Langkawi has several beaches, mainly located in the south, west, and north of the island. Although many hotels are located right up to the beach, by law, every beach is public. In the following article, we'll show you the most beautiful beaches on Langkawi.
Pantai Cenang – Cenang Beach
Pantai Cenang beach, at approximately 2.5 km long, is the largest and most expansive on the island. Located right next to Cenang's main shopping street, it's a popular spot for both locals and tourists. All kinds of water sports are offered on the beach, including water skiing, parasailing, jet skiing, and canoeing. As a result, it's quite lively, and finding a quiet spot can be difficult. Nevertheless, with its offshore islands, it's truly beautiful, especially at sunset.
Tanjung Rhu Beach
Tanjung Rhu Beach is located in the north of Langkawi and is one of the island's most beautiful beaches. It stretches for about 1.5 kilometers and offers stunning views of the offshore rocky islets, which are particularly beautiful and romantic at sunset. The first section of the beach is directly on Jalan Tanjung Rhu and is publicly accessible. Here, as on so many beaches, all sorts of water sports are offered. Further north are two of Langkawi's most luxurious and expensive hotels: the Tanjung Rhu Resort and the Four Seasons Resort. We drove past the Four Seasons until the road forked shortly after. About 200 meters ahead, we saw guard posts and a barrier on both roads. This appeared to be the entrance to the Tanjung Rhu Resort. So, we couldn't proceed so easily and turned around in resignation. On the way back, we wondered if we could have simply driven past the guard posts if we had said we wanted to go to the beach. Oh well, too late... next time. ;)
We recommend you simply try it out! The part of the beach we saw at the beginning was beautiful. The view of the small islands off the coast was fantastic! How idyllic must the beach right by the hotel be?!
Black Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Hitam)
Black Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Hitam) is located in the northwest of Langkawi. This dark sand beach isn't quite as black as its name might suggest. Due to minerals originating from eroded black granite, the beach appears dark to black. Based on descriptions and pictures online, we had imagined a somewhat larger beach. Nevertheless, it's truly idyllic and absolutely worth seeing. As with many tourist attractions, there are stalls selling souvenirs here too… just walk past them and then down the few steps to the beach.
The route back to the hotel then led us through the interior – small houses to the left and right, palm trees everywhere, jungle-covered mountains in the background, and cows or water buffaloes grazing by the roadside. Here, time seems to have stood still. Only occasionally do you see a flat-screen TV flickering in a hut and realize it's 2015.
Datai Beach
One morning we decided to drive along Jalan Datai, in the north of Langkawi, to Datai Beach. There were also a few Earthcaches along the route that we wanted to collect.
Pantai Pasir Tengkorak (Sandy Skulls Beach)
Our first stop was Pantai Pasir Tengkorak, a beautiful little sandy beach. Because this beach is relatively unknown and somewhat secluded, it's frequented by locals for swimming, and you'll encounter very few tourists. The water is much clearer on this side of the island, just like in the beautiful photos. The beach's name translates to "Sandy Skulls Beach," as the Thai island visible from here was once a prison island. According to legend, refugees perished in the open sea, and their bones washed ashore here. But that's probably just a legend, and if it's true, it happened a long time ago. We found the beach simply heavenly!
Hutan Lipur Air Terjun Temurun
Our next stop was Hutan Lipur Air Terjun Temurun, Langkawi's highest waterfall at 200 meters. Since we were vacationing during the dry season, only a trickle of water was flowing down the rock face. The pools below the waterfall were also barely filled. What a shame! On the other hand, the mosquitoes were all the more active. The short walk from the parking lot is still worthwhile, though, as this enormous rock face in the middle of the jungle is very impressive even without falling water. Just before the uppermost pool, a troop of monkeys was blocking the path, but they weren't bothered by our grooming. We were a little worried they might be collecting a toll. But luck was on our side, and they let us pass. ;)
Langkawi Falls
Right after the parking lot for the Air Terjun Temurun waterfall, we drove through a tunnel that looked like it had been carved from stone. I immediately thought it wasn't real. Christian, however, disagreed. On the way back, we stopped briefly and were quite surprised: it was all hollow! Nothing real stone! Afterwards, we found the name online, Langkawi Falls, and also discovered, based on photos, that water is supposed to flow down it. What a circus they're putting on here, right next to a real waterfall! In our opinion, definitely a wasted investment!
Afterwards, we drove through a huge golf course, with views of the jungle and the sea. Pure luxury! The road led past The Andaman Hotel to The Datai Hotel. Unfortunately, everything is fenced off here, and you can't even get to the beach. What a shame! The road itself ends a little further on at a private property with a large gate and a police presence. I wonder who lives here? So, we simply turned back. The drive through the jungle, however, is truly wonderful and worthwhile. There are also other beautiful beaches along the route where you can stop.
On the way back, the sky grew increasingly dark, and we could already hear a thunderstorm rumbling in the distance. We had actually planned to do one last Earthcache, but the storm prevented us. It was stormy and raining heavily; we had no chance. Water was pouring onto the windshield. Our already weak windshield wipers were completely overwhelmed! So we headed straight to Cenang for dinner. By the time we arrived, it was all over!
Which travel guide can you recommend for Langkawi?
  | Discover & experience Malaysia's most famous holiday island – Pulau Langkawi. The island, nestled in the azure Andaman Sea, is famous for its fascinating legends and scenic beauty. Over 80 pages, you will be introduced to this travel guide Guided tour around the entire island and get to know Langkawi's authentic corners! |
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