Langkawi 3-Day Itinerary: How to Spend 3 Days in Langkawi, Malaysia

Looking for the perfect Langkawi 3-day itinerary? You’ve come to the right place!

Also known as the Jewel of Kedah, this tropical island is home to lush forest landscapes, powerful waterfalls, pristine beaches and much more. It’s a beautiful island, which is still somewhat of a hidden gem in Southeast Asia.

​We recently spent three days in Langkawi as part of a wider Malaysia trip, and we loved our time on the island.

Three days was just enough time to adventure around the island, enjoying the beautiful nature, outdoors adventures and beaches.

In this article I have outlined all of the best things to do in Langkawi in three days, as well as useful tips to make the most of your trip, like how to get around Langkawi Island, where to stay, what to pack and more.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in, and start planning your ultimate 3-day Langkawi itinerary!

Langkawi 3-day itinerary

And now it’s time to dive into the details of my Langkawi 3-day itinerary! This is pretty much the exact itinerary we followed for our three days in Langkawi.

Day 1 in Langkawi

Visit Oriental Village

If you plan to visit the famous Sky Cab, then the first step on your itinerary for Langkawi is the Oriental Village (it’s on the way). It’s situated at the foot of the Mat Cincang Mountain Range.

This open-air themed shopping area is designed to be a modern showcase of Malaysian, Southeast and East Asian architecture. 

With a lake at its centre, you can stroll around the park, stopping off at souvenir stalls and snapping pics of exhibits and architecture along the way.

There’s the Animal Farm and Art in Paradise Museum, as well as a few places to grab a snack or a drink before you head up in the SkyCab cable car.

To be entirely honest, before visiting Langkawi I saw Oriental Village recommended on lots of travel blogs, but I didn’t personally find it that interesting.

There’s not much to it, and I wouldn’t plan a trip specifically just to see it, but as you have to walk through it to reach the Langkawi Cable Car and Langkawi SkyBridge, you might as well check it out.

Go on a ride on the Sky Cab

In order to get to the Sky Bridge, you’ll have to take the Sky Cab. This super steep cable car with epic views spans 900 metres in total, taking visitors up into the mountains.

There are two stations along the way. The top station is right at the peak of the mountain, which itself is the second-highest on the island, and from where you will reach Sky Bridge.

The first station is called Angle Station, because the gondolas have to pivot 45 degrees to reach the top stop from here. Here you get beautiful views over Langkawi and the sea.

When I was there (November 2024) they were building an “Eagle’s Nest” viewpoint, but it wasn’t yet ready. Make sure to get off the gondola at this first station, as there are really cool views you don’t get from the other station.

The stretch between the middle and top stations is 42 degrees, making it one of the steepest cable car gradients in the world. 

Click here to book your Sky Cab fast track ticket online!

Go on a walk on Sky Bridge

Any Langkawi itinerary, 3 days or otherwise, would not be complete without a trip to the Sky Bridge, one of the most famous sights in Langkawi.

Set 660 metres above sea level atop Mat Cincang mountain, this walkway takes visitors out across the mountain tops, weaving between the peaks and above the lush rainforest below.

The views are really cool, and it makes for some pretty amazing photos. It’s open every day from 9:30AM to 7PM and costs RM 6 to enter. However, it’s worth noting that while the entrance fee for Sky Bridge is cheap, the gondola isn’t.

And since you have to take the gondola up to the Sky Bridge (there is no other route, no road to drive or trail to hike), it can add up. Prices range from RM 50 to RM 135 depending on the type of gondola you select (private, glass bottom etc).

You can save a bit of money and skip the queues by booking your entrance fees online beforehand here. You can also opt for a private guided tour that will take you to both Sky Cab and Sky Bridge.

Click here to book your guided tour to Sky Cab & Sky Bridge in Langkawi!

Go for a swim in Seven Wells Waterfall (Telaga Tujuh Waterfall)

With its mountains and rainforests, Langkawi isn’t just a resort island, but a place of surprising natural beauty as well.

You can even find a few waterfalls here, like the famous Seven Wells Waterfall, 1.5 kilometres (a 4-minute drive) from Oriental Village.

From the parking area you have to walk a solid 20 minutes (or more, depending on your pace) up a staircase to reach the waterfall. We didn’t find it too challenging, but just bear in mind there are over 300 steps.

There are two sections to the waterfall. From the upper one you get some really cool views, there’s also a glass bottom bridge where you can snap pictures, and there are some hiking trails around here too.  

