Pangkor Island

Situated just off the west coast of Perak in Peninsular Malaysia is one of the most enchanting islands you'll ever come across. Pangkor has for centuries enthralled visitors with her charming beauty. In days of old, she was the refuge of seamen who sailed through the Straits of Malacca. Pangkor's many idyllic bays made it the perfect stopover. Pirates, adventurers, merchants and soldiers of fortune sought the peace and tranquility she had to offer.

   

Attractions and activities on Pangkor Island

Below a list with attractions on the island:

• Water sports and other activities are plenty around Pangkor Island. Especially around Bogak beach and Nipah beach there are numerous operators that offer banana-boat rides and Jet Ski rental. Around Giam Island you can do some decent snorkeling; though you can't compare it with snorkeling on islands like Redang and Perhentian.
• Pangkor Town is a nice place to visit as there are many great local restaurants where you can enjoy typical dishes originating from the island itself.
• Fu Lin Kung Temple is a Taoist temple that has been build at the foot of Pangkor Hill nearby the town of Sungai Pinang Besar. Another Chinese temple that you can visit is the Lin Ye Kong Temple; nearby Teluk Nipah (at the end of Coral Bay).
• Kali Amman Temple is the only Indian temple on the island; especially interesting to visit during the two big festivals of Deepavali and Thaipusam.
• You can arrange a nice offshore fishing trip through your hotel or resort; though this can be quite pricy. You can also arrange a boat with local fishermen for a day.
• Pulau Jarak is quite a boat ride away from Pangkor, but it is worth the trip. Here you can find great marine life. The small island itself is perfect for a secluded day trip.
• You can do some light jungle treks around the island. The best one, the Pangkor Hill Trek, starts at Bogak beach and takes you all the way to the eastern side of the island (to Sungai Pinang Kecil). Most jungle hikes only take an hour or two. Always notify your resort or guesthouse owner that you are off to do a jungle hike.
• Another fun thing to do is to rent a boat for the day to go around the island. A speed boat is an option; but a normal boat is way more fun as you have more time to enjoy the scenery. A more strenuous option would be to rent a canoe for the day.
• Southwest of the island, nearby the small town of Teluk Gedung, you can visit the Dutch Fort (also known as Dindings Fort or Kota Belanda). The Dutch built this small fortress to get more grip on the tin mining industry in the 17th century. The fortress was used to keep foreign ships at bay, in order to control and monopolize the worldwide tin trade. The Dutch Fort currently is an historical monument.
• Batu Bersurat (Tiger Rock or Historic Rock) is a huge boulder with historical inscriptions on it. The inscriptions refer to a child and a tiger and is dated '1743 I.F.CRALO' together with the initials of the 'VOC' which refers to the Dutch East India Company.

Beaches on Pangkor Island

There are numerous beaches on Pangkor Island; an easy way to explore them is by motorbike (or taxi/rental car). Only a few of these beaches are popular among locals and tourists; especially during the weekends. The rest are secluded and unspoilt; during the week there is a big chance you will be the only one visiting the beach. Pantai Pasir Bogak probably is the most popular beach on the island. Another great beach is Nipah beach at Teluk Nipah; where you can find clear waters. You can even snorkel in the area, as it is located directly opposite Pulau Giam which is the only island that is surrounded by corals (though snorkeling over here should not be compared with snorkeling at islands like Perhentian, Redang or Tioman). Snorkeling at Giam is inexpensive. Snorkeling gear including a return boat trip costs only RM15 per person. Other great beaches are Ketapang beach and Segadas beach (the secret beach). Though Segadas beach is not that easy to reach (you need to walk from the small town Teluk Gedung via a short jungle trip to the secluded beach, which takes around 20/25 minutes); it probably is the most beautiful beach on the island.