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 Personal Experience

 Pick a Topic of interest from those below and explore this Destination!

Anchorages

There are two main anchorages close to Kuah town that most cruisers use.

Bass Harbour just  West of Royal Langkawi Yacht Club  This a a large anchorage used by most cruisers due to the close proximity to the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club and Kuah Town.  There is good holding in mud but there are several disadvantages as well.
  • The most significant is that there is no good dingy landing as the beach disappears at high tide and your dinghy can be stranded on mud at low tide.  The RLYC allows cruiser dinghys to tie up at their marina, but charges an 8 RM fee per day.
  • Do not get too close to the Ferry Terminal to avoid the rolling caused by ferries coming in and out.
  • Lots of barnacle growth on boat bottom, anchor chain and dingy bottom.  You had best lift your dinghy at night to prevent heavy growth.  We had a significant amount after just 7 days.

Bass Harbour in front of Tiara Hotel (the one that looks like a castle.)   The main advantage of this anchorage is that you can pick up a mooring buoy for 10 RM/per night, thereby keeping your anchor chain free of barnacles and mud.  When we arrived, there was even a small all-tide floating dinghy dock located on the grounds of the Tiara Hotel for use by the mooring users only.  But a dispute between the between the two mooring buoy operators and the Hotel receiver company (it was going bankrupt) closed the dock.  This  dispute was not settled when we left and the dinghy dock remained closed.

This anchorage has the following disadvantges:

  • If  the dinghy dock reopens, there is rather long walk into Kuah Town or to the shopping mall.
  • Else you have a long dinghy ride to one of the other landings or RLYC to get ashore.

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Marinas

Rebak Marina Resort (6�17.4N  099�41.8E)  Beautiful Marina and Hotel with all the luxuries of a first class resort.   Totally protected in all weather.  Monkeys, Hornbills and Sea Eagles are frequently seen on the island.  Hard Dock Cafe, great cruiser cafe with inexpensive food and beer.

Facilities:

Floating docks Self-service Laundry Yacht Maintenance Yard
Toilets Internet Access Travel Lift
Showers Receive & Hold Mail Chandlery on premises
Power and Water at berth * Fuel Dock Pump Out Facility

Restaurant, Cafe, Bar, Hotel, Swimming Pool, Harbour store, tennis courts, gymnasium.  Fax, and photocopy services available at Marina office.  The water quality is good.  128 Berths.   Yacht Maintenance yard and 65-ton Travel Lift.  Travel Lift jib crane for lifting engines and masts 

 Internet access is via your PC with connections at both the Hard Dock Cafe or at the lovely bar in the Restaurant.  You can sign up with a local provider in Langkawi or use the roaming numbers with your own service provider.  The latter will most likely involve a long-distance phone call to Kuala Lumpor.  

Mailing Address:
Rebak Marine Resort
Pulau Rebak Besar
PO Box 125
07007 Kuah, Langkawi
Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia

Harbour Master's Office:  Capt. Ahmad Azamri

  • Phone:  04 966 5566
  • Fax:  04 966 5508
  • VHF: 69

 

Advantages

  • All weather protection

  • Great facilities and friendly staff

  • Good yacht maintenance facility

  • Ferry landing right at marina

Disadvantages

  • Located on an island with no bridge to main island.  You must take ferry.

  • With the exception of a small convenience store, no cruising amenities close by.

Royal Langkawi Yacht Club  - The nearest marine facility to Kuah Town and  to most cruising amenities.  Lovely clubhouse and great location.

Facilities:

Floating docks Self-service Laundry Yacht Maintenance Yard
Toilets Internet Access Travel Lift
Showers Receive & Hold Mail Chandlery on premises
*Power and Water at berth Fuel Dock Pump Out Facility

Restaurant,  Bar,  Swimming Pool, Boutique, Duty-free shop on premises.  Fax, and photocopy services available at Marina office.   The water quality is good.  *Many of the berths do NOT have power even though they have power points.

