Getting around Langkawi
We are a family of five visiting Langkawi for four nights in January.
Would you recommend hiring a car from the airport or just using Grab services to get around?
We are a bit concerned about driving in Malaysia as drivers behave very differently in our home country Australia. However we have seen posted in other forums that driving on Langkawi is different and easier.
I hired a car and driving was fine wit little traffic apart from Kuah occasionally. The roads aren't busy and in good condition. There is adequate parking in most places both free and paid. We stayed in the middle of the island in the hills and a car was very useful and gave us the freedom to go where we wanted at any time.
Grab does have good coverage and it shouldn't be a problem if your staying in the more touristy areas.
Driving on Langkawi is left hand drive, which you should be used to in Australia.
Many people from other countries who drive on the other side, tend to be all over the road, especially at junctions but as long as you are aware of this, then you should have little problem.
Use Grab from the airport to your hotel and you can always hire a car later when you see what the traffic and driving is like.
Dont waste money and time on cabs, book a rental car, it is the best option. I did my booking from Klook and got a brand new car from Anytime Holiday. A great experience overall.
In Malaysia, driving is on the left side of the road. There is not much traffic and since holiday season is over, you will mostly find empty roads. The only busy roads are near Cenang, but even that is manageable. Langkawi drivers are very disciplined and you will have zero problems driving anywhere in the island.
You need to show your passport and driving license while taking the car and pay a deposit in cash (I paid 200 RM).
Thankyou for this great advice. We took it and hired a car and didn't regret it. Driving is straightforward if you are used to driving on the left and the only real hazard are monkeys of the road and occasional aggressive motorbike in the central strip. But even if you wouldn't drive in Penang or KL it is easy to drive in Langkawi. And you get the benefit of being able to access any part of the island you like, including some of the more remote beaches which we did and were a highlight of our stay. We got a hire car through LangkawiBook and can definitely recommend them.
