ASCADING down a forested hillside towards a white sand beach lapped by azure waters, the 370-room Berjaya Langkawi Resort offers a pampered yet fun getaway far from the madding crowd and manic managers where the only sounds you’ll hear are birdsong and, perhaps, what you brought along on your iPod. Surrounded by nature, the elegant accommodation – with timbered floors, muted pastel hues and the civilised luxury of a slowly whirring ceiling fan – includes chalets over water and others set into the rainforest. With a sensible mix of work and play options, this is one of the best Langkawi resorts, child-friendly but with business savvy too.

For conference junkies there’s a business centre and the Matsirat Ballroom that can host up to 1,000 persons. On hand are eight meeting rooms equipped with WiFi. Contracts signed, head off to get the body pummelled, oiled and massaged at the Ayura Spa, which offers wellness treatments from scrubs and wraps to facials and reflexology. Try a ginger salt sea scrub or lulur. The menu includes massage for kids.

Adrenalin seekers will have no problem getting revved up with the resort’s arsenal of water sports and activities ranging from tennis (with flood lights), cycling, trekking, swimming (there’s a Jacuzzi along with a free-form freshwater pool), wind-surfing, jet-skiing and adventure cruises, to board games, golf (an 18-hole course is nearby), and bird-watching.

While this is certainly one of the top child-friendly Langkawi resorts with attentive staff and handy babysitting services, it is also a popular venue for a destination wedding along with post-nuptial goodies like spa treatments, romantic dinners and more. Pick a modern wedding package or opt for a Malay-style affair. Malaysia is a country that loves its food and Berjaya duly serves up six outlets – from casual beachside nibbles to fine dining – for gourmets to pick from. On the menu, expect Chinese, Thai, Malay and Western. Elsewhere, explore the World GeoPark, a vertiginous cable car ride up to Mount Mat Cincang, local stores at Kuah town, or the simple pleasure of ambling around an island where time is never of the essence. Throw away that watch and unwind.