Langkawi - Travel to Malaysia and the Island of the Snake

Travel to Malaysia with our writer Oz as he shares a trip in Langkawi, Malaysia. He enjoyed learning about the local cuisine, and he shares it with you today!

Langkawi - The Island Of The Snake

British military officer Sherard Osborne, who was involved in the Kedahan-Siamese war around 1838, once recorded a peculiar story about Langkawi, an island located in present-day Malaysia.

The legend tells of Ular Besar, a giant creature that had the form of a great snake.

As the custodian of Langkawi Island, the great snake demanded that every king who wished to ascend the throne or go to war must sacrifice a young woman from the royal family. Only after the sacrifice would the vicious beast protect the Sultanate from the threat of enemy navies and leave the local Malay population in peace.

When Islam entered Langkawi and locals converted to the new religion, they stopped the sacrifice ritual. The great snake, furious, went on a rampage and ate many people and livestock.

After a long time of inciting the snake's anger, a wise cleric from Arabia was sent to the island.

He calmed the locals and explained that the beast's wrath was Allah's way to test their belief in Him.

Then, the cleric headed to the nest of Ular Besar. He held the Koran proudly and prayed that the big snake would die or be expelled from the area.

The snake, in turn, attacked and swallowed the cleric.

Suddenly, Ular Besar squirmed in pain, fled towards Mount Raya, and never bothered the people of Langkawi ever again.

The island of Langkawi was finally peaceful.

My travel in Malaysia - Langkawi

I didn't travel to Mount Raya during my stay in Langkawi (luckily, perhaps). However, the serenity of The Island of The Snake indeed captivated me from the moment I arrived. The color of the water, the green hills, the lush rice fields, and above all the countless warm and hospitable people.

It reminded me of an ideal world of peace and coexistence.

I spent 5 days on the island, with every day proving to be more surprising and exciting than the last.

The island is composed of 3 "rings", or layers. The inner ring is the renowned Mount Raya with its wild jungles. Surrounding this is a ring of pastoral rice fields. Finally, the coastline area makes the external ring.

As I was staying near the port, I would start every day with a walk along the seashore. Then, I would enjoy a cup of Teh Tarik (Malaysia's version of the Indian Masala Chai) at a local breakfast hub. This was usually alongside roti, curry, or another local dish that drew my attention.

Next, I would set off to explore areas around the island, visiting the rice fields, appreciating local Hindu and Buddhist temples, hiking to hilltop viewpoints, and exploring Langkawi's unique culinary heritage in wet markets and renowned restaurants.

Exploring local Malaysian food in Langkawi

It was my first time in Malaysia, and many national Malaysian dishes, like Char Kway Teow and Nasi Lemak, felt new and exciting to me.

Yet, I had a feeling that Langkawi has its own unique culture, and might offer some gastronomical delights not found elsewhere in Malaysia.

Happily, I wasn't wrong. By exploring the island's history, culture, cuisine, and nature, I managed to indulge in traditional delicacies that even locals admitted are hard to find these days.

Langkawi used to be a part of the Kedah Sultanate, a monarchy that ruled Northwestern Malaysia, and Satun, a province in Southwestern Thailand.

Kedahan cuisine is largely based on rice, local herbs, seafood, and coconut. You can find coconut in many dishes and in various forms - either fresh, roasted, pounded, or squeezed into milk.

For me, the most wonderful thing about it was that it never covered other ingredients or flavors in a dish. They incorporated it into the cuisine in such a delicate and harmonious way.

Discovering the many uses for coconut

Gulai Panas, for instance, is a well-spiced fish curry, tempered by a touch of coconut milk. It is not a creamy or oily curry, yet the slight addition of coconut milk tempers the intense spices of the dish and adds a sweet touch to it.

Additionally, Gulai Panas is traditionally served with Pek Nga, a type of pancake that has fresh shredded coconut in its batter. And indeed, there is a wonderful contrast of texture and a fresh coconutty aroma to it.

Another Langkawi specialty that you cannot ignore is Bronok.

Bronok is a spicy salad made of roasted grated coconut, fresh herbs, and sea cucumber (a seasonal ingredient considered a local delicacy).

I must confess that I tried it for the first time without knowing what I was eating. I liked it so much that I came back twice in the following days, even after finding out what the dish was made of.

It proved to me that different cultures may perceive things so distinctively, that if we hold onto our prejudices, we might miss out on wonderful things in life.

In search of authentic global flavors

We live in a global world, where you can find Thai, American, Indian, and Ethiopian restaurants in most major cities. You can find dishes like Pad Krapao and Green Curry on every Thai menu from New York to Berlin. And I don't know any overseas Indian restaurant that doesn't have Butter Chicken as one of its bestsellers.

Globalization is a wonderful thing in many ways, it opens up people's minds to new ideas, cultures, and gastronomy. Yet, some of those cuisines may be oversimplified because of it.

As much as I enjoyed my Nasi Lemak in Langkawi, I would surely return just for the herbal Bronok, the spicy Gulai Panas, and the addictive Pek Nga.

My travel to Langkawi, Malaysia showed me that traditional regional cuisines can maintain themselves against all odds, finding their way to coexist with modernity and globalization.

We just have to know where to look.

Stay tuned for authentic recipes from Oz's travel to Langkawi, Malaysia to give you a taste of the journey!

Oz

Oz is originally from central Israel, and is currently based in Amsterdam. Alongside being a jazz musician, he is a dedicated foodie and a professional chef. He has traveled the world since 2021, exploring some of his favourite cuisines such as Thai, Greek, Moroccan and much more! His favourite way to travel is going to food markets and venues, interacting with the local people and hearing their stories through food. He is inspired by the unbreakable bond between a culture and culinary traditions. By travelling and eating, he enjoys witnessing how food can influence and be influenced by history and cultural exchange.