Pangkor Island, Malaysia

On our way back from Malaysia to Thailand, we decided to visit the small island of Pangkor, which stands out for its quiet beaches, its calm, and a huge number of funny hornbills — the local “pigeons.”

Pangkor Island in Malaysia

Pangkor is a small island in the Malaysian state of Perak with a population of 25,000 islanders. The distance from Penang to Pangkor is 200 km, and from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, 250 km. Pangkor is not especially popular as a tourist destination; you won't find a single 5-star hotel here, and as a result, on Pangkor there will be no discomfort from crowds of vacationing tourists. Life on the island flows calmly and at an unhurried pace. The main tourist area is Teluk Nipah.

How to get to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur

The best way to get to Pangkor Island from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, is to take a bus to the town of Lumut, where ferries run directly to Pangkor Island. The bus ride takes no more than 4 hours.

Tourist map of Pangkor Island with the ferry timetable — Map of Pangkor Island with the ferry schedule from Marina Island

We, however, as part of our journey through the countries of Southeast Asia on a scooter bought in Thailand, rode the 250 km from KL to the town of Lumut without any problems, and there we arranged a ferry crossing to Pangkor Island for ourselves and the scooter. Motorcycles are taken on the ferry unofficially; no ticket is bought. But for 10 ringgit the ferry crew will agree to take your motorbike on board and will even tie it to the deck with ropes for safety :) It's also worth noting that ferries leave from 2 places in Lumut: from the town's main jetty, used mostly by locals (only here will they agree to take your motorcycle on board), and from the Marina Island pier, which is more geared toward tourists. Ferries to Pangkor Island run every hour from 6:30 a.m. to 17:30.

Scooter on the deck of a ferry heading to Pangkor Island — This is how our faithful steed made it to Pangkor

Beaches of Pangkor Island

Pangkor Island stands out for its calm, secluded, and very picturesque beaches. Unfortunately, the water on the island's beaches isn't perfectly clean, and all sorts of coral and seaweed keep you from fully enjoying a swim. But that doesn't in the least spoil the feeling that you're on a paradise island.

Panorama of a turquoise bay with forested shores, Pangkor Island — A picturesque bay on Pangkor Island

Waves on white sand and forested headlands, Pangkor Island — Beaches of Pangkor Island

Pale sand and boulders below a forested slope, Pangkor Island beach — Beaches of Pangkor Island

Shallow clear water off the beach with an island beyond, Pangkor Island — Beaches of Pangkor Island

Rocky shore and turquoise water of a bay, Pangkor Island — Beaches of Pangkor Island

Forested hills behind a calm bay and sandy shore, Pangkor Island — One of the wild spots on Pangkor Island

Hornbills of Pangkor Island

Speaking of Pangkor, one can't help but mention the island's distinctive feature: it is populated slightly more than completely by rare hornbills (Hornbill Bird). Here they take the place of pigeons, and there are a huge number of them. Every evening at 17:30, near the grounds of one of the guesthouses, people gather to feed the hornbills, which gather at this time in huge numbers, and there are even shows like “hold your hand up with a banana and wait until one of the bravest birds snatches the food.” You don't have to worry about your fingers, because the birds take the food very gently, smoothly, and carefully. So stock up on bananas and enjoy feeding these sweet, kind creatures.

The hornbill feeding spot on Pangkor Island on the map

Hand reaching a food morsel to a hornbill on a post, Pangkor Island — Feeding a hornbill

Flock of hornbills on power lines under grey clouds, Pangkor Island — There are really, really a lot of hornbills here

Long-tailed hornbill perched on a fence rail, Pangkor Island — A hornbill

Hornbill on a fence with people and motorbikes in the street behind, Pangkor Island — A hornbill

Three hornbills on a wooden fence beside a banner, Pangkor Island — Hornbills

Smiling woman feeding a hornbill at a wooden fence, Pangkor Island — They aren't afraid and eat right out of your hands

Woman offering a banana to a hornbill on a garden fence, Pangkor Island — They aren't afraid and eat right out of your hands

Hornbill pecking a banana from a hand on a balcony rail, Pangkor Island — A hornbill

Woman feeding a banana to a hornbill on a balcony, Pangkor Island — They really love bananas :)

Hornbills on a wall among red flowers, Pangkor Island — They're everywhere

Cost of accommodation on Pangkor Island

Accommodation on Pangkor Island consists of many inexpensive guesthouses, bungalows, and a couple of 3-star hotels. We traveled around the island in the shoulder season, in November, and found a very decent guesthouse with air conditioning for $9 a day — Seagull Beach Village Resort — it's next to the bird feeding spot, and you can find it on the map above. In the high season, the cost of the cheapest accommodation on Pangkor Island starts from $15 for a double room. There's also a campground on the island that has completely lost its mind: with not a single guest in sight, they asked us for a whole $5 for the chance to pitch our own tent on their grounds on the beach. And that's even though they offered no facilities other than a shed of a toilet.

Getting around Pangkor Island

To get around Pangkor Island, you can use the numerous pink taxis and tuk-tuks.

You can also rent a scooter or a bicycle on Pangkor.

But, to be honest, there isn't really anywhere to go here.

Sights of Pangkor Island

The main attraction of Pangkor Island is its calm, cozy atmosphere. And, of course, the little hornbills are a real joy.

As for places to visit on Pangkor Island, there's a rather strange Chinese temple with figures of cartoon characters. This temple is in the most popular tourist area, Teluk Nipah.