Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

For an inspiring bird’s-eye view ride the Langkawi Cable Car (www.langkawicablecar.com.my), which rises to the summit of one of the island’s highest peaks, Gunung Machinchang, in the north-west. The vistas are simply breathtaking: on clear days, you can even see Thai islands on the horizon.

Something for nothing

Langkawi is blessed with several jaw-dropping waterfalls. The most beautiful and accessible is Seven Wells, known to locals as Telaga Tujuh, a short walk or drive from pretty beach Pantai Kok in the island’s north-west. It’s quite a sight: water cascades into seven pools. If you’re lucky (and/or hallucinating), you might encounter a few fairies – local legend says that this is where they come for their supernatural ablutions. Temurun Waterfall, near Teluk Datai, is also worth a look.

Shopping

Although it’s touted as a duty-free zone, Langkawi is not known for rewarding shopping; however if you really need some retail therapy, mosey down to Langkawi Fair, the island’s largest shopping centre, near the jetty at Kuah. This huge mall has more than 150 different retailers flogging swimwear, local handicrafts, books and cameras.

Daytripper

Spend a day exploring some of Langkawi’s 99 islands. There are several boat operators that will whisk you away for fishing, snorkelling or island-hopping. Crystal Yacht Holidays (www.crystalyacht.com) offers a three-hour sunset barbecue cruise around deserted coves as well as a longer, six-hour Geopark Adventure Day Cruise, including secluded swimming, private beach picnics, and a jungle walk.

Best beach

Pantai Cenang and Tanjung Rhu are our top tips for beach bums. The former is a 2km stretch of sand on the south-west coast, a five-minute walk from Smith hotel Bon Ton Restaurant & Resort. Keep going until you reach quieter Pantai Tengah further south, dotted with exquisite dining options. Pantai Tanjung Rhu boasts white sands and swaying palms, ideal for doing, well, nothing (blissfully).

Perfect picnic

After stocking up on supplies from any of Pantai Cenang’s grocery stores, hop on a speedboat at Porto Mali jetty and head for picturesque Pulau Dayang Bunting (‘Island of the Pregnant Maiden’), just 15 minutes south of Langkawi’s main island. Surrounded by densely forested limestone outcrops, its tranquil freshwater lake was surely designed with idyllic dips in mind.

Walks

Stretch your pins and discover some of the island’s tallest trees and strangest animals on a four-hour jungle trek with Langkawi Canopy Adventures (http://www.langkawi.travel/lca.htm). Quirky creatures you might encounter include flying lemurs, giant squirrels or a bewilderingly tiny slow loris.

Children

Take your animal-loving kids along to Langkawi’s sole animal shelter LASSie, which has become an essential link between the islanders and their ever-growing stray cat and dog population (www.langkawilassie.org.my). Let mini-Smiths eyeball sharks and turtles from a 15m glass tunnel in the walk-through tank at Underwater World Langkawi (www.underwaterworldlangkawi.com.my). One of the largest aquariums in south-east Asia, the centre also hosts sea dragons, puffer fish, and a colony of rockhopper penguins.

Activities

Unsurprisingly, given Langkawi’s lush landscapes, kayaking and trekking are popular pastimes. Explore the mangroves and jungle with a guide (your hotel can arrange one for you) or with Dev's Adventure Tours (www.langkawi-nature.com). Golfers can tee off at three top courses: the Golf Club Datai Bay (www.dataigolf.com), Gunung Raya Golf Resort (www.golfgr.com.my) or Langkawi Golf Club (+60 (0)4966 6187). Yoga-devotees should check in with Langkawi Yoga (www.langkawi-yoga.com) for classes and retreats.

And

To catch sight of the majestic hornbill, grab a pair of binoculars and take a slow sunset drive along the trails of central Gunung Raya’s protected reserve to be rewarded with a glimpse of this amazing rainbow-billed bird.