Pangkor tourist guide

Pulau Pangkor is an island so sleepy that its soporific effects could be used to treat hyperactive children. There is nothing much to do here except lounge on gorgeous beaches, eat great seafood and sink the occasional beer. And that’s the main attraction of Pangkor, it’s a taste of paradise where local fishermen go on with their daily routine and tourists just sink into the background.

Especially popular with weekend visitors from Penang and Kuala Lumpur, the main beaches and resorts of Pulau Pangkor are found on the west of the island with the fishing villages and Pangkor Town on the east. There is a ring road going all around the three by nine kilometre landmass and another road bisecting it from Pangkor Town midway up the east coast to the beach area of Pasir Bogak midway up the west.

Pasir Bogak is therefore the closest beach to the jetty where the boats dock in Pangkor Town and has a few options for accommodation. But visitors are better off travelling a few kilometres north from here to Teluk Nipah where there are two palm-fringed bays with gleaming white sand and crystal-clear water. Coral beach is the nicest of the pair and has plenty of colourful fish and sealife to examine whilst snorkelling. Watersports and boat trips to outlying islands can be arranged from the sand.

There are plenty of hawker options for cheap yet delicious meals along the beach areas and restaurants attached to most guesthouses as well. The large resorts all have extensive dining facilities and all over the island seafood is the cuisine of choice, normally grilled over charcoal with spicy Malay curry sauce on the side. There is no nightlife scene to speak of with a few  evening beers before bed the general gameplan. But the large hotels have lounge bars with live music and top shelf spirits on offer.

Attractions
Although many visitors never leave the serenity of the sand, there are a few sights of note on Pangkor including a historic colonial Dutch fort and some unique temples which are well worth stopping by… more

Activities
Most Pulau Pangkor activities revolve around the water with fantastic opportunities for snorkelling, fishing, sailing and watersports. However, nature lovers can indulge in trekking or birdwatching and there is a golf course as well… more

Hotels and resorts
Pangkor has a wide variety of accommodation choices catering for both backpackers and more affluent visitors. Great discounts are available in the off-season but things get busy at the weekend when city-dwelling Malaysians arrive in their droves… more

Restaurants and bars
Although not particularly known for it’s cuisine, Pangkor is home to a growing throng of quality restaurants serving up local classics such as mee goreng and international favourites, but seafood is undoubtedly the top choice… more

Transportation
Getting to Pangkor from the mainland is easy with regular ferry connections from the port of Lumut. Once here it’s best to rent a bike or motorcycle and tour the island at your own pace, or alternatively grab one of the pink taxi minibuses… more