Tour De Langkawi 2017 – Free & Easy – Day 2

Day 2 – 9 August 2017

Gunung Raya – Mount Raya

Mount Raya is the highest mountain in Langkawi standing at 881 metres. It is covered with dense rainforest housing numerous wildlife and full of amazing flora and fauna spreads over an area of over 5000 hectares. According to local beliefs, the mountain is the cursed form of a giant called Mat Raya, who had once lived on the island. (Source from the internet). You can either ascend the mountain by trekking up or driving up. We chose the easiest option so as to save time. It took us about more than an hour to reach the top.

Mardi Agro Technology Park

MARDI Agro Technology Park, Langkawi is one of the famous tourism products in Langkawi, receiving frequent visits from both local and international tourists. The 27.39-hectare-park is opened to public to provide exposure on the use of modern technology in Malaysia’s agricultural industry. This park is also popular with its commercialized farms planted with a wide variety of fruit types. For those who love fruits, then this place should be visited.

Dataran Lang – The Eagle Square

Also known as Eagle Square, Dataran Lang is one of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions opened in 1996, a large sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight. A sight that greets visitors to the island via ferry, the 12 metre-tall statue is one of the island’s most instantly recognizable monuments.

Located at the southeast corner of Pulau Langkawi, besides offering beautiful views of Kuah Bay, Dataran Lang has beautiful miniature fountains, terraces and bridges, making it the ideal place for those postcard-perfect holiday photos. The square is a good place to watch ferries ply across the harbour but plan a trip here early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is at its least intense.

The eagle was constructed to serve as a symbol for the island. According to local legends, the name of the island came from two Malay words – helang (Eagle) and kawi (reddish-brown), hence the name lang-kawi.

The Legend of Mahsuri – Makam Mahsuri

Mahsuri binti Pandak Maya is the native of Langkawi. The daughter of Pandak Maya and Mak Andam, she was born in the 18th century AD in Ulu Melaka Village, Langkawi. Mahsuri married a local young warrior, Wan Derus, a younger brother of the Sultan of Langkawi’s representative, Datuk Seri Pekerma Jaya and Wan Mahora.

While her husband was away fighting a war, Mahsuri was said to be staying with her parents. It was during that period, Deramang, a travelling poet made a stopover in Langkawi and with the blessing of Mahsuri’s parents, Deramang stayed at her house to teach poetry and singing.

Deramang’s outstanding talent in poetry reading made Mahsuri a famous hostess resulting in her sister-in-law, Wan Mahora, wife of the island’s high ranking officer jealous. The birth of Mahsuri’s son, Wan Hakim caused her to face more slanders especially when Wan Mahora accused Mahsuri of adultery with Deramang.

Due to the accusation, Mahsuri and Deramang were sentenced to death by Datok Seri Pekerma Jaya who believed in the allegations made by his wife. Mahsuri was tightly tied to a pole and exposed to rain and hot sun for several days. However, her beloved husband has yet to return home from war in Kuala Kedah. Many people tried to stop the death sentence by giving meanings and reasonings, but, Datok Seri Pekerma Jaya who was known to be a strict ruler, continued with the execution for Mahsuri to be pierced to death. The white blood of Mahsuri raised question on many people’s mind. Many considered it as a sign of a helpless victim of a vicious slander.

Upon her death, Mahsuri cursed the land of Langkawi would be an unproductive place – never have peace for the next seven generations. Since that moment, Langkawi was never peaceful causing some to believe that there were more buffaloes than human in Langkawi then.

Wan Aishah, the seventh generation descendent of Mahsuri, was born on August 8, 1985 in a hospital in Phuket, Thailand. According to some information, when she was born, no other child was born that day and all the lights went off in the hospital. She was believed to be the one who unlocked an old curse of Langkawi Island.