The waterfall itself isn’t very powerful here, it’s more of a river flowing through small rock pools (hence the name Seven Wells) that you can swim in.

The lower one doesn’t have a view, as it’s set inside the forest, but this is where the waterfall actually falls, and it’s bigger and more powerful. Surrounded by tall trees, here you’ll also find pools that you can swim in.

It’s a gorgeous place to spend a few hours, cool down in the fresh waterfall pools, and enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding you.

Visit Temurun waterfall

Jump back in your rental car (or hail a Grab) and drive around 20 minutes to reach the next stop on your Langkawi itinerary: Temurun Waterfall.

It may not be as impressive as Seven Wells, but this three-tiered cascade is still a cool waterfall nonetheless. You can go swimming here too, and soak up the lush scenery.

One bonus is that it’s much closer to the road than Seven Wells Waterfalls, and there’s not as much walking through the forest or up steps to get to it (max 5-10 minutes walk).

If you didn’t swim in the waterfall, you can stop off at a beach nearby – Sandy Skulls Beach, for example, is just a few minutes along the coast to the east.

See the sunset & spend the evening in Pantai Cenang

Finish up your first day in Langkawi with a 30-minute drive across the island to the popular Pantai Cenang Beach.

It’s famous for its water sports (like jet ski, banana boats, and paragliding), but it’s also home to a good selection of nice bars and restaurants that edge the beach. 

It’s a good spot to unwind into the evening, have a drink to view the sunset, and watch the fire performers kicking off on the beach when it gets dark.

For a chilled-out bar, head to the southern end of the beach to Yellow Beach Cafe. The food is decent (try the pizza), the drinks are cheap and the sunsets from here are perfect.

There’s also the more rustic Kalut Cafe and Bar, which provides a good vista for watching the fire dancers. We visited Langkawi quite far into our Malaysia itinerary, after Georgetown, Ipoh, Cameron Highlands and Kuala Lumpur.

As such, we were a bit tired of Malaysian food and wanted something different, so we ate at Yasmin Syrian Restaurant. I had some of the most delicious hummus and falafel ever!

Day 2 in Langkawi

Go for a mangrove forest boat tour

Langkawi is fringed not only by sandy beaches, but is also dotted with mangroves. These coastal forests are super important for the environment, and exploring them allows you to see a totally different habitat than beaches or cliffs.

So the second day on your itinerary for Langkawi should start with a mangrove tour. You can either opt to join a group tour, or book yourself a private mangrove boat tour.

We opted for a private tour, as there was six of us so splitting the cost of a private boat amongst us was pretty affordable. Plus, we booked last minute once we arrived in Langkawi, which is always cheaper.

You can get better deals if you book on the spot, but if you’re travelling in high season and want to ensure you have your boat tour confirmed, it’s better to do so online beforehand.

Click here to book your mangrove boat tour in Langkawi! 

They also do kayak tours in the mangroves, which go through much smaller canals and get much closer to the mangroves than you can with a boat. However given the heat, we preferred to do a classic boat tour.

Lasting around 3 to 4 hours, most tours will take you directly from your accommodation to the jetty where a boat will be waiting to take you up the Kilim River.

As well as passing under the hanging branches and aerial roots of the mangroves, during the cruise you’ll get to do some other cool things.

The exact itinerary will depend on the day (for example in our case, our captain decided to start with snorkelling to avoid the wind that picks up later in the day), but generally speaking most tours all include the same stops.

We started our trip going out of the mangroves to see interesting limestone rock formations rising out of the ocean. This is where we then stopped for snorkelling, but I have to admit I didn’t love it, as the visibility wasn’t great.

After that we went back to cruising through the mangroves to spot the famous Langkawi sea eagles. It was so cool to see them swooping down and hunting for food.

It’s worth noting that some tours will throw food in the water to attract the eagles. This isn’t something you should participate in, so make sure to check beforehand if your tour will do this.

We then visited the unique Bat Cave, cruised through the mangroves, saw monkeys up close, and finished our tour at a fish farm, where we had delicious fresh fish for lunch at their floating restaurant.

Click here to book your mangrove boat tour in Langkawi! 

Relax at Tanjung Rhu Beach

After your busy morning exploring, it’s time to spend your afternoon chilling on the beach. Tanjung Rhu Beach lies on a sleepier portion of the coastline, with fewer tourists and less development than Pantai Cenang. 

It’s right across the road from the harbour where the mangrove boat tours set off from, so it’s the perfect place to chill after a long morning out exploring.

