It is no surprise we fell deeply in love with Pangkor Island, but what we didn’t know is that nestled on a smaller sister island we would find the actual definition of paradise. With the bigger hills of Pangkor Island as a backdrop scenario, white powdery sand beaches, and a palm-fringed facade, arriving at Pangkor Laut Resort feels like stepping into a dream.

Here you will find our honest review and everything you need to know before including this (must!) stop in your Malaysia itinerary!

Pangkor Laut Resort

Location

The resort sits over a private island set along the Straits of Malacca, three miles off the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia and just a few hundred meters away from its sister island Pangkor. Located only 46 km away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and a short one and a half hour’s drive from KL city center, the resort is easily accessible by speedboat. The speedboat is offered by the resort at their office on Marina Island.

Of the private island’s 300 acres, only a portion of it has been developed for the resort, making it the closest you can get to nature while experiencing a 5+ star experience. Here we have seen tens of oriental pied hornbills – Malaysia’s national bird – waiting patiently for a piece of your lunch, baby wild boars roaming free on paradisiac beaches, large monitor lizards, and naughty little monkeys. Not to mention a sea almond tree that is covered by flying foxes who give a show of flying off at dusk and returning before sunrise.

Also see: Pangkor Island Travel Guide – Malaysia’s Best-Kept Secret Island

The Rooms

Pangkor Laut Resort offers a variety of villas. Garden and Beach Villas are located amid lush gardens near the sea while Hill Villas are perched on the hillside surrounded by rainforest. Sea and Spa Villas are the signature feature of the resort, which are bungalows on stilts over the sea linked by wooden walkways.

On a separate part of the island are The Estates of Pangkor Laut Resort: private luxury sanctuaries with access to their own private beach, personal butler, and a private chauffeur-driven car.

We stayed in a Garden Villa so this is the room we will focus on in this review.

The Garden Villa compromises four different rooms, two on the ground floor and two on the upper ground. Some of them have connecting ground-floor villas adjoined from the inside, which can be great for families. Our room was on the ground floor, located right in front of the beach and Sea Villas and right next to the main pool area.

The room is quite big! The bed is big and really comfortable, with an additional sofa bed and a writing desk. There is an entrance hall that serves as a closet, a large bathroom area with a separate shower, two vanity units, and an oversized bathtub open to the elements (which is the highlight of the room in our opinion). The outdoor verandah is picture-perfect.

The rooms are all air-conditioned and amenities include a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a powered safe, a minibar, an electric kettle with complimentary tea and coffee, an ironing set, and a hair dryer. Bathrobes are also available as well as a straw bag for use during the stay. You can see all the small details everywhere in the room and they literally change the whole experience for the best!

Unfiltered Room Photos

The Space

Pangkor Laut Resort might sit on a relatively small island but the resort feels huge.

It has two large outdoor infinity pools, private beaches, a fully equipped gym, three tennis courts, six dining options, and a large spa. To go from one place to another you can call for a shuttle to pick you up and drive you between locations.

Royal Bay

You’ll find most of the resort facilities at Royal Bay. This is where you arrive, at the resort Jetty, and be welcomed by one of the guest managers at the reception. We have to mention here that you’ll feel from the very beginning of your stay at Pangkor Laut Resort that all of the staff was waiting for you. We were personally recognized by all of the staff at all times and it just shows the amount of care they have into crafting a memorable experience for all guests.

On one side of the Jetty, you’ll find the Feast Village and Uncle Lim’s Kitchen, both restaurants, and the Straits, a happy hour bar. Right in front of it is the Reception and Library and on the other side is the Royal Beach Club, a restaurant with a massive infinity pool overlooking the sea.

The gym, tennis and squash courts, as well as the games room and recording studio, are also located near the Royal Beach Club. There is also a Water Sports Centre that offers kayak and SUP rentals for the day.

In between the Royal Bay and the Coral Bay, you’ll find the Sea Villa and its signature bungalows and the wooden walkways that connect the bays. Here is where the Yoga sessions are held almost every day in the mornings

Coral Bay

This is where the Spa Villa and Spa Village are located. The Spa Village comprises eight treatment pavilions, a deluxe Belian Treatment Pavilion, three ‘Healing Huts’, which include Chinese Herbal, Ayurvedic and Malay Huts, two Bath Houses, three Spa Huts, three Nap Gazebos, and a Spa Boutique. Right next to it, the Spa Villas offer direct access to the Spa Village.

The Spa Village also counts with a large infinity pool and the Jamu Bar. Adjacent to it you’ll also find a hair salon and the Fisherman’s Cove restaurant which is only open for dinner.

