Langkawi

On the waterfront at Kuah, a giant reddish-brown eagle poised for flight is the island's emblem and its most photographed landmark. The statue nods to one popular explanation of the island's name, from the Malay helang, eagle, and kawi, a reddish-brown stone, and the square around it has pools, bridges and pavilions looking out over the bay and its small islands. It makes a good first stop on arrival from the ferry jetty next door, and Kuah's duty-free shops, banks and seafood restaurants are a short walk away.

TipCome at sunrise or late afternoon, when the light warms the statue and the square is far cooler and quieter than at midday.

The second-largest island in the archipelago, Pulau Dayang Bunting, is a wild, hilly block of marble and limestone just south of Kuah, and in its interior lies a freshwater lake separated from the sea by only a thin ridge of rock. Geologists think it formed when a vast limestone cave collapsed and filled with rain. A short path with steps climbs from the boat jetty over the ridge to a floating platform where you can swim in the cool, slightly green water, surrounded by forested cliffs. The name comes from the outline of the hills, which from the sea resemble a reclining pregnant woman, and from a local legend that the lake's water helps childless couples conceive.

TipDusky leaf monkeys and long-tailed macaques patrol the path; keep food and plastic bags out of sight.

The standard island-hopping boat trip combines Dayang Bunting with a swim stop at Pulau Beras Basah, a small island with a crescent of white sand and clear, shallow water, and a pause in the channels between the islands to watch eagles. The trip runs over three or four hours, and the sea views on the way, with rocky islets and sheer limestone walls rising straight out of the water, are a large part of the appeal. Boats leave from Pantai Cenang and from the jetties near Kuah, and almost every hotel and beach kiosk sells places.

TipMornings usually bring calmer water. Bring cash for small entry fees and drinks, and reef-safe sun cream.

On the road north to Kilim, this museum displays thousands of official gifts presented to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's longest-serving prime minister, who did much to put Langkawi on the tourist map. The collection is gloriously eclectic, from ceramics, carpets and Islamic calligraphy to cars, model ships and a set of state gifts from almost every country on earth, and it offers a curious, air-conditioned insight into modern Malaysian diplomacy.

The north-east corner of Langkawi is a maze of limestone towers, tidal rivers and dense mangrove forest, protected as one of the geopark's three main geoforest parks. Boat tours leave from the Kilim jetty and wind through the channels to the open sea and back, stopping at a bat cave, a floating fish farm and quiet inlets where long-tailed macaques forage along the roots. Overhead, brahminy kites and white-bellied sea eagles circle the cliffs. The limestone of the Setul Formation here is hundreds of millions of years old and full of fossils, and the karst scenery, with sea stacks, arches and pinnacles, is among the finest in Malaysia.

TipChoose a smaller boat or a guided kayak trip with a naturalist rather than the fastest speedboat; you will see more wildlife and disturb less of it. Ask the operator not to feed the eagles.

At the island's northern tip, a long, curving beach of fine pale sand is shaded by the tall casuarina trees, rhu in Malay, that give the cape its name. The water is shallow and calm in the dry season, and at low tide you can wade out across the sandbars towards the limestone islets just offshore. It is far quieter than the west coast, with only a couple of large resorts, and the sunsets over the Andaman Sea are superb. Boat trips from the nearby jetty explore the cave and mangroves of the Kisap and Kilim rivers.

TipSwimming is best between November and April; outside those months the sea can be rough and murky.

Along the north coast road, a short stretch of beach is streaked with dark sand, coloured by heavy minerals such as tourmaline and ilmenite washed down from the granite hills behind. It is not a place to swim, but it is a quick and interesting roadside stop, especially if you pick up the geopark story. The handicraft complex nearby sells batik, woodcarving and local crafts.

The island's highest peak, a granite mountain of about 880 metres in the middle of Langkawi, can be reached by a steep, winding road through the rainforest. The air at the top is noticeably cooler, and on a clear day the view stretches across the whole archipelago and north to the islands of Thailand. The forest on the way up is one of the best places on the island to see hornbills, especially great and oriental pied hornbills, as well as flying lemurs and dusky leaf monkeys.

TipGo early in the morning, both for clearer views and the best birdwatching. Ride carefully if you are on a scooter: the road is steep with sharp bends.

On the slopes of Gunung Mat Cincang in the north-west, a mountain stream tumbles over a series of smooth granite and sandstone ledges, filling a chain of seven natural pools before plunging down the main waterfall into the forest. A path of several hundred steps climbs from the car park to the top pools, where you can bathe in cool water and slide gently between basins, with a view down to the sea. A shorter, easier path leads to the foot of the falls. Local legend holds that fairies, the pari-pari, once came to bathe here.

TipThe rock is slippery. After heavy rain the stream can be fierce and the pools may be closed; in the driest months the falls can slow to a trickle.

From the Oriental Village at the foot of the Machinchang range, one of the steepest cable cars in the world lifts visitors up the ancient Cambrian sandstone of Gunung Mat Cincang to a summit station some 700 metres above the sea. The ride takes about a quarter of an hour, with dizzying views over rainforest, waterfalls and the islands. From the top, a short path or an inclined lift, the SkyGlide, leads down to the Sky Bridge, a curved steel walkway hung from a single pylon over a deep gorge, about 125 metres long. Walking it, with cloud drifting below your feet, is the signature experience of a trip to Langkawi.

TipArrive at opening time to avoid long queues, especially in school holidays, and check the operator's calendar first: the cable car and bridge can close for maintenance or in high wind and lightning.

In a garden setting in the centre of the island lies the tomb of Mahsuri, a young woman who, according to a much-loved legend, was falsely accused of adultery and executed around two hundred years ago. As she died, white blood flowed from her wound as a sign of her innocence, and she cursed the island to seven generations of misfortune. Langkawi's prosperity since the late twentieth century is sometimes said to mark the end of the curse. The site has a traditional Malay house, a small gallery and performances telling the story.

At the southern end of Pantai Cenang, this large aquarium is a useful rainy-day option and popular with families. Displays range from tropical reef fish and sharks seen from a walk-through tunnel to freshwater river habitats, penguins in a chilled sub-Antarctic enclosure, and a rainforest section with birds and reptiles. The emphasis is on education and conservation.

TipCheck opening hours and prices on the official site before you go; it usually stays open into the early evening, making it a good escape from the afternoon heat.

Langkawi's busiest beach is a long, wide strand of soft white sand on the south-west coast, with views across to Pulau Rebak and the outlying islands. The road behind it is lined with guesthouses, restaurants, bars, duty-free shops and water-sports kiosks, and the beach is at its best at sunset, when crowds gather along the shore and a string of beach bars turns up the music. Just south, past a small headland, Pantai Tengah is a quieter continuation, with more upmarket resorts.

TipJellyfish can appear at certain times of year; ask locally before swimming and look out for warning flags.