Langkawi: legends and duty-free among Malaysia's islands

Riding the SkyCab cable car, among the steepest in the world, you reach the peak of Gunung Mat Cincang with views of the entire archipelago and, on clear days, all the way to Thailand.

Just minutes away, the Sky Bridge, a curved pedestrian walkway suspended between mountains, offers a vertiginous view of the jungle below.

Continuing on, you visit Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, explorable by boat among mangroves, limestone caves, and eagles soaring above the water.

Toward evening, the island's duty-free shops, exempt from customs tariffs since 1987, offer chocolate, spirits, and electronics at reduced prices.

According to local legend, a princess unjustly accused of adultery cursed the island before dying, condemning it to seven generations of misfortune: the very names of some villages still recall that story today.

Langkawi's duty-free port status, granted by the Malaysian government in 1987 to stimulate tourism, remains one of the main reasons the island attracts visitors from across the region.