Understand
Pangkor Island is a relatively small island with total surface area of about 8 km².
Orientation
The east coast of the island faces the mainland and is a continuous strip of residential villages, including Sungai Pinang Kecil SPK, Sungai Pinang Besar SPB and Pangkor Town, the major centre of population.
The road that runs along the east coast of the island turns west in Pangkor Town and crosses the island to one of the most famous beaches on the west cost of the island, Pasir Bogak about 2km from Pangkor Town.
From Pasir Bogak, the road runs north to the village of Teluk Nipah, where most of the budget accommodation is located. It then goes to the northern end of the island, past through the airport to a site where the Pangkor Pan Pacific Hotel located. This is the location of the famous Golden Sand Bay Pantai Puteri Dewi in Teluk Belanga. Next to Teluk Belanga is Teluk Dalam where the third Pier Pan Pacific Jetty in Pangkor Island located. This pier is exclusively for the guest to Pangkor Pan Pacific Hotel only.
After Teluk Dalam, the road turns to the east and finally join to the road on the east coast in Sungai Pinang Kecil, completing a full ring.
Beside the simple ring road mentioned above, there is only one branch off in Pangkor Town where the road runs southward to Teluk Gedung and Teluk Baharu.
In Teluk Gedung is the 17th century Dutch fort and the Batu Bersurat Written Rock.
Tourism
Although Pangkor is less well-known than Penang, Langkawi, and Tioman, the Perak state government is making efforts to promote it as one of Malaysia's main tourist destinations. It is a popular local resort and can get very crowded at weekends and on public holidays, however the beaches are almost empty during the week. It has some of the west coast's prettiest and most tranquil beaches, authentic Malaysian fishing villages that have changed little in 50 years, and some great local food especially the seafood.
In 2005 the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism expressed support for a local developer of the new Marina Sanctuary Resort Project. A RM50 million tourism and infrastructure loan was sought by the developer to boost the tourism in Pangkor Island by providing improved ferry access into Pangkor. This program is claimed to have the potential to bring an additional 2 million tourists into the sleepy island ever year. There are some concerns about ensuring the protection of the natural environment and laid back nature of the island should projects such as this proceed. The project involves the creation of a man made island, reclaimed from the sea and with a total area of 316.9 acres. It is sited 400 m from the mainland's shoreline. The current development is structured into 5 phases and will take a period of 10-15 years to completion.
The island also supports an emerging fish farming and aquaculture operation.
History
Pangkor was previously a favourite refuge of fishermen, sailors, merchants and pirates, and was an important site from which to control trading in the Strait of Melaka.
A Dutch fort was built in the 17th century to monopolise tin trade in Perak and to protect the Perak Chieftan against Acehnese and Siamese incursions, but the Dutch were soon driven out by the local ruler when the promised protection did not materialise.
In 1874 a contender to the Perak throne sought British backing and signed the Pangkor Treaty, as a result of which James WW Birch was installed in Perak and thus began the British Colonial era on the peninsula.
Pangkor's economy was once reliant on fishing, and fishing and dried fish products are still a major industry for the island. The famous satay fish originated here.