Pangkor Malaysia. Malaysia with a child

26.04.2020

We arrived at Pangkor Island for a couple of days. Pulau Pangkor translates to "beautiful island". This very small island is located on the west coast of Malaysia, just a couple of kilometers from the mainland, so getting here is easy, quick and inexpensive, unlike the overloaded with tourists Phi Phi, Ko Chang in Thailand, Langkawi in Malaysia.

Despite its accessibility, this place has retained some rustic charm and tranquility. And we still got into the off-season and in the middle of the week, so we felt complete relaxation :-) There are no large chain hotels here yet, taxi drivers don't pester tourists, and at 8 pm the silence is broken only by the sounds of the jungle, and rare passing cars and bikes. It was once a haven for fishermen and pirates, and an important stronghold in the Strait of Malacca.

A very small island opposite Pangkor

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The coastline is built up literally 100 meters deep, and in many places it looks like this: beach, road, impassable jungle. All. The surrounding forests are inhabited by interesting hornbills with funny beaks, they fly to feed directly on the hotel lawn or on the table in a cafe. Well, let's talk about them in more detail below. Monkeys also came to our courtyard, that is, you really live in a real jungle, but with some comfort. The monkeys generally behaved decently, but on the last night they emptied all the trash cans in our resort :-)

Orientation on the island

Boats sail to the east side to the small town of Pangkor. From him the road goes westward to the opposite coast, first passing through the village of Pasir Bogak, then to the beaches of Teluk Nipah and Coral Beach... The road then leads to the airport and returns in a circle to Pangkor town through the villages of Sungai Pinang Kecil and Sungai Pinang Besar.

How to get to Pangkor?

By plane

It is not surprising, but on such a small island there is an airport, which is served only by the airline Berjaya Air, which operates flights from Kuala Lumpur to Pangkor three times a week, the cost from 200 RM (about $ 50 at the exchange rate for February 2016).

On the boat

The coastal town of Lumut is the main point of access to Pangkor. Here, right next to the bus station, there is a pier, from where large high-speed boats leave for the island, somewhat similar to the "Rockets" (we used to walk along the rivers).

They first stop at the Sungai Pinang Kecil pier in the village of the same name, you do not need to go out there, you - on the next one, in the town of Pangkor.

The fare is RM 10 ($ 2.5) round trip, and boats run every 30-45 minutes, depending on the time of day, from morning to evening. When buying a ticket, you will be given a piece of paper with the schedule of boats, so that they arrive back on time and do not have to wait for the next one.

The luxury hotels of Pangkor Island Beach Resort and Pangkor Laut Resort (on Pangkor Laut Island) have their own piers, which can also be reached from Lumut.

How to get to Lumut?

Lumut itself can be reached by bus from different cities in Malaysia, for example:

Kuala Lumpur - 4 hours, 25 RM.

Butterworth (Penang) - 3.5 hours, 15-19 RM.

Ipoh (for transfer to Cameron Highlands) - 2.5 hours 8-10 RM.

Singapore - 9 hours, 55-60 RM.

Transport on the island

To get from the pier to the beaches on the opposite west bank, it is most convenient to take a pink minibus, of which there are plenty. Common price to Teluk Nipah beach 15-20 RM per car, we were four of us and paid 5 RM, so it would be useful to meet someone along the way :-)

To ride around the island, you can rent a bike (30 RM per day) or mountain bike (15 RM per day). There are a lot of ups and downs on the road, but the asphalt is good, and there is little traffic, so driving here is a real pleasure.

Living attraction of Pangkor

The beaches of Pangkor island

There are several beaches on Pangkor, but for a good rest and swimming, it is best to go to the western part of the island.

Pasir Bogak Beach located just a few minutes from the pier in the village of the same name. Tourism in Pangkor began with it, so it is here that there is a large selection of housing and a relatively developed infrastructure. Pasir Bogak is a rather long crescent-shaped beach with pleasant sand and sea. Now there is a rather active development of the coast with large buildings - this is of course a minus. We arrived apparently in the off-season, so I did not meet people at all!

Teluk Nipah Beach during our visit it was more lively, although many of the pubs were closed. There are several budget guesthouses and resorts, as well as more expensive hotelsas well as cafes and restaurants from simple to decent. The beach itself is quite narrow, but the overhanging trees create a pleasant shade. Local residents offer various water activities: diving, jet skis, snorkeling and more.

Coral Beach. Everyone goes to swim here, because this is perhaps the best beach in Pangkor - wide, with white sand and clear water in the sea. There are also several simple resorts and cafes nearby, as well as water activities. It is especially pleasant to come here early in the morning, when the sea is simply charming and serenely calm.

Coral Beach

Pantai Puteri Devi Beach, As far as I understand, it belongs to the luxurious Pangkor Island Beach Resort, it may not be accessible, but check it out on occasion.

What to see on the island?

Besides beach holiday the island has several points of interest.

On the east coast there is a large-scale Chinese temple Fu Lin Kong with a reduced copy of the Great Wall of China. In the same place, on the east coast, look at the fishing villages and boats.

Fu Lin Kong Temple

Little south of the city Pangkor has the ruins of an old Dutch fort.

Remains of a Dutch fort

You can also go kayaking, diving, snorkeling and don't forget to feed the hornbills. Every day, opposite the Sunset View Chalet at 6-30 pm, a local peasant brings them food and gives everyone hand-feed to the birds. All this is absolutely free. Despite their impressive beak, they are very neat and even delicate! The oldest and most experienced bird is not afraid to sit among people and insolently eat right out of a papaya box. The rest must be thrown to catch on the fly.

