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"Located side by side with Dataran Lang on a 50-acre reclaimed land, it is THE place to get to know all the famous legends and myths of Langkawi."
The Langkawi Lagenda Park is more than just a scenic park with beautiful gardens of local blooms, plants and fruit trees. It is also a place for people to learn about the famous legends of Pulau Langkawi (Langkawi Island), popularly known as Langkawi.
Located side by side with Dataran Lang on a 50-acre reclaimed land, the park has 17 story-telling monuments, four artificial lakes and a man-made beach which provide a picturesque and fitting backdrop for buildings showcasing Malaysia's rich cultural heritage.
Given the name Lagenda Park, which means a legendary park, it holds many well-known mythical stories ever told including the legends of two heroic giants, mythical birds, evil ogres and beautiful princesses.
One of the most interesting myths that can be found at this delightful park is the battle between Mat Raya and Mat Cincang, which brought about sites around the island, such as Gunung Raya (Mount Raya), Gunung Mat Cincang (Mount Mat Cincang), Bukit Sawar (Sawar Hill), Belanga Pecah (Broken Cooking Pot), Kuah (Gravy), Air Hangat (Hot Springs) and Tanjung Cincin (Cape of Rings).
Gunung Raya and Gunung Mat Cincang are two well known mountains in the heart of the island. Rising to a height of 881 metres, Gunung Raya is the tallest natural feature on the island while Mat Cincang is the second tallest peak at slightly over 700 meters. Added to the two and appearing to separate them is a hill called Bukit Sawar.
Legend says, Mat Raya and Mat Cincang were the infamous giants and the thickest of friends living in a peaceful giant-ville. Son of the latter and daughter of the former were on the other hand, lovers. What more could friends wish for more than becoming a family. Gleefully the giants agreed to marry their children.
When the wedding ceremony was about to begin, an unexpected incident took place. Mat Raya was insulted by the bridegroom’s roving eyes. In his rage the giant buddies engaged in a heated argument. No one could stop the fight. Everyone became violent and pots and pans were flung at one another. Then came along a mutual friend, Mat Sawar, who was eager to break the fight. It was an appalling scenario as the two tried to destroy each other while the other stuck amidst the fight.
With the shoving and multiple flying fists, abruptly struck the lighting and interrupted the fight. Everyone then gazed at the sky and each other. In that silence, Mat Raya and Mat Cincang was turned into two mountains while Mat Sawar became a hill (Bukit Sawar) in between the twin peaks.
It was during the fight that a big pot of gravy was broken and the contents spilt on the ground. The spot where the gravy spilt is now known as Kuah (gravy). The other places such as Belanga Pecah (broken pot) got its name from the pot that was broken and Air Panas (hot water) was from a cauldron of hot water that was spilt on the ground.
To commemorate the misfortune, there is a huge sculpture of the hands of the giants at the park. Flashes of the incident will appear in front of you when you see these huge hands clasped with each other. It shows that Mat Raya with great effort tried to stop the giant buddies from destroying not only their friendship but also themselves.
Lagenda Park allows you to take a stroll and enjoy the greeneries surrounding it with loved ones. Umbrella look-alike trees give immediate shelter and cool the temperature of a hot day. Just before the sculpture of the giant hands, the park has a romantic pathway with abreast trees that look like a green spread of tiny leaves that crackles when the wind blows.
In front of the entrance of Langkawi Lagenda Park is Gondwana Wall, a symbolic of the shroud over the mountains behind Burau Bay, which engulfs Datai Bay up to Tanjung Buta.
A visit to Langkawi will not be complete without a visit to the Lagenda Park, a very pleasant and well-maintained park. This park is also an excellent picnic spot, so don't forget to bring along a picnic basket. There are also some fine examples of traditional Malaysian handicraft and cultural objects within the park.
Located about 400 metres from Kuah Jett, it takes less than 10 minutes to walk to Lagenda Park.
*Lagenda Park is closed for renovation temporarily.
Last viewed - August 22, 2008
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