Kuah is a

resort town A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...

mukim A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English language, English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay language, Malay from the Arabic word ...

and district capital of

Langkawi Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (), is a duty-free island and an archipelago of 99 islands (plus five small islands visible only at low tide in the Strait of Malacca) located some 30 km off the coast of northwe ...

Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman (دار الأمان; Arabic for 'The Safe Abode') and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of ...

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

. It is the entry point for those coming by ferry from either the mainland or

Penang Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia along the Strait of Malacca. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Th ...

Island. The town is centered on its jetty, which is a point of arrival for tourists from the mainland. With a population of more than 30,000, Kuah has become a major town due to the growth of visitors after

developed into a tourist centre since 1986. There are a number of

hotels A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a refr ...

in Kuah but it has no

resorts A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...

, as the town has no proper

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

despite being located by the sea. The nightlife in Kuah consists mostly of eating out in seafood restaurants. Kuah nevertheless has a number of attractions, and it serves as a focal point for tourists wishing to visit other parts of Langkawi. Today, Kuah is a commercial centre with shopping complexes,

restaurants A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in app ...

fast food Fast food is a type of Mass production, mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. ''Fast food'' is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheat ...

outlets, hotels and

handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

shops.

Etymology

The name ''Kuah'' comes from the Malay word for

gravy Gravy is a sauce made from the juices of meats and vegetables that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with thickeners for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a mix of salt and caramel food ...

, and legend has it that the town arose from a cup of gravy spilled on the land by two giants, ''Mat Raya'' and ''Mat Cincang'' (now the names of the two highest

mountains A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

in Langkawi), while they were fighting.

Places of attraction

While Kuah is more of a commercial centre and shopping zone, there are a few landmark attractions. Most of these are recreational parks.

Dataran Lang

The main highlight of Dataran Lang ( Malay for 'Eagle Square') is a 12-meter high sculpture in the shape of a sea-eagle perched on rocks in pre-flight pose. It is located on the waterfront of Kuah near the jetty. The eagle is the emblem of

Island as its name is thought by some to have been derived from the Malay word for eagle. The square is a landscaped area with ponds, terraces and bridges.

MAHA Tower @ Langkawi City

MAHA Tower, formerly known as Langkawi City Tower is a 2-story, 138-meter-tall tower in Kuah,

. It is Malaysia's second tallest tower. It serves as the landmark of the Langkawi City development. Langkawi City, which is set to be completed in 2024/2025.

Legend Park

Langkawi Legend Park is a recreational area opened on 27 April 1996 dedicated to Langkawi's heritage of myths and fables. The park covers an area of 50 hectares of reclaimed land, and is more of an open-air 'garden museum' featuring sculptures, scenic gardens, ponds and fountains, and fruit trees growing around pathways and along the ponds. Along with the flowering vegetation, the park has 17 sculptures that depict the many legends found in

, such as the duel between two giants that led to the formation of Mounts Mat Cincang and Raya, mythical birds and fairy-tales of princesses. In addition, there are 4 artificial lakes and a man-made beach to complement the picturesque scenery. The park is open from morning till late at night and is within walking distance from the jetty.

CHOGM Park

Adjoining Taman Lagenda is another park, the CHOGM Park, built to commemorate the 1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in

was the retreat destination for the government heads that attended the function. Until recently the park carried the flags of all the

Commonwealth Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...

that participated. The park has a man-made beach next to it and a children play area.

Al-Hana Mosque

The Al-Hana Mosque is one of Langkawi's largest and most popular mosques. It is located in Kuah to accommodate Muslim patrons and allows visitors who come to view the architecture. The mosque incorporates motifs and carvings from

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

along with traditional Malay elements. The mosque was opened by the first

Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia, federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a membe ...

Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Abdul Rahman (8 February 19036 December 1990), commonly referred to as Tunku, was a Malaysian statesman who served as prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He previously served as the only chief minister of Federation of Malaya ...

in 1959.

Shopping

Langkawi has been allotted as a duty-free zone within the country. Kuah has the highest concentration of shopping centres and shop lots that retail duty-free goods and souvenirs.

Jetty Point Mall

The Jetty Point Mall is part of the jetty complex itself. It caters to tourists making last-minute shopping before they embark on the ferry back to the mainland. Housed within the mall are many shop lots that stock various duty-free goods. In addition, there are cafes, bakeries and fast food outlets with wireless internet access.

Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall

The Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in Langkawi with over 100 individual shops and an adjoining supermarket cum departmental store. Duty-free goods, along with souvenirs, fashion apparel, sports attire and electronic items, can be purchased here. Other facilities include fast food outlets, a food court, money changer and an information counter for tourists.

Langkawi Parade MegaMall

"Langkawi Parade MegaMall" is a large

duty-free shop A duty-free shop or store is a retail outlet whose goods are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country, who will ...

ping mall with over 40 outlets, 8 food and beverage outlets including a food gallery, the Teow Soon Huat department store and a supermarket selling fresh, frozen and canned foods. The only cinema in Langkawi is located on the 10th floor and there is a multi-level car park attached to shopping mall.

Saga Shopping Centre

The Saga Shopping Centre is a shopping complexes that provides a wide range of household items and perishables such as wine, beer, spirits, confectionery, dried food and tobacco.

Haji Ismail Group

Haji Ismail Group (HIG) has a new premise located at Kuah named Haji Ismail Group Complex. The shopping complex sells a variety of items such as chocolate and other foodstuff, kitchenware, household furnishing, batik and clothing.

References

{{Malaysia border crossings, state=collapsed Langkawi Populated places in Kedah Mukims of Kedah Malaysia–Thailand border crossings