In the Langkawi rain forests, something stirs for incentives

Our intrepid contributor Richard John gets in touch with Nature on Langkawi Island and checks out the MICE habitat too:   In case you’re not sure of the location, Langkawi – officially known by its sobriquet ‘Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah’ – is a duty-free island and an archipelago of 99 islands located 30km off the coast of north-western Malaysia and a few kilometres south the Thai border. The name allegedly comes from the reddish-brown eagle that can be seen across the island. Two-thirds of the land is dominated by forest-covered mountains, hills, and natural vegetation. In 2007, Langkawi Island was given a World Geopark status by UNESCO, one of which is the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, a mangrove forest park which consists of limestone caves and interconnected three river estuaries that stretch from Kisap village approximately 10km to Tanjung Rhu. For a tiny island, Langkawi is blessed with some remarkable MICE facilities. Adjacent to the international airport is the purpose-built Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC), created for the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA). Offering over 70,000sqm of event space, it can hold 3,000 delegates with ringside seats of the runway. A few miles away (well, nowhere is far here) is the Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC), set amid a lush tropical rainforest, overlooking the pristine beaches of Langkawi Island. The main ballroom can hold up to 1,200, with a host of other meeting rooms. Impressive; but even more so considering the island stretches just 25km north to south and east to west, with a population of less than 100,000. Despite the ‘international’ status of the airport, a trip here from Europe will invariably involve a change and short hop from Kuala Lumpa, Singapore or Bangkok, although Fly Dubai has launched direct flights from the UAE.  However, Langkawi can also be reached by sea, with ferries running to destinations such as Kuala Perlis, Penang and Tamalang. There’s also a ferry service to Satun town and Ko Lipe island in Thailand, making a two destination incentive trip feasible. Activities for groups can include day or night walks or boat tours through mangrove swamps, island tours by boat or jet ski, fishing and hiking. One of the world’s longest cable cars will take groups to the top of the Gunung Mat Chinchang where options then include forest hikes, the smooth Skyglide railway and then a breath-taking and windy walk over the Langkawi Sky Bridge, with glimpses of the Thailand coast in the distance. There’s a good choice of luxury hotel accommodation available for the meetings and incentive markets. The Berjana offers 400 studio and one-bedroom apartments and a couple of larger villas hidden in the dense forest or along the coastline, with monkeys dancing across the tiles and eco-friendly golf buggies readily available for those who don’t want to walk. Berjana is the largest meetings hotel, with a ballroom that can take up to 900 and a multitude of meeting rooms. Event manager Roger Chew explained that the property can cater for groups of up to 150, and is designed to keep delegates away from the tourist guests. Just along the beach is the fabulously grand Danna Hotel, styled around a central courtyard in traditional colonial fashion and overlooking the party Island 101. The ten-year-old property has 125 rooms and suites and also offers 10 private villas with direct beach access. For meetings, its Peninsula Suite can cater for up to 100 with a further Stateroom for intimate gatherings of up to 12. Further along the beach is a Ritz-Carlton which offers six event rooms, including its pillar-less Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 430 delegates, who can stay in a variety of suites and villas, many with private pools. The hotel is spread over a cove and nestles into a steep cliff, so the electric buggy crew are always on hand to whisk delegates around. Many other well-known brands offer accommodation and facilities – think Marriott with Westin, Accor with a Mercure and a Four Seasons available, and a rumoured new Hilton resort appearing on the Nort East beach. But for something really memorable, The Datai property at the north of the island ticks all the boxes. The ​luxury ​resort has 121 rooms, suites and villas integrated thoroughly into one of the world’s oldest rain forests, all with enchanting views of the lush ​Langkawi ​tropical rainforest, some with the breath-taking Andaman Sea and Tarutao Island vista on the horizon. Top 10 beach The curve of the island offers a beach which is effectively private and rated one of the Top 10 Beaches worldwide by National Geographic. The property’s location also offers extra privacy and security, and its meeting rooms offer ‘Succession’– style privacy for up to 48 delegates. There are five restaurants, from a Michelin-adjacent fine dining room that serves a ten-course tasting menu to a Thai restaurant perched on stilts in the treetops, some 100 feet above the ground. Of key importance to many planners will be The Datai’s commitment to sustainability; single-use plastic has been virtually eliminated, and the beach is free of any motorised transport that might damage the fragile environment. The hotel operates a zero landfill policy; waste sorting is robust and the focus is on donation, recycling or upcycling. What’s left is incinerated in a state-of-the-art machine  – the Asher – which produces only steam and neutral ashes, which can be left on the forest floor or mixed with concrete. With Malaysia remaining one of the worst offenders for marine plastic pollution, The Datai stands as a beacon of hope. Generally the climate will be hot and humid – this is jungle territory. The island’s short dry season is from December until February. Visitors between March to November can expect the rainy season, but the showers are warm and the sun is never far away. Wildlife galore For nature lovers there’s plenty of opportunity to meet the local wildlife. Flying squirrels, hornbills and a vast selection of birds of prey, the dusky leaf monkeys who will smile cutely and then steal your lunch, and Tokay geckos galore. It’s also worth watching out for the Colugo (the flying lemur), common palm civet and monitor lizards. There are lots of snakes, too, but most keep their distance. For some groups the lack of a bustling nightlife may be a negative, and – despite the Duty-Free status – there are far better places for shopaholics. But for those wanting beautiful scenery and long quiet periods interspersed with a few activities, Langkawi could be the perfect choice. When you leave, opt for a night flight. The fishing boats head out in a line of several kilometres, and then turn on green spotlights to attract the squid. Your farewell will look like a stunning necklace of emeralds across the Andaman Sea. Photo: The Datai Langkawi – The Pavilion