Langkawi

Langkawi's geology reaches back more than 550 million years. The Machinchang range in the north-west is made of Cambrian rocks and is described by the Langkawi Development Authority as Malaysia's oldest mountain range, while the granite of Gunung Raya, the island's highest peak at 881 m, formed around 220 to 200 million years ago. The Kedah state government established Langkawi Geopark in 2006, and in 2007 it was recognised as the first Global Geopark in Southeast Asia, organised around three geoforest parks: Machinchang Cambrian, Kilim Karst and Dayang Bunting Marble.

The islands were long a quiet farming and fishing community under the Kedah sultanate, and passed through Siamese and later British control in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their modern story as a resort destination began in the late 1980s, when the government promoted tourism and gave Langkawi duty-free status. Local identity is still tied to folklore, above all the legend of Mahsuri, a young woman wrongly executed in the late 18th century who is said to have cursed the island for seven generations. One popular explanation of the name links it to helang, the Malay word for eagle, and the reddish-brown brahminy kite is now the island's emblem.

Away from the resort strips, Langkawi is a largely Malay, Muslim island of paddy fields, rubber smallholdings and fishing villages, and village life follows the rhythm of prayer times, Friday congregations and seasonal harvests. Mosques are found throughout the island and halal food is the norm in local eateries. Hospitality is relaxed and friendly, and modest dress away from the beach is appreciated, particularly in villages and at religious sites.