We're getting married in April and as part of the honeymoon will be spending 10 nights on Langkawi (at the Sheraton Perdana). I've done a bit of research on the island, but still would like advice from anyone with first hand experience of the following - <BR>a) We fancy visiting the coral reef at Pulau Payar - is the "package" trip to the diving platform worth the money, or should we just catch the ferry to the island? (We have our own snorkelling gear) <BR>b) As this part of our holiday is mainly for lazing around on the beach/by the pool, we only want to hire a car for a couple of days - any recommendations for what not to miss out on? <BR>c) Is Kuah really as good for duty-free shopping as it's hyped up to be? What are the best buys? <BR>Thanks in advance!

The Sheraton is nice. Driving around is easy as roads very quite. I think you will be sadly dissapointed with Kuah. Very small, and Duty Free? Well, if you want liquor and cigarettes. I thought it would be full of camera shops etc but nothing, I 'did' buy a camera there a year back, more expensive than downtown Singapore I found later. No Computer things or anything at all. Very dissapointing. <BR>Taxis all seem to stop after 6 or 8 pm. <BR>There are 2 Sheratons, is your one the beach one or Kuah Town? Beach one is far nicer. Nice place for dinner is the Pelangi Resort's Thai Restaurant, but if you visit make sure of transport back, I also hired a car not just to tour but because of the lack of transport after dark. <BR>Have a lovely time.

Hi Elaine <BR> <BR>I'm Malaysian and think perhaps 10 nights in Langkawi is a tad too long? <BR>But all the best in your next major step in life. Have a look at this URL <BR>http://www.geocities.com/tvsmith/central2.html..plenty of goodies there. <BR>Since you are close to the Thai border, ever thought of venturing to Phuket or Ko Samui?

Looks like we'll have to fit in all our shopping in Hong Kong then. We're spending a full week there, trying to do all the things we didn't do on our first 2 visits, so after that, I'm not sure that 10 days will be long enough in Langkawi for a complete rest and recovery! Thanks for the tip on late night taxis Sarah. <BR>Anybody got any info on the coral reef please?

Elaine, not sure about the corals, but your hotel can take care. Hiring a car by the way is easy, don't forget your driving licenses! (You may need international, check with RAC, AA don't do them anymore ). As other poster said, if you get tired of 'resting' there are 3 flights a week to Phuket, scheduled for 40 minutes but takes like just 20 minutes! You could do a 2 night trip. Also you can get boats across to Thai mainland in a few hours from Kuah town. Might be nice for some Thai seafood!! Have a lovely time(+ wedding!). Tip: Before buying anything like cameras, check your home discount stores for prices and keep this handy, sometimes your local high street discount store beats duty-free, serious!

Hi Elaine! We were in Langkawi in March 2000 (stayed at Pelangi Beach Resort). We did a snorkelling trip to Pulau Payar both with the catamaran to the diving platform and with a smaller boat. Both were nice but a bit different. When you get there with a small boat you have to go swimming from the beach and the visibility is not that good near the beach. On the other hand there are many black tip sharks on the beachline. On the platform you get a nicer buffet lunch compared with the lunch box served at the beach. The corals around the snorkelling area in Pulau Payar are not that good but there are a lot of colorful fish. Perhaps a little wider variety away from the platform crowd. Overall I would say that the boat trip is more intimate and the platform thing more controlled and organized. <BR>In Langkawi you must go and have dinner at Barn Thai restaurant which is situated in the middle of Mangrove swamp. Reservations are recommended and there are also organized transportations. And don´t forget to try the Satay! <BR>

Katja, thanks for the info on Pulau Payar - that's really helpful. Your description of the black tip sharks had me worried for a little while, but I've looked them up and apparently they only grow to about 1.5 metres, so *hopefully* they're not dangerous(?) We'll certainly try and check out the Barn Thai - we love satay!

Elaine, The blacktip sharks around Pulau Payar were about 1 m long and not dangerous. People actually fed them from hands although I personally no not think that it is wise to feed bread or fruit to wild fish.. <BR>I meant that you should eat Satay (in general) when in Langkawi. I am not sure if they serve it in Barn Thai, but the restaurant in itself is an experience and the food very good. Have a nice trip!

I was in Langkawi a few years ago staying at Pelangi resort and enjoyed my stay very much. I remember I had very good meals in two restaurants near the resort. One was called Champor champor and the other Bonton. Both served fusion Malaysian food in lovely surroundings. I wonder if they are still there? Tried Bahn Thai too, I made a mistake of dinning outdoor. I was too occupied with the mosquitoes around me to enjoy the food. But I must agree it has unique location. Just don't forget your insect repellent if you want to dine there. <BR> <BR>Have a peek at The Datai to see how the other half lives. It is a beautiful hotel with understated elegance. Tanjung Rhu is worth a visit for its funny looking little islands. Don't bother with the 'attractions'(Burnt rice field, Princess's tomb, maiden's well etc), they are really disappointing. Just hire a car and drive round the island and enjoy the beauty of nature. Enjoy your trip.

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Just wanted to say a big thank you to everybody that replied to my original posting. Your input was very much appreciated and definitely helped us to make the most of what turned out to be a really fabulous holiday. I can't recommend Langkawi in general and the Sheraton Perdana hotel in particular highly enough. If anybody wants any info, please let me know and I'll try and help. Thanks again.