History

Pulau Langkawi is seeped in rich mythology and history. Most famous of the legends that you can read or hear about of this island is Mahsuri, who was described as a virgin falsely accused of adultery and stabbed. Instead of bleeding red blood, she bled white instead to signify her innocence. She also cursed the island for seven generations to get her point across moments before she died. Other historical sites include the Galeria Perdana and Field of Burnt Rice.

The Makam Mahsuri, or Mahsuri's Tomb, is located in Kampung Mawat, near Kuah Town. The story behind her tomb is Pulau Langkawi's most famous legend, it tells the tale of a woman who was falsely accused of adultery and when staked as punishment, bled white blood. Today, her tomb sits in a sprawling park which has several cultural exhibits including a traditional Malay house. Stage performances reenacting the tale are held daily.

The Galeria Perdana is a complex located in Ayer Hangat that houses the awards, souvenirs, gifts and other memorabilia related to the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, during his tenure and visits to countries around the globe. The exhibits here include over 2,500 textiles, wooden carvings, leather, ceramics, plaques, artwork and even automobiles. Open daily from morning till evening.

The Field of Burnt Rice is a historical site in Padang Matsirat near the airport. Once upon a time in Langkawi, the island was invaded by Siamese forces. The locals took it upon themselves to burn their precious rice fields and grains to deny the invaders their resources. Today, a small piece of the original rice fields has been preserved for visitors and tourists.

The field itself is located on a private compound, but it is open to public. You won't spot any of the original burnt out husks on the ground, as they would have decayed or gone with the wind over time, so a box on display has carefully collected some of the burnt grains for visitors and tourists to see. Outside the field are several Malay stalls that form a market with souvenirs and clothes.

Gunung Raya is the highest mountain in Pulau Langkawi, at 881 meters above sea level. This scenic mountain has a fantastic legend behind it. It was said that Langkawi was once to home of giants, and two of their more prominent personalities were Mat Raya and Mat Cincang. Mat Raya's son wanted to marry Mat Cincang's daughter and a wedding party was organised.

However, there was a disagreement during the party and the two giants fought. Pots and pans were flung into the air during the fight. Eventually, the two giants settled their differences in an odd way, Mat Raya became the mountain known as Gunung Raya today while Mat Cincang became another mountain now part of the Geopark landscape. Visitors can drive up during the day.