PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Day next week is to be Langkawi’s independence day for tourism, when the island is reopened for all domestic visitors after being isolated since March last year. Rules for the reopening were announced by tourism minister Nancy Shukri yesterday.
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She said the island will be open to fully-vaccinated visitors from all states including those in Phase 1 of the Covid-19 recovery plan, except those from areas under EMCO lockdown.
There is no age limit, but those under 18 must travel with a fully vaccinated guardian.
Visitors who travel overland must go through travel agents, at least for the journey from their starting point to the Langkawi ferry. Two additional ferry services will be opened at Kuala Perlis. Passengers must show proof of vaccination when buying tickets and on entering the departure hall.
Travellers by air, and those from Kedah and Perlis, need not go through travel agents.
What is allowed:
Daily (round trip on the same day) and overnight trips, pre-booked accommodation, and tour packages through a licensed travel company.
Visitors who need to wait for the ferry to Langkawi are allowed to spend the night at registered premises in Kedah or Perlis.
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Visitors must show proof of purchase, such as flight or ferry tickets, hotel receipts or travel package receipts when applying for police permits to travel, and when requested by enforcement officers.
What is open
- Hotels and homestays, and facilities such as surau, swimming pool, gymnasium, lounge, hall, business events, tourism and cultural events; theme parks, cultural and heritage sites; sports and recreation.
What you can do:
- Beach activities, water sports, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing tourism, edutainment, parks, farms, aquariums, zoos and other leisure, recreational and social activities;
- Special interest activities (golfing, scuba diving, cycling, angling, yachting, etc.);
- Ecotourism activities (bird watching, caving, mountain climbing, white water rafting, hiking, jungle trekking, camping and so on);
- Culture and heritage sites such as museums, libraries, art galleries, cultural heritage centre, cultural performances and others;
- Theme parks and family entertainment centers; and
- Educational tours such as Geopark Discovery Centre, art gallery, padi field.
-FMT