Origin of the name
The name Langkawi is a combination of "Lang" and "Kawi". "Lang" comes from the Malay word helang which means eagle. In the past, the land was a home to innumerable eagles. "Kawi" is Sanskrit for marble, which is found in excess in this part of Malaysia. Both words are joined to form the word "Helangkawi" which ultimately became Langkawi.
Another reference found in the book by Tun Mohamed Zahir titled The Legends of Langkawi which says that the name is a mix of two Sanskrit words—"Langka" (beauty) and "Wi" (innumerable).
Geography
Langkawi lies north of the Strait of Malacca in the southern Andaman Sea near the border between Malaysia and Thailand. A few kilometres to the north lies the neighbouring Thai island of Ko Tarutao. The island group's main town, on the main island, is Kuah.
Langkawi's highest point is Gunung Raya, rising to 890 m above sea level in the main island's central-eastern area.
The archipelago consists of 99 islands with a total land area of 528 km2 (204 sq mi).
History
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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' mean's Eagle Island, it may be noted, and indeed there is a great abundance of eagles in the area. In Kuah, there is an eagle monument in Eagle Square which commemorates the origin of Langkawi's name.
Langkawi is also the site of the Mahsuri legend. The legend speaks of a young woman who was accused of adultery and was executed by the public despite her pleading innocence. Mahsuri, before her death, made a curse on the island for seven generations of bad luck. Langkawi eventually came under the influence of the Sultanate of Kedah, but Kedah was conquered in 1821 by Siam and Langkawi along with it. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred power to the British, who held the state until independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain visible in the culture and food of Langkawi.
Langkawi was the site of the Langkawi Declaration, issued by the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations and making environmental sustainability one of the priorities of the Commonwealth.
Transportation
From the Kuah jetty, there are high-speed ferry connections to Satun in southern Thailand, Pulau Payar, Penang, Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis in the mainland of Peninsular Malaysia. Star Cruises ships dock at the Awana Porto Malai harbour on the west coast of the island. Malaysia Airlines has daily flights to Langkawi whilst AirAsia flies from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. SilkAir flies to Langkawi from Singapore and there is a Penang-Langkawi flight route operated by Firefly airline. The Langkawi island has a well developed road network. Taxis and car rentals are available at the Langkawi International Airport.
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