Mailing Address:
Royal Langkawi Yacht Club
Jalan Dato Syed Omar
Kuah 07000, Kedah, Malaysia
Harbour Master's Office: 
  • Phone: 04  966 4078
  • Fax:  04 966 5078
  • VHF: 69

Advantages

  • Closest marina to Kuah town

  • Walking distance to many cruising amenities or just a short taxi ride

  • Next to Ferry Terminal for quick access to the mainland or car or motorbike rental places.

Disadvantages

  • Very rolly due to the many ferries coming into ferry terminal.    (They do stop after dark)  A breakwater was under construction as of Aug. 2002.

  • Many of the berths do not have power.

Telaga Harbour Park - This is on the the island of Langkawi and was established after we visited so I have only the information available on their website.

Facilities:

Floating docks Self-service Laundry   Yacht Maintenance Yard
Toilets Internet Access Travel Lift
Showers Receive & Hold Mail Chandlery on premises
Power and Water at berth Fuel Dock Pump Out Facility

Restaurants, shops, Cafe,  Mini-market, Sailor's lounge, Boutique.  Fax, and photocopy services available at Marina office.  

Mailing Address:
Unknown

Harbour Master's Office: 

Advantages

  • Unknown

Disadvantages

  • Unknown

 

Awana Porto Malai - We were told there was a marina by this name but can find no evidence of it on the Internet

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Cruiser Amenities

Although Langkawi has many visitor maps, none of them have any street names.  So to find any of the businesses mentioned below, please refer to the Kuah Town map.
Grocery Stores -
  • Samudra - Langkawi Fair shopping mall.  Fairly good supermarket.
  • Teow Soon Huat - Supermarket which has most of what you need, although if they removed the snack foods from the shelves, there would not be much left.  Website:  www.teowsoonhuat.com
  • Chop Sun Chuan -  Jalan Sehua, Kuah town, 2nd or 3rd street in from main road.  Lee Anne has wonderful NZ meats, cheese and even small frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving.
  • L.H. Loong Enterprise - Plot 24, 33 Persiaran Bunga Raya, Langkawi Mall.  Go to KFC and then 1 street back to find this shop.  Cold storage for fresh vegetables from Australia.  Even had beautiful avocados.

Laundry - Island Laundry Services  - Located on road across from Tiara Hotel.  Charges by the piece, but has reasonable prices and did a good job.

Internet Access -  

  • Langkawi Fair Shopping Center - Good shop on level 3, but beware of slow access at all cyber cafes.
  • Shop located on road in front of Tiara Hotel, near Island Laundry Services.
  • Royal Langkawi Yacht Club - terminal in back of Boutique.
  • Rebak Marina has best access for you to plug in your own PC at either the Hard Dock Cafe or the fabulous hotel bar.
Shopping Center - Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall - On the main road between Royal Langkawi Yacht Club and Kuah town, across from CHOGM Park.  Has McDonalds and Kenny Rogers Roasters, if you are tired of Malaysian food.  

Duty Free Shops -

  • Teow Soon Huat -  We found that this shop had one of the best selections of wine and liquor and good prices.  Website: www.teowsoonhuat.com
  • Samudra - Reasonable selection of liquor - not the best prices.
  • Chop Chuan Hin Sdn - located across the street from Lee Anne's shop.  Very good selection of wines and reasonable prices.
  • Many, many other small shops in Kuah town.  It pays to shop around.

Copy Shop - S.K. Intertrade, 8 Jalan Pandak Mayah 1, Pekan Baru Kuah.  Ph:  04 966 7778,  Fax:  04 966 7218.  Great source for copy-charts, guidebooks for everywhere, and courtesy flags for many countries for $US6.  Even has copied versions of East Africa Pilot and many others.

