Cenang Beach Langkawi Malaysia

Where to stay in Langkawi

by

Sharing is caring!

Deciding to visit Langkawi is pretty easy; deciding where to stay while you are there will probably take you a little longer.

Lying just 18 Langkawi offers resorts and local style accommodation spread out across the island each area with its own benefits. Unless you want something really secluded and remote most accommodation in Langkawi is centered in 4 main beach areas and Kauh, the town centre. They all had something to offer and the right choice for you will depend on the type of holiday you are looking for.

How to choose where to stay in Langkawi

There is no one right area to base yourself. They all have pros and cons and it really depends on the type of holiday you want. I decided I wanted to stay beachfront so quickly ruled out Kauh. I also wanted to avoid driving as much as possible and to be to be close to a variety of bars and local food so we did not have to rely on dining in the hotel. Because of this, we centered our search on the 3 areas below. FYI – Pantai in Malay means beach 

Patai Cenang

The central or “city” beach area

where to stay Langkawi Cenang beach

Sunset on Cenang Beach

Cenang is the life of the party and the best place to stay if you want to be in walking distance of everything. We avoided staying here this time because there were so many reviews on TripAdvisor putting it down but we found ourselves spending lots of time there. Watching the sunsets from one of the beach bars is a brilliant way to end the day.

Is Cenang Beach a good choice for you?

Pros: Beautiful sunsets, shops, bars and restaurants at your doorstep. Cenang is the centre of all the action on the island and perfect if you want to get out and about. Real local life all around

Cons: The area can be a bit of a building zone. Not a good choice for quiet super romantic holidays. Not very resorty so if you are looking for a secluded beach holiday move on.

Check building works in the area before you make a booking at any hotel in Cenang as there is quite a bit of development happening. A walk through the Google map is a good place to start, the current street view is from 2017 so not too old to give you an idea of the feel of the area..

Beach Bar Cenang Beach Langkawi

Cenang Beach has several beachfront bars

Accommodation choices at Cenang

The standard of accommodation on offer ranges from 1-star local guesthouses to new 5-star private villa resorts.

Budget – Malibest Resort At the bottom end of that range is the Malibest Resort (previously called the  Malibest Tree Top chalets). This is a very basic but cute waterfront option. If you are travelling on a tight budget and don’t expect a fancy resort you will be happy here. Great views, good air conditioning, be sure to book at waterfront room, nothing else. There is no breakfast here but there are plenty of choices nearby. Check the Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort. This is a large property of 330 plus rooms set on 35 acres of landscaped gardens near the point at Cenang beach.  The rooms are large and nicely furnished in local style. The resort has great facilities including a huge pool which is vital for us because we are among those a bit scared of the jellyfish that appear on these beaches during some seasons.  Prices here are closer to $330 per night in high season.  There is also a ton of sporting activities like squash, tennis, archery, mini golf, and bicycle rental making the resort really popular with families. 

Couples Choice – Casa del Mar Our favourite Hotels in Cenang is Casa del Mar which is a waterfront property featuring lovely rooms and friendly service. This is a complete contrast to Meritus Pelangi with only 35 rooms and one pool however for us that is a plus because we enjoy more intimate surroundings. The hotel is also a bit closer to the bars and restaurants so a shorter walk home with a full belly at the end of the night. 

The food here is great – I am not sure I have ever seen so many homemade jams offered at breakfast – and the all the fruit is fantastic. The staff are also top notch. 

Casa del Mar used to have a no kids under 12 years policy that we appreciated however I have heard this may no longer be in place. I hope we get to visit again soon.

Patai Tengah

Quieter and a little cleaner than it’s neighbour.

Choosing where to stay in Langaki

Pantai Tengah (Middle Beach)

The slightly more sophisticated cousin of Cenang, this would be the beach I would choose if I wanted a quieter stay with the option of activities close by. It’s a little further along the main road but close enough to walk back to the action at the main beach only 20 minutes away on foot.