The next conference on luminescent materials took place in January 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. More precisely, not even in the capital itself, but 50 km from it in the Highland mountain range, surrounded on all sides by the most ancient jungle on the planet, as Malaysian guidebooks write about it. The altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, and the cool mountain air even in the tropics, clearly contributed to scientific discussions. This will be a separate story, but for now I want to go down to the sea and talk about one interesting and beautiful island in the Indian Ocean - Pangkor. We got to him, generally speaking, by accident, he was not included in our plans, but we do not regret what we have done. The fact is that the time chosen for the conference turned out to be very successful! Immediately after the end of the conference, a legal weekend followed, then a few days of vacation, and the New Lunar Year, which is widely celebrated throughout Southeast Asia, and all Asia is walking for 3 days. As a result, we had 10 free days, which we decided to spend on the island in order to bask in the sun in the January winter cold, splash in warm waters ocean, diving and scuba diving. For these purposes, we chose Tioman Island on the East Coast and carefully prepared for the trip. We studied the route on the Internet and through friends, printed maps, chose a hotel and a beach, even looked after a diving club. Naturally, fins, masks and other equipment were equally carefully prepared and packed. Imagine our disappointment when literally in the last days we learned that the entire East Coast of Malaysia, including Tioman, was closed due to bad weather. Ferries do not run, planes do not fly, hotels are closed - and all because of the monsoon rains that unexpectedly hit East Malaysia these days. And on West coast the sun is shining and everything is open. I had to urgently change the route and select a similar island in the Indian Ocean. The island of Langkawi, promoted on the Internet and popular with Russian tourists, was not even considered because of the muddy water, the abundance of people, the lack of diving and much more because of what. We wanted to find a more secluded island with beautiful nature, a rich underwater world, where silence, peace and, if possible, the absence of civilization. In short, having run a little wild in a week at a conference in the jungle, and pretty tired of the benefits of civilization at home, we wanted to completely change the situation and continue to communicate with monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, and other crawling and flying inhabitants of the jungle, and transfer all this to the shore ocean. The task turned out to be not an easy one, since another indispensable condition was good sunny weather for at least the next 10 days! Great Internet Deal! Nowadays you won't surprise anyone, but the fact that it exists even in the jungles of Malaysia was a pleasant surprise for us. Having studied the weather in all regions of Malaysia, and taking into account our above wishes, we found such an island - it turned out to be Pangkor! It is located on the west coast of the Malacca Peninsula, in the state of Perak. It can be reached by ferry from the seaside town of Lumut, located a 4-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. In ancient times, Fr. Pangkor was a haven for seafarers, merchants and adventurers who traveled the Strait of Malacca. It is believed that the name of the island comes from a combination of two Thai words "Pang Ko", which means " Beautiful island". Here's what I was able to read about him on the Internet:" Pangkor rightfully deserves this name, because it is an oasis of unspoiled jungle, coral reefs, emerald bays and white beaches. Pangkor Island is not at all large - only 12 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, but despite this, you can find everything you need for a good rest. The sapphire blue color of the ocean and the snow-white fine sand delight beach lovers, as well as all those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in order to enjoy a truly luxurious and unforgettable feeling of tranquility and tranquility. Diving enthusiasts will love to dive into the colorful coral reefs that abound in the waters around the island. " What we need! We decided to find out more information about hotels and beaches on the spot. Despite Saturday, which is a day of mass movements in all of Malaysia, we managed to buy bus tickets without any problems, and, indeed, after 4 hours we safely got from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut, and after another 30 minutes we sailed on a small boat to Pangkor. At the pier we asked local taxi drivers what hotel they would recommend to us so that it was not very expensive, clean, comfortable, beautiful place and, most importantly, next to coral reefs. Naturally, we were recommended Coral Bay, as one of the best on the island, and after 15 minutes for 12 ringgit (at a rate of 1 US $ \u003d 3.5 Malaysian ringgit) we were taken to Havana by a hotel. The hotel turned out to be quite decent and so was the owner! For a very reasonable price of 120 ringgit, we were provided with a separate bungalow with all amenities, air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, shower with round the clock hot water. Everything worked fine. It was possible to choose another room even cheaper for 90 ringgit, but this one was fine for us! A European breakfast was brought to us for a fee of 6 ringgit every morning on the veranda, and we dined in one of the restaurants, which were abundant here. Malaysian food was delicious and very cheap - a good hearty meal cost us 15-20 ringgit for two. A European lunch cost about 2 times more, but it seemed to us very cheap compared to Korea! We were practically the only visitors at the hotel, and maybe that's why (or maybe because on the first day I caught oysters, rapans and other mollusks, and treated them to the owner), he was filled with the best feelings for us, and all the following days he invited us to restaurants, or having a candlelit dinner under the palm trees in the courtyard. The name of the owner of the Havana hotel is Mr. Lee, he is Chinese by origin, speaks English quite well, he has a beautiful wife and a little daughter. Directly in front of us is the small island of Mentangor (see map). It could be reached by boat or reached by swimming, which I have done many times. There are coral reefs around this island, but not very interesting. Maybe someone will disagree with me, but it becomes more and more difficult to please us, as we have already seen magnificent corals in the seas of Thailand and the Philippines.
On the first day we arrived at Mentangor Island by boat. For 30 ringgit, we ordered a motorboat for the whole day, and only agreed on the time at which we need to be picked up from one island and transported to the next. Mentangor greeted us with cozy bays, impenetrable jungle and a flock of wild monkeys.
As soon as we landed on Pangkor, the taxi driver warned us that it is not safe to travel around the islands without a stick, as monkeys can attack you at any time. He was right. We did not part with the stick, and it later helped us out more than once when we lost our guard. We had to swim in turns, as the monkeys surrounded us with a tight ring and waited only for the moment when they could steal something. On the first day they did not succeed, and the next day they did it. In the morning before breakfast I decided to go snorkeling and put all my things in my backpack. I tied my backpack tightly and even, just in case, hid it under a stone, although there was no one on the shore, and I was swimming near the hotel. When I came out of the water, I was surprised to find that my backpack was untied, plastic bags were gnawed, and all my things were scattered along the beach within a radius of 20 meters. Most likely, they were interested in something edible, but since they could not find anything like that in their backpack, they tried on my shorts, a T-shirt, glasses out of annoyance, dried themselves with my towel, played with the camera, but they did not like it all, and they scattered everything and left not salty. However, for me it was a good lesson for a few days!

