Private Island Highlights Tour by Car, Langkawi

Kuah, Eagle Square and the Al-Hana Mosque

Kuah is the main town of Langkawi and the arrival point for ferries from the mainland. On its waterfront stands Eagle Square, or Dataran Lang, with a giant reddish-brown eagle statue poised to take flight, the symbol of the island. Many believe the name Langkawi comes from the Malay words for eagle and reddish-brown, and the statue is the classic first photo of any private Langkawi tour.

A short drive away is the Al-Hana Mosque, the town's main mosque, with a golden dome and arches that blend Moorish and Central Asian styles. Visitors may view it from outside, and modestly dressed guests may be allowed inside outside prayer times. Kuah is also the island's shopping centre, with duty-free stores selling chocolates, kitchenware and souvenirs, and plenty of halal restaurants for lunch.

Tanjung Rhu and the black sand beach

In the north of the island, Tanjung Rhu is a long curve of fine pale sand fringed with casuarina trees, looking out over limestone islets rising from turquoise water. At low tide you can sometimes walk out on sandbars towards the nearby islands. It is one of the quietest and most beautiful beaches in Langkawi, perfect for a swim and a slow stroll.

On the way, your driver can stop at Pantai Pasir Hitam, the black sand beach, where dark streaks of sand are coloured by minerals washed down from the hills. Nearby are the mangrove jetties of Kilim, if you want to arrange a boat trip on another day. With a private car you can linger at whichever beach you like most instead of following a fixed timetable.

Gunung Raya, the highest peak of Langkawi

Gunung Raya rises to about 880 metres in the centre of the island and is covered in ancient rainforest. A narrow, winding road climbs through the trees, with views opening over the paddy fields, the coastline and, on clear days, the islands of the archipelago and southern Thailand. Hornbills, dusky leaf monkeys and giant squirrels live in these forests, though sightings are never guaranteed.

The drive up and down takes around an hour with photo stops, and the air becomes noticeably cooler near the top. The best time to visit Gunung Raya is the morning, before clouds gather around the summit in the afternoon, so your driver-guide may suggest going here first. If the peak is in cloud, you can turn back early and spend more time on the coast.

Oriental Village, the cable car base and Seven Wells

On the west side of Langkawi, below the Machinchang range, the Oriental Village is the base station of the Langkawi SkyCab cable car, surrounded by shops and cafés in a garden setting. The Machinchang rocks are among the oldest in Malaysia, formed over five hundred million years ago. Cable car tickets are not included in this tour, but you can stop to ride it if you buy tickets separately.

A short drive further on is the Seven Wells Waterfall, where a cascade feeds a series of natural pools high in the forest. Reaching the upper pools means climbing a long staircase, so allow at least an hour if you want to swim there. On a private island tour you choose whether to include these sights or keep them for another day.

Pantai Cenang and the rice fields

Pantai Cenang is the island's liveliest beach, a long strip of soft sand on the southwest coast lined with cafés, shops and family-friendly restaurants, many serving halal food. It is a lovely place to end the day, and the sunset over the Andaman Sea here is one of the best in Langkawi. Underwater World, a large aquarium, is right on the beachfront if you have children with you.

Just inland, rice paddies stretch towards the hills, a reminder that farming was the island's way of life long before tourism. How to get around Langkawi is the first question most visitors ask: public transport is very limited, which is exactly why a private car with a local driver-guide is the easiest way to see the whole island in a single day.