Propane Gas Canister Refill -   Rebak Marina

Phone Cards - Telekom provides cards for local calls. Chatz, Digi-Call, and Talk Talk cards provide really cheap rates for calls to US and elsewhere.  One problem is that they do not work on the pay phones, so you must use hotel or marina office phones - Please ask nicely

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Transport

Buses - Sporatic bus services.  Most people use the "share" taxis.

Ferry Service - 

  • The Ferry Terminal Jeti has ferry service several times a day to/from Penang, Butterworth, Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah.
  • Ferry service to/from Rebak Marina leaves at the landing out by the Lankasuka Beach Resort and the Airport on the west side of the island.  They usually run about every hour or half-hour.
Taxis - Taxi service is good all around the island and even at the Rebak Marina Ferry Landing.  They do not use their meters, so settle on a price first.

There are also "share" taxis which you flag down along the road.  They will usually toot the horn when they approach you.  The fare is usually 1 RM per person to go anywhere in Kuah town.

Car Rental -  Several car rental agencies around the Ferry Jeti for about 70 RM/day.  We rented from Faizal (012 438 2110) who would meet us at the Rebak ferry terminal with a car for 30 RM for the day.  Most of the companies are pretty loose about the rental and some do not even ask to see a license.  Just hand them the cash and they hand you the keys.

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Yacht Services

Chandleries/Hardware Stores -  
  • Ngoh Eng Seng Motor B30, Kelibang, Kuah. Located on same side of road as Teow Soon Huat, about 1 km. west of TSH across from a from a primary school.  Ph:  04 9667954  Fax:  9666319.  Service facility for Yamaha outboards.  Also has a small supply of boat parts
  • Cinho Trading  100 Jalan Padang Matsirat, Taman Medan Barjaya, Kuah.  Located in a strip of shops on north side of main road about 4 km. west of Teow Soon Huat, just before the Mosque with 2 tall spires.   Phone:  04 966 5497  Fax:  04 9666313.  Hardware store with some marine items.  Also supplier of Jotun Marine tin paints.
Yacht Maintenance -  Rebak Marina. Very good haul-out facilities with 65-ton Travel Lift and large maintenance yard.  You can do the work yourself or hire one of the contractors on the premises to do it.   Like most places, though, good supervision is required to ensure proper and speedy work.

Yacht Paints & Varnishes - International Paints, 95 Langkawi Mall, Jalan Keilbang, Kuah 07000 Langkawi  PH/Fax: 04 967 2494  Mobile 012 428 7494  (This is the best option to use to try to call since the phone system in Langkawi has problems.)  This shop is located in the strip of shops on the main road into Kuah, north of the City Bayview Hotel.  They have the full range of International paints, varnishes and Sikkens Cetrol.

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Miscellaneous

 The following are services or places visited and recommended by Bob and Judi. We can only say that our experience was a good one and we hope that you will also have a favorable experience.
Restuarants - 
  • Prawn Village -  7-10 Jalan Persiaran Putra, along main road from Langkawi Yacht Club to Kuah town.  This is a very good place for groups.  You pick out the fresh seafood (still swimming in tanks) that you want cooked along with rice and/or vegetables and other dishes that you want.  Be careful as none of the items have prices (you have to ask) and the bill can quickly add up.
  • Teo's Located in the strip of shops along the street in front of the Tiara Hotel, north of where Island Laundry Services are located.  We did not visit this restaurant, but long-time cruiser friends highly recommended this as the best place in Langkawi.
 More Information
  • Tourist Information Shop - Located on main road between Yacht Club and Kuah town, just north of the Mosque and across from the Prawn Village
  • Lonely Planet Guide to Malaysia, Singapore & Burnei
  • Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia Volume II - Stephen Davies and Elaine Morgan
  • Malacca Straits Cruising Guide 2000, Latitude One Publishing Pte Ltd.  (This book is no longer being published, although you may still find copies at Raffles Marina and Republic of Singapore YC in Singapore, or Copytime in Darwin.)

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This Page Last Updated: 08 Jan 2017

 

 

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