On our most recent trip to Malaysia, M and I weren’t on a foodcation by ourselves, but in fact we went with my parents on a farewell trip to the Malaysia we knew as my sister’s home of 8 years. Because my parents don’t solely travel just to eat, we kind of had no choice but to do more than just eat. Enter Pangkor Laut Resort.
My sister insisted we go to an island (she is wise), and M insisted we go to a non-tourist laden island. In hindsight, this was one of the best decisions ever, as we got to spend priceless time with our parents, and unwind to the soothing sounds of waves crashing against the shore, birds chirping, and leaves rustling.
There are a few islands in Pangkor, but we decided to pick the best resort we could find, and were super pleased with our choice of Pangkor Laut Resort.
We drove form KL, it took about 3 hours to get to the jetty port, and another 15 minutes worth of a very choppy but very fun jetty ride to the resort.
We were greeted by chilled towels and mango popsicles, a welcome touch on a tropical getaway.If you arrive earlier than your check-in time, there are canopied lounge beds in the veranda that you can actually rest/read a book/take full-on naps on. Alternatively, you could also head to the beaches and other activities.
We decided to have lunch first, which was just your average overpriced resort food to be honest but it did all taste good. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant, but it was one of the only two options, as all the restaurants came with a different set of confusing timings, dress codes and whether or not children were allowed.
Our hill villas were 2 floors up (you can actually take the elevator or the stairs) and you have to walk through what feels like the rainforest to get to your actual villa.
What received us was a cosy villa overlooking an expanse of blue sea, on a cloudy, rainy day (which to desert dwellers like ourselves is a delightful treat). My dad was thrilled by the hornbills hanging around, and fed them all the fruits we had brought for the road trip.
The villas themselves were absolutely stunning, from the recliners on the huge balconies, to the interiors to the bathrooms, we were thrilled with the deal we had gotten.
It felt like a tropical island villa, with the wood-panel lined walls and ceiling, but with central air-conditioning and all the perks of civilization that I quite enjoy.
Cleanliness was a 10/10 too! The “couch” actually doubles as a third bed if you’ve got a child or third-wheeler with you, and quite a comfortable one at that. The bathroom had double sinks, a jacuzzi, shower, and rattan beach bags to carry you things to and fro the beaches!
Emerald beach, where we chose to head to, is not walking distance from the villas, and you have to take a shuttle bus that leaves every 15 minutes. Although the beach is small, it was serene, peaceful, and so relaxing that we felt a mental detox and physical calm set in almost instantly, and it was a real challenge to stay awake that after playing around in the water for a while and taking lots of pictures, we all fell asleep on the recliners under the trees, to the lullaby of waves crashing against the shore.
Dinner was at their all day diner, sleep was extremely comfortable, and the turn down service at Pangkor Laut Resort was one of my favorites so far, with incense lit and mosquito repellents switched on. Thankfully, the villas were air conditioned and had no geckos in them, which is a mortal phobia of mine, but we could hear lots of geckos clicking away outside all night. Thankfully I was so tired and the bed was so soft that I passed out cold and didn’t wake up till the next morning.
When we checked in, we were warned against the monkeys and advised to keep our rooms locked, and the next morning we realized why. There was an entire mob of monkeys on our balcony, and one of them (the gang leader) was trying to open the door to my parents’ villa! It was cute and funny but I also didn’t to want to mess with them. My dad threw caution to the wind and started feeding them, despite our pleas not to encourage/welcome them.
We also saw a full rainbow, which put the widest smiles on our desert dwelling faces. The next morning, the skies were clearer and bluer, and we understood why non-desert dwellers get bummed out when it rains.
We then went for breakfast and got a table closest to the beach, and it was an absolute treat. While there were both continental and oriental options, I had several helpings of Roti Cenai with chicken and egg curry, and it was hands down one of the best versions I’ve had in Malaysia (and I’ve had A LOT).
My dad decided to start feeding the hornbills there too, it was really very cute. I do hope I get to go on more trips like this with my parents, and I already know they have to be island trips over city ones.
If you’re spending a few days at Pangkor Laut Resort, there are 5 F&B options to choose from, a spa, snorkeling and water sports (which you have to pay extra for), and free jungle treks every morning to keep you entertained. We do regret not staying there longer and heading to Penang instead, which to be quite honest was not a place I’d travel internationally for or go back to simply because there wasn’t much to do there at all. We did have the best cendol of our lives there though, which I should post about separately.
The price of a Hill Villa was around AED 1200 per night, and the jetty costs another AED 150 (or 200, I can’t recall to be honest), per person, each way. Was it worth it? Extremely.
