Top Nature Tour Operators, Langkawi
Following are my select list of nature tour operators in Langkawi. They specialize in tours, treks and walks to explore the nature in its different forms and have made a good name for themselves. These tours and trips would let you explore many facets of the island that are otherwise not visible to the common tourists.
They include the rainforests on mountain slopes with unique flora & fauna, mountains with stunning rock formations, animal life both in day and nighttime, bird life, discovering rare & gorgeous butterflies, exploring villages, geoparks and lot more. All tour operators listed below are well reputed, have experienced guides of their own who are friendly, knowledgeable and speak good English. The operators also have their own infrastructure to carry out the tours.
JungleWalla
This is another great nature tour company in Langkawi that follows the Eco Tourism practices. They are one of the best when it comes to rainforest and jungle treks to explore animal and bird life.
Junglewalla was started by Irshad Mobarak in 1994 who was dubbed as Jungleman in Langkawi. Because of his father's connection from India/Punjab, he was then known as Junglewalla (jungle-man). The first tour he did was the mangrove river tour starting from Tanjung Rhu and Kilim river (then fisherman's jetty). But in 2012, as the Kilim jetty became overcrowded, they moved their tours to Kubang Badak Jetty which is very serene. Currently they are the only operator on this river.
Both Dev Mahendra and Othman Ayeb were employed with Junglewalla until 2005. They both moved on and opened Dev's Adventure and Rimbawi respectively (described in the sections below). Both these companies are also hugely popular having their own niche markets.
The main reason for Irshad to start the Junglewalla tours was to share the beauty of Langkawi plus conserving its natural heritage. Until today he is known as Langkawi's foremost conservationist and naturalist. Young people from near and far comes to Junglewalla to be mentored by him.
Here are the main nature tours offered by Junglewalla:
Offering: Langkawi Unesco Geopark Mangrove Cruise
You get to experience the mangrove ecology, explore caves and wildlife. The main places visited in this boat tour are Tanjung Rhu River, Kisap River, Kilim River, Unesco Geopark site, Crocodile Cave or bat cave (depending on tide condition) and Fish Farm.
Guided sharing trip @RM180 per person on few days of the week. Private trip for up to 8 persons: RM800. Tour duration is about 4 hours including hotel transfers. You should be back at the hotel by 2:15pm. Lunch is not included.
Offering: Mangrove River Cruise and Jungle Pool Swimming
Cruise along the coastline while watching Kubang Badak Mangrove Forest. The tour is great for bird watching and spotting wildlife. Homemade lunch is included. You will also get an opportunity to swim in a jungle pool.
Guided sharing trip @RM180 per person. Tour duration is about 4 hours including hotel transfers. You should be back at the hotel by 2:15pm.
Offering: Kayak & Swimming Adventure
4 Hours tour (including hotel transfers) to explore the mangroves, flora & fauna, jungle stream etc. Morning departures except on few days of the week. 2 - 8 persons per group.
Indicative Rate: RM250, Child under 12 years: RM150.
Includes nature guide, transfers, set lunch, well equipped kayaks, waterproof bags to keep small cameras, mineral water etc.
Offering: Bird Watching Tours
Half day (morning or afternoon) and 2-day bird watching tours.
Morning tour (4 hours) covers habitats like rainforest, mangroves & paddy fields.
Afternoon session covers habitats like village ponds and the peak of Gunung Raya.
The 2-day tour is comprehensive and covers all habitats.
Indicative Rates: Half Day Bird Watching Tours: RM200 per person (Child RM120). 2-Day Tour: RM1500. Minimum 2 persons and max 12 persons per tour.
All tour include guides, transport including hotel transfers, drinking water, binocular, scope etc.
Offering: Mat Cingcang Trekking & Cable Car Ride
For the Basic Trail you will take a cable car ride to top station, hike down to the Sky Bridge and continue on the sky trail as the guide explains the flora & fauna of 500 million years old geopark rain forest. For the Extreme Trail, it's a 2.2kms hike from the base station to the top station through the rainforest.
Indicative Rate: RM120 for basic trail (departure: 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm), RM180 for extreme trail (departure: 8am). Operates daily except Mondays. Minimum two pwersons required. Not suitable for children. Treks start from the Cable Car base station (Sky Cab counter). Includes experienced guide, mineral water, 3D Art Museum etc.
Offering: Family Trekking
Short 500m trek followed by a swim in a jungle pool.
Operates on some days of the week. Tour duration is about 2.5 hours including hotel transfers. Children with minimum age of 2 can join. Group size maximum 6.
