Kuah is the main town in Langkawi. It is basically a shopping center populated by various duty-free shops, seafood restaurants, banks and hotels. The town was once a fishing village before its development. The name “Kuah” is a Malay word meaning “gravy” and is associated with an ancient legend of two battling giants who overturned a gigantic pot of curry at the spot where the town now stands (refer Lagenda Park II).
The Lagenda Park is also regarded as an open air cultural museum as sculptures and monuments depicting the myths and legends of the can be found scattered around. Each has its own story to tell, from the battle of the giants to legends of giant serpent and mermaids. Local cultural structures and icons can also be spotted within the Lagenda Park.
Of the Duel between the Giants: Legend has it that the battle between the two giants, Mat Raya and Mat Cincang, caused the formation of several places of Langkawi and changed its landscapes.
The Lagenda Park is a huge 20-hectare park stretching along the Kuah waterfront and is located next to the the Eagle Square in Langkawi. The lush green, beautifully landscaped park aims to showcase the myths and folklore of the island by having sections of the park dedicated to each mythical stories of the island. A variety of local floras and faunas such as the hornbills can be seen within the park.
At this park, there are 4 artificial lakes, 17 story-telling monuments, a man made beach, a few resting places and other public facilities for visitors, mostly covered with beautifully designed landscape, giving the park a really natural looking environment.
The Eagle Square is a large area surrounding the gigantic eagle statue located just right beside the Langkawi jetty. The giant eagle statue is located at a big open space area, surrounded by a stream of water with bridges crossing over it. There is a main walkway connecting to the eagle square from the jetty road. It is a 5 to 10 minutes walk from the jetty to the eagle square, or within a 10-minutes drive from the Kuah town.
Red brick bridge connecting the jetty to the square
Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia.
The Eagle Square (or Dataran Lang in Malay) is located within walking distance from the Langkawi Ferry terminal and jetty area. It is a sight to behold from afar, when one approaches the island by sea transportation. The area surrounding the gigantic statue is beautifully landscaped and features scenic ponds, bridges, covered terraces, restaurants and barrel vaults made of bricks.
According to local folklore, Langkawi derived its name from the eagle or “helang”. In old Malay, “kawi” denotes reddish brown, hence, Langkawi means reddish brown eagle.