There’s shallow water here, attractive views, and the beach is backed by jungle and mangroves. There are a few kiosks where you can grab a snack or a drink, but otherwise it’s a cool beach to just chill and explore for a couple of hours.

Go to a night market

Every evening there is a night market in a different part of the island. We went to the one one in Kuah Town (Wednesdays and Saturdays), and found it to be a cool place to try local street food and buy some souvenirs.

It’s about half an hour away by car from Tanjung Rhu Beach. 

On Monday head to Ulu Melaka for the night market; Tuesdays is Kedawang; Thursdays is Bohor Temoyong; Fridays the night market is held at Ayer Hangat and Sundays is Padang Matsirat. 

All in all, you’ll find things to buy, things to eat and drink, and a lively atmosphere to lap up. Typically the night markets start up around 5PM and go on till late.

Day 3 in Langkawi

Join a jet ski tour

The last day on your Langkawi Trip itinerary begins with a super fun jet ski tour.

Langkawi is an archipelago, after all, so it’s a good opportunity not just to race around on a jet ski, but to explore the other islets that are dotted around this part of Malaysia. 

Your instructor will teach you how to ride a jet ski if you’ve never ridden one before. After this, you’ll head off on a 4-hour adventure.

One of the highlights include stopping off at an island that has a thriving monkey population. Here you’ll also find the largest freshwater lake in Malaysia (and you can swim in it too, which is cool).

Overall, it’s great value for money and the guide that leads the tour helps you to get a good understanding of the islands of Langkawi.

There’s no other way you’d be getting to these islands anyway, so if you like exploring, a jet ski tour in Langkawi is a must.

Click here to book your jet ski tour in Langkawi!

Free afternoon around Langkawi

Now that you’ve ticked off the main highlights on this Langkawi 3 days, 2 nights itinerary, what you do on your last afternoon and evening is up to you.

There’s still plenty to see, of course, but not what would be considered “must-see” stops.

If you’ve got a hire car, you can drive up into the Gunung Raya mountain range. The twisting, curving roads here make for a fun drive and the views are pretty cool as well. 

You could also stop by the enormous Dataran Lang statue, a huge eagle that is the symbol of the island. Langkawi, according to one theory, means “island of the reddish-brown eagle”.

The statue itself is in a colourful square, and you can get some pretty good views of the mountains and coastline beyond.

Or if you like your trip a little more adventurous, you could pay a visit to Skytrex Adventure Langkawi (open 9AM to 5:30PM, ticket prices start at RM 79).

This place is all about ziplines and high ropes courses, letting you run riot through the tropical treetops (there are three courses: beginner, intermediate and advanced). 

Or there’s Splash Out, a water park that’s great if you’re travelling with children. It’s open from 11AM to 7PM (admission from RM 65).

It’s clean and well maintained, plus there’s plenty of activities here, plus a bunch of eateries in case you need to refuel after all the splashing around. You can also end your trip with a sunset dinner cruise.

We didn’t do one since we weren’t visiting during dry season, the weather was quite unpredictable, and we were concerned we wouldn’t see much. But doing a sunset cruise is considered a must on many Langkawi itineraries.

Useful things to know for your Langkawi itinerary

We’ve looked at my day-by-day Langkawi 3 day itinerary, but here are some useful things you need to know about spending three days in Langkawi.

About Langkawi

Known as the Jewel of Kedah, Langkawi is actually not just one island but an archipelago of over 100 islands in the Strait of Malacca. Most famously, Langkawi is a resort island with beaches, hotels and duty-free shopping. 

But there’s more to it than that. Here across the island’s 478.5 square kilometres, you’ll also find rainforests, mangroves, and delicious food to sample.

With 3 days in Langkawi, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to experience the island’s nature, swim in the sea, and lean into the island’s slower pace of life.

There are also plenty of places to stay, from budget backpacker digs to polished 5-star resort hotels – and everything in between.

How to get to Langkawi

Before you organise an itinerary to see Langkawi in 3 days, you’ll need to work out how to get there. The most common routes are catching the ferry from Georgetown and from Koh Lipe, Thailand. 

The ferry from Georgetown costs RM 60 (one way) or RM 120 (return). Ferries from Georgetown leave twice a day, and the journey takes between 2.5 and 3 hours.

Langkawi is around 42 kilometres from Koh Lipe. The ferries leave three times a day from here and cost 1,100 THB (one way) or 2,200 THB (return), with the journey taking around 90 minutes.

