Monday, May 14, 2012

Holidays in Malaysia: Pangkor Laut Resort

At the end of April, we finally, finally, finally got our holiday in Pangkor Laut Resort.  Friends had raved about it and finally we decided to go.   Was it worth it?  You betcha.  Every last sen.

We drove up from Kuala Lumpur.  Take the turn-off at Bidor and follow all the signs that say either "Pangkor Laut Resort", "Pangkor Laut" or "Jetty".   Once you turn off at Bidor, you'll be driving on trunk roads and there'll be lots of slow traffic.  We took about 2 hours to reach Bidor and one hour from Bidor to the jetty.  That one hour included a short stop at a local McDonald's for a breakfast meal.

From the moment we arrived at the jetty, it was holiday time.  Pangkor Laut Resort has its own office at the marina and all you need to do is check in at the lounge and park your car.  The obliging staff there will take care of your luggage (ours included a big red potty for Connor!), offer your drinks and snacks and escort you down to the speedboat that will take you to the island.  They don't just leave you there too, they actually stood there, waited for everyone to board and then waved goodbye as we sped off.

The speedboat was clean and new and had new lifejackets for everyone, including our little boy!




And here we are at the jetty at Pangkor Laut!  The boat ride took 15 minutes.  Staff from the resort were waiting there to welcome us and say hello (no leis, this is STILL Malaysia okay... not Hawaii... but I forgot) then we all walked to reception.




Here we are!  Pangkor Laut Resort!  Wheeee!!!


At reception, we were escorted to our seats and staff offered refreshments.  You have to try the drink, it's made from hibiscus flowers (The hibiscus is our national flower) and it's just so delicious and refreshing!   Unlike every other hotel/resort I've been to, we didn't have to stand at the counter checking in.  We'd already done that at the marina office.

Instead one member of the staff will come over to where you're seated and explain to you where your room is, where to go for your meals, what's available on the resort etc etc.  I loved it.  I loved the attention to detail, how they made you feel like you really got your money's worth right from the get go.

We arrived on a Friday and left on a Monday.  All we did was eat, sleep, play on the beach, eat some more, play some more, eat, sleep... what a holiday.  At the end of it, I'd put on 3lbs.

We lounged on the sands of Emerald Bay while my son frolicked at the edge of the sea.  We sat in the shallow waters by the rocks while my son got to swim with schools of little fishes and shrieked when a crab decided to make a run for it.  I dug a hole in the beach and got Connor to sit in it, then I covered him up in sand as he laughed and laughed.  We built little sandcastles and watched the sea wash them away again.  I helped him climb a tree and held his hand as he walked along the branches.  Daddy took him for walks and together they explored the rocks on one side of the bay.

What's a holiday without ice cream!



Fast asleep on the sun lounger after a day's play 



Emerald Bay



Someone else had built this and Connor had such fun playing with it



When we got hungry, we ate at the cafe on the beach and then went back to laze on the loungers while Connor played on the sands.  At night, we walked to the Chinese restaurant and ate till we almost burst.  Some days we had lunch at the pool cafe where the Mrs Peacock and her two little peachicks would wander around.  We also had hornbills for company and two of them snatched Connor's potato wedges away when we weren't looking!

Hornbills near the pool cafe looking for a snack



Mrs Peacock and her family dropping in for lunch


Great attention to detail in the resort.  This is one of the many pots dotted around the walkways.  Every morning, a resort staff will carefully arrange the flowers in the water.  One morning, I saw he had run out of flowers so he went off to the bushes to pluck some to complete his masterpiece.





We stayed in this garden villa for our last night.  Previously we were in a beach villa.  There are different types of villas for you to choose from - sea (which are built on stilts in the sea), garden, beach, hill. 



The lovely bath in the garden villa.  We all jumped in that night and Connor thought it was the funniest thing!  Rooms are nice.  A sleeping area, a dressing area and the bathroom bits.  Nice.



Someone got a free ride up the hill.



Walkway to Uncle Lim's, the Chinese restaurant where we had dinner.



Mummy and Connor on the way to dinner!  Behind us is a sea villa.




You'd be mad not to go.  Malaysians, Malaysian residents and Singaporeans get a residents' package.  We went on that package as it offered a really good deal.

This resort isn't really for the little ones unless they're old enough to entertain themselves at the pool/beach or are happy to read a lot.  Dear Hubby and I both thought it would be best to come back for another holiday WITHOUT Connor and just spend our time lazing on the beach and eating till we burst.

Food wasn't as good as I thought it would be but there was a lot of it.  Watch out for the little packets of nasi lemak served during the breakfast buffet... so scrumptious!  Dinner is available either at Uncle Lim's or the same cafe where breakfast is served.  We tried both and preferred Uncle Lim's.  Kids' menus are available at all cafes except Uncle Lim's.  

Staff is very friendly, very obliging and the reception staff take the trouble to remember your name (and your child's name!).  If you're too tired to walk, just wait for the resort 4WD to pick you up from various points.  There is a souvenir shop where we picked up a fridge magnet.  There is also a Jim Thomson's  near the garden villas.

Very, very good holiday.  Would we go back again?  We'd be mad not to!

Click HERE for details on Pangkor Laut Resort.









3 comments:

  1. Its an amazing place. I love how relaxing it all is, how beautiful the island is and how you don't have to worry about the food because its all ready, and all good. Next time you go (without baby) go to the spa. Unforgettable experience. I've been twice and I STILL want to go again. I'd be mad not to ;)

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    1. I sooooo agree. This is what I call a holiday, it's just eating, sleeping and more eating and more sleeping! What bliss. It's been a long time since I could just eat and sleep and not worry about anything else. I'm already bugging Dear Hubby about going back.

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  2. nice place i hope i can bring all my family to go there in september..

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