000 liter seawater which houses many big fishes and sea creatures including the Giant Green Turtle.

Other attractions include the Freshwater Fish Section, the Seashell Display, the Koi Pond, the Mini Reptilian and Invertebrate Section, the Coral Reef Section and the Poisonous and Venomous Creatures Section.

The 34,701 square foot oceanarium is located adjacent to a shopping centre and the Neptune Café. Visitors are thus provided with a one-stop shopping, eating and entertainment package, all of which are available within one area.

A new building (with 60,000 sq. ft built-up area) which displays Tropical Rainforest, Temperate and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems, and a three-dimensional (3D) theatre with a 200-seating capacity will be opened to the public in early 2005. The Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem Display includes a spectacular “penguinarium” with an underwater tunnel for visitors to view swimming penguins.

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