I just got back from a much needed rest in Pangkor Island, Malaysia. This was my sixth trip to the Pangkor Island Beach Resort and I am still in love with it! Pangkor Island is on the west coast of Malaysia and just a three hour drive from KL. Of course everyone says that all of the beautiful pristine beaches with the gorgeous blue water are on the east coast. We have been to Redang and many other east coast beaches in Terengganu and Pahang, but we keep returning to Pangkor.
Pangkor Island was my first glimpse of a Malaysian beach. The drive there is easy and scenic. Travel the superhighway for half of the trip and then enter the back roads for about an hour. Buffalo, palm trees, plantations, local villages and rice paddies are common sights on the route up to the island. After a twenty minute ferry ride, you board a bus and are at the resort in two minutes. As you step into the gorgeous open wooden lobby, the senses are alive with the smell of the ocean, the white sandy beaches with lazy swaying palm trees and the gentle lapping of the waves. The rooms are bright and cheery, the staff is sooooo friendly and the food is good.
There are two pools with a pool bar and a kiddie pool. The pools are right on the edge of the beach. A small strip of grass separates the pool area from the white clean 1.2 kilometer secluded beach. I love this because I can watch one of my children in the ocean and the other child in the pool at the same time! There is plenty of shade from the gorgeous palm and tropical trees lining the beach. At the ends of the beach, the rain forest just falls right in to the sea. They clean the beach all the time, but there are plenty of shells to collect daily. Hornbill birds swoop in and out of the trees all day with their eerie cry and their alien looking faces!
Our day begins with a walk either through the golf course, down to the small ponds, or along the beach. We saw a huge 1.5 meter monitor lizard on the other side of the pond and he just slid silently into the jungle when he saw us. Another monitor walked down the beach one day. We head into the breakfast buffet and sit out on the wooden deck overlooking the beach. The staff knows us now and they all welcome us with a hand over their heart and they are genuinely happy to see the diners every day. After our leisurely breakfast we head down to a shady spot on the beach and unload our books, water, and supplies for the day.
Some of our afternoon activities have been kayaking, bicycling down to the local village, snorkeling (not too great) golfing, tennis, banana boat or flying fish, and strolling along the beach. On one of our trips, we went to town to see the sights. It is a small island and there is not a lot to see for someone who lives in Malaysia. Some of the sights may be more interesting for tourists though. There is a small Buddhist temple with a small replica of the Great Wall of China. The fishing village is fun to look at and there is an old Dutch Fort.
The evening begins with another trip to the buffet line and a relaxing meal out on the beachfront deck. Some nights we go to the other restaurant and order from their menu which is excellent. When we are stuffed we head back down to the beach for our night time stroll with our flashlights. We chase the crabs into their holes and enjoy the waves gently rolling up onto the shore. A visit to the open lounge upstairs reveals a cheesy, but fun Pilipino band. We sit and play cards there with the kids or head over to the pool and ping pong tables before crashing exhausted into bed.
Pangkor Island is the perfect place to take a few days off to relax! You won’t find a better place with the facilities, beautiful beach and great staff for the price! If you want to dive or snorkel then take the time to go to the east coast or Sipadan. However if you want a tranquil holiday to unwind, then Pangkor is the quickest, most convenient, and affordable place to go.
Global Anni 