Langkawi – A Destination Review by Iskandar Zulkarnain

Langkawi Island is an island that is not only rich with flora and fauna but also laced with legends and folklores – making it one of the most visited islands in Malaysia. Langkawi is also one of the three islands in Malaysia that is duty-free. Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, these are rather rare for a city boy like me. I first visited Langkawi when I was little and kept on coming back for holidays. Ultimately, I decided to take on a role in The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort on the island. Nestled between the 10-million-year-old rainforest and the 8,000-year-old fringing coral reef, the resort is a legend herself where our guests are not only here for relaxation but also to discover what Langkawi has to offer and how they can play their part in protecting the reef through our Coral Conservation Project. About 5-minutes’ drive from the resort, sits a beautifully landscaped, Els Club Teluk Datai. Managed by Troon Golf, this 18-holes bunker-free golf course is designed by the renowned Ernie Els, the Els Club Teluk Datai offers state-of-the-art club facilities, including buggies equipped with GPS units, a fully stocked golf shop and full-amenity locker rooms. With an unequaled experience in mind, the club offers services from a dedicated team of caddies and instructors to the personalised engraved bag tags, presenting players with a unique and sophisticated golfing experience. As a golfer myself, I have to say I spend a lot of my free time there. Another fun fact about the island is that Langkawi actually holds a UNESCO Geopark site status with not just one but three geoforest parks – the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, the Dayang Bunting marble Geoforest Park and the Machinchang Cambrians Geoforest Park (that sits majestically behind The Andaman Resort and the Els Club Teluk Datai). These forests coexist with fossil-rich limestone hills which dates back more than 400 million years. To honour this prestigious status, our team actually designed a beautiful map made out of sand in our lobby, allowing guests to learn about these distinctive rock formations around the island and where to find them – this is definitely something to look-out for while staying in our resort that’ll prepare you for your nature discoveries around the island. If you are looking for that serene retreat where you don’t need an excuse to golf, Langkawi is the perfect choice. There is also something about hitting a hole-in-one against the majestic backdrop of the Matchinchang mountains.