Both Langkawi and Bali are wonderful islands to visit. However, Bali is clearly the more famous and popular destination of the two. So, we’ve highlighted some of the benefits Langkawi has over Bali.
1. Langkawi has no arrival charge.
Indonesia has a visa on arrival charge of US$25 for each person entering the country. Langkawi has no such charge. Below is a picture of a paddy fields in Langakwi.
Photo credit: taufuuu / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)
2. Langkawi has minimal traffic jams.
Also, the well paved roads make getting around the island very easy and enjoyable. In contrast, Bali is infamous for its small roads and traffic jams making travelling around quite arduous. Below is a picture of a country road in Langkawi.
Photo credit: Khalzuri / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
3. Langkawi is a duty free island.
Most things are cheaper in Langkawi, especially alcoholic drinks, which is a big benefit for those who drink.
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4. Langkawi was given National Geo Park status by UNESCO.
Langkawi is the first UNESCO National Geopark in South-East Asia. The island was given this status due to its large mangrove park, natural resources such as beach and islands, and its multi-racial culture.
5. Langkawi has a lower population density than Bali.
Langkawi is just 478 square kilometres in size with a population of about 64,000 – just 2% of Bali’s population. Bali is approximately 5,780 square kilometres and has a population of 4.2 million people and many more tourists.
Photo credit: raunov / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)
6. The sea water in Langkawi is always warmer than Bali.
This warm water makes for a wonderful swim – unless you actually enjoy cold water!
Photo credit: Olis Olois / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
7. The prices for liquor at the Langkawi airport duty free shop are lower than Bali’s.
Photo Credit: Andrew Permezel, Flickr
8. The main island in Langkawi is surrounded by over 100 smaller ones.
You can sail among these islands in calm waters, jump into the sea for a swim in the warm ocean, or find a deserted beach to sunbath or picnic (and pretend it’s your own private island).
Photo Credit: Jakub Michankow, Flickr
9. English is more widely spoken in Langkawi than in Bali.
Credit: Giphy.com
10. Langkawi’s departure tax is already included in the ticket.
When you leave Bali you have to pay an airport tax of IDR200,000 (about US$17) per person. It must be paid in local currency, which is annoying if you have already spent all your Indonesian Rupiah. In Langkawi, this fee is included in the price of the air ticket.
Photo credit: huppypie / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Read more: 30 Reasons to Love Malaysia
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I have lived in Langkawi for almost 8 years. 1. Most things here are not as stated, Cheaper. Only things like Vehicles, Cigarettes and Alcohol are cheaper. Supermarket foodstuffs etc are usually more expensive than on the mainland. 2. The country road shown is the main road from Kuah to the Airport and is in no way a Country Road as described! 3. During Malaysian Holiday periods traffic jams on the road to Jetty Point are frequently a problem sometimes causing people to miss their booked ferries. 4. Langkawi almost lost it’s Geopark status due to not upholding Unesco’s standards.
All of that said, it is still a great place to live as an Expat
Come stay at Sunset Valley Holiday Houses for a week or three and give yourselves the time to discover this island paradise in comfort and style. http://www.sunsetvalleyholidayhouses.com