Pangkor Island

Pangkor Island

Across the Manjung Straits opposite Lumut is a bustling fishing village on Pulau Pangkor, the largest of nine islands in a small group of islands. The name Pangkor might have originated from the Thai word Pang Ko meaning 'beautiful island'.

However, others believe it might have been named after Pang Kui, a legendary Chinese adventurer said to have lent his skills in seamanship to bands of pirates this island once sheltered.

Pangkor, with its quaint mix of fishing settlements and resorts, is a fascinating holiday destination. It presents the visitor the rare chance to live near fishermen and observe their lifestyle, or to simply enjoy the fine beaches and resort amenities.


The fishermen live in scattered settlements on the eastern side, facing the town of Lumut and Teluk Batik. Visitors get a chance to see some of them on the 40-minute ferry ride from Lumut as the ferry stops at the main settlements of Sungai Pinang Kecil and Sungai Pinang Besar before landing at Pangkor Town.

Pangkor's two popular beach areas of Pasir Bogak and Teluk Nipah offer sun and sea enthusiasts activities like scuba diving, snorkelling, wind-surfing and fishing. While Pasir Bogak is quite developed, Teluk Nipah still retains its kampung, or village, atmosphere.

The island has accommodations to suit every budget and visitors can hire vans and motorbikes for island sightseeing. Food is available in most locations around the island and there are some good seafood restaurants in Pangkor Town itself.

Pangkor Beaches

Pasir Bogak
This narrow stretch of white sand is one of the most popular spots for tourists from the mainland and gets crowded during holiday seasons and weekends. There are shallow, crystal clear waters and areas of still unspoilt coral reefs for snorkelling enthusiasts.

Teluk Ketapang
North of Pasir Bogak is Teluk Ketapang, or Turtle Bay, where the turtles make an annual pilgrimage to lay their eggs. The best months for turtle watching are between May and July.

Teluk Nipah
Teluk Nipah further north has a wider beach and is less crowded. It is a beautiful strip of beach, and at a place known as Coral Bay, the water is a beautiful emerald green.

Pantai Puteri Dewi
This beautiful beach paradise was named Pantai Puteri Dewi (Beach of Lovely Princess). Pangkor Island Beach Resort (formerly Pan Pacific Pangkor Island) has a prime location along this stretch of beach and offers elegant rooms and facilities, including a sports complex and a golf course. There are some wildlife to be found here, including monkeys, lizards and hornbills.

Pangkor Laut
On the nearby island of Pulau Pangkor Kecil is the Pangkor Laut Resort, an international standard resort. The beach at Emerald Bay is touted as one of the best Malaysian beaches.

GETTING TO PERAK

Ipoh, the capital city, is 205 km from Kuala Lumpur and 165 km from Penang. It is well connected to other major towns and cities in the peninsula by air, road and rail.

Air
Ipoh's Sultan Azlan Shah Airport can accommodate small to medium-sized planes. Malaysia Airlines operates regular flights to Ipoh from Penang and via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. There are taxi and bus services from the airport into town.

Road
There are taxis plying major routes to Ipoh from Kota Bahru, Alor Star, Penang, Taiping and Kuala Kangsar in the north, and Cameron Highlands, Teluk Intan, Tanjung Malim and Kuala Lumpur in the south. Charges vary from about RM6 to RM20 per person depending on the destination. Taxis wait for a full load before travelling.

Buses
Bus services to the Medan Kidd terminal in Ipoh are from Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth. Several bus companies operate services from the north and south of the country to Ipoh. Some offer non-stop services while others transit at various points.

Routes covered include those originating from Butterworth (Penang), Kota Bahru, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Lumut and Batu Gajah in the North; and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Teluk Intan in the south. Major lines include Express Nasional, SPT, Sari Maju, Plusliner and Nice.

Rail
North-bound trains operated by KTM (the Malaysian Railway) stop at all major towns in Perak, namely Tanjong Malim, Batu Gajah, Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping and Parit Buntar.By Sea
Pangkor is a 40-minute ferry ride from Lumut. There are departures every half hour.

By Air
The private carrier Berjaya Air flies 5 times a week from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport just outside Kuala Lumpur to Pangkor.(*source from tourism malaysia)