And this is another island (Giam, see the map), which is located on the right hand side of the hotel. It is also called Coral Island, because, like Mentangor, it is surrounded by a coral reef. You can easily swim to it, and once a year on the New Lunar Year (on this day the Sun, Earth and Moon line up in one straight line, and there is a maximum low tide), you can even walk knee-deep in water. It was this moment that I captured in the photo. Almost all tourists vacationing in Pangkor are brought to this island by boats, and they organize a demonstration snorkeling for them. In one of the bays, fish are constantly being fed, and the fish are literally teeming there. She snatches bread right out of her hands, bites her legs or arms, if you don't feed her, in general, she swims like in an aquarium. Basically, these are small fish of all imaginable and unimaginable colors, but sometimes quite decent specimens swim up. As I was told locals, around the island you can meet stingrays, but, alas, I did not manage to see a single worthy stingray, although I constantly swam with a trident, just in case, and tried to hunt them.

Hornbill is the symbol of Pangkor Island!

The Hornbil bird is so popular on the island that hotels, restaurants are named after it, and its image can be found everywhere. In this photo in the background, I photographed the wall of the house, painted by a local artist, and at that moment the real Hornbeel flew in and began to pose. Perfect match between the copy and the original! The literal translation of the name of this bird from English means - horn-shaped beak, however, the word "Hornbil" in Russian is rare, more often this bird is called a hornbill. The Latin name "buceros" just means "bull's horn". Most hornbills, and their the globe more than 45 species, distributed in Tropical Africa, in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula, and in South Asia on the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans. In Malaysia, they chose 2 islands - Pangkor and Borneo. Hornbills get their name from their large, long beaks. They love close attention to themselves and therefore they emit such specific loud sounds that it is simply impossible not to hear them and pass by. Well, if they decide to fly, then the noise of their wings is heard from afar.

And this is another indigenous inhabitant of the Pangkor island. There are a lot of them here. Monkeys, although they seem cute from a distance, are very warlike and unfriendly. They are somewhat similar to feral dogs, baring their teeth, hissing, biting. If it is possible to steal something, then they will certainly do it, even if they do not need the thing at all - they have such a character! With great pleasure they steal food - it is more profitable than looking for food in the jungle. So this handsome man took a can of canned food from someone and climbed into safe placeso that he is not disturbed during a meal. Coral Bay with a continuous sandy beach stretches for 2-3 kilometers. On one side, at the very beginning of the bay, our hotel was located, and on the other side, the bay ended with a small Buddhist temple, behind which the jungle began. This photo still captures the traces of civilization, and then only a narrow path goes, which sometimes goes to the seashore, and more often hides in an impenetrable forest. Our goal was to get along this path to the tip of the cape, where rocks and heaps of stones could be seen. Most likely, there was to be expected to see an interesting underwater world.

The most interesting snorkeling in Pangkor is around these cliffs extending into the sea. It is comparatively shallow near the coast, and behind the last stone the depth reaches 8 meters. Unfortunately, at this time the sea was blooming; there was a lot of plankton, and the clarity of the water left much to be desired. The bottom was not always visible from the surface, so I often had to dive. Chaotically scattered stones formed many underwater grottoes in which large fish were hiding. I never thought that just a few meters from the shore you can find fish the size of a man and weighing under 80 kilograms! Previously, I met such people in the Philippines, when I scuba dived at a depth of about 20 meters, and here they were next to the shore. Moreover, they did not pay attention to me at all, let me go to a distance of up to one meter, and only after that they lazily and reluctantly moved deeper under the rock. The next day they could be met again in the same places. Since it is known that under water fish seem to be a little larger than they actually are, even with this in mind, their size was impressive. Many people may not believe me and consider this a fishing exaggeration, so to prove it, with great difficulty I persuaded my wife to swim with me and make sure personally of the credibility of what I saw. When I showed her the silhouette of a fish with my finger and began to drive the fish out of the crevice, at some point they were near, and my wife was frightened, because the fish was bigger than her.

Emerald Bay

This was perhaps the most beautiful bay with the emerald color of the water. At high tide, to get to this bay, you had to walk over stones or knee-deep in water, but when the tide came, a strip of several meters of white sand was exposed. Swimming here is just fabulous - the water is very warm and clean, you can always hide from the heat in the shade of trees or behind large stones, and birds are chirping around, and no one but us. So it seemed to us, at least at first, but soon we realized that we were mistaken. Relaxing and indulging in bliss, we lost our guard for a moment, and were immediately severely punished. While swimming, our backpacks were gutted to the ground, all things were scattered and gnawed, and no one was around. There was no doubt, monkeys came to us again. It's time to remember that we are not alone in the jungle, and take appropriate measures. After that, I had to arm myself with a stick, swim in turns, and stand guard over my belongings.