Emerald Bay

Think of white sand beaches with transparent water surrounded by rainforests… Now add a bar that serves you great food and drinks during the day, just a few beach chairs and the sounds of the ocean. Baby wild boars come to say hello from time to time and hornbills sing from the trees. This is Emerald Bay.

It is honestly one of the most beautiful beaches we have seen in Malaysia so far and it is right where the sun sets in Pangkor Laut Resort. It is also where we spent most of our late afternoons during our stay.

Activities

Pangkor Laut Resort also offers a number of activities including Jungle Trekking with their resident naturalist. They have two trails on the island, although only the short one is currently available as the longer one is going through some renovations. We did jungle trekking on one of our mornings at the resort and it is such a nice activity! Definitely, a must-do when in the resort. Yoga sessions and tennis/squash teaching sessions are available in the mornings as well upon booking. It is easy to integrate exercise into your holiday here.

The Food

With six dining options, we decided to review each one of them separately right here.

The Feast Village

Breakfast 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM and Dinner 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM

Breakfast is served daily here in a buffet setting and it is the most complete buffet we’ve ever had! There are so many options we are not sure if you can stay long enough to try them all. We love that the restaurant is located between a peaceful garden and the sea.

Dinner is also served here daily in a buffet setting and the food is spectacular! The freshly made pasta with white seafood sauce and the chicken & grapes salad were the top choices for us.

The Fisherman’s Cove

Dinner 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM

Chef Wai commands this acclaimed restaurant at Pangkor Laut Resort. The Fisherman’s Cove focuses on sustainable fishing practices and the freshest ingredients, offering a range of seafood dishes. We had a romantic dinner here and we loved every minute of it! The food is unbelievable and the vibe is amazing, so much so that the couple right next to us got engaged right there! This is without a doubt the best restaurant in the resort.

The Uncle Lim’s Restaurant

Dinner 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM

Named after Chef Lim Fang Tat, who has been with the resort since its opening in 1985, Uncle Lim’s restaurant is set against the rocks overlooking Royal Bay and specializes in Nyonya and Hock Chew Chinese-style home cooking. We tried all of Chef Lim’s recommendations and we recommend doing the same! The vibe here is super breezy and the dishes are excellent.

The Chapman’s Bar

Lunch 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Drinks 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Chapman’s Bar sits on Emerald Bay and is named after a British Colonel who sought refuge at this beach and escaped by submarine in 1945. The menu is perfect for a day at the beach, not too light and not too heavy. The best part about this bar is that you can really enjoy a day in paradise without a care in the world, as food and drinks are always available at a short walk from your beach chair.

Royal Bay Beach Club

Lunch/Snacks 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Drinks 5:30 PM to 12:00 AM

Overlooking the infinity pool, Royal Bay Beach Club offers all sorts of Asian and Western dishes for lunch on their terrace. We had our first lunch at the resort here and it was the first taste of how good the food would be during our stay. Of the restaurants available at lunchtime, this is the best one.

Jamu Bar

Lunch/Snacks 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Drinks 5:30 PM to 12:00 AM

Located at the Spa Village and overlooking the pool and Coral Bay, Jamu Bar serves different types of healthy salads and specialty drinks. Although the salads are really good, the portion is quite small. We would only recommend eating here if you’re not hungry and are looking for something quick.

Private Dining Experiences

If you’re looking for something even more special, the resort also organizes private dining experiences, usually held at Emerald Bay. We saw one of their settings and it really is a romantic treat.

General Rating

Note: we base our ratings on same-level accommodations in similar locations, therefore we’ll never compare a Hostel in Asia with a Hostel in Europe or a guesthouse with a 5-star resort.

Conclusion

This is one of the best resorts we have ever stayed at and we don’t think 5 stars is good enough a rating, it is a 6 or more. The biggest highlight for us was the top-notch service. Pangkor Laut Resort has the best staff and service we’ve ever experienced. The staff is genuinely always happy, ready to help and to have a good chat.

Prices are also really good since you can book a Garden Villa for around 200 euros a night. Sea and Spa Villas range from around 350-400 euros a night. The restaurants range from 15 to 30 euros per dish and we also think that’s super affordable for the high quality you get there.

The only downside, on the other hand, is the wifi, which is not really good inside the rooms, but it works well enough in the common areas. Not that this should be a problem since Pangkor Laut Resort is THE perfect getaway and it’s so easy to forget the outside world there. We felt so happy and relaxed after our stay at this resort and can’t recommend it enough.

This was a sponsored stay.

Find more reviews of our favorite hotels here!