How to Get to Pangkor Island: Easy Guide to Popular Routes and the Pangkor Island Ferry

Knowing how to get to Pangkor Island is your ticket to sandy beaches, watersports, mouth-watering seafood and temples of all shapes and sizes.

Located just a three-hour drive north of Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor is one of the easiest islands to get to from Kuala Lumpur.

A couple of years back, I spent three months in the big city. As much as I adore the skyscrapers and street food, I was desperately craving the ocean.

I had already visited the gorgeous Perhentian Islands, but this time I wanted to go somewhere a little closer to ‘home’.

In this post, I’ll explain exactly how to get to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Langkawi and other destinations in Malaysia.

I’ll also help you understand and navigate the Pangkor Island ferry, which has two departure points.

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Quick Guide: How to Get to Pangkor Island

Getting to Pangkor is easier than you might think. All you need to do is reach one of the ferry ports (Lumut or Marina Island) by bus or car.

Fu Lin Kong Temple in Pangkor

After buying your ferry ticket (in-person or online), you can reach the island by boat within 10 to 30 minutes.

Sounds simple, right? Well… You need to know which ferry port to use. The best port depends on your arrival time and transport method (bus or car).

After I explain the ins and outs of the Pangkor Island ferry, I’ll also outline how to get to Pangkor from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, the Cameron Highlands, Malacca and Langkawi by bus.

How to Take the Pangkor Island Ferry

The only way to get to Pangkor Island is to take the ferry.

The Pangkor Island ferry departs from Lumut or Marina Island, which are both around a three-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.

1. The ferry from Lumut to Pangkor

The Lumut ferry terminal is the best place to catch the ferry to Pangkor Island because it’s a well-established route with regular ferry services.

You can also reach the terminal directly from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Malacca and Butterworth by bus.

The ferry from Lumut

The Lumut ferry takes 20 – 30 minutes to reach Pangkor Island.

There are around 16 daily departures (depending upon the season).

You can book your ferry tickets in person or online. If you’re travelling late in the day or during a busy time (weekends or holidays), I recommend you get your ticket online just in case the ferries are full.

A one-way ticket is 10 RM for adults.

⛴️ Check availability for the ferry from Lumut to Pangkor Island.

2. The ferry from Marina Island to Pangkor

There are also ferries from Marina Island to Pangkor, taking only 10 minutes. A one-way ticket is 10 – 20 RM.

However, there are only six daily departures. There are also no direct buses from Kuala Lumpur to Marina Island, so it’s more efficient to take the ferry from Lumut if you’re using public transport.

⛴️ Check availability for the ferry from Marina Island to Pangkor Island.

Is It Easy to Get a Taxi at the Ferry Port?

Once you arrive on Pangkor Island, it’s useful to know that there are no Grab or E-hailing services.

There are plenty of metered taxis waiting outside Pangkor Ferry Terminal to transport you to your hotel. The fare depends on the distance of the journey.

Where to Stay on Pangkor Island

I stayed at Pangkor Guesthouse SPK, a small guesthouse located in Pinang Kesir.

My friend and I picked this guesthouse because it’s in a small fishing village with lots of local restaurants within walking distance.

It’s only a five-minute drive from the ferry terminal, which was convenient for us because we decided to rent a scooter to explore the island from the guesthouse.

If you’d rather stay near the beach, I suggest that you stay in the Coral Beach, Teluk Belanga and Teluk Nipah areas. These were the nicest beaches I visited in Pangkor.

Nipah Guesthouse Pangkor (rated 9.4/10 on Booking.com), next to Teluk Nipah, would be my first choice.

Best Places to Stay

How to Get From Kuala Lumpur to Pangkor Island

I took the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Pangkor, and while it was an easy route in theory, bad traffic caused me to miss the final 7pm ferry from Lumut to Pangkor Island.

If you’re on a tight schedule and can’t afford to miss your connection, I suggest you book a private one-way transfer to Pangkor Island via Klook.

Alternatively, you can catch the earliest bus to give yourself more time just in case the bus is delayed.

Traffic worsens as the day goes on, which is why you’ll notice the bus duration increases during the afternoon.

1. Take the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut

First, I booked the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut on 12Go, the site I use to book all of my bus travel in southeast Asia.

The quickest bus should, in theory, take 3 hours and 20 minutes. However, traffic can result in the journey lasting an additional 1 – 3 hours.

That’s why you’ll notice that buses that depart later in the day typically take 4 or 5 hours to reach Lumut. Traffic increases as the day goes on.

2. Take the ferry from Lumut

Lumut Bus Station is only a five-minute walk from the ferry terminal.

From Lumut Ferry Terminal, you can then take the ferry (lasting 30 – 45 minutes) to Pangkor Island.

Lumut ferry terminal

The final ferry departs at 7pm, so if you arrive any later, you’ll need to stay overnight in Lumut.

I stayed at the Ritz Suites (not the Ritz you’re thinking of…) and had dinner at a local restaurant with an incredible sunset view.

Can you take a day tour to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur?

If you only want to spend one day visiting Pangkor Island, there’s no point in taking the bus to Lumut.

By the time you take the bus and catch the ferry to Pangkor, you’ll only have an hour or two to explore before your must start your return trip.

Instead, you can take a day tour to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur.

The tour includes the ferry tickets, 1 – 2 hours of beach time, and a visit to the Dutch Fort, Sri Pathira Kaliamman Temple and Fu Lin Kong Temple.

Fu Lin Kong Temple

How to Get From Penang to Pangkor Island

There are three steps for getting from Penang to Pangkor Island.

First, you need to take the 30-minute Penang ferry from George Town to Butterworth.

From Butterworth, there is a direct bus to Lumut that takes 3 -4 hours.

Once you arrive in Lumut, you can walk five minutes to the Lumut ferry station and take the 20-minute ferry to Pangkor Island.

Remember, the final ferry departs at 7pm, so it’s best to take an early bus from Butterworth.

How to Get From Langkawi to Pangkor

Langkawi is over 300 kilometres from Pangkor Island.

Therefore, if you decide to go by bus, you’re looking at a journey that’ll take one full day: a ferry to Kuala Kedah, a short taxi to Alor Setar, a five-hour bus from Alor Setar to Lumut and a ferry to Pangkor.

You may end up missing the final 7pm ferry to Pangkor.

Therefore, it’s more convenient to take a flight from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur and then use my instructions for taking the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut.

How to Reach Pangkor Island From Other Destinations in Malaysia

Malacca to Pangkor

• Take the bus from Malacca to Lumut (8 – 9 hours).
• Take the ferry from Lumut to Pangkor (20 – 30 minutes). The last ferry is at 7pm.

Cameron Highlands to Pangkor

• Take the bus from Tanah Rata to Ipoh (2.5 hours).
• Take the bus from Ipoh to Lumut (1.5 – 2 hours).
• Take the ferry from Lumut to Pangkor (20 – 30 minutes). The last ferry is at 7pm.

Ipoh to Pangkor

• Take the bus from Ipoh to Lumut (1.5 – 2 hours).
• Take the ferry from Lumut to Pangkor (20 – 30 minutes). The last ferry is at 7pm.

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I hope you found this guide to the Pangkor Island ferry and how to get to Pangkor Island helpful. Leave a comment below to let me know your trip plans – I’d love to hear from you!