Last Minute Pangkor Trip

Let’s say it’s a long weekend (Monday is a public holiday) and you decide to just wing it to Pangkor. Here’s a short guide.

Getting There

PLUS Highway: take the Bidor exit and head to Teluk Intan, and from there to Sitiawan and then to Lumut.

Old road: Actually KL to Lumut using the old road might be nearer (around 200 km). And it’s not too bad, either, except that we’re too used to the safety and convenience of the highway. Of course, the old road is more scenic, and there’s no toll. Go through Kuala Selangor, Tanjong Karang, Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam and Teluk Intan.

Wife quote: “[Using the old road] you’d think Malaysia is one endless kampung.”

The covered car park at Lumut will set you back RM10.00 every 24 hours.

From Lumut to Pulau Pangkor, the ferry ride costs RM10.00 per head, two-way. It might make a stop at a small jetty before reaching the final destination which is the jetty near the Pangkor town. So ask first before disembarking …

Traveling light would be an advantage as it’s hard to lug too much stuff on and off the ferry.

Accommodation

If you don’t make reservations ahead of time, expect all major hotels to be fully booked except for Telok Dalam Resort. There are two reasons for this: Telok Dalam is the furthest hotel from town (6 km), and its beach is not so good. But the hotel itself is fine. For RM230.00 (breakfast included) you get to stay in an air-conditioned one-bedroom chalet with an attached toilet plus Astro. My only grouse is the breakfast: there’s no variety, the bread is of very low quality and instead of butter they give you Planta margarine.

Oh, and the swimming pool has a slide. Not just any stupid slide but the type which has a jet of water pushing you down. Fun!

The taxi ride from Pangkor town to Telok Dalam Resort is RM18.00. Interesting side note: the taxis in Pangkor are all pink-coloured vans.

Getting Around and Doing Stuff

You can rent a Kancil (auto) for RM110 per day from Sam’s Watersports at the resort. It’s really quite essential because you would want to go to Telok Nipah (about 2 km away) for food and shopping. Also at Telok Nipah there are two vendors which offer speedboat rides, jetski, etc. A speedboat ride which takes you on a tour around the cove costs RM30.00 per boat (max 6 people?).

Food

Lunch is hard to get and is expensive! There is no ikan bakar for lunch. Telok Nipah becomes quite “happening” at night especially on a holiday weekend. Seafood is of course very fresh and should taste good no matter how it’s cooked.

22 May 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments