YOUR FIRST STOP, KUAH
Kuah is located on the southeastern tip of Langkawi and is the island’s main town with Kuah Jetty being the take-off point to the Peninsular Malaysia mainland, Penang and neighbouring country Thailand.
The name Kuah is a Malay word meaning ‘gravy’, referring to an ancient folklore of two battling giants who overturned a gigantic pot of curry at the spot where the town now stands.
Once a rustic town with a few streets, present-day Kuah is a thriving centre of hotels and shopping-cum-business complexes, fortunately without the din of modern-day cities. Kuah offers a wide variety of duty-free goods such as tobacco, liquor, cosmetics and electrical items at highly-attractive prices.
EAGLE SQUARE or Dataran Lang is Langkawi’s most prominent landmark for visitors arriving via the sea. Situated near the Kuah Jetty, the main attraction of the square is the magnificent statue of the reddish brown eagle majestically poised for flight. According to local folklore, Langkawi derived its name from the eagle or helang. In old Malay, kawi denotes reddish brown, hence Langkawi means ‘reddish brown eagle’.
The square is beautifully landscaped and features scenic ponds, bridges, covered terraces, restaurants and barrel vaults made of bricks. The square is beautifully illuminated at night and presents a dramatic scene as you approach the island from the sea.
TAMAN LEGENDA OR LEGENDS PARK is a scenic park with beautiful gardens of vivid local blooms, plants and fruit trees. This 50-acre park has been designed and landscaped with exhibits detailing the myths and legends of the island. It houses 17 monuments, each with an intriguing story to tell.