Despite the fact that security measures were taken, I soon had to engage in a fight with an enemy superior in number. Apparently, this was a new landing, and they did not know that before that, their fellow tribesmen had already pretty much rummaged in our backpacks, and did not find anything interesting. Two monkeys crept up unnoticed from behind the stone, and began to make a distraction, calling fire on themselves. When I ran after them with a stick, the main bandit jumped on our things and began to scatter them quickly. He didn't manage to take anything away, since I was not far away and managed to hit him with a stick. Jumping back a few meters, he began to hiss ominously and say whatever he thinks of me. Anjungan beach resort The week passed unnoticed on the island. We still had 2 free days before the plane, and we wondered where it would be better to spend them: in the hot and stuffy capital or on the beach. Since we will still come to Kuala Lumpur, and, apparently, more than once, so we decided to continue our vacation in Pangkor and reach the state of saturation with the gentle sea, hot sun, clean beach, pristine nature, tropical vegetation and wild monkeys. The problem was one thing: if all week we were almost the only tourists on the island, then we got the impression that the whole of Malaysia and neighboring countries decided to come here on the New Lunar Year. In any case, all hotels were booked to capacity, not a single free room. It is good that the launch of two new hotels on the island was timed to coincide with the New Year, about which information had not yet been leaked to the Internet, and we moved to the Anjungan hotel. It had just been discovered in the territory reclaimed from the jungle, and we were its first visitors. Comfortable spacious rooms with all amenities, one window overlooking the jungle and the other overlooking the pool. At first, we considered the pool an unnecessary luxury and excess, but soon we changed our mind, and it turned out that after the sea, plunge into fresh water and swimming before bed or early in the morning is not bad at all. In addition, this hotel was located just on the opposite side of Coral Bay, very close to our favorite rocks, which was very convenient.

Sunset over the sea

Backpacks are packed, the last shots of the sunset are filmed, tomorrow we will have a way back. Of course, not all of us had time to see Pangkor. Of the sights, we did not see the Dutch fortress or, more precisely, its ruins. It is so called because it was built in 1670 by the Dutch, who then owned the island and defended their tin mines from pirates and Malays. Most of all I regret that I was not able to see another small island with the same name - Pangkor Laut. It is located one kilometer from southwest coast Pangkor, but there is no direct connection between them, you have to return to the mainland, and from there private boats go to Louth. The island itself is also a private property, which is called the fantasy of the East. According to the guidebook, the best beach of the Strait of Malacca is located here, and nature can really be called paradise. Well, well, not all at once, you have to leave something for future trips too! Goodbye, Pangkor, and see you soon! MichaelNazarov. The material is published with the kind permission of the author. His site:

On the way back from Malaysia to Thailand we decided to visit a small pangkor Island, which is notable for its quiet beaches, tranquility and a huge number of funny hornbills - local "Pigeons".

- small isle in the Malaysian state of Perak with a population of 25 000 islanders. Distance from Penang to Pangkor - 200 km, from the capital Kuala lumpur - 250 km. Pangkor not especially popular as a tourist destination, you will not find a single 5-star hotel here and, as a result, in Pangkor will not discomfort from crowds resting tourists. The island flows calm and measured life... The main tourist area - Teluk Nipah.

How to get to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur

The most optimal way to get to the island from the capital of Malaysia Kuala lumpur - use bus to the city Lumutwhere do they come from ferries directly to the island. Bus travel time - no more than 4 hours.

Pangkor Island Map with Ferry Schedules from Marina Island

We, as part of our trip to the countries of Southeast Asia on a scooter bought in Thailand, drove without any problems 250 km... of KL to the city Lumutwhere agreed on the ferry ferry us and scooter to the island of Pangkor. Motorcycles are transported on the ferry unofficially, no tickets are purchased. But for 10 ringitis the ferry team will agree to take your motorbike on board and even tie it to the deck with ropes for safety :) Also, it should be noted that ferries depart from 2 places in the city Lumut - from main pier cities - mostly locals use it (only here they will agree to take your motorcycle on board) and from the pier Marina Island- more focused on tourists... Ferries to Pangkor Island run every hour from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm.

This is how our faithful horse got to Pangkor

The island is notable for its calm, secluded and very picturesque beaches... Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the water on the beaches of the island is not perfect and the presence of all kinds of corals and algae prevents you from fully enjoying swimming. But this does not in the least affect the feeling that you are on paradise island .

One of the wild places of Pangkor island

Birds-Rhinoceros (Hornbill) of Pangkor Island

Talking about it is impossible not to mention the characteristic features islands - it is slightly more than fully populated rare Birds Rhinoceros (Hornbill Bird). They are here instead of pigeons and there are a huge number of them. Every evening at 17:30 next to the territory of one of the guesthouses, people gather feed Birds of Rhinoceroses, which gather at this time great amount and even shows are arranged like stretch your hand with a banana up and wait until one of the most daring birds grabs food. You can not be afraid for your fingers, as the birds take food very carefully, smoothly and carefully. So, stock up on bananas and have fun feeding these cute and kind creatures.

Feeding place for Rhino Birds on Pangkor Island on the map

Feeding the hornbill

Well, there are a lot of rhinos here

Bird-Rhino

Birds-Rhinoceros

They are not afraid and eat straight from the hands

Bird-Rhino

They love bananas :)

They everywhere

Housing cost on Pangkor island

Lodging the island is represented by many inexpensive guesthouses, a bungalow and a couple of 3-star hotels. We traveled around the island in border season - in Novemberand found a very decent air-conditioned guesthouse for $ 9 / day - Seagull Beach Village Resort - located near the bird feeding area - you can find it on the map above. IN high season the cost the cheapest housingon the island of Pangkor begins from 15 $ for a room for two. There is also a fucking campsite on the island, which, in the absence of guests from them, asked us as much as $ 5 for the opportunity to put up a tent on their territory on the beach. And this despite the fact that they did not provide any amenities, except for a barn-toilet.

