Lumut, the kick off point to Pulau Pangkor and Pulau Sembilan, is only about 2˝ hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. Boats from Lumut will take about an hour to ferry you to the islands.
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Perak was once a wealthy tin- mining centre and home to the country’s longest-surviving sultanate. Perak means “silver” in Malay, the colour of the tin revolution that lined the state’s coffers makes the state one of the wealthiest in Malaysia. Perak’s capital is based in Ipoh (its wealthiest settlement) with the Kinta Valley as its most important district.
The most fascinating attractions in Ipoh (apart from its food) are its rock- embedded cave temples. The state is also famed for its talcum powder-fine sand beaches. Pulau Pangkor is a romantic island beach retreat that attracts couples the world over. The island promises a quiet getaway with its lovely, laidback atmosphere.
Most diving around Pulau Pangkor is done around the Pulau Sembilan group of islands located 27km south. The nine islands are uninhabited and any trip has to be arrange with local dive operators. Usually when the diving season in East Coast islands wind down from November to March, local divers will head for Pulau Sembilan.
Hard corals dominate the seascape with several large boulders carpeted with sponges. Fusiliers, jacks, parrotfish, hump head wrasses, barracudas, nudibranchs and sometimes the odd seahorse, can be seen.