Langkawi also has its own international airport, with direct flights from cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

You can even fly from Georgetown’s own Penang International Airport, with flights from here to Langkawi International Airport only taking around 35 minutes.

How to get around Langkawi

Langkawi does have public transport, but it’s not very well connected if you want to see as much as possible. And yes, you can get Grabs to get around, but for the most freedom, I would really recommend renting a car. 

Renting a car in Langkawi is affordable, with a whole host of different places where you can rent a car – and different car types to choose from.

Driving in Langkawi is safe, with never too much traffic, and having your own set of wheels means driving along jungle roads and stopping off at quieter beaches. 

If you’ve got 3 days in Langkawi, having your own set of wheels will pay for itself.

How many days should you spend in Langkawi?

Realistically, you don’t need much time in Langkawi. I would say that having 3 days would be the absolute minimum to see the main attractions of the island.

You could spend longer here, since even without the sights, Langkawi is a resort island with plenty of beaches.

However, I didn’t personally think the beaches were as amazing as those in Thailand (for that, head over to Koh Lipe), but it’s still a fun place to hang out for a few days. 

From Langkawi you can actually get to Koh Lipe really easily, as it’s just a 1.5 hour ferry journey away.

If you want a mix of nature and beach adventures, I would do outdoorsy activities in Langkawi, and then hop over to Koh Lipe for beach chilling.

This itinerary will guide you through what to do in Langkawi for 3 days, with a bit of everything to make sure you make the most of your time on the island.

Where to stay in Langkawi

Langkawi is a popular resort island, and as such it offers loads of cool hotels for every budget. Whether you want a high end beachfront resort, or a budget backpackers hostel, in Langkawi you can find both.

Budget: De Greenish Village Langkawi – Located in Kuah Town, this hotel isn’t particularly fancy, but it’s a good budget option if you don’t want to break the bank.

Click here to book your stay at De Greenish Village Langkawi!

Mid-range: Kunang Kunang Heritage Villas – This is where we stayed and we loved it. The villas are simply gorgeous, built all in wood and bamboo. Add to it a big pool, a delicious breakfast buffet and friendly staff, and you have a winner!

Click here to book your stay at Kunang Kunang Heritage Villas in Langkawi!

Luxury: Four Seasons Resort Langkawi – If you want to treat yourself, this is the place to do so. Tucked away into the lush greenery of Langkawi, this resort has gorgeous villas, a huge pool and impeccable service.

Click here to see prices & availability at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi!

Do you need travel insurance to visit Langkawi?

After my personal experience spending two nights in a private hospital in Tenerife, and having to pay for it out of pocket (it wasn’t cheap), I always recommend getting travel insurance.

You might not end up needing it, but for a small fee you can travel without worries. Personally, I suggest getting your travel insurance with  Heymondo.

Heymondo offers tailor made travel insurance, providing the best value for money for your specific trip. You can also buy it once you’re already abroad and have forgotten about it before flying (which, if you’re anything like me, is quite likely).

Besides the usual cancellation, medical expenses, luggage coverage and general travel insurance services, Heymondo also has a 24/7 doctor chat and instant assistance through their app.

Plus, as a Greta’s Travels reader, you get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance!

Click here to get your 5% off Heymondo travel insurance!

What to pack for three days in Langkawi

You don’t need much beyond the usual travel essentials, but here are some things you’ll be glad to have on you.

Waterproof jacket – If you visit in rainy season, you’ll be glad to have one of these!

Fast drying towel – There’s a lot of swimming and lounging on beaches involved in Langkawi, so make sure to have one of these! I love these because they dry quickly and they don’t take up much space.

Power bank – You don’t want your phone to die on you just as you’re about to snap a gorgeous photo of the mangroves of Langkawi!

Dry bag – To keep your valuables safe and dry from any rogue water splashes during your boat trips.

Final thoughts on my 3 days Langkawi itinerary

There you have it, the ultimate Langkawi 3-day itinerary! Have you been to Langkawi before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

​There is no doubt that Langkawi is one of the best places to visit in Malaysia. It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for panoramic views, white-sand beaches, limestone cliffs, friendly locals, lush green vegetation and tasty local food.

It might not be as rich in cultural sights as other places in Malaysia, like Kuala Lumpur with Batu Caves and Thean Hou Temple, but I personally found the nature in Langkawi simply stunning.

From Langkawi you can also easily hop over to Koh Lipe and the Thai islands. The main island of the Langkawi Archipelago was one of my favourite stops of our Malaysia itinerary.

I hope you found my Langkawi 3-day itinerary useful! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

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