Moving around the island of Pangkor

For displacements on the island of Pangkor you can use numerous pink taxis and tuk tuki.

Also, in Pangkor you can rent a scooter or a bike.

But, to be honest, there is nowhere much to move around here.

Attractions of the island of Pangkor

The main attraction of Pangkor Island is its calm and cozy atmosphere. Also, of course, hornbills are very happy.

And of the places that you can visit on Pangkor Island, there are quite strange chinese temple, with figures of cartoon characters. This temple is located in the most popular tourist area - Teluk Nipah.

Donald ducked in the territory of one strange temple on the island of Pangkor

One more sight islands - the ruins of a small portuguese fort since colonization:

Sunset at Pangkor

Lilia Khakimova

Moscow - Pangkor Island - Kota Bharu - Kuala Lumpur - Moscow.This is how the route of our first joint trip to Southeast Asia looked like.

Timur and I have never been to the equatorial zone and have never been to the island. Malaysia - one of the most unpopular resorts in Asia among Russians - was chosen by us due to the discovery of cheap tickets there. My husband, a month before this trip, visited the neighboring state of Indonesia, was surprised and intrigued by the area, so the decision to buy tickets to Malaysia was made literally in a few hours. During the same time, my parents were also involved in the adventure, who had already learned the taste of traveling with us, first in Spain, then in Egypt. In addition, Malaysia has a high level of prosperity, it is the third economy in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries. So we almost saved you from stereotypes and doubts about whether it is worth going there with your child, if you had any.

In this post I will tell you about how we planned our route, how we got to our destination for a day and, in fact, about the rest on one Malaysian island.

Route planning

After buying quite favorable tickets on the route Moscow - Kuala Lumpur airlines Etihad (with a 5-hour change in Abu Dhabi), we almost immediately started drawing up the route. I reread a million reports of desperate parents of young children, some of which were useful, but most of them drove into a dead end, because many reports are yes - bright, yes - colorful, but just terribly not detailed, as if 90 percent of the Russian population travels in Asia three times a year. At the same time, I read Seryozha's reports, and then for two or three nights we tried to draw up our almost two-week route.

Problems we faced when planning a trip to Malaysia:

There are many photographs and a huge number of movements around the islands, but at the same time there is no information about what transport to get there, what schedule it runs on, what real alternatives exist, how much it costs. This problem is partly due to the fact that people had time and could afford to stagger for several days, wondering whether to go somewhere or not.
There is practically no such information on at least available english language not only in reports, but also on the Internet. To understand something, you have to shovel through the forums, check everything with the map, and transport links change every now and then, therefore, the information becomes outdated
There are some problems finding accommodation on the island. Many people come to the island and look for accommodation already on the spot, but we arrived at night, so this option did not suit us. It's not so easy to find something decent on the usual booking and airnbnb. In a word, I had to choose from what was. There is also a purely Asian service for finding accommodation, agoda.com, about which, by the way, there are also enough not flattering reviews.

There is one more nuance worth mentioning. Our chosen dates ( end of November - beginning of December) officially considered the rainy season in Malaysia. When in doubt whether to go there in such a season, the answer is to go. And do not let the forecast with clouds for every day at a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius scare you, because these rains are not like ours. They go mainly at night or in the evening, they are very warm and pass quickly. However, at this time it is worth refraining from visiting the East Coast of Malaysia (where the South China Sea is, this also includes the Perhentian Islands) if your goal is to lie on the beach and swim. Wherein borneo islandis said to be visited in any season.

Our way there

We flew from Moscow in the afternoon at 14 o'clock, flew five hours before United Arab Emirates, there, at the Abu Dhabi airport, they waited for a transfer for another five hours. And, finally, about another seven hours flew to the capital of Malaysia. The airline is gorgeous, zero claims.

As an experienced aerophobe, I officially declare that the flight is very calm and comfortable. The food was so delicious that I even forgot about my problem (I think it's still a matter of food). Seryozha ordered me a seafood menu, so they even added fish to the omelet.

When our plane landed in Kuala Lumpur the local time it was 14:30. According to the trip plan, the bus we needed from the airport to the port city of Lumut or the neighboring city of Citiawan departed at about 15:30. Schedule, cost can be viewed on this website, where you can buy tickets.

We did not buy tickets in advance, because we did not know for sure whether there would be flight delays and how quickly we would find our bearings at the airport. By the way, they did it right, because you can buy everything on the spot at the bus station at the airport. There, at the bus station in the open waiting room, you can dine with inexpensive Malaysian food (very spicy!)

The way to Sitiavan took us another four hours in a very comfortable bus, in which I rested much more than in the two previous planes. Wide armchairs, ample aisle space, free water, air conditioning.

There is one drawback - it is very cold because of the air conditioner, so a warm blanket has become an indispensable assistant on this trip. From Sitiavan we had to urgently go to the pier in Lumut, because in a few minutes the last ferry to the island was leaving from there (at 20:30). We took a taxi and in 10 minutes were already at the ferry ticket office. If we had not had time, we would have had to spend the night in Lumut.

The ferry departs from 7 am to 8:30 pm on average every half hour (ticket office in Lumut is 05-683-58-00, 05-683-21-88. Full ferry schedule). We got on the ferry safely. By the way, tickets are sold immediately there and back. The ferry journey to the final pier takes only 40 minutes, there is only one stop along the way - in a fishing village. So, the night and we are in place. Hurrah!

