Myths and legends swirl around the 99 forested islands that sprawl across the Straits of Malacca.

Battling giants, pregnant maidens, brave warriors, feuding families, tales of love and loss. What could be a synopsis for the latest video game, in fact describes some of the myths and legends that swirl around the Langkawi archipelago of 99 forested islands that sprawls across the Straits of Malacca. A 45 minute flight north of Kuala Lumpur and straddling the Thai border, the main island of Langkawi, with its white sand beaches and lush foliage, provides an idyllic retreat from any urban jungle.

The beach is ringed by trees that are now haloed by the hovering morning sun; cicadas raise the tempo as the air crackles with the promise of another golden day. In front of the sand, a lone long-nose fishing boat cuts a slick through unruffled waters as guests stroll down from the beachfront and garden villas at the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort, cameras in hand, to record the scene.

Following the sad death of a fairy princess’ child, she blessed the waters to ensure that any childless maiden who bathed in the lake’s fresh water would conceive.

Named after the lang, or eagle, and kawi, the Sanskrit word for brown, an immense 24 meter representation of this great seafaring bird can be seen at Langkawi’s Eagle Square, a promontory that juts like the bow of a ship into the Straits at Kuah, the island’s commercial hub and sea port.
Taking to the water, we thread our way past islands, some little more than punctuation marks in a sea that glitters like cut emeralds. Landing at popular Dayang Bunting island, a short trek leads us to the jade waters of the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden, the largest lake on Langkawi. Legend has it that following the sad death of a fairy princess’ child, she blessed the waters to ensure that any childless maiden who bathed in the lake's fresh water would conceive. Catfish in a holding pond deliver a devilishly tickly free foot massage while mischievous macaque monkeys swing by, ready to snatch up anything left on the boardwalk.

While island hopping is one pleasurable way to experience Langkawi, driving takes us on another journey. As the road contours the coastline, it varies from excellent to works-in-progress and we pass a sprinkling of brightly painted villages, general stores and stalls selling freshly made roti canai. Sunlight filters through the slender stems of rubber plantations and a herd of water buffalo amble across the road. At Teluk Ewa Jetty, coconut palms shade a small esplanade and pretty swimming beach, while at Kuah, yachts and motor cruisers, floating assets of the wealthy, anchor off Royal Langkawi Yacht Club's modernistic glass and stone building.

Traveling inland to one of Langkawi’s most popular picnic spots, Seven Wells or Telaga Tujuh, is a cascading waterfall broken by seven natural bathing pools. The lush forest only adds mystical splendor to the legend that fairies used to come and frolic here. Nowadays, locals and visitors traipse up the 638 steps to a height of 480 meters to bathe in the cool highland waters and peer over the edge as the tumbling ribbon of water disappears below.

At the Craft Complex at Teluk Yu, a lady weaves gold thread into cotton/linen fabric on a traditional hand loom to create one meter of exquisite songklet. Designer batik is conjured up by Jafiqa into simple elegant clothing for men and women, while at Faizy Crystal, globs of molten glass are extruded into glass with class. Inspired by the Italian island of Murano, skilled craftsmen are crystallizing Langkawi’s vision with a range of traditional and free-form designs that shimmer with color and life.

On a smaller scale, Pisang handicraft and art village offers a well edited collection of Malaysian crafts including locally produced sea cucumber soaps delicately fragranced with orange/jasmine, ocean or fresh green aromas, wrapped in batik ready for gift-giving. The lush garden setting also inspires Rohaya, a textiles graduate from Kuala Lumpur, to hand draw and paint each piece of exotic batik on silk, cotton and rayon in colors taken straight from nature’s palette.

Three small pools at Air Hangat deliver a big legend carved onto a large wall. Myth has it that along with insults, the feuding families of two giants began hurling pots and cauldrons of boiling water at each other. Air Hangat hot springs marks where the cauldrons of boiling water landed. Here you do what the locals do and soak your feet in a colored bucket with invigorating water from the underground spring.

But if you want to create your own legend, then head for Langkawi’s northern tip and swim in the pristine waters at Tanjung Rhu. As the mystical islands stretch to the far horizon tantalizingly shrouded in a shimmering veil of afternoon light, legend and reality evaporate into infinity.

Travel Tips

Getting There: Malaysia Airlines flies daily from major capital cities to Kuala Lumpur where a 45 minute internal flight links you to Langkawi. Check www.malaysiaairlines.com for prices.

Where to Stay: Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort offers a range of garden and beachfront villas. www.sheraton.com/langkawi

What to Eat: Give romance a chance and dine sumptuously under the stars on your own private beach at Sheraton Langkawi Resort or enjoy spectacular sunset cocktails at one of the waterfront restaurants in lively Pantai Cenang, or at Tanjung Rhu.

Where to Play: While island hopping is a must, some other not to miss attractions include the cable car to get an overview of the island, the Underwater World (one of the largest marine and freshwater aquaria in Asia with over 5,000 varieties of fish displayed in over 100 tank, that will keep kids of all ages amused) and a stroll around Legend Park built on 20 hectares of reclaimed waterfront at Kuah where Langkawi’s heritage from prehistory to modern times is displayed through sculptures, folklore and an abundance of local plants and water features.