2022
Hello everyone
I am a traveler and love to explore nature. I have been very lucky to be in Malaysia last year where I explored quite a few scenic places that I love talking about. I am compiling my 2016 travelogue and 'A short trip to Pangkor Island' is the first episode from it. For some reason, I personally felt elevated being there. I know that most of us will start from Kuala Lumpur and perhaps Twin Towers when it comes to Travel and Photography in Malaysia. But, I am going to write about all these places in different episodes (in no particular order) and will try to share my experiences, advice and the overall projection of being in Malaysia.
[Sections]
- Introduction
- History & Quick Facts
- How to get to Pangkor Island?
- Nearby must-see places
- Travel Advice
Introduction:
Name: Pangkor Island
Located in: Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia
Located at Coordinates: 4°13′12″N 100°33′18″E
Famous for: Lush beaches, Dutch and British Colonial era remains
Local Industries: Tourism and Fishing
Nearby Places: Some notable nearby islands include Pangkor Laut Island, Talang Island, Giam Island (Pulau Giam) and Mentagor Island (Pulau Mentagor).
Mapped on Google:? Yes, can be directly accessed here - Pangkor Island Malaysia
Top Navigation App in Perak: Out of all the Navigation apps I tried in Malaysia, specially in Perak district, Google Maps and Waze worked just great (I need to mention here that I am absolutely not advocating or marketing about any particular app, I am just sharing my own experience).
History & Quick Facts:
The name of the island comes from the Thai 'Pang Ko', which means Beautiful Island. It actually concerns a group of islands with Pangkor as its main island, and next to that a trio of smaller islands: Pangkor Laut, Pulau Mentagor en Pulau Giam. Pangkor Laut is the best known of these, because of the idyllic resort you can find on this small island.
Together with Langkawi and Penang this is the best choice if you want to visit a wonderful island on the western side of the peninsula. Approximately 30,000 people live on the island, most of them in Pangkor Town and the villages surrounding it.
How to get to Pangkor Island:
As per my own experience, I am going to talk about getting to Pangkor from Ipoh via bus. Ofcourse there are other travel options and I believe its best to read this guide here that covers it all. http://www.wonderfulmalaysia.com/pangkor-island-malaysia.htm#howtogetto
I took a Star Bus to get to Pangkor Island that normally costs around 40 Malaysian Ringgit from Ipoh to Pangkor (two-way trip).
The drop-off point is at Pangkor Jetty Manjung.
The ferry ride (or the Jetty - as local's prefer to call it) only takes about 20 minutes to get to Pangkor Island. It costs only RM10 (But I wish to mention here that we got the tickets during Hari Raya festival on promotion, which is the biggest festival in Malaysia).
The jetty takes you from the Jetty area, then across the Naval docks and to the villages of local fishermen. 
Historically, Pangkor was a refuge for local fishermen, merchants and pirates. In the 17th century, the Dutch built a fort in an effort to control the Perak tin trade known as the Dutch Fort. In 1874, it was the location of a historical treaty between the British government and a contender for the Perak throne (the Pangkor Treaty), which began the British colonial domination of the Malay Peninsula. The old British name for the Pangkor Island group was the Dindings.
Nearby Must-see Places
I would advise to hire a local cab to take you around different places in Pangkor. We hired a local cab for 80 Malaysian Ringgit for almost about 6 Hours. You can also rent a bike here for like 50 Malaysian Ringgit for a day, but I was told that foreigners find it a little difficult to rent bikes.
My first stop was to see the remains of old Dutch Fort and its ammunition storage area.
The Malaysia history is amazing, you can see the remains and landmarks of all the eras here. Even till there are three major religions and three major races living in Malaysia an one can see perfect harmony among them. The cultural heritage, landmarks have been preserved and I was very moved by the efforts of the locals to keep the vibes going.
My next stop was the famous Fu Lin Kong Chinese temple.
The Fu Lin Kong Temple is a famous Taoist temple in Pangkor Island. Many Chinese tourists like to visit and pray in this temple to get the blesses from god. However, this doesn't mean that the temple is only the favourite place for Chinese tourists only. Other races and foreign tourists also love this place due to its natural and exquisite environment to snap some photos. The temple has been build at the foot of Pangkor Hill in the village of Sungai Pinang Besar. It has a nice garden partly build on the hillside. There is a miniature 'Great Wall of China' to admire. On the roof you will see the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac.
Honestly, this place is beyond words, you have to experience it first hand. It is so peaceful here that I guarantee you'd wish to spend a day here, at least.
Next stop, to my destination Pangkor Beach
Travel Advice
Let's call it a day, let's get back home.
On your way back, don't forget to take a seat on top of the Jetty. The scene at night, colors, fresh breeze on your face is almost impossible to explain in words. I would also like to mention to take plenty of fluids because you cannot bear the sunlight in Malaysia, specially at beaches. Also, There's a local dry fish industry (very famous among locals) with plenty of amazing herbs, fish and other dried produce at a very nominal price.
I would also like to mention that at Pangkor, I almost struggled to pay by card everywhere I went. The hotels, restaurants, shops and food joints do take cards, but most of the times their network link is down. So, don't forget to take at least around 300 Malaysian Ringgit (that's about 70 USD) if you wish to spend a day at Pangkor.
I hope you enjoyed this read.
-peace
-Omer
