Pangkor Marina is a well run marina and ship yard with reputable tradespeople making it a popular haul out and refit facility for cruisers. Confusingly, Pangkor Marina isn’t at Pangkor Island, but across the channel on the mainland.
Pangkor Marina
Jooks
N4.12.00, E100.36.00
Marina & Ship Yard
Floating pontoon marina with power and water. Large shipyard with sealift, covered or uncovered hardstand.
Great social community of live-aboards. No access to resort pool though or wifi internet at boat. Internet available at the office.
Best to arrive on a high tide. Be careful of reef and shallows – do not do what we did – see photo, went too far north…
The marina office provides a great concierge service and will give you a contact list of trades and services and can arrange car hire. Contact James Khoo.
Haul out is via a ship lift capable of handling most monohulls and catamarans. The yard is mainly gravel. Covered hardstands have a concrete floor. The yard allows liveaboards and the facilities are clean. Owners are permitted to work on their own boats. Accomodation at the resort next door is available if you choose not to liveaboard.
Customs, Immigration and Harbour Master are a short drive or taxi away in Manjung and Sitiawan.
We had big plans of spending months working on the boat while at Pangkor, nothing major, just cosmetic and the addition of some toys. We’d heard great things about the trades there. Unfortunately our bubble was popped when we were told they couldn’t lift our boat due to the configuration of the sea lift and our underwater gear like the twin screws and stabiliser fins. Damn.
We did get a sample area of varnishing done and get quotes for our return next year. Also ticked off a few minor items off the list then spent the next month in and out of KLIA visiting Bali and Vietnam. A few months next year are scheduled back at Pangkor.
Pangkor and the surrounding area aren’t big hitters in the “things to do” department. We did however enjoy the temple of Tua Tek Kong, would recommend this.
A walk through Lumut is good for admiring the shopfronts plus the waterfront is nice, breezy and clean.
Things to do ashore
Pangkor Marina is a bit removed from the action so a bike or a car is needed to reach any shops or restaurants. You can hire a car from the marina office by the day or longer terms.
Eat and Drink
On Marina Island there are a few eating and drinking establishments.
During day time hours the Little Kiwi Cafe offers local cuisine and on the other side of that retail block is another restaurant serving similar fare.
In the evenings you can dine at the Chinese Restaurant or have more western style food next door at High Tide where there is happy hour all the time it seems.
Friday night’s fun is at Jooks in Lumut. Many of the live-aboards will head down here for the bbq buffet they put on. Nice meat available. Your drinks bill will most likely be more than your meal.
Across the road from Jooks is a German restaurant serving massive and great tasting portions of pork knuckle with sauerkraut. An Italian restaurant adjoins it but we didn’t eat there.
For drinks there is High Tide on Marina Island or you could head to 65 Kopitam a little up the road. There is a signpost, it’s about a block back from the main road. Beers are cheap here and they don’t seem to mind if you grab some fried chicken from up the road to enjoy with your icy cold Tiger.
Rockbund on Marina Island also offer beers by the bucket and a lovely view of the channel over to Pangkor Island. We’ve eaten here but were a bit disappointed with the food.
Good cheap local nosh can be found just off the island. Turn right and it is the first cafe before the mosque. They do a great roti canai.
Shopping
There are many large supermarket chains or shopping centres nearby in Manjung and Sitiawan. Most have a non-halal section so pork and alcohol is available.
- TF Wholesale: We found this place the best for F&V, could pick your own. Our favourite
- Billion
- Aeon: Good baguettes here at the bakery. Annoying overuse of packaging for the F&V. Can’t pick much yourself.
- Tesco: F&V seemed a bit sad otherwise a decent range of goods
- The Store: Cheap wine available
Markets: There is a local market on Friday nights not far from Marina Island. We haven’t visited as we normally went to Jooks.
Hardware: The marina office can provide a list of well-equipped hardware shops. Jimmie the Painter has a store with painting and polishing supplies, antifoul and some chandlery stuff, ropes, bolts.
We came across an amazing electric/electronics shop when we were trying to find a UV globe tube for our water filter. The chap has all sorts of hard to find globes and electric components. Lee Electrics, Sitiawan.
Sight-seeing
Pangkor Island is worth a visit and can be accessed by dinghy or local ferry. Hire a bike and circumnavigate the island. Take the dinghy along the foreshore to check out the bustling fishing industry there.
Tua Pek Kong Temple in Sitiawan is worth a look. Many amazing sculptures and the highlight for us was walking through the dragon and seeing the 18 Levels of Hell.
Teluk Batik is a beach nearby the marina, a bike ride away.
Lumut waterfront is quite nice, quiet during the day and I can imagine it gets very busy at night.
Pangkor is a good starting point for visiting Ipoh, Penang, Cameron Highlands or Taman Negara National Park.
Entertainment
If the above doesn’t satisfy your needs there is a cinema at Aeon.
Getting around
Locally: Hire a car from the marina or use Grab or local taxis. The marina office has a list of names for local drivers too.
To KL Airport: Pangkor is not close to an airport so a bus is necessary. 3 buses leave from the marina office for KLIA. The marina office can arrange your tickets. Many other buses run from Manjung and Sitiawan to KL, KLIA or other nearby locations.
Alternatively, if you are flying internationally use Singapore Airport. There are flights between Ipoh and Singapore and the bus to the Ipoh Airport can be reached in an hour or so by taxi or bus.
