Tanjung Rhu is located at the northern-most tip of Pulau Langkawi, about 22km from Kuah town by way of Air Hangat. You can also drive the longer way via the Teluk Ewa coastal road or the inner road that passes Ulu Melaka.

The place can sometimes be deafeningly quiet - just the prescription for tangled nerves. First look gives the feeling that you are no more in Langkawi, but you still are. The wide sloping beach looks gentle and tame but in reality the undercurrents here can be quite unforgiving. Stay close to the shore.

The beautiful beach is fringed by casuarina trees, hence the name. The most prominent feature which has appeared in countless postcards and photos is the rocky outcrop of Pulau Chabang. You can walk over to the island when the tide is out, but please remember to hasten back before it returns.
 

The many rocky islands that dot the whole area is worth exploring. Boats can be hired for such a trip. Then there are those subterranean caverns that have made Langkawi one fantastic place for cave exploration. Take your pick of Gua Teluk Udang, Gua Siam and Gua Teluk Dedap if you dont fancy visiting the much talked-about Gua Cerita. The tidal creek behind the beach area is mostly made up of mangrove forests. This is where the boats used for island hopping and fishing trips in these parts are moored.

Tanjung Rhu is not especially obvious as a fishing settlement but the area has long been used as a base for fishing boats. Nowadays besides servicing the tourists, the locals also indulge in aquaculture - keeping fishes such as siakap (sea bass) and kerapu (garoupa).

Two very up market hotels have a 'monopoly' of the prime stretch of beach here. The older Tanjung Rhu Resort being the pioneer and quite recently, the Four Seasons Langkawi Resort. Unfortunately, however, for the convenience of well-heeled tourists, locals and non-hotel guests are not allowed to saunter on to the hotel beach fronts, although legally they can't do so, as beaches belong to the state.

Two rows of wooden shops at the end of the road sell cheap clothing, souvenirs and local foods. Lookout for the mee gulung, once very popular in Langkawi.  This is actually noodles wrapped in omelette and served in soup. Five-star fine dining is available at both resorts.

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