Tourist yearns for improvement in Langkawi

IT’S obvious that to create a recurring income from the tourist trade, you must have your regulars returning year after year. Kudos to Penang for providing the conditions.
I wish the same could be said for Langkawi. I have been a regular visitor here for the past eight years.

Each year I look for improvements and am disappointed to see the same poor conditions.
I have never seen it so dirty: rubbish from plastic bags strewn around most roads, the same dangerous broken pavements of eight years ago are still not repaired. The smells are unhygienic and the rats are enjoying a baby boom.
I am also writing to express my frustration at the monopoly the taxi drivers have enjoyed over the years.

Unlike Penang, Langkawi does not have a bus service. Tourists have to use taxis unless they hire a vehicle. It costs me RM16 to shop for something I need – which costs less than RM16.
Then if I want to go to other places, each day it’s taxis all the way. The expenditure adds up and I wonder if it’s worth returning again.

Langkawi really does need a bus service around the island for tourists and locals to jump on and off at different points, another bus from the airport or hospital to the ferry and another, Kuah to Cenang.
But will the taxi drivers loosen their grip a little? I doubt it. Langkawi will never be successful until it gets a regular bus service.

The Star

GRAHAM JEFFREY,
Langkawi, Kedah.

Anaklangkawi :-
Another sad comments from tourist. I agree on the matter. The rubbish matters i've already highlighted before. But the taxi this is quite new to me.

Probably Langkawi should have shuttle service from Kuah to Chenang area. Give a minimum charge for such services. The monopoly of taxi i cannot agree more.

I know this statement might hurt some taxi people but we need to remember that not all tourist come to Langkawi with a very high budget. Some with a very tight budget like this guy :). So some consideration should be taken for backpackers & low budget tourist which will cater their needs.

p/s: Support a transport bus shuttle service from Kuah to Cenang Beach. Maybe twice a day?