LOCATION:
Telaga Harbour is located on Pantai Kok and not far away from Teluk Burau (or Burau Bay) in the northwest of Pulau Langkawi. It is located some 20 minutes from Langkawi International Airport (LGK) or 45 minutes from Kuah town.
DESCRIPTION:
In the advent of growing popularity of Langkawi as a yachting destination, Telaga Harbour was built to complement the existing berthing facilities in the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club in Kuah town and the Rebak Marina in Pulau Rebak. This project was the brainchild of Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) and it was envisioned to be something similar to a Mediterranean-style harbour town of the French Riviera.
The harbour was essentially completed a few years ago although there is currently still some small-scale construction being in place at Perdana Quay, which is the northern section of the harbour. Despite the impressive settings, I noticed that the harbour was frequently deserted. Not exactly a bustling town like St Tropez as it was anticipated to be. Perhaps the tourists, locals and foreigners alike, are not too thrilled with the exquisite building architectures and the beautiful scenery. Nonetheless, there were plenty of luxury yachts being docked on the harbour, which was quite a positive testament on the island's vision to become one of the major yachting destinations in Asia.
There are about 75 berths up for rental, with various sizes ranging from 6.0m x 2.5m to 50m x 11m. Some mariners were seen to be living inside their expensive yachts. I reckon that they probably made Langkawi one of their pit stops in their round-the-world sailing excursions, along with other popular islands such as Phuket, Penang, etc. Complementing the berthing facility are various components to provide one-stop service for avid sailors such as a Custom and Immigration Office, Marine Department and Police Station to take care of their needs.
For regular sightseers, Perdana Quay boasts a number of high-end restaurants, bistros, fashion and art stores. I have tried to check out the meal selections at some of the F&B outlets on Perdana Quay and they seemed to be a tad too premium for my liking, despite the fabulous harbour view that they offered.
On the south side of the harbour is Petronas Quay which hosts souvenir stores, a bank equipped with currency exchange facilities, a petrol station, a fast food restaurant (KFC) and a bakery. The building of Petronas Quay is just as impressive in a stately Mediterranean architecture. There are a number of al fresco dining tables arranged along the marina for a fabulous view while having light snacks and drinks.
Since Telaga Harbour is generally facing the northwest, sunset viewing can be enjoyed almost every day. During my visit, the sunset was not exactly spectacular if truth to be told, but the partially dark sky was truly contrasted by the lights that emanated from the harbour.
MY VERDICT:
A scenic area for a quick stroll while enjoying the view of the marina and the unique buildings. One of the better places to view the sunset.
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