Langkawi is the tourist spot for Malaysia, but it also offers a surprising amount of supplies and services for us cruisers. Here are the things we found, but if you need different things just start asking around the other cruisers and the businesses. There are many cruisers here who have been between Malaysia & Thailand, so it is easy to find help.
Anchorage/Moorings – We anchored near the northwest end of the harbour at 06’ 19.022” N, 099’ 50.404” E
The holding is reportedly very poor, being about 3 feet of soft ooze. It is said that everyone drags, no matter how much chain or what kind of anchor. We gave ourselves a lot of room from any other boats and put on our anchor alarm.
Roger, an ex-pat Australian, on the boat “Solid Gold” has several moorings at very reasonable cost, so if you want to leave your boat securely, just go talk to him. He is in the anchorage area. Cell phone 012-481-4466, email solidgoldmoorings@hotmail.com
Marinas:
Royal Langkawi Yacht Club is two or 3 times the cost of Rogers moorings, has a very small pool and good docks, power etc.
Reebok – is far away from Kuah and costs 13 – 14 Rg one way
to into the town of Kuah. Have not been there ourselves, but it does have haul
out and is supposed to be very protected.
Dinghy landing – things change, and previously it was not too bad for getting ashore. However, now there has been flooding, and some rock breakwaters are being built for waterfront development so it is not easy to get ashore anymore (to say nothing about loading up your dinghy with groceries and stuff!) And the tide is about 2 meters so you should time your trips ashore. Just ask around when you get here for the latest situation. Or you can reportedly leave your dinghy at the marina for 7 Rg or so but then it is a long walk to town. There have been dinghy thefts (usually for the outboards), so don’t let your guard down.
Cruiser hangout – “The Pier” is the cruiser hangout where you can get 2 Rg beer, local or Western food. Mardiana is the lady who runs the place. Just take a beer from the cooler, when you are all done, count up the empties and pay. Great spot.
Boat Stuff –
Chandelery - Multiquip – fuel & oil filters (Raycors are 45 Rg), bearings, seacocks (30 Rg for 1 ½ inch or 80 Rg for all-stainless top quality), antifouling Jotun with tin (115 Rg for 5 liters), belts, hoses, hose clamps, varnishes (Goldspar & Epifanes), pumps & parts. What they don’t have they will order and can get within a few days. Very helpful staff. Email is
You can also use Multiquip to get things fixed. We took our raw water pump in for new seals and bearings.
Right next door to ‘The Pier’ is Peninsular Yachts, run by an expat cruiser. He orders West Marine merchandise for you at catalogue prices, no freight. But allow 3 weeks for shipping.
Repairs –
Outboard – there are two. One near the KFC who reportedly is better because he will take your dinghy out for sea trials. If you use the other guy – a Yamaha dealer (out past the TSH supermarket) you have to get your motor to him and he tank-tests it – not as customer friendly and does not have as good a reputation.
Electronics – LKG Marine, owned and operated by Mr. E.C. Ong – is at #14 Persiaran Bunga Raya. He does electronic repairs to radios, radars etc. He keeps erratic hours, though, so before you cart your stuff up there, call first. Telephone 012-405-1846. Email chye@tm.net.my
Refrigeration – Roger, on the sailboat “Solid Gold” is a refrigeration specialist, a diver and rents out moorings. He has been in the area a long time and knows where to get everything, where to fix just about everything, and how to import things. His email is solidgoldmoorings@hotmail.com. Refrigeration gas is available; there are several automotive aircon shops around. R134a would be 300 Rg for a full bottle of 30 lbs.
Welding – Roger recommended “Peter” another Aussie, who does all types of welding. Don’t know where his shop is, just his phone number 012-409-6720. He welded up our leaky aluminum hot water tank – picked it up and dropped it off at ‘The Pier’.
Charts & Guides – SK Intertrade copies charts, has cruising guides for destinations west (not on the shelf – ask what they have) and is a little stationery shop.
