January - With the Christmas and New Year holidays over and the children back where they belong -- in schools! -- the island tends to get a little quieter, but it is still quite busy with foreign tourists. And it's of little wonder, as this month sees the start of the "optimal tourist weather" (read: hot, dry and sunny... with hardly any rain at all!) that would last until April, by which time the normally lush green rainforest will have acquired the subtle hues of autumn to pleasantly confound many a tourist!

Japanese - The bulk of the Japanese tourists would visit Langkawi during their "golden week" holidays.

In Japan, this is the peak season for travelling as most of the businesses close for a week or longer, and the country, literally, goes on holiday. This "Japanese Invasion" should be sometime in late-April, as I recall!

Most noticeable about these Japanese tourists is that well over 70% are; young, single, and eligible females. Which, could easily explain the rise in the number of crocodiles found on the island!

Despite whatever people might say about them, they are, without doubt, the most well-behaved and disciplined travellers!

Jet-Ski - A popular water sport, but it is an accident that's just waiting to happen!

To begin with, Jet-ski riders are allowed too much freedom so as to rule the waves any which way that pleases them... because no one ever gave a second thought about the possible dangers they might pose to swimmers. And, true to form, the relevant authorities (read: civil servants) do not subscribe to the notion that prevention is better than cure. Maybe it's because they have to wait until a nasty accident happens, like they always do, before they start to consider taking action, which would routinely start by blaming all and sundry... and then they start using their heads (this is when they are at their most dangerous!) to formulate regulations (which tend to be ridiculously rigid) that would, invariably, turn out to be expensive (to the taxpayers!) and counter-productive (punishing the innocent!)

This is NOT a prophecy... it's Sod's Law!

Jetty - Technically speaking, there are a few jetties around Langkawi -- it is an island, after all! And it wouldn't be a bad idea to distinguish between the jetties in Teluk Ewa, Porto Malai and Kuah, because not only are they on different ends of the island, but they also serve 3 different functions.

The first, handles cargo for the cement factory; the second is the singular ferry terminal for passengers arriving from the mainland; the third is where all the cruise ships berth and the maritime venue for LIMA. Click Pier and Quay.

Jungle - Did you know that "jungle" is actually an old Indian term for a dense collection of plants and trees?

Of course, you didn't (silly question, right?)... because a dictionary will tell you it means "land, especially in the tropics, that is overgrown with tangled vegetation."

As we are all aware, Langkawi lies in the tropics (6 degrees north of the Equator, to be exact!) and so, true to this definition, there are lots of jungle around. In fact, despite all the cultivation and development, over 75% of the island is still covered with virgin tropical rainforest. This is, in all honesty, our greatest treasure, though many are too busy to realize this, especially when you are made aware that the entire world has only about 6% of rainforest! Maybe now you know the real reason that the air over here is ever so... fresh!

Some say, the best things in life are for free... but to get it free, you must somehow make your way to Langkawi... great slogan or what!

Anyhow, back to jungles and viewed from above, the canopy looks just like a velvety green carpet but (looks can be very deceiving!) you'd never realize that it could be 200 feet (approximately 60m) in height, which is about as high as the tallest trees can grow.

Naturally, with all that vertical space available, it has to be filled with something and that something happen to be the "shorter" trees and the "high" shrubs, which are, of course, unseen from above and therein lies the "illusion" of the jungle.

The illusion that you get from within the jungle is that the trees do not appear to go as high as 60-odd meters because the "shorter" trees, which are more numerous and grow up to between 30-40m, and the "high" shrubs tend to block your view.

For this reason, trekking the jungle is an unforgettable experience if you have an experienced guide to help explain the "mysteries" of the jungle.

The jungles of Langkawi give you another illusion... an illusion of autumn... even though jungles aren't supposed to do this... they are supposed to be evergreen!

It's the weather! It has been ordained, divine or otherwise, that between the months of January and April, Langkawi should enjoy "optimal tourist weather" and that, hardly any rain should fall. As a direct consequence, the jungles must adapt to this distinctively dry season and pretend to be deciduous... as tress always do in autumn... shed their leaves! So, the next time you see the autumnal colours painted on our jungles... remember it's not autumn but "optimal tourist weather!" which should be over as soon as the first April rains set in.

Jungle-Trekking - Another "must-do" optional tour.

As the name implies, it is a walking-tour and this takes you deep into a jungle. Therefore it is highly recommended that, included in this package should be an experienced guide, who will walk you in and, most importantly, walk you out of the jungle.

There are occasions in life when the truth is NOT quite as strange as fiction-writers would like to have us believe... and truth is not what we perceive it to be!

Sign up, and you'll know what I mean.