Phalinn

The Jetty in Lumut

Ferry

The Jetty in Pangkor

Pulau Pangkor is a good place to relax if you like sunsets, history, beaches, seafood, snorkelling and fishing. Internationally, Pangkor is famous for Pangkor Laut Resort, the super high class resort which is the Italian tenor, Pavarotti's favorite getaway.

People get to Pangkor mainly using the ferry service from Lumut. The tickets are cheap as the ferry companies seem to fight for customers all the time. It can get ugly sometimes. The trip take less than an hour. Another way of reaching Pangkor is by air from KL's Subang airport using Berjaya Air. The tickets are really expensive. It's better to drive to Lumut from wherever you are, park your car at the spaces provided and get on the ferry to Pangkor. It's a great experience.

Pangkor local kids

Teluk Nipah

Pasir Bogak

Pangkor is a relatively small island. You can get around by motorcyle or bicycle which you can rent, on your own foot or if you're lazy enough you can take those pink minivan taxis. Basic stuff such as ATM machines and Internet are readily available. Good food can be found anywhere especially at Teluk Nipah. If you love seafood you should try out Restoran Seafood No. 1. Finger-licking-good seafood, trust me.

Grill Fish

Stalls at Teluk Nipah

The beaches here are much better than in Langkawi. Pasir Bogak beach is the most famous and crowded. The beach at Teluk Nipah is much wider and provides more activities including snorkelling, jet-skiing and fishing. Plus, there're a lot of good food stalls around. Other beaches include Coral Bay (the best beach on the island), Teluk Ketapang (they say you can watch turtle lay eggs here if you're lucky), Pantai Puteri Dewi (you need to pay RM40 to access this beach unless you're staying at Pan Pacific Resort) and Emerald Bay at the exclusive Pangkor Laut Resort.

Accommodation wouldn't be a problem as there are plenty of places to stay ranging from budget hotels to exclusive 5 star resorts. If you like birds like i do, you can find Hornbills everywhere. Other place of interest include Foo Lin Kong temple, Kota Belanda (Dutch Fort, Batu Bersurat and those seafood factories (dry fish etc). Overall, Pangkor is good for a short stay (less than a week) i guess as you'll probably get bored if you stay too long.

NB: Some photographs appear 'hazy' here. Somehow for this Pangkor trip i forgot to bring my polarizing filter and lens hood.

Orang Asli kid, Cameron Highland, Malaysia

Even as a Malaysian I'm still not so sure whether Cameron Highland is actually located in the state of Perak or Pahang. If i get questions regarding this from my Geography teacher, i will obviously fail.

Anyway, last summer was my first visit to Cameron Highland after 24 years being a Malaysian. We drove there and from what my dad told me, Cameron Highland can be reached from 2 different routes. The first option (from top downwards, the option we took) is from Simpang Pulai to Gunung Chabang and to Brinchang, the highest point of Cameron Highland said the Equatorial Hotel people. The other option (bottom to top) is from Tapah, then Ringlet, making your way up. The road is much wider (& safer) using the first option.

There are basically 3 main hill resorts in Malaysia, namely Genting Highlands, Fraser's Hill and obviously Cameron Highland. There are some new ones coming up such as Bukit Tinggi Resort and stuff. Cameron Highland is still the best among all these, with Genting being "too developed" and Fraser's being "too underdeveloped", gosh i would rather climb the hill behind my house than visit Fraser's Hill.

There are many places to stay in Cameron Highland, so regardless of the type of traveller that you are, accommodation won't be a problem, at all. I'm lucky to be a 24 year old baby boy who travels with my family all the time, so I got to stay at Equatorial Hotel Cameron Highland, the best hotel in Cameron Highland, said the Equatorial people (my dad joined this weird club where he gets discount on good hotels). It's a good place to stay, with huge spacious room and nice views. It's more like an apartment than an actual hotel room, so i would recommend it to those traveling with families.

Equatorial Cameron Highland

Old house, Boh Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Things you should do while in Cameron Highland = take pictures,visit the vegetable farms, those shops selling flowers, the strawberry farm, those markets selling fresh vegetables and nice key chains, have a nice walk around the shops in Tanah Rata, visit the tea plantation, have some nice tea, see how teas are made, visit the Orang Asli (indigenous) people, take pictures of them or with them, go down, buy more vegetables or orchids and stop at Lata Iskandar Waterfall to chill out. Great place.

Boh Tea Centre, Cameron Highland

Don't forget these cool mini cactus

Tea Plantation, Cameron Highland

Kasimanis Strawberry Farm, Cameron Highland