Fuel – fuel barge or marina. The fuel barge is in
the anchorage and has old tires for fenders so if you like your nice clean
topsides, put out additional fenders of your own. You can raft the big boat to
it, or get jugs filled. 85 sens a liter. (1 Rg is made up of 100 sens).
Water – can be gotten by jerry or take the big boat into the marina and for around 5 Rg or so spend a couple of hours washing the boat & filling the tanks. Otherwise water is from the sky.
Other Stuff:
Provisioning – I did not think this was really a great spot for provisioning. Very basic supplies at the supermarkets (the best we found is called TSH and it was not all that great), not very good beef or even chicken here. There are some little specialty shops in Kuah that sell cheese and western foods, and a couple of good shops that sell good frozen meats. We hear Phuket is much better for food provisioning but more expensive. There is a night market twice a week and you can get fresh fruits & veggies that are pretty good, and whole chickens if you don’t mind the heads still on, and the flies. There is also a market daily, near the TSH supermarket, best on Fridays.
Wine, Beer & Spirits – All the booze is duty free, the merchants will barter, but it is not as good a deal as either Margarita or Panama. This is your last chance for cheap beer so load up for the Med! (One boat here just put on 100 cases of 24.) Just 28-30 Rg for 24 cans. Be careful though, the cardboard is full of roaches!!! You cannot get beer kits so if you make your own, stock up on these in New Zealand or Australia.
Wine is not as good a deal as in Panama or Venezuela – the Malays are not connoisseurs, and the prices run from 25 for a 4-liter box, to 20-35 and up for a bottle.
Spirits – Gin is 22 Rg, Rum 28 or less.
Mail and packages –
Mail - S. K. Intertrade, a business which photocopies charts and sells stationery & cruising guides, are very friendly and willing to take your mail for you, even before you arrive, no problem at all. They are just a small shop, though; so don’t send anything larger than about the size of a shoebox. Letters are no problem. I guess one cruiser had a big hatch sent there, and they were not real happy about finding a place to store it till the cruiser arrived!
Address is: 8 Jalan Pandak Mayah 1, Pekan Baru, 07000 Kuah, Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia.
Packages – send to DHL office in Kuah. Reference your name & boat name, address as follows:
Kala Enterprise Sdn Bhd, No 49 Jalan Pandak Mayah 5, Pusat Bandar Kuah, 07000 Pulau Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia
Large shipments – like really big things, can be shipped airfreight to the airport at Langkawi and cleared through an agent.
Computers – Some DVD’s but no software. (I told you Pinang was your last chance!). There is some limited selection on computers, parts and electronic components. But don’t despair. If you need anything major bought or fixed, just secure your boat and it is easy to get a ferry from Kuah back to Pinang for the day or overnight.
Internet – lots around.
Medical & Dental – Dr Mrs Chiu is the dentist,
located near to the big KFC. She can do basics like fillings and cleaning, but
if you need more complicated things like crowns or root canal, go to Pinang.
Pinang is the best place to get your yearly tune up. Most cruisers go there for their annual checkups, tests, eye glasses/cataract, dermatologist and doctor/pharmacy stuff done. There is a hospital here in Langkawi, but I think services and skills are better in Pinang.
Inland touring – you can rent a car for 30 Rg or motorcycle for 25 Rg for a half day which is probably all you need anyway. Pick up in the morning and return by 4PM.
Laundry – The marina does not have washers. There are several laundries in the town, or drop it off at ‘The Pier’ and it will be picked up and returned the next day. I thought the charge was very reasonable.
Canvas & Upholstery – There is an excellent fabric store here for upholstery fabrics (14 Rg a meter for decent stuff) and every other kind of fabric. It is supposedly cheaper to import your canvas (like Sunbrella) rather than buy it in Phuket. If you did not get a chance to buy all your fabric requirements in Malaysia yet, here is your last chance. There is also an upholstery shop here but don’t know its reputation. This upholstery shop sells heavy zippers for canvas at a high cost – higher than Sailrite!