Every night of the week, night markets selling meals worthy of Malaysia's foodie reputation are held in various locations around Langkawi.
Some vendors travel from place to place while others only attend 1 or 2 locations. The largest collection of food, clothing, and souvenir vendors gather on Wednesday and Saturday nights at Kuah Town Night Markets.
Each week, a long section of road is closed to vehicular traffic and lined with makeshift stalls and local vendors. Some sell local produce like freshly caught fish or fruit and vegetables including bananas, rambutan, leafy greens, eggplant, and cabbage.
Others sell hot meals, either pre-prepared like soups, chicken & rice, and burgers; or freshly cooked options including nasi goreng (fried rice), mee goreng (fried noodles), and char kuey teow (stir-fried rice noodles). Plenty of grab & go options are also available, like spring rolls, corn on the cob, roasted nuts, satay sticks, wedges, samosas, and dim sum.
Those with a sweet tooth will have a tough time deciding between local cake varieties and desserts like Malay jam donuts or handmade ice-cream. Drink options include fresh coconuts, fresh fruit juice and iced tea, coffee, and Milo.
Scattered between the food stalls are more vendors selling clothing and souvenirs. You'll find knock-off designer sunglasses, wallets, watches, and shoes; tracksuits and children's clothing; children's toys; batik sarongs; and duty-free candy & tobacco.
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Look Around
Approaching market stalls from southwest entrance (near Goldsands Hotel)
Market entrance
Satay
Meat & vegetable skewers
Spring rolls & samosas
Local meat & seafood snacks
Roasted peanuts
Malay donuts
Pre-packed noodles, laksa, & chicken rice meals
Lamb grill
Prawn sticky rice wrapped in pandan leaf
Char kuey teow
Fresh mango juice
Local iced drinks
Children's toys
Handbags, belts, & watches
Clothing & toy stallsWho Will Like Kuah Town Night Markets
Food Connoisseur
Eat like a local and sample food options, from spring rolls and samosas, to fried rice and noodles, to local cakes called "kuih". Alternatively, unleash your inner master chef and purchase fresh fish and vegetables to cook up in your Airbnb.
Culture Buff
Soak up the bustling atmosphere as locals hurriedly move from stall to stall to compile an evening meal for their family. Smell the flavors of traditional spices and ingredients as you pass by vendors hard at work cooking fresh batches of nasi goreng or char kuey teow.
Retail Therapist
Pick up a bargain souvenir, t-shirt, or batik sarong. By comparison, the tourist-centric stalls of Pantai Cenang often have the same items for higher prices.
Insider Tips For Kuah Town Night Markets
- The Night Market officially opens at 4pm, but most vendors start setting up between 5pm and 6pm. For the best experience, arrive after 6pm.
- Some meals like soup and chicken and rice are cooked in advance and pre-packaged. You never know how long this food has been sitting on the shelf, so try to only buy meals that are cooked fresh before your eyes to reduce your chance of getting an upset tummy.
- If you struggle to choose a vendor to buy from, follow the locals. If a vendor has crowds of locals around it, the food is probably delicious and hygienic. If a stall is being avoided by locals, it's best you avoid it too.
- Meals usually cost between RM2 (USD$0.43) and RM8 (USD$1.72) per person. 5 small spring rolls cost RM2 (USD$0.43).
- If you have trouble finding the markets, look for the Goldsands Hotel, one of the tallest buildings in the area, and the market is located on the same road.
- If you're chasing cheap clothing or souvenirs, you'll likely find better prices at these night markets than the shopping streets of Pantai Cenang.
- An additional 2 rows of souvenir and clothing stalls are located across the bridge from the main Night Market, on Jalan Pandak Mayah 7.
- The other Night Market locations are Ulu Melaka (Monday), Kedawang (Tuesday), Temoyong (Thursday), Ayer Hangat (Friday), and Padang Matsirat (Sunday).
Video
How To Get There
Car
Free • Roadside parking in front of the Night Market is free after 5pm. Additional parking is available in the center of town, a 2-5 minute walk away.
Motorbike
Free roadside parking for scooters and motorbikes in front of the night markets.
What To Bring
- Cash as vendors don't accept card payments.
- Reusable bag to avoid being given plastic.
- Reusable food containers to avoid using plastic or Styrofoam.
- Sustainable cups and straws to reduce waste.
- Hand sanitizer to clean your hands before eating.
- Food and drink from outside the venue.
Tech & Photography
Wifi
Public wifi access: None
Photography
Photography allowed: Yesflash is not encouraged
Tripod allowed: Not encouraged
Selfie sticks allowed: Yes
Best time to shoot: Blue Hour
Tips: Always ask for permission before photographing a vendor at a stall. Most of them will be more than accommodating - a smile goes a long way. Try to shoot once the lights have been turned on, and before blue hour fades, so you still have a little ambient light to work with - typically this is between 6-7pm.
Drones
Drones allowed: Not encouraged
Bags
Backpacks allowed: Yes
Secured bag lockers available: No
Food & Drink
Kuah Town Night Markets sell some of Langkawi's best and cheapest food and drink. Very few tables and chairs are available, so select items that allow you to eat and walk. Alternatively, bring a reusable container to take large meals like fried rice to eat at your accommodation or in your car
Backstory
Kuah Town is the largest night market in Langkawi and the only location to open 2 nights a week. Some tourists and expats visit, but the majority of customers are locals picking up a meal after the long workday.
Etiquette
- Check stalls for hygiene before buying. Avoid sellers with dirt under their fingernails.
- Learn to communicate your dietary requirements in Bahasa Malaysia as some vendors have very basic English levels.
- Wait patiently if there is a queue.
- Bargain for a lower price as the food is already extremely cheap.
- Push in front of other customers to get to your preferred vendor.
Scorecard
- Lively atmosphere with bustling shoppers, vendors cooking away, and scents of local herbs and spices.
- Low cost and high quality of most food options.
- Opportunity to try local meals, drinks, and desserts.
- Lack of tables and chairs. Most food has to be eaten on the go.
- Lack of vegetarian and vegan options. Many food items have chicken, cheese, or egg already added.
- Low quality of clothing, toys, & accessories, but the prices are low to match.
Oh, you're so close
The awesome itinerary feature is only for VIP Members.
But that's ok! You're welcome to join the cool club for free.
Joining only takes a minute and it's... um... free! Plus you get other perks like badges, points, and unicorns.
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