Time of travel: December 2011
Duration: 12 days
Travel plan: 7 days on Pangkor, 5 days in Kuala Lumpur
We chose Pangkor because it's a quiet place without too many tourists. It's small enough to be explored in one go and is as real Malaysia as it gets. Before going there we read very different things about this island. Some said it was clean, the others said it's dirty. Some said it's boring, the others found it overly entertaining. Go figure! So we thought we better see for ourselves.
The journey from Helsinki, our hometown back then, to the island was long and rough. 12 hour flight and no sleep, 6 hour wait for the bus, four hour bus trip that got extended by another three hours. It was all worth it, though! We woke up to the warm sun, peaceful rhythm of the island life, birds singing and monkeys quarreling. Ahh. Beautiful.
Don't be put off by the long journey. The way back was much smoother; hopped on a ferry, then bus (direct to KL) and finally taxi to hotel.
How to reach Pangkor from Kuala Lumpur? There are several ways to reach Pangkor, we chose the most simple one. First we booked bus tickets (in advance, but there was lots of space so I guess it's not necessary) from www.transnasional.com.my. Choose a journey from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut. From Lumut you take a ferry. The ferry tickets are sold at the harbour and last ferry leaves around 8-9PM.
The bus leaves from the Puduraya bus station near Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. The station seems a little shady at first but I guess it's safe. There's a luggage storage (a bit hard to find, though) and there are several shops, cafe's (even Starbucks to get you caffeinated and connected) and few restaurants nearby to kill time.
Our bus got cancelled and as we didn't get this info immediately, we felt a little lost. The bus was replaced by another one which drove to another city and from there yet another bus took us to Lumut. We managed to get this info by asking around from several bus drivers at the station. Level of English was so-so but the friendliness was at it's maximum.
On the road the views were amazing and the aircon on the bus worked perfectly all the way! Don't forget a sweater because the aircon seemed to take it's job seriously!
Pangkor island turned out to be fantastic! The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine and temperature reaching+32. The nature was beautiful and sea almost crystal. There's lots of things to do for active people; you can do sightseeing by visiting the few sights on the island, rent a scooter, kayak or water jet, hike, walk, snorkle, fish etc. etc. Or you can just lay on the beach, if you want.
Our hotel was on Nipah Bay which seemed to be the best location on the whole island. The beaches were largest and cleanest, there were some restaurants and shops nearby.
Weather:
We read from somewhere that during December it rains a lot on the island. Well, we went there at the end of the month and the weather was amazing! The air is humid but in a nice way. It wasn't too hot at all.
Water sports:
The island is perfect for all kinds of water sports; you can snorkle, canoe, rent a water jet or jet ski. The equipment isn't the newest possible but it was good enough. For snorkeling you can buy or rent your own snorkle and a mask. We brought our own and rented a cayak. It was amazing! We found some perfect spots for snorkeling and also saw and visited beautiful deserted coves. For snorkeling the water was quite clean, not the cleanest but clean enough again.
Jungle Trekking:
Jungle trekking is something we really suggest to do at the island. Just try to find a way to protect yourself from leeches. Our trekking lasted for only 30 minutes followed by a fast-track speed run because Tony had 11 leeches on him. I guess they're not dangerous but they most definitely are disgusting and damn scary!
Food:
The best restaurant on the island is definitely Pasir Bogak near Pasir Bogak's shopping area. The restaurant was clean as well as the plates and glasses etc. were clean, the food tasted amazing and the service was superb! This is the place where we ate every night after discovering it!
Daddy's Cafe at Nipah Bay was okay. The location was amazing - right there on the beach! Also the restaurant was highly over priced considering the quality and the local price range. Worth trying, though.
There are several other little restaurants, too. Step in and take a look, you might be surprised! =)
At Pangkor it's a little difficult to get wine. Daddy's Cafe is the only restaurant that sells wine. There are two shops on the main street in the "city centre" where you can find some different wines but the selection isn't that wide - just about 5 different wines.
Mosquito's:
Before the trip we read some horror stories but mosquitos and then saw only one. No panic, I guess.
We recommend:
Rent a scooter! It's a wonderful way to discover the island. Just beware of the traffic. There's not much traffic on the island but the drivers don't really watch out and they might drive on wrong lane etc. So keep your eyes open, wear a helmet and enjoy. Beware that Malaysia has left side traffic.
The Chinese temple!
Restaurant Pasir Bogok was seriously the best one on the island.
Go snorkeling by renting a kayak! The best fish-spotting places are near Coral Island which is quite crowded, though.
A Piece of our experience:
Pangkor island is ideal to see some wildlife. You'll see monkeys running around, sometimes climbing on your balcony. Hornbills fly around, and we saw them close-by because our hotel was feeding them every day. Kris got a nice surprise in the shower when a small lizard crawled in followed by screaming, shouting and running/jumping. Eek! Also saw a large lizard, about the same size as a medium dog further away when scootering around. Plenty of colourful fish in the sea to view when snorkelling. Delightful! Also, more than half (maybe even more!) of the island is actually still covered in jungle!
Aftermath:
You don't need a week to explore the island as a couple of days would be enough. Great, when combined with other islands or cities in Malaysia. Excellent spot for a vacation away from everything familiar, in total tranquility. Shopping is basically non-existant so save your money to KL!
All in all, Pangkor is a wonderful, authentic little paradise where you most definitely won't see your local travel agent or even that many other western tourists. Perfect little island for some good times and relaxation!
Good website for more info: www.pulau-pangkor.com