Pangkor Island

Among all the islands on the West Coast of Malaysia, we chose the island of Pangkor for recreation. What were you guided by? It is considered the most rustic and not a partying island, unlike those located north of Penang and Langkawi, which, by the way, many people put it in a minus. We learned that Penang has not the best beaches, and Langkawi is too party-going, besides there is a duty-free shopping area, cheap alcohol (in the rest of Malaysia, alcoholic drinks are high taxes and they are really very expensive, even in chain stores). We only needed the sea. We also rejected the idea of \u200b\u200bmoving between the islands (many routes assumed exactly this), because my husband is not a fan of beach holidays (he barely endured these seven days on the island!).

At home, we carefully studied the map of the island and realized that we need to look for housing in the western part of it, where the main beaches are located. In the east of the island, as you can see, there is a port where ferries from Lumut arrive, as well as fishing villages.

We realized that we were in the village as soon as we got off the ferry to land. The taxi driver brought us to the hotel, which had been booked in advance at the booking. The hotel is terrible, I will give you a link to it, and you try to never get there. In short: everything stinks, everything is old, full of holes, all taps are leaking, bed linen is dirty and other delights of life. The fact that we were not satisfied with the room provided was said on the same evening. In the morning we were promised to change the number, but the promise remained just a promise. Therefore, this advice to you: book in advance a room only for one night, and then decide whether to stay in this place or look for something else. For clarity, a photo of a lovely hotel.

On the second day, we went to swim in the sea and realized that the beaches were completely empty. Have you forgotten that it is winter here ?! We looked around and decided that we should still change our place of residence, so we went with Seryozha to look for something more decent. All the bungalows were occupied (and most importantly, it is not very clear who, because the beaches are really empty), so we decided to look for hotels and stayed at this hotel with access to the beach.

It turned out to be a pretty decent restaurant with not only Asian but European cuisine (this is important, but more details later), a swimming pool, very clean and pleasant rooms.

As for the beaches, we lived in the southwestern part of the island, but then we realized that all the best beaches are located a little to the north. Look at the map of the island and choose accommodation near the beaches Teluk Nepah and Coral bay.

These beaches are cleaner and more beautiful than the southern ones, plus from there you can get to the small islands for snorkeling by boat. In recent days, we went to these beaches. The sea deserves special praise. I have never swam in such a warm sea! You can spend an hour in the water and not even feel the cold. An ideal place for children.

Dad and I, remembering our wonderful experience of snorkeling in Egypt, decided to see what this entertainment in the Malac Strait represents. Well, what can I say ... where all the tourists are taken in large quantities, there is nothing special to watch. The sight is, of course, amusing. A crowd of Asians in orange vests crowd the shore to watch the fish. As I understood, none of them can swim, so they don't swim further than a couple of steps from the shore.

Dad and I decided to swim around this small island. Of course, they did not meet fish there, but dad saw a monitor lizard and plucked a beautiful wild fruit that looked like a pineapple. The system for sending to small islands works like this: you pay 20 ringits per person and you are taken to the island along with a mask, and the time when you want to return is called before departure. You can spend at least the whole day there. In fact, it is worth it, because there is also a marine park, which turns out to be one of the best in the west of Malaysia. Simply put, this is such a quiet lagoon that is surrounded by coral reefs and clear waters. Dad and I swam there and were delighted!

A separate song. Having learned from the bitter experience of rest in resort towns, we knew that on the island it is hardly worth even trying to look for accommodation with a kitchen, because we will not find normal products there. Thought correctly. Asian food is very peculiar and spicy, so it is not suitable for everyone. With a child, this moment must be taken into account and be sure to take porridge with you (however, we take them on any trip). We were saved by the very restaurant in our hotel, where there was European cuisine, because although we love spicy food, it is unbearable to eat this three times a day. There are no normal shops on the island, as you might have guessed either. And why are they needed ?! By the way, there are good restaurants on these two beaches. Fruit can be bought only in the eastern part of the island near the port in small tents.

If you don't even know English, learn the word western. This word will save you from gastritis when you want some ordinary potatoes without spices or pasta bolognese ... Sometimes they write this word on the menu, indicating that there is Western cuisine here. Also, learn the word spicy, because if you are with a child, then every time you visit a restaurant, you should start by asking if they have anything that is not spicy. Just don't trust these Malays too much! They are very cunning! What is not sharp for them, for us ... you can sometimes climb the wall. Timur was so used to it that before every meal he asked whether it was spicy or not.

Transport

On the island there is no public transportbecause nobody needs it here. For tourists, there are taxis that cost from 10 to 15 ringits, depending on the distance. They all look like this.

All other people ride scooters. And they even carry newborn children on them. Scooters can be rented. You just need to take into account that traffic in Malaysia is left-hand, and you need to get used to it.

Dad rented a scooter and he and Seryozha traveled around the island in a couple of hours. When renting, they gave out a map showing all the attractions, as well as gas stations. gasoline on the island is not expensive, and women in bright clothes work at gas stations.

You can also go to the beaches this way. There is also a bike rental on the island. We knew about this, so we took Timur with a bicycle helmet in advance, but when I saw the serpentine roads that stretch along the jungle on the island and when we once walked along such a roadside on foot and came across a flock of monkeys (more on this later), I decided that with It is dangerous to ride in this way as a child. Seryozha was indignant for a long time that I was a coward!

Flora, fauna and our lesser friends

I have never seen the jungle as close as I have seen in Pangkor. It is truly an island of untouched nature. The main inhabitants of the rainforest are monkeys. All maps in hotels even show places where primates are especially abundant. We used to imagine monkeys as cute animals, but there they are something like ... our rats, if they could climb trees and jump. They steal food, things from tourists, they can even attack if they see fit. As we walked along the jungle along the road, a whole flock of monkeys ran out to the side of the road and began to resent. It became scary, because these cute creatures can take a stone or other heavy object in their paws and throw themselves. But there are also familiar animals there (in the photo, by the way, there is a cemetery).

