"Langkawi" a Pulau Langkawi Travel Page by touraco

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands (an extra 5 temporary islands are revealed at low tide [1]) in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border.

Langkawi is also the site of the Mahsuri legend. The legend speaks of a young woman who was accused of adultery and was executed by the public despite her pleading innocence. Mahsuri, before her death, made a curse on the island for seven generations of bad luck. Langkawi eventually came under the influence of the Sultanate of Kedah, but Kedah was conquered in 1821 by Siam and Langkawi along with it. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred power to the British, who held the state until independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain visible in the culture and food of Langkawi, while Thai language is still understood by many on the island.

Langkawi is a tax-free island which means you can't buy any duty-free stuff when you get back to Singapore airport.