The beach itself is super clean and a lot quieter than its neighbour. We did not notice any noisy water sports operators here but we do visit at the end of the season when things have quietened down so check this if it is important for you.  The beach sometimes has a strong rip so if you are not a very good swimmer do not get out of your depth. 

Tengah Beach Langkawi

Sunset on Tengah (Middle) Beach

Is Tengah Beach a good choice for you?

Let’s consider the pros and cons of staying at Pantai Tengah (Middle Beach).

Pros: 700 m long clean sandy beach with plenty of shade. Good range of accommodation options, lots of cafes and restaurants in walking distance, beautiful quiet beach.Cons: Bit further to walk to town, I can’t think of any others! 

Accommodation choices at Tengah Beach 

Budget choice – Holiday Villa/Federal Villa These two properties sit side by side and you can use the facilities in either if you stay. Federal Villa is the smaller and cheaper of the two for reasons that will be obvious when you check out the photos of the rooms. The 88 guest rooms are dated and a bit run down but still adequate and good value for anyone on a tight budget.  I have to be honest, I would not stay here unless it was the best I could afford.Holiday Villa has good bones. It’s much larger at 258 rooms and has 4 stars over Federal Villa’s 3 stars.  Check out the reviews photos and reviews.  If you stay here I would recommend renting a car from the airport on arrival as we did. 

Patai Kok

Pronounced “Coke” like the drink 

A quiet beach in Langkawi KOK

Kok is a quieter area within 10-15 mins drive from the action of the main beaches and close to the airport. We stayed right by this beach, and it was a good compromise. It was also close to the airport which was good for our late night arrival.

We chose what was the Four Points Sheraton, just a few minutes walk from this photo because of its fantastic pool. At that time the rooms were new and quite reasonable, but the food and service were mediocre. The hotel has been re-branded as Century Langkasuka Resort and sadly seems went downhill since our stay. 

It’s such a shame because it has the potential to be fantastic with the location being only ten mins drive to Cenang and five mins to the airport but apparently, service is lacking and the food options not so good. Perhaps consider if the price is right. I loved being in that infinity pool so much I would possibly return.  Check our recent reviews because they have new management and may have lifted their game.

Burau Bay

Berjaya Langkawi Resort

Located near the Oriental Village at Burau Bay the Berjaya gets a lot of positive, even glowing reviews online so they must be doing something right and we seriously considered staying here, but I was not convinced that the location was the best for me.  I decided not to book it for this visit but to go along and check it out as a possible spot for next time.

When we got there, it was low tide and pretty overcast so nothing like the postcard images on the website, however, the resort itself was very well kept and the pool and restaurant areas looked good. It seemed very popular with families with plenty of kids around. The facilities looked in excellent condition, and the rooms looked nice.

They offer a shuttle bus to various nearby locations, so you don’t have to rent a car if you prefer not to.  Ultimately though for us it was a little too far away from everything and staying here would have limited our ability to explore. If you are after a self-contained resort, this just might suit. Take a look at the reviews and photos and decide for yourself.

Berjaya Beach Langkawi

The beach area at Berjaya

5 star style on Langkawi Island

Sadly none of our trips have been 5 star occasions. If they were we would be choosing from these three properties located on the other side of the island:

  • The Ritz Carlton with its rain forest villas and bottomless champagne breakfasts.
  • The St Regis has a stunning beachfront location, large well furnished rooms and excellent service. 
  • The Datai considered the best hotel in Malaysia

What type of beach holiday do you like? Are you all about the action sports or do you just like to chill?

If you have already been to Langkawi we would love to hear about your favourite place to stay.

62 thoughts on “Where to stay in Langkawi”

  1. I’m just writing to make you understand what a terrific discovery my friend’s girl went through studying your web page. She came to find so many pieces, not to mention what it is like to possess an awesome coaching mood to get men and women with no trouble comprehend a variety of very confusing matters. You really surpassed our expected results. I appreciate you for distributing these precious, trustworthy, educational and as well as unique thoughts on that topic to Emily.

