What to Eat in Langkawi - Must-Try Food in Langkawi

Tipped to be the best Malay meal option for seafood lovers, this creamy and aromatic broth is a soup but not a starter and considered a complete meal in Langkawi. Made using fresh noodles, tofu, seafood items the likes of shrimp, fish and cuttlefish, the use of fish sauce gives the soup its distinctive smell. Hard-boiled eggs top off this spicy and sweet dish which is easily found in both high-end restaurants as well as street side food kiosks alike. One of the best places on the island to sample this classic Malay dish is located on the other side of the road from the local airport.

With its name literally translating to "Grilled Fish," this Langkawi dish is a popular dish among tourists and locals alike and a firm favourite listed on most restaurants lining the streets. The aroma of smoke wafting in from the grills is a familiar scent for passersby as small fish varieties the likes of mackerel are fried to a crisp on open grills. Served with a side of Sambal, barbeque sauce is sprinkled on top of the fish which is not sliced or diced but consumed as a whole fish.

As a staple lunchtime meal option enjoyed across Malaysia, Nasi Campur is a must-sample treat for rice fans heading to Langkawi. With its name meaning "mixed rice," this complex but delightfully delicious dish is served on large plates and feature a side of tofu, vegetable soup and meat of one's choice. The best venue to dig into an enormous plate of Nasi Campur during a Langkawi beach holiday is, of course, the much-touted Seashell Restaurant located in Pantai Cenang where the portions are as generous as the side dishes.

When it comes to snacks and starters served in nearly every hotel bar in Langkawi, none can replace the utterly irresistible Satay. Whether one is based at the Berjaya Langkawi Resort or any other hospitality hub in the island, one is bound to come across restaurants which feature a host of Satay dishes on their menus. Often compared to Arabic kebabs in concept, Satay is made using grilled meat and seafood items while the Langkawi version also featured pressed rice and a slathering of peanut sauce.

As an omnipresent side dish which accompanies nearly every Malay meal, Langkawi's incarnations of the humble Sambal are as impressive as the dishes served alongside this national chilli sauce made with onions and fish paste. Although it is one of the easiest dishes to prepare in the Malay cannon, achieving the right balance of spiciness and saltiness is tricky to the uninitiated.

Deep fried Durian is a dessert and a culinary treat that's only found in Langkawi. Smelly but delicious, the batter-fried version of the world's most pungent fruit variety does not disappoint.