History
Ancient history and settlement.
In past times; this area used to be the center for piracy. The pirates had their home ports in the Pulau Gedung Hills, Gua Lanun (Pirates’ Cave) and Batu Perompak (Pirates’ Rock) on the island of Pangkor. Many ships/boats were taken over and robbed of their goods and products. The Dutch were active here in the times of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). People were especially keeping themselves busy with the tin industry, until the British took over. In 1670 the Dutch built a fort (also for protection against the locals and the higher powers of that time) at Tiger Rock. During the British rule the name has temporarily been Monkey Island. Later the island was named Pulau Aman (Peaceful Island) before it regained the name Pangkor.
There are numerous beaches on Pangkor Island. Only a few of these beaches are popular among locals and tourists; especially during the weekends. The rest are secluded and unspoilt; during the week there is a big chance you will be the only one visiting the beach. Pantai Pasir Bogak probably is the most popular beach on the island. Another great beach is Nipah beach at Teluk Nipah; where you can find clear waters. You can even snorkel in the area, as it is located directly opposite Pulau Giam which is the only island that is surrounded by corals (though snorkeling over here should not be compared with snorkeling at islands like Perhentian, Redang or Tioman). Snorkeling at Giam is inexpensive. Snorkeling gear including a return boat trip costs only RM15 per person. Other great beaches are Ketapang beach and Segadas beach (the secret beach). Though Segadas beach is not that easy to reach (you need to walk from the small town Teluk Gedung via a short jungle trip to the secluded beach, which takes around 20/25 minutes); it probably is the most beautiful beach on the island.



Geography
Ancient history and settlement.
Pangkor Island is a resort island in Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia. It has a population of approximately 25,000. Nearby islands include Pangkor Laut Island, Giam Island, Mentagor Island, Simpan Island, and Tukun Terindak Island. The major industries of the island are tourism and fishing.
Pangkor Island has a land area of 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi) and is 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from Peninsular Malaysia. The interior of the island is forested and is home to 65 reptile species, 17 amphibian species, and 82 total herpