Daylight - As Langkawi lies close to the equator (6 degrees north of the equator, if you want to be fussy) the days and nights are almost equally divided. This translates into 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night (give or take 30 minutes!)

So, if sunrise is at 7:00 in the morning then, sunset should be not more than 30 minutes past 7:00 (which is 19:00 hours for some people) in the evening.

Another advantage of being so close to the equator is that you need not bother with the twice annual confusing ritual of re-setting your clocks to compensate for the rigidity of our time in relation to the perfect variance of nature's time.

December - It's that time of year when people finally manage to acquire, albeit briefly, the 2 most elusive things in life (time and money) and use them intelligently... like visiting Langkawi for instance!

Moreover, being the traditional end-of-year school holidays, and with the other domestic destinations drenched in monsoon rain, it is of little wonder that Langkawi gets to experience its busiest month of the year with the influx of tourists from our mainland.

It's also the start of the "invasion"by the foreign tourists... who are here to escape the harsh realities of their cold and depressing end-of-year weather, and to bring the sunshine back into their lives!

All in all, they help make this month quite "merry" for the local businesses.

This month is also a merry-time for nature because it is the start of the mating season for animals and flowers bloom in time just before the onset of our tropical autumn.

Dentist - There are a couple of private dentists around Kuah, and (if they haven't relocated) there is one in Padang Matsirat.

The Malaysian Health Ministry does provide dental services but these are available only on certain days of the week and, understandably, there is always a nice and long queue waiting for the uninformed. However, despite this minor setback, many are undetered because the bonus is that the service would only set you back by a couple of Ringgit, as opposed to RM 20.00 - 30.00 at the hands of the private practitioners.

After all, "time is money," so they say. But, why must it always be my money... all the time?

Deodorant - Do remember that the climate is hot and humid, which means you tend to sweat -- quite a lot, actually -- so, it wouldn't hurt to roll it over certain parts of the torso, where it matters most, and help mask some of that B.O!

"It's good to smell fresh, good for the self-esteem"... it's from one of those "motivational" songs, I think!

Dialect - It is a known fact that the people of Kedah have their own distinctive dialect, and, as Langkawi is geographically so far removed from everybody else, it is natural that a mutant dialect will evolve... but one needs a sharp ear to tell the difference... so just take my word on this, okay?

Discotheque - If eardrum-busting is your preferred choice of self-mutilation... then you are in luck... because these establishments play loud music... I mean very loud... the techno variety, you know... and this is all there is to say about this... and... Oh!... there is this one very-loud disco in Kuah that tries to emulate its "Karaoke Bar" cousins... hostesses are made available.
Enough said!

District - Langkawi is a district in the state of Kedah that is further divided into the sub-districts of Kuah, Padang Matsirat, Kedawang, Ulu Melaka, Bohor and Air Hangat.

Diving - Click Scuba-diving.

Dog - Most of the dogs, especially around the Pantai Cenang/Tengah area, are stray dogs and, as with all strays, they turn scavengers and raiding the rubbish bins seem to be their favourite night-time activity, and this would account, partially, for the rubbish strewn about the immediate area.

Apparently, the locals don't take too kindly to dogs because... so they say... of religious belief... but this is totally untrue!

The truth is that they have been misled by their own misguided mis-interpretation of religion.

Good news for dogs, cats and... humans too! LASSie, Langkawi Animal Shelter and Sanctuary, is there to help you. For more details, phone 955-3643 or email langkawilassie@hotmail.com

Dolphin - These mammals are regularly seen around the waters of Langkawi, and they are smart creatures with a sound knowledge of Physics, which is precisely why dolphins jump out of the water every so often.
You see, long before humans grasp the concept of resistance and density, dolphins have been doing it, for ages, to conserve energy! Water, after all, is denser than air, right?

Dress - Dress casual! Moderation is the keyword here. Do not over-dress as this is not Monaco and do not under-dress as this is not St.Tropez!

Driving Licence - Most driving licences are recognized in Malaysia for the purpose of hire-and-drive. If it is valid in your country then, chances are, it will be accepted here as well!

Drug - Keep away! It is not worth the hassle, dude! One very good reason to keep away from drugs, being, the trafficking of drugs carries a death penalty!

However, if you are an addict and really insist on getting high, then there is only one safe way to do it in Langkawi, without the death penalty hanging over you, and this is by going up Gunung Raya,at 893 meters, is the highest point on the island!

Hope this is high enough for you.

Duty-free - It was on January 1st, 1987, that Langkawi was accorded the duty-free status.

But, a word of caution! Please do not let your guard down because it has been known to disappoint many "uninformed" customers.

First of all, the Malaysian government does not impose taxes on all imported goods... meaning... if an item is not taxed, then, it is duty-free in all of Malaysia and at this point the 2 principles of economics come into the equation.

Commonsense tells you that, demand is higher in big cities (due to its larger population, you see) so, the suppliers can take advantage in the economics of scale! In other words, you'd get a much better deal elsewhere. For example, computers are not at all cheap in Langkawi. It's much cheaper to get them in Kuala Lumpur or Penang.

To avoid being taken for a ride -- either through your own ignorance or the seller's feigned ignorance -- it is recommended that you shop around and compare prices!