  4. ProNerve 6 nerve relief formula stands out due to its advanced formula combining natural ingredients that have been specifically put together for the exceptional health advantages it offers.

  7. We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with valuable info to work on. You have done an impressive job and our entire community will be grateful to you.

  8. Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your website is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you?¦ve on this site. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the info I already searched everywhere and just couldn’t come across. What an ideal web site.

  13. Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read something like this before. So good to search out somebody with some authentic thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for beginning this up. this web site is one thing that’s needed on the web, someone with just a little originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the web!

  14. You actually make it seem so easy along with your presentation but I find this
    topic to be really something that I feel I might by no means
    understand. It sort of feels too complex and very broad for me.

    I am having a look forward in your next put up, I’ll try to get the hang of it!

  15. I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂

  16. Great – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task..

  17. Undeniably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the easiest thing to have in mind of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same time as other folks think about issues that they plainly do not understand about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest as neatly as outlined out the entire thing with no need side effect , other folks can take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thank you

  18. Hello! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  21. What is Tea Burn? Tea Burn is a new market-leading fat-burning supplement with a natural patent formula that can increase both speed and efficiency of metabolism. Combining it with Tea, water, or coffee can help burn calories quickly.

  24. Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.

  27. When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any method you can remove me from that service? Thanks!

  28. Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results. If you know of any please share. Many thanks!

  30. Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.

  32. The subsequent time I learn a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as a lot as this one. I imply, I do know it was my option to learn, however I truly thought youd have one thing fascinating to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about one thing that you possibly can fix if you happen to werent too busy searching for attention.

  33. Hi there, simply become aware of your blog via Google, and located that it’s truly informative. I am gonna be careful for brussels. I’ll appreciate should you continue this in future. Numerous other folks can be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  37. What’s Happening i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & assist different customers like its aided me. Good job.

  38. What is Renew? Renew is a dietary supplement designed to support blood flow while also aiming to boost testosterone levels andprovide an explosive energy drive

  39. There are definitely a variety of particulars like that to take into consideration. That may be a nice level to convey up. I offer the thoughts above as basic inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you carry up where crucial factor will be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if greatest practices have emerged round issues like that, however I’m certain that your job is clearly recognized as a good game. Both girls and boys feel the influence of just a moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.

  43. What Is Exactly Emperor’s Vigor Tonic? Emperor’s Vigor Tonic is a clinically researched natural male health formula that contains a proprietary blend of carefully selected ingredients.

  44. I was just seeking this info for a while. After six hours of continuous Googleing, finally I got it in your web site. I wonder what’s the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this kind of informative web sites in top of the list. Normally the top websites are full of garbage.

  46. It is truly a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.

  47. Thanks for sharing superb informations. Your site is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you’ve on this site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found simply the info I already searched all over the place and just couldn’t come across. What an ideal website.

  49. Admiring the dedication you put into your website and in depth information you provide. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information. Wonderful read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  50. F*ckin’ remarkable things here. I am very happy to look your post. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?

  51. Only wanna remark on few general things, The website style is perfect, the articles is very superb. “To establish oneself in the world, one has to do all one can to appear established.” by Francois de La Rochefoucauld.

  52. Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Your website is very useful. Thanks for sharing.

  53. I haven¦t checked in here for some time since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

  54. Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and all. However think of if you added some great photos or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with images and clips, this site could certainly be one of the most beneficial in its niche. Superb blog!

  55. Aw, this was a really nice post. In concept I would like to put in writing like this additionally – taking time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and not at all appear to get one thing done.

  60. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

  62. I’ve only spent a day on Langkawi. We were on a cruise ship passing through and we got off to have a walk. I don’t even know where we ended up but we found a nice beach, my husband and the kids swam but sea lice were a problem. We couldn’t find anywhere to eat really, it was all too quiet. I should have a look at a map and figure out where we were!

Leave a Comment