LANGKAWI, Malaysia – Stepping into the gargantuan colonial-era Straits House at the Temple Tree boutique resort that will be our home for the next few days, my wife and I are faced with a first-world dilemma: Which of the four bedrooms should we sleep in?

As it turns out, this dilemma is a metaphor for our trip to Langkawi, the resort island off the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Over the next five days, we discover that despite its fame as a beach getaway and duty-free haven, Langkawi offers an array of activities and experiences that leave us spoilt for choice.