Day 1: Death Valley
5 years ago
Feb 23, 2009
NO.103
FM from Syazwan
The main island of Pangkor is mainly populated by fisher folk who occupy the eastern coastline. The island is famous for its 'ikan bilis' (anchovies) and squids. The real attraction here however are the enchanting beaches on the western coastline Pantai Puteri Dewi , Teluk Belanga, Teluk Nipah, and Teluk Cempedak are marvellous for swimming or just basking in the sun, in complete privacy admist tranqull surroundings.
Situated 7km from historic Lumut town across the Straits of Malacca, it has for centuries enthralled visitors with her charming beauty, idyllic bays, pristine beaches, and vibrant tropical forests. Hence it comes as no surprise that she has been a welcome stopover for the sea weary, pirates, and adventurers in the old days. In fact, it was at one time ruled by European conquerors such as the Dutch and British yet her natural wonders have remained unscarred and her environment as tranquil and harmonious as ever. Today's Pangkor is a thriving tourist destination that does not reflect her turbulent past.
One of the best ways to see the island is to go on a round island trip van taxi. The trip cost approximately RM30.00-RM50.00. As you travel travel around coastal roads, you will see quaint Malaysian villages with wooden houses on stills under the shade of coconut trees. Now and then, you will catch glimpses of the white sand and the shimmering blue sea. In the forests, you may chance upon shy deer or playful monkeys darting among the branches Pangkor is a 40 minute ferry ride from Lumut, a coastal town, which is 84km from Ipoh city or a 3 hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. The ferry fare costs a mere few ringgit depending on which part of Pangkor you are going to. There are also scheduled flights via Kuala Lumpur operated by Berjaya Air. This flight is 5 times a week except Tuesday and Thursday. Once there, taxis (Van) are available for most part of the day to take you around. However, please be forewarned that the taxis have no meters, hence you should check the fare before embarking on a ride.
Ferries from Lumut arrive at the Pangkor Village Jetty and from here, if you haven't made prior arrangements with the resort etc, there are taxis ever eager to take passengers across the island to Teluk Nipah or Pasir Bogak costing somewhere between RM15 to RM45. Taxis are not cheap on the island and taxidrivers here are not in the habit of instilling metered rides. It's a bit of a pain as you may have to negotiate with the taxidrivers everytime you hail one. But if you're game for a bit of adventure, hire a motorbike or a bicycle. That'll just about allow you to cover the island in a day. Word of caution though for those not really of 'Tour de Langkawi' material: the island roads are pretty steep in certain areas so make sure you're fit enough to conquer the heat and the slopes. Also, watch out for packs of feral dogs running around on the island - it's a bit of a problem especially around Pangkor Village.
Pangkor Village is a busy little place with lots happening, particularly in the early hours of the morning when fresh produce from fishermen and from mainland are brought in for the local community's daily needs. Toward the end of the village, on the left from the jetty, a few 'kedai kopi' (coffee shops) cater to the local malaysian folk who frequent the place for their breakfast and a little bit of the local gossip. The 'Kuih Badak' is a nice snack to go with a cup of steaming local kopi (coffee).
Kuih Badak is made primarily from sweet potato and flour kneaded,then shaped into a hollow ball and filled with spiced grated coconut fried with a bit of shrimp to give it that special 'zing'
Near Pangkor Village
On the map above:
| A | Pan Pacific Resort | |
| B | Airport | |
| C | Lin Ye Kong Tempel | |
| D | Kali Amman Tempel | |
| E | Pangkor Village | |
| F | Batu Berserat | |
| G | Fort Dindings (Kota Belanda) (old Dutch VOC-fort) | |
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