LANGKAWI

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah, is a district and an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On 15 July 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah consented to the change of name to LangkawiPermata Kedah in conjunction with his golden jubilee celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Langkawi Island, with a population of some 64,792; the only other inhabited island being nearby Tuba Island. Langkawi is also an administrative district, with the town of Kuah as its largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.