Langkawi

Langkawi is all about experiencing the island itself. The beautiful beaches, stony outcroppings and warm waters are mostly a nature preserve, so the best thing you can do is not expect to be rushed around or stressed. Things happy at a leisurely pace for a reason, as the sole reason to go is to be on the beach, with cheap drinks, or riding jet skis among some of the most amazing scenery on the water. 

Long a haven for sea pirates for centuries, it was finally cleared out in the 50s by the British, and now uses its UNESCO and Geopark status to drive tourism. 

The food has something to desire on the island compared to the rest of Malaysia, however you can find amazing views from the cable car and the Skybridge. This allow you to see the inner workings of the geopark in all its beauty. IT may be expensive, but one of the most amazing things to do in all of Malaysia is a jet ski tour. Our was around 3 hours and we went to over 40% of the islands around Langkawi and laid on the beach of a few. They also brought us up close with the large colony of eagles, who unfortunately, are dependent on the daily feedings from tour operators.

We stayed at the DASH resort (https://www.dash-hotels.com/langkawi-malaysia/) , which was in a great location with an amazing pool on the beach. The sunsets were amazing from the location and I highly recommend it. This is one of the few times I did not adventure out too much, as most things I ran into were chain restaurants and strip malls. For this reason I would spend more on the hotel here to guarantee yourself access to nice pools and facilities while you stay in Langkawi.

Langkawi has a 9 month rainy season from March to November, and receives 94 inches of rain annually. Plan some indoor days or days where you can go inside while it rains and be on the beach when it ends.