Locals advise to fight off the monkeys with sticks, but for this you need to find a leader in the pack and fight with him, because he decides for everyone whether the object is dangerous or it is better not to touch it. From the Chinese temple at the end of the Coral Bay beach, a jungle path begins (on the map it is indicated as Jungle Trak). There are also wild untouched beaches that tourists love very much. It is here that these cute creatures will lie in wait for you. Never leave valuable things unattended and never feed the monkeys, because they will bring their friends and next time they will not leave you alone, even if you have no food.

I was able to take pictures with them once near the Coral Bay beach, when they robbed a house nearby.

A hornbill also lives on the island of Pangkor. Many hotels and restaurants are named after this bird - Hornbil. You may not see this bird up close, although they say that they are very tame, but you will always hear: they have a very characteristic singing. Despite the fact that the beak of these birds can scare many, you still need to look for such family birds: they look after each other, clean the feathers, the male always chooses a nest for the female and invites her there so that she will appreciate and give the go-ahead. In addition, the male takes care of the chicks and their mother until the children mature. There is a place on the island (this bird is drawn on the map) where hornbills are fed, you can come and see this spectacle (however, we never went).

What else?

Malaysia is a Muslim country. There are many mosques here, there are two of them on the island (there is a crescent on the map). In almost every hotel, in every public place, at the stations there are specially equipped prayer rooms.

There is even an arrow on the ceiling in every hotel room, indicating the direction in which to pray. Then I found out that many Russians are annoyed by this (think, little arrow!). However, the lack of popularity of alcohol in this country is another reason that Russians do not often consider Malaysia as a vacation spot.

Dutch fort. One of the few landmarks of the colonial period in Malaysia. The fort was built by the Dutch in the 17th century to control the Strait of Malacia: to protect against the pirates for which these waters were famous until recently, and local tribes. The fort was then destroyed and rebuilt in 1743 to serve as a garrison for Dutch soldiers. Reconstruction of the ruins was carried out already in the 20th century. Now there is a mini-bazaar for tourists.

Here, near the Dutch photo, a garden is laid out, from where the road to the Jungle leaves. We did not dare to go there.

Even in ancient times, the island was a refuge for merchants, pirates, sailors sailing along the Strait of Malacca. In addition, sailors have always lived on Pangkor. Here you can find a huge number of different fish, both simple and exotic, as well as turtles, rays, crabs. Fishing still makes a tangible contribution to the economy of the island.

Here you can visit fishing villages, go fishing, and also visit a factory where fish is produced. And dried and dried fish itself is sold almost on every corner: any market or shop with fish smells a kilometer away - so you won't pass by!

Infrastructure. There are two banks on the island that are open from 9 am to 4 pm, Friday is a short day, Saturday and Sunday are days off. ATMs work a little longer, but they often run out of money. Ideally, of course, you need to come to the island already with ringgits. Cash must be required.

In addition to the banking infrastructure, the island has a fire and police station, an ambulance station and even a library.

There is and tourist centre (it is located by the port, just between the banks street and the fire station), the opening hours of which are also limited. We never managed to get into it. All infrastructure is located in the eastern part of the island.

The week on the island flew by very quickly. I think that for such an island this time is enough, but nevertheless, it always seems that some two days were not enough. We left rested, and some of us were burnt (by the way, you can burn here even in the shade, so fanatically smear yourself with cream!). During our entire stay on Pangkor, we did not meet a single Russian, moreover, only once did we see Europeans there. I have never been in such a place in my life, it is even indecently unusual.

So, briefly. When, in my opinion, should you go to Pangkor Island?

1. If you want to relax in a place without fuss, people and parties on beautiful sandy beaches with emerald water;

2. If you are ready to sacrifice some of your comfort like a five-star hotel and all inclusive for the sake of a week in such a semi-wild place;

3. If you want to visit an island near the capital of Malaysia, then Pangkor is perfect. You can spend a few days here, and then, without wasting time, leave for the capital or some other city. This island (like neighboring Penang, Langkawi) is definitely not worth spending the whole trip here, as, for example, the famous Borneo (Kalimantan) or Perhentiana in the South China Sea.

So our journey will continue in the eastern part of Malaysia.

Financial part (including flights + transfers to and from the island)

Flight Moscow - Abu Dhabi - Kuala Lumpur (and vice versa) \u003d 18,250 rubles (children cost 15 thousand exactly)

Bus from Kuala Lumpur Airport (on ticket purchase sites it is designated as KLIA - Kuala-Lumpur International Airport) to Sitiavan (or to Lumut, as you are lucky) \u003d 48 ringgits (in rubles, something about 720 rubles) per person (a child under four years old travels for free)

Ferry from Lumut to Pangkor Island (round trip ticket, one way ticket cannot be bought) \u003d 10 ringgit per person (something about 150 rubles). Again, the child rode for free.

Accommodation \u003d $ 90 per night for a two-bedroom suite at DJ Resort Pangkor; 155 ringgit per day cost double Room at Puteri Bayu Beach Resort (a child under four years old stays free).

Scooter rental \u003d 30 ringgit per day (excluding the cost of gasoline).

Bicycle rental \u003d 10 ringgit per day

Average bill in a cafe \u003d 50 ringgit (about 750 rubles) for 4 people

Chicken Cream Soup \u003d 5 ringgit

Tom yum soup \u003d 10 ringgit

French fries \u003d 5 ringgit

Main course (fish or meat) \u003d 8 riggits

Freshly squeezed juice \u003d 5-8 ringgit

Taxi on the island of Pangkor \u003d 10-15 ringgit (average price of a trip with us). And so here is the complete tariff schedule:

To organize an independent travel to Malaysia, use our

Last fall in September we had to make a short trip to southeast Asia for 10 days. We thought for a long time where to go and how to guess the weather. Before that, we flew from Thailand for one day to the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur. We liked this hospitable country very much, and we decided to go to one of its resorts.

