As some travelers have discovered, recent news reports about Langkawi’s decline due to a lack of domestic tourists are not exaggerated.
The 34-year-old Josie Thong claimed that her recent trip to Langkawi was similar to what she had seen in the news, with very few tourists and the island in terrible condition.
“Much work needs to be done on the island as well as the Kuala Kedah jetty, which is in desperate need of renovations.”
She clarified that it was her family’s first time traveling by car to Kuala Kedah in order to catch the Langkawi ferry.
She said, “A motorcyclist came over in a matter of seconds and offered to lead us to a private parking lot that would not be impacted by floodwaters in the event of rain.”
Thong claimed that as soon as they saw their car’s registration number, tourists and touts “descended” on them.
She said the township by the jetty was pretty deserted, though maybe that was because it was a Friday afternoon and everyone was at the mosque for prayers.
We were informed that we would be boarding a cargo ferry, which was the locals’ means of transportation to and from the island for work, as opposed to the usual tourist ferry.
It didn’t feel particularly clean or have a pleasant scent. Only a dirty town center with many poorly maintained buildings where we could sit and wait for our car,” she continued.
Thong claimed that she had the impression that she was at Kuta Beach on Bali, the vacation island of Indonesia, when she was at the duty-free shopping area on Cenang Beach.
I didn’t see many locally made goods being offered in the retail stores; the majority of the stores were copies of those in Bali.
“I was hoping to purchase some batik, but all I could find was batik from Indonesia. What became of our neighborhood batik? I recall Langkawi Island being well-known for its batik, but all I could find was a very limited assortment in small shops,” the woman remarked.
Although the imported liquor and chocolates were reasonably priced, “the prices of perfume felt the same as in Kuala Lumpur.”
The majority of the signs advertising the tourist attractions, according to 38-year-old Desmond Chow, who was recently in Langkawi, were faded.
How are you going to draw people to these locations if these signs are faded? A signboard that is so small that it is untrustworthy. Furthermore, some information boards have moss growing on them and are faded.
“Maintaining these signs is the least the state government can do,” he stated.
Chow also mentioned how surprisingly expensive local food is.
“I spent RM25 on ayam penyet and RM20 on nasi goreng kampung. I’m not sure why local food must be purchased at such outrageous costs.
“I’m not even referring to Chinese eateries where you place dish orders. They don’t taste all that good and are also fairly expensive,” he continued.
Chow also mentioned how surprisingly expensive local food is.
“I spent RM25 on ayam penyet and RM20 on nasi goreng kampung. I’m not sure why local food must be purchased at such outrageous costs.
“I’m not even referring to Chinese eateries where you place dish orders. They don’t taste all that good and are also fairly expensive,” he continued.
Thong’s family discovered that certain tourist attractions, such as the Langkawi Skybridge Cable Car, are pricey.
Adults with MyKad can enter the cable car for RM43 (the basic fee), and an additional RM6 is required to walk to the Skybridge.
You will have to pay RM16 for a ride if you choose not to walk. If you’re with a large group, that’s a lot to pay,” she remarked.
Aside from having to pay more, there’s the issue of poorly maintained facilities. Hikers may be at risk because of some of the broken railings on the hiking trail.
“Take care of this place completely, especially since you’re charging so much.”
According to the Langkawi Tourism Association (LTA), if Putrajaya does not intervene, the island known as the “Jewel of Kedah” could turn into a “ghost town” on November 7.
According to LTA, there hasn’t been any special effort to revive Langkawi’s vibrancy.
According to the association, 163 food and beverage establishments that were registered with it closed, and car rental companies sold their assets.
“I believe that the island requires a complete makeover, including essential infrastructure and upkeep of nearby attractions,” Chow remarked.
“Many small local industries, like batik, need to be revived by the state or federal government. Previously, buffalo milk was used to make cheese on the island.
These are little but fascinating attractions that support locals’ way of life in addition to drawing tourists. Nevertheless, these industries receive no attention, according to Chow.
