RTA 2010 Finalist Site Visit: Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa

Self-learning and discovery is what Frangipani Resort and Spa promotes. Dispersed all over the resort are little notes, reminders and thought prodders informing guests of their green practices and encouraging them to participate in this noble effort. The green team at the resort are well trained environmental wizards with a flair for communication. Throughout our stay there, new features, ideas and innovations were revealed to us – from the way the new eco-friendly building was constructed to incorporate a garden rooftop to reduce heat transference to the guests’ rooms to the traditional sophisticated method of waste water channelling.

This modest resort tucked away on the quiet stretch of Pantai Tengah, Langkawi, Malaysia boasts of its seclusion and family friendly features. A generous expanse of rugged beach spans the resort overlooking several bold and luscious islands across the horizons. Families enjoy day activities offered by the resort and settle in at night with music at dance at the Mentari Restaurant serving local delights that suit the international palate.

Frangipani is seriously committed in putting the 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) into practice by monitoring, managing and innovating new ways to minimize waste generated in the resort. With the water shortage concern on the island, the resort is mindful of the impending scarcity and has built 85 water tanks to harvest rainwater. The rainwater is treated and channelled to various pipes for washing and gardening. The resort even has its own wetlands where grey and black water enter from septic tanks. This waste water is naturally treated by a precise selection of plants such as water hyacinth, convolvulus, mimosa and water lilies coupled with a mechanically induced aeration pump. The treated waste water is then pumped out of the wetlands for gardening and sustaining the veggie patch and animals on its little farm.

Blessed with 10 to 12 hours of sunlight a day, the resort has taken advantage of the natural light and heat by installing solar panels on each building. Hot water offered to the guests’ is heated by solar panels as a result eliminating the need for electric-generated heaters.

Generous and passionate about educating guests’, travellers and local communities, Frangipani frequently hosts environmental education workshops for student groups from universities and local schools at the resort. On top of that, Frangipani is committed to support local communities through a mesh up of environmental education and economic support. One such example is a social project with the single mothers at Tuba Island to produce and sell handicraft made from recyclable and natural materials such as newspapers, sea-shells washed ashore and pandanus leaves.

Frangipani Langkawi has come a long way and its success story lies in the owner’s vision to see the resort as one of the greenest properties in Malaysia.



Written by: Deborah Chan (Langkawi Island, Malaysia: 26 – 28 July, 2010)

Special Note: Frangipani Resort & Spa is one of the finalists for the 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards (Category: Large-size Accommodation). For more v-blogs on Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Awards, please visit the Wild Asia Channel.