Pulau Langkawi  -  Province  : Kedah State  -  Country  : Malaysia  -  Latitude : 06 19 N  -  Longitude :   99 50 E The name "Langkawi" is believed to be related to the kingdom of Langkasuka, centred in modern-day Kedah. The historical record is sparse, but a Chinese Liang Dynasty record (c. 500 AD) refers to the kingdom of "Langgasu" as being founded in the 1st century AD. 'Langkawi' means Eagle Island, it may be noted, and indeed there is a great abundance of eagles in the area. In Kuah, the capital, there is a huge eagle monument in Eagle Square which commemorates the origin of Langkawi's name.

He has been with us since Darwin, will be at every port we stop at along the way, and has the expense account to cover the three months or so of shmoozing this will take. When he's not promoting this 'Sail Asia' concept, he might be in the US researching wakeboarding, kite surfing or artificial wave technologies, elsewhere in Asia 'reviewing the competition', or organising water-based events within Malaysia - up and down the east or west coasts and anywhere in between. Pretty nice.

What else can I say? He's looks like a buddha and is a friendly and mellow guy who's well educated and well travelled. If I leave the boat in Bali and make my way through the Malay peninsula I hope he can get some time off so I can catch up with him in the Perentian Islands. In the meantime I look forward to more beers with him between here and Bali. Cheers for your assistance mate

Taman Legenda
This scenic park with its beautiful gardens of vivid local blooms, plants and fruit trees provide a picturesque and fitting backdrop for buildings showing Malaysia's rich cultural heritage. Within the park, there are some fine examples of traditional Malaysian handicraft and cultural objects.
Opening hours: Daily, 8 am - 11 pm
 

Legend of the Gua Cerita Much local literature has been written based on the legends of Langkawi. The Hikayat Merong Mahawanga tells a story about Garuda (a giant eagle taking a half-human form) and a princess from China. One variation of this tale involves the emperors of Rome and China who planned to marry off their children. Garuda felt that this union would threaten the smaller kingdoms and his power over the islands, so he flew to China, kidnapped the Chinese princess and her maid and hid them in a cave believed to Gua Cerita. In a battle against Garuda, the Roman prince was swept ashore on Langkawi and finally reunited with the Chinese princess. When Garuda learnt the truth he disappeared, never to return.