Making the most of Pulau Pangkor
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Off Malaysia's west coast, Pulau Pankor is a beautiful island renowned for beaches and exclusive resort hotels. Cruise ships anchor here and bring passengers ashore by tender.
Watch a video of Pulau Pangkor.
At the northern end of the Strait of Malacca, this small island shares the charms of Langkawi and Thailand's Phuket: lovely beaches, friendly people and points of interest. These include Chinese-style Fu Lin Kong temple, Dutch Fortress ruins and a forest reserve home to the region's distinctive giant hornbill birds.
Getting around
Try jungle trekking at Titi Gantung and Teluk Segadas Hill.
Rent a motorbike from RM25 to circle the island. The road is good but quite steep on the north side. South of Pangkor town, Dutch-Fort has little of the fort remaining; another very nice stop is the temple north of Pangkor Town.
Hire a bicycle from RM8 per day to cycle around the island, a journey of about 5.5 hr at a leisurely pace. Some uphill and downhill roads are steep (20%), so check the brakes work correctly before hiring. Some hills, mainly in northern parts, are impossible to climb by bike.
From Teluk Nipah, a pink taxi tour costs from RM 40 per taxi per round. It shows the airport, stops at the seafood junk factory and Big Chinese Temple, where the pool has very big fish alongside a mini China great wall, then visits Kota Belanda (Dutch Fort).
Near Seagull Lodge, hand-feed wild hornbills every day at 6:30PM.
Food and shopping
Pangkor Island's main town lies on the east coast. This small, one-street town has souvenir and dried seafood shops, coffee shops and a few restaurants, with some of the best food available from local stalls.
Money
Malaysia uses the ringgit as its currency.