The island of Langkawi is part of Kedah, a state known as the rice-bowl of Malaysia and the highest producer of rice in the country. In honouring its grand rice-bowl title, Langkawi opened the museum in 1998 as an exhibition centre for local rice-related artefacts, charts, photographs and rice planting tools, aiming as well to be an eco-tourism draw.







Laman Padi Langkawi, or Rice Garden Museum, is a popular eco-tourism attraction at Cenang Beach where visitors can learn about rice cultivation in a rustic, natural setting.

This open-air museum is conveniently located and occupies a 14 acre site at the northern end of Cenang Beach just across the street from the Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort and the Casa Del Mar hotel.







Chief among the exhibits is an 8 acre working rice farm where visitors can wander among the paddy fields and scarecrows along grassy banks and watch rice farmers go about their work.

The museum is a good place to spend an afternoon. The Heritage Gallery has a series of displays on the sequence of activities pertaining to rice planting; meanwhile the Paddy Gallery is a viewing deck with breathtaking views of a multi-tiered rooftop rice garden. The Herb Garden and Garden of Variety sections are places where you can actually try your hand at rice farming.

Attractions

It showcases the historical and cultural importance of traditional paddy-farming and offers the visitor a hands-on understanding of the methodologies of rice cultivation. Yes, you can wade out into the flooded paddy field and have a go at planting and transplanting seedlings. Even a few minutes of this will greatly increase your appreciation for rice production (and that nasi goreng). Transplanting the seedlings or ‘saplings’ into the flooded fields takes hours of bent-over work, with water up to your mid calves.





Laman Padi’s other attractions include a unique floating rice garden (which makes for great souvenir photos!) plus there is a traditional rice village and a very pretty herbal garden. The herb garden exhibits detailed descriptions of various medicinal plants and their uses. Many of these plants are still commonly used by locals today. These tried and true natural first aid remedies save time and money as well.

In an effort to attract more tourists and to increase awareness of rice planting activities, Laman Padi hosts periodic rice-based food demonstrations, festivities and themed exhibitions.