On the Wings of an Eagle

The first I heard about Langkawi was that it was a duty-free zone. And in Malaysia, with the high "sin tax" on alcohol, this is enough to set the island apart from other beach destinations in the country.  However, aside from its resorts, Langkawi has a lot of culture and nature to entice travellers, as well.

Located off the west coast of peninsular Malaysia near the Thai border, the island's name is said to derive from the presence of brahminy kites, a bird of prey common on the island and, subsequently, in it's iconography.

In addition to the aforementioned beach resorts, Langkawi is also home to three UNESCO Geoforest Parks, comprising a large amount of the northern and east parks of the island. Mostly made of karst, the formations date back millennia and are home to mangrove swamps, several caves, and myriad fauna including sea otters, eagles, crab-eating macaques, and kingfishers. (Side note: Should you do a tour, be sure to book with an operator that does not bait the eagles as this promotes their dependance on humans and can adverse effects on their diets.)

Legenda Park in Kuah

Boat tour through the mangrove swamps and soaring cliffs
of the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park

Looking out from the raised entrance of Gua Cerita (or Cave of Legends).
It is said the Princess of China was kidnapped and held here during the
mythical Battle of the Big Birds.  Silver lining: the Princess
had an amazing view of the Andaman Sea from her front door!