BEAUTIFUL PANGKOR ISLAND

An endless sea of taxi’s and a bunch of touts, trying to get you to stay at their guesthouse or rent a scooter, await you on your ferry exit, though aren’t pushy and are quickly left behind.  Considering our relaxed experience on the Island later, it seems a strange first encounter.  But I have a place organized already, the Budget Beach Hotel which is located on the other side of the island, a taxi will take us there for 15 myr.

I tell the driver that I have other ‘friends’ still coming and run back to talk to the other western couple from the ferry and see if they want to go halves in the taxi, all good and we are on our way!  It probably takes around 15 – 20 minutes to Nipah Bay, where the bulk of the budget accommodation is located, and we are soon checked in to our funky little wooden bungalows at 75 myr per night.

We are really just ready to collapse and call it a night, but after a shower we decide to go out for a quick look around and dinner.  A great little stretch of beach, with lots of tiny stalls, open air restaurants and simple accommodation set back from the ocean, I like the feel of this place already.

It turns out to be one of the best islands I have visited, large enough to have all the basic amenities and not get boring, but small enough to give it that ‘miles from real civilization’ feel, and we end up staying around 8 nights.  

A really beautiful island with nice beaches, a few small towns and some really great riding, I take the bike around the island almost twice a day it is such a nice ride.  Our stay coincides with Malaysian Independence Day and my birthday on the same weekend.  The island comes alive with festivities and fireworks and makes for an even more special time here.

(as with last year in Jakarta, my football team lose again on my birthday... am i bad luck?!)

There are other tiny islands dotted around the coastline, a lush jungle interior, monkeys everywhere, interesting Chinese temples, great fresh cheap seafood and I even get some fishing in.  We both fall in love with Pangkor Island, a place not to be missed if you’re in Malaysia.





Pangkor Island

  

View from our favourite eating spot

Go for a walk out past the Chinese Temple just north of Nipah Bay to find this place, beautiful spot to sit on sunset and we were always the only ones there