Pangkor Island

We travelled to Pulau Pangkor today, an unusually straightforward journey, with both buses departing and arriving on schedule and catching a ferry just in time. The guide books had actually advised against a visit during public holidays as it's a favourite spot for Malayians, but we decided to check it out for ourselves and we only saw one other Western couple on this journey.

Nipah Bay is a lot smaller than we'd imagined, with all the guesthouses concentrated in one 100 metre section. While appearing a little ramshackle, it's also got a pleasing local feel to it as there's a total absence of hotel tower blocks. There is a three storey building being built and of course that is right next to one of our potential bookings, but this worked to our advantage as we secured the room for half-price due to the potential noise, the guesthouse being unaware that living in the old 10B flat opposite Clapham Common tube was sufficient preparation to sleep through most things. I also have the distinction of sleeping through a hurricane in Jamaica once upon a time.

The bay itself is a gorgeous strip of sand overlooking a, with a couple of small idyllic islands a kayak away. While for some tourists the absence of swimming pools and sun loungers, plus the presence of numerous local hawker stalls on the edge of the beach would be off-putting, but both of us are grateful for a more genuine Malaysian experience. The only minor downside of sharing a Muslim beach, being the banning of alcohol from the beach, drinking being confined to one or two establishments further back.