Indicative Rate: RM300 per group. Includes experienced guide, hotel transfers, mineral water.
Offering: Jungle trekking in rainforest
Starts between 8am to 9am daily (except Monday). Total tour duration is about 3 hours including hotels transfers.
Indicative Rates: RM150 per person, group size 2 - 8 persons. The trek is suitable for 12 and above. Includes experienced guide, hotel transfers, mineral water.
Offering: After dark trek in Gunung Raya rainforest
Experience the nocturnal wildlife like flying lemur as you trek Gunung Raya.
The trek lasts for about 3 hours (including transfers) and takes place along paved road. The trip operates daily.
Indicative Rate: RM180 per person, Group size limited to 12. Includes a nature guide, hotel transfers .
Offering: Southern Island Geopark Tour
The boat tour includes visit to Unesco Geopark Sites such as Dayang Bunting (you can swim in Pregnant Maiden fresh water lake), Singa Besar and Teluk Cawi Beach (tide permitting) or Beras Basah Beach. You can also spot wildlife such as Eagles, Kites, Kingfishers, and even Whale Sharks (November to January).
Available daily as a private trip $800rm per boat... max 8 persons.
Includes return transfers and guide.
Contact information for booking & inquiry
Phone: +6019 225 2300 or +6012 584 6184, Fax: +604 959 1277
Address: NO. 1C LOT 1392, Jalan Tanjung Rhu, 07000 Langkawi, Malaysia
Website: www.junglewalla.com
Dev's Adventure Tourism
The company was formed in 2006 an has been since rated as one of the top ones conducting nature tours in Langkawi. Their main strength is their very well experienced and friendly nature guides who can also speak good English. The guides also tell you a lot about the island, its history and heritage as you take the tours. They follow Eco tourism practices and their tours do not therefore harm the nature in anyway. For example they won't feed the monkeys or the eagles which is actually harmful to the creatures.
Offering: 3-hour jungle trek (excluding transfer time)
This is a relatively easy trek on a hilly terrain and in the jungle of Mount Mat Cingcang. You can also choose a 2-hour day trek combined with one hour evening walk through the forest to explore both daytime and nocturnal animal life. In that case the trek starts late in the afternoon and continues after dark.
It operates daily. Minimum 2 persons required in a group. Starts at 9am (Monday at 10pm) and 5pm.
Indicative Rate: RM120 per person (Child 5-12: RM80). Includes experienced guide, hotel transfers, mineral water, insurance.
Offering: Private morning & evening walking tours to rainforest in Gunung Raya
1 - 1.5 hours of morning walk at 8am and evening walk on 7pm, daily on request. These are light walks through the forest to observe animal life.
Minimum 1 person and Maximum 15 persons in a private group
Indicative Rate: RM250 per person. Includes experienced guide, but no transfers
Offering: Birdwatching Tour X No longer offered
5 hour birding excursion. Starts at 7:30am. Requires minimum 2 persons.
Trip takes to Gunung Raya for mountain birds and to lowland/paddy fields.
Indicative Rate: RM200 per person
Includes hotel transfers, experienced guide, drinking water, insurance, bird list etc. You are expected to carry your own binocular, otherwise give them a call in advance.
Offering: Mangroves Kayak Tour
5-Hour Kayaking tour to explore the mangroves, bat cave, eagle area, fish tour etc. Daily morning departures (9:30/10am). Minimum 2 persons per group.
Indicative Rate: RM220, Child 5-12 years: RM140.
Includes nature guide, hotel transfers, set lunch, well equipped kayaks, waterproof bags to keep small cameras, mineral water, insurance etc.
Offering: Nature Cycling Tour
Starts 8:30am or 3:30pm on request. Minimum 2 persons. Duration 3-4 hours without the transfer time.
Indicative Rate: RM120 per person, Child (10-12 years): RM100
Includes Mountain Bike (21 gears), Guide, Hotel Transfers and Mineral Water.
Contact information of Dev's Adventure for booking & inquiry
Phone: +60 (0)19 4949193, Fax: +60 (0)4 9554892
Address: Rumah Kedai No. 1, Tingkat 3, Lot 1556, Tanjung Mali, Pantai Cenang, Langkawi (near Underwater World, 2nd floor above Papadam Ria restaurant)
Website: www.langkawi-nature.com
Wendy Chin
Since 2017 Dev's Adventure Tours no longer offers bird watching tours because there has been a change in ownership. Wendy Chin was their only birdwatching guide before the previous owner Anne-Marie Goudover sold her company.
