Langkawi is a duty-free shopping haven offering an attractive range of local and imported goods for those with a yen for shopping.

Most of the island's shopping establishments can be found in and around Kuah. A good place to start one's shopping spree is the modern Langkawi Fair Shopping Mall, consisting of 100 retail lots housed in a 2-storey building. Its anchor tenant, the Samudra Duty Free Department Store, stocks a wide selection of items such as perfumes and fragrances, cosmetics, leather wear, sports gear, ladies' accessories, confectionery, liquor and cigarettes.

The other shopping outlets to check out in Kuah is the Langkawi Duty Free (M) Sdn. Bhd and the Saga Shopping Centre. The former sells a range of duty free items and the latter a variety of imported kitchenware and household appliances,clothing, luggage, confectionery and assorted goods. There are also other shops where shoppers can browse for bargains and perhaps pick up some local items. The Teow Soon Huat Departmental Store in Pokok Assam just outside the town is another shopping outlet which Is worthwhile exploring. Visitors to the Langkawi Underwater World at Pantai Cenang should not miss the one Shopping Paradise Duty Free Centre housed within the same complex. The wide range of items on sale include cigarette, liquor, cosmetics, watches, fashion ware, jewellery, confectionery and batik.

Another popular shopping stops especially for visitors departing Langkawi by ferry is the Jetty Point Duty Free Complex, a 5-minute taxi ride from Kuah. Here, there is also an attractive range of duty free items available including ladies and men's apparel and bric-a-brac.

Among the many choices for shoppers include souvenir items such as pewter, handicraft, batik, crystals and glassware.Others include confectionery, liquor, silk fabrics, perfumes and fragrances, cosmetics, shoes and seafood items.Visitors are allowed to bring back to the mainland one bottle of liquor and one carton of cigarettes after staying at least 48 hours on the island.
 

Minyak Gamat is made from air gamat, literally translated as "sea-slug juice", or by its more palatable title of "sea-cucumber juice". Local believe in its healing qualities curing a number of ailments.

As strange as this may sound, air gamat is also used as a vitality and virility tonic when mixed with other traditional herbs like tongkat ali, the famed rainforest root.

Read more about this "Traditional Healer of Langkawi".

Decorative ornaments made from seashells can be found on a number of shops on Langkawi, perhaps being promoted as "native products". Demand for such "handicrafts" will inevitably accelerate the disappearance of local shells , corals and marine life.

Croc-for-sale

Crocodile leather goods and preserved crocodile meat are also on sale.

Gifts and Household products

Souvenir and gift shops can be found near the Jetty Point Duty Free Complex where items range from coconut to marble products. Most of them are well-crafted and affordable but not all of them are produced locally.

Products from neighbouring Thailand and Indonesia are also widely sold here, probably to be passed off as "native products".