Pulau Pangkor is an island off the coast of Perak in north-west peninsular Malaysia, reached by ferry from Lumut (a small coastal town that links to Ipoh, or from Sitiawan). It has a land area of only 8 square kilometers, and a population of approximately 25,000 islanders. It is heavily promoted as a low-key tourist destination by the Malaysian government, but fishing and fish products remain major industries.
Historically, Pangkor was a refuge for local fishermen, merchants and pirates. In the 17th century, the Dutch built a fort in an effort to control the Perak tin trade. In 1874, it was the location of a historic treaty between a contender to the Perak throne and the British government (The Pangkor Treaty), which began the British colonial domination of the Malay Peninsula.
Pangkor is famous for its fine beaches and a mix of low budget to 5 star accommodations. Teluk Nipah and Coral Bay on the north west of the island is extremely popular with travellers from Europe. The quality of sand is far more superior in the Pasir Bogak Beach as compared to elsewhere on the island. The sand is golden brown, quite similar to most leading prime beaches.
Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia, Thailand and to a lesser extent the West Coast of Malaysia in December 2004, there has been less local tourists visiting Pangkor.
In 2006, a biotechnology centre, a joint venture of Global Hi-Q Malaysia S/B and Hi-Q Bio-Tech International (Taiwan) Ltd has began operations with initial investments of RM100million (USD30m). Their operations include fish farming, aquaculture and the first harvest is expected in 2009.
Accessibility and convenience of travelling by road and by air to Pangkor will be progressively enhanced in the next two years (2006-2008) due to the completion of the upgrading workings of Simpang Pulai – Lumut 4-lane dual carriage highway (which is nearing completion), the West Coast Expressway and the introduction of more flights, including AirAsia services. It will certainly be possible to arrive at Lumut within 2 – 2 1/4 hours from Kuala Lumpur, and much less if it is by air.
Busses from many parts of the country arrive frequently in Lumut at the bus station which is almost opposite of the Lumut jetti. You can not bring your car to the island, motorbikes and bicycles can be transported.
Ferry services are frequent (every 30 mins during the day, RM 10 for a return ticket), reliable and fairly comfortable. The ferry takes 40 minutes and stops first in SPK, Sungai Pinang Kecil. This has been well accepted as a special feature associated with commuting to and from Pangkor.
There are no bridges because there exist a policy to control the number of vehicles on the island partly due to no real necessity and partly due to space constraints. This has brought about much positive effects in preserving a natural environment free from toxic fumes, dust, noise, congestion and traffic hazards. All these have contributed to the preservation of wildlife in the tropical rain forest where many rare spices still exist, including hornbills and monitor lizzards.
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