Wendy is now an independent local guide operating birdwatching, mangrove kayak/boat, rainforest walk and customized nature tours on private basis. She is a passionate and qualified nature tour guide. You can contact her directly to setup your tour
Contact information
Phone: +6012-595 2906
Rimbawi Geo Discovery
Othman Ayeb is a well known Malaysian naturalist with over 20 years of experience and has established this operation. He has featured in National Geographic channel and also has his name in Guinness Book of world records as a pioneering snake charmer. He along with his wife Rahayu and a group of local naturalists offer several nature tours & hikes with great passion and attention to details.
Offering: Hike to summit of mount Mat Cincang
9am - 3pm on Mondays and Wednesday
Indicative rate: RM300 per person (2 - 8 persons in a group)
Includes drinking water, snacks & fruits.
Offering: Explore Mat Cincang Rainforest
8:30am - 12noon (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday)
Indicative rate: Adult RM120, Child RM80
Offering: Explore Rainforest at night
6pm-9pm (Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri)
Indicative rate: Adult RM150, Child RM100
Contact information for booking & inquiry
No 1a, Jalan Simpang Datai, Mukim Ayer Hangat, 07000 Langkawi, Malaysia.
Mobile: +6019 59 35 338
Website: www.rimbawi-langkawi.com
Langkawi Coral Platform
They practice green tourism and is an established operator in the island.
Offering: Langkawi Nature Discovery Tour
This is a nature tour on van on a sharing basis
The tour includes visits to Eagle Square, Mangrove forest & cave adventures, Eagle Watching, Langkawi cable car ride to the peak of Mount Mat Cincang (alternatively visit to Underwater World if cable car ride is closed)
Includes set lunch on table sharing basis, take away snacks, hotel transfers
Indicative Rate: Adult RM200; Child (3-12 years) RM150
Tour timing 11:30am - 5pm, excluding transfers
Contact information for booking & inquiry
Langkawi Saga Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd
16 Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Georgetown, 11200, Penang, Malaysia
Phone: 604/899 8822
Website: www.langkawicoral.com
Darulaman Sanctuary
This is a relatively new company that opened in 2018. They have several nature tours focusing on wildlife and nature of Lubuk Semilang and Gunung Raya. The guide Frendi is specialized in birds and spiders, while Husna specializes on Geology. Both are friendly and knowledgeable. Note that the transfers are optional in all tours except in bird watching which requires several stops.
Offering: Sanctuary Jungle Walk
2km rainforest walk at the base of Gunung Raya
8am - 11am daily
Indicative rate: RM150 per person (minimum 2 persons).
Includes transfer, nature guide, drinking water.
Offering: Sanctuary Jungle Trek
Trek through rainforest with wonderful views of tall trees, streams, wild flowers and wildlife.
8am - 12noon, Sun / Tue / Thu / Sat
Indicative rate: RM180 per person (minimum 2 persons).
Includes transfer, nature guide, drinking water, picnic basket.
Offering: Sanctuary in the Dark
Rainforest walk after sunset.
6pm - 9pm, Sun / Tue / Thu / Sat
Indicative rate: RM150 per person (minimum 2 persons).
Includes transfer, nature guide, drinking water.
Offering: Sanctuary Bird Watching
Visit to Gunng Raya, then to Lubuk Semilang to watch rainforest birds
7:30am - 11:30am, Mon / Wed / Fri
Indicative rate: RM200 per person (minimum 2 persons).
Includes transfer, nature guide, drinking water, binoculars.
Offering: Sanctuary Butterfly Walk
Leisure walk in rainforest (walk starts at 11am... the ideal time to watch butterflies).
10:30am - 1:30pm, Daily
Indicative rate: RM200 per person (minimum 2 persons).
Includes transfer, nature guide, drinking water, binoculars.
Contact information for booking & inquiry
Darulaman Sanctuary
Lubuk Semilang, Kampung Buku, 07000 Langkawi
Phone: +604-9558080; +6014-5306376
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Visitors' Reviews/Comments
Zi Qing (January 2017)
Hi there! I am going to have my leisure at Langkawi in May! May I ask is this month the peak season of Langkawi? And is the schedule kayak tour of Dev's Adventure is almost similar with the Island Hopping? Hope you can reply me as I believe you are quite an experienced tourist at Langkawi!
Raj (langkawi-insight.com) January 2017
Hi, May is mid-season and not the peak time. Kayaking is altogether different from island hopping boat tour. The latter is a group tour on motorized boat showing you three islands, while Dev's kayaking is individual canoeing (although done with several persons together) mostly through mangroves.
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