The most ideal place in terms of weather was the island of Pangkor (Malaysia), which is located 150 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur. We were attracted by the thought of a calm secluded rest far from civilization. We began to study how to get to Pangkor Island in Malaysia and how to diversify our leisure time. After reading reviews on the Internet, we learned a lot of interesting things and began to plan our vacation. Having decided on the dates, we proceeded in advance to select tickets and book a hotel on Pangkor Island in Malaysia for three people, including a five-year-old child.

Pangkor: how to get there, selection of air tickets and flight

Considering the question of how to get to Pangkor Island in Malaysia, it was necessary to book a flight. We had already resorted to searching for air tickets on our own and knew that the savings were significant. This time we also decided to find tickets ourselves, using. Having entered the site, I entered the departure point - the city of Moscow and the place of arrival - Kuala Lumpur. In the search engine, you also need to put the dates when we intended to start our journey and return back. I just had to put the number of people (adults and children) who went on the flight. The system has selected several options for flights from Moscow to the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

The cheapest flight option was an Etihad ticket and a flight via Abu Dhabi. The cost of a round trip flight for three people was 70,000 rubles. The only catch was the flight time, which was 28 hours and with only 10 days at our disposal, we didn't want to sacrifice two days. Ultimately, we settled on Singapore Airlines, which admit the best airline in the world, and Changi airport, where we had a transfer, was the best airport in the world.

The flight was normal and a total of 12 hours. During the stopover in Singapore, we went shopping Duty Free and appreciated Changi airport.

Pangkor, Malaysia: how to get from the airport to the island

Arriving in the capital of Malaysia, we went to the shuttle that followed to the central station in Kuala Lumpur. Buses to Kuala Lumpur city center run every half hour. Their cost is about 150 rubles, and the travel time is less than 1 hour. Arriving at the station, we bought a ticket for a flight at 10.40 to the city of Lamut. The cost of each ticket is 350 rubles (27 ringgit). And the travel time is about 4 hours.

The bus station in Lamut is located right on the waterfront opposite the pier, ferries to the island run every half hour from 7.00 am to 20.30 pm. On the way back, we didn't have the opportunity to make such a long bus ride, so we just ordered a taxi. The cost of an "economy" class car was 10,000 rubles. A local Proton car was brought to the pier, and we comfortably reached the airport in 3 hours.

Hotels in Pangkor Island

The hotel on Pangkor Island, which we booked in advance, is simply gorgeous, called Pangkor Laut Resort. Most of the hotels on the island are rated 2-3 stars, and there are not many such hotels where we stayed.

Our Pangkor Island hotel is located on a secluded island southwest of the main island. We found this hotel thanks to a free search engine. There were provided photographs of the hotel and the surrounding area, as well as reviews of tourists. Based on these reviews, a general picture of this Pangkor hotel in Malaysia developed, and we knew for sure that we would not go wrong by staying there.

Having paid about 100 thousand rubles for 10 days for three people, we got a luxurious villa at the foot of the hill. We could not be accommodated in one of the villas on stilts in the sea, as such villas are not intended for vacationers with children under 16 years old. In general, we were still satisfied, since for an identical villa somewhere in the Maldives, we would have paid several times more.

On the territory of the Pangkor Island hotel there is a tennis court, spa salon, fitness center, several bars and restaurants, open pool... The area is huge and very green, with many tall palms and other vegetation. The hotel is located on the first coastline. Private beach quite wide, along its entire length there are sun loungers under white umbrellas. The sea water is clean and clear, so you can see every pebble at the bottom.

Staying at the hotel is accompanied by complete privacy, silence and a calm, relaxed atmosphere. The food and service are also top notch, but the quality of the internet leaves much to be desired.

Things to do in Pangkor Island, Malaysia

Pangkor Island has only a quiet pastime. There are no nightclubs and discos under open sky, and shopping centers for shopping. Hotels are scattered along the coast, as are restaurants with small eateries. There are several convenience stores close to the marina, but that's all there is. Complete privacy and silence. From entertainment you can ride a boat, jet ski, banana boat, parachute, snorkel, go to a fishing village or go fishing yourself.

Attractions of the island of Pangkor

One day we visited a Danish fort that was built on the island in 1670. This fort kept ammunition and various supplies for the expeditionary forces, and the fort itself served as a defensive structure. 20 years after its construction, it was destroyed. Several decades later, in 1743, the fort was rebuilt by the Danes again and stands here to this day. The fort is located a few kilometers from the hotel. So we got there very quickly on a pink minibus, which constantly circulate along the same route and are the most convenient method of moving around the Pangkor island.

Chinese temple

The ancient Chinese temple Phu Lin Kong is also a landmark of Pangkor Island. It takes large territory and it took us about 4 hours to examine everything. It even has a miniature version of the Wall of China and a host of other things for tourists to discover. You can get to the temple by minibus.

What else to do?

Around the island of Pangkor (Malaysia) you can take a boat ride, visit all the bays and beaches, take a lot of photos or shoot great material on video.

In the middle of the island there is a hill called Pangkor Hill, where wild monkeys live and there is a small waterfall.

You can also diversify your vacation on the island of Pangkor in Malaysia with a trip to neighboring Lamut. To do this, you need to take a ferry that runs every half hour, and all the benefits of civilization are at your disposal.

On the island of Pangkor (Malaysia) we had a wonderful vacation. During 10 days we had a great rest and recharged with energy for months to come. The holiday environment was relaxing and fully conducive to spending a vacation here with the family.