Location: Kampung Mawat, 17.8 km northwest of Kuah
 Significance: It is the tomb of Mahsuri, a virtous maiden.
How To Reach:
One can easily reach here by hiring taxis, or by boarding buses from the island.

The Mahsuri Mausoleum marks the spot where Mahsuri was buried. It is located at Kampung Mawat, which is about 17.8 kms northwest of Kuah, in Langkawi. Earlier called Makam Mahsuri (literally Mahsuri Mausoleum), Kota Mahsuri was erected to honor the fair maiden, Mahsuri, who was unfairly accused of adultery over 200 years ago. Langkawi, undoubtedly, is associated with many fables and myths, but perhaps, this legend of the virtuous maiden is one of the most famous legends.

 As per the legend, at her execution, she bled white blood; that is believed to signify her innocence. In her last breath, she laid a curse that the island would hang about barren for no less than seven generations. Whether it’s real or fictional, the seven generations have passed and at present, Langkawi is a prosperous tourist destination on the tourism charts of Malaysia. To respect the belief of the islanders, this mausoleum was built with the hope that Mahsuri, when seven generations have passed, will finally rest in peace.

The story of Mahsuri ;

During the time of the powerful Sultanates of the Malay archipelago there lived a young woman named Mahsuri. She was the most beautiful woman in all of Langkawi, and the wife of Wan Darus, a brave warrior. As was required of him, her husband had to go to war, leaving Mahsuri behind to fend for herself. It was during this time that Mahsuri befriended a young man named Deraman.

Their close friendship lead others in her village to believe that their relationship was sexual in nature. Some versions of the legend claim that the parties who perpetuated the gossip were those who were envious of Mahsuri’s beauty. Eventually the rumours grew strong enough that the villagers openly accused her of adultery. Mahsuri pleaded her innocence, but no one believed her.

Mahsuri was to be tied to a tree (or pole) and stabbed to death.It didn’t work, they tried many ways to kill her but failed each time . Then she told them to kill her with her family’s dagger. When they stabbed her with the dagger , white blood flowed from her wound, signifying her innocence. Some birds flew above her to cover her body. With her dying breath, Mahsuri cursed Langkawi to have seven generations of bad luck.

Impact ;

Many locals of Langkawi believe the legend to be true, citing the Siamese invasion of 1821 and decades of failed crops that followed Mahsuri’s death. It is only at the end of the 20th century, after the seven generations have supposedly come to pass, that Langkawi began to prosper as a tourist destination.wan Darus and Cik Lampong was a brave warrior….. The descendants of Mahsuri continue to live in Phuket, Thailand, and have on occasion returned to Langkawi to visit her tomb.Among them was Sirintra Yayee (Thai :? ??????? ????), also known by her Muslim name Wan Aishah Wan Nawawi, came into the spotlight during her visit to Kedah in 2000.

references : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahsuri

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