Jewels and curses; if you put the two together and you could believe you have the making of a cheesy Hollywood pirate film; which may or may not star Johnny Depp. This setting for this epic is not in the Caribbean however; no it is in fact a Malaysian archipelago; Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah.
Now a thriving tourist area, the island was considered to be cursed by locals until as recently as 1985 when the President of Malaysia decided that the enchanting islands should be used to entice visitors. The basis of the curse is actually a very real thing; it comes from the unfair accusing and subsequent execution of a woman called Mashuri.
Mashuri was a Thai national who came to the islands, she was considered incredibly beautiful by the locals, and one local woman, in a fit of jealousy, accused Mashuri of adultery. This was a serious accusation at the time and obviously carried a very heavy punishment. Mashuri was found guilty, tied to a tree and stabbed with her family’s Kris (traditional blade).
Upon her death, she sentenced the island to 7 generations of bad luck.
In the years that followed her death, crops failed and the islands were repeatedly invaded, taken and won back by various warring nations; as a result, the people began to seriously believe in the curse.
Now, because of the intervention of the President in 1985 (it would seem the curse had taken its seven generation course), the islands are a tropical paradise ready to lure unsuspecting tourists and it would seem they’re getting very good at it.
Owing to its cursed past, it would not surprise you that Mashuri’s tomb is actually a tourist attraction on the island and indeed it does pull in its fair share of visitors, as many are interested in the area’s chequered past.
Don’t worry though, there are plenty of cheerier attractions, and if stunning views and awe inspiring landscapes are your thing, then Langkawi has the thing for you; hopefully you’re not scared of height. The Langkawi cable car takes you to the top of the beautiful Mount Cincang; offering you stunning and unrivalled views of the rainforest as well as views of most of the island.
After this, the chance to step foot on Terra Firma once more will be a welcomed one. Then a quick tour around the Telaga Tujuh waterfalls will provide you with the perfect excuse for a small hike and to keep your feet on firmer footing. Also located on Mount Cincang, the waterfalls are named after the seven pools which feed them, a beautiful spot to sit and relax after the long hard trek.
By this point, it’ll be time to get down that mountain and into a comfortable bed; fortunately as is usually the case in Malaysia; there is a multitude of incredible hotels for you to choose from. Below is a small list of incredible Langkawi Hotelsfor you to choose from.
The Danna Langkawi
The Danna Langkawi is a 5 star hotel, that makes other 5 star hotels look ordinary. It has all round views of the islands, from beautiful beaches to the rolling lush green hills. You’d be forgiven for wanting to sit at the back and soak up the views.
The Westin Langkawi Resort and Spa.
Once you’ve considered all there is to see on these amazing selections of islands, then you add in a luxury spa of a great 5 star hotel; then you know you’ve stepped out of paradise and into heaven. This excellent resort delivers everything you’d want in your own island of paradise. You can click https://www.traveloka.com/en-my/hotel to book!
The Andaman resort
Situated between an ancient rainforest and a beautiful bay with its own 8,000 year old coral reef, then it is easy to see why those with a sense of adventure come here, and go home thoroughly entertained. This hotel offers 5 star accommodation and 5 star natural wonders, which ends up as the trip of a lifetime.