Every day is a holiday for those who live on this gorgeous island. Check out our list of reasons why moving to Langkawi should be on your bucket list.
1) You get to satisfy your sweet tooth, all day…every day
Malaysians may travel to Langkawi for its clear blue waters and pristine beaches, but almost every single one of us has a side agenda planned – chocolate hoarding shopping.
With Langkawi’s duty-free status, goodies on the island, chocolates especially are roughly 30 to 40% cheaper than anywhere else in the country. However, local tourists are limited to spending not more than RM400 on tax-free goods (excluding alcoholic beverages, spirits, tyres, tubes, tobacco, cigarettes & motor vehicles).
How many of you are guilty of trying to sneak in more than the allowed amount of tax-free goods (for tourists) past the customs at the airport? Live in Langkawi and you get to feed your chocolate obsession, stress-free. Just sayin.
2) Cheap, cheap alcohol, baby
Admit it, most Malaysians choose Langkawi as a travel destination or a weekend getaway just because the booze is dirt cheap. Again, hallelujah to the island’s duty-free status.
Tourists are able to purchase alcohol from anywhere on the island and continue to consume it during their stay on the island. Nevertheless, local travellers are imposed with a 1-litre, tax-free alcohol restriction. Should you decide to purchase more than a litre to bring home, you will have to foot the necessary tax charge.
If you stay on the island, however, there are no purchasing restrictions whatsoever!
#Lifegoalsachieved
3) Easy access to Koh Lipe, the Maldives of Thailand
Those who have been to this southern-most island in Thailand will tell you that Koh Lipe is truly a tropical paradise. This island has it all – gorgeous beaches, cheap food and clear, shallow waters perfect for diving.
The surrounding reefs are exceptional and diving aficionados will appreciate its bountiful flora, consisting of amazingly well preserved hard and soft corals. As quoted by one of the island’s many fans, “Because once you go Lipe, you don’t want to go back!
The thing is the only way to get there is through sea and the easiest way to hightail it to Koh Lipe is via a 90-minute ferry ride from Langkawi.
Otherwise, Malaysians will have to fly into Hat Yai in Thailand → grab a cab to the pier → board a ferry to Pak Bara, Satun →and, ONLY THEN take a ferry to Koh Lipe. *Note: ferry rides from Langkawi to Koh Lipe are only available during high season (late October – May).
Okay, I get that Koh Lipe is practically in my backyard if I live in Langkawi. But, I’m already living on a popular beach getaway spot, why would I want to travel to another island,” you ask?
Well, just because one is married, it doesn’t you mean you can’t look, right?
4) You get to own a sweet ride & channel your inner Vin Diesel
Unless you are settling for a local car, every Malaysian know that they have to spend some serious moolah to purchase a foreign make such as a BMW, Mercedes-Benz or even a Lamborghini.
Import duties imposed on foreign cars are STEEP – one has to pay a 30% tax for motor vehicles imported from non-Asean countries. On top of that, you also have to fork out extra cash for excise duties ranging anywhere from 65% to 105%!
Langkawi residents have a much higher chance of owning their dream car than their mainland counterparts, because #ICYMI, Langkawi is a duty-free island!
For instance, the Lamborghini Huracan which was launched in 2014, cost RM2.1 million post-tax duties but is a whopping 43% cheaper, duty-free at RM1.2 million. And nope, you don’t get to buy a fancy foreign car in Langkawi and ferry it back to the PeniNsula as there are laws, people – As per the Customs Duty Order (Exemption) 1988 (Clause 21), imported vehicles registered on duty-free islands can only be brought to the mainland up to a maximum of 90 days in a year, provided it is not for more than 30 days on a single visit.
5) Live like a King without breaking the bank (Or a Queen, because #PressforProgress)
You would think there aren’t many attractive residential options on a popular holiday island and that most of the properties in Langkawi are catered for tourists, i.e hotels, resorts and B&B’s. Well, these recent years have seen a few developers launching new residential projects in Langkawi to cater to those seeking a more relaxed and peaceful lifestyle.
One such product is Lavanya Residences by Kobay Technology Berhad, a gated community complex featuring villas, serviced apartments and serviced studio units. An epitome of luxury, the villas offer utmost privacy, with each unit surrounded by a tropical garden with a private pool and a spacious sundeck. Whereas the high-rise units housed within a complex boasts an impressive array of facilities including an infinity pool, a state-of-the-art rooftop gymnasium, an indoor bar as well as a lounge and restaurants.
Lavanya Residences is strategically located in the tranquil Pulau Tengah which is only 1 km away from Pantai Cenang, the island’s vibrant epicentre which offers an exciting blend of bars, restaurants, shops, spas and water sports activities.
You could own a Lavanya home from as low as RM623,000. Find out more here!