Nightlife in Langkawi

 Wafts of sweet-smelling hookah smoke rise against the myriad of colors that flood the dimming sky. Laughter echoes across the starlit beach. There are couples sitting around bonfires, feet buried in the pearlescent sand. We're in Langkawi now.

Romantic whispers of Arabic and Farsi daddle across the candle-lit tables strewn along the beach. Steaming plates of couscous cooked in elegantly prepared lobster stock mixed with mint-braised tiger prawns come from the kitchen.

Nightlife in Langkawi has a style that's unique in many ways. Unlike many cities where the type of nightlife you seek has a particular district, Langkawi - for better or worse - encourages mixing. As a result, it's nightlife is an eclectic mix of drunken tourists, shaggy backpackers, laid-back local islanders, and hyper-conservative Muslims. 

Because Langkawi is a duty-free island, it has cheap beer (1.20rm/$0.50). You can buy a six-pack of cold beer (11rm/$2.66) and sit on the beach until midnight. It's also quite cheap to get draught beer in a frosty mug (5rm/$1.66)

But Langkawi is also a popular vacation spot for Middle Eastern Muslims; and thus portions of the people wandering the streets at night are non-drinkers looking to chow down or smoke hookah. The large number of Middle Eastern patrons owes to the fact that many don't need visas. But, more importantly, it means the food give homage, implicitly and explicitly, to the city's Middle East clientele. Now, I'm generally skeptical of eating non-native foods abroad. Often you'll get some bastardization of the cuisine you want to eat. Besides, if you are in Malaysia, shouldn't you be eating Malaysian food? Malaysian food, by default, includes Indian and Chinese, but these have their own unique Malaysian twist and stay fairly consistent with the population actually living in Malaysia.

Langkawi might be an exception to my general skepticism. Because the island receives a large number of visitors from the Middle East, you can find a heavy influence from those types of food. The Indian influenced Arabian food in Langkawi is absolutely fantastic! From couscous to falafel, it's all good.

Of course, there is much more to Langkawi cuisine than Arabian food. As an island surround by azure blue seas, Langkawi's restaurants hold a virtually unlimited variety of seafood. The fish, prawns, and lobsters are proudly displayed in front of each restaurant with the market price (priced per 100g). You can find anything from the sea at a relatively reasonable price. The BBQ fish is exceptional.

Because I stayed in Pentai Cenang - where you'll find the budget rooms (15rm/$5) - I did most of my eating around here. 

Live, drink, and/or worship in bliss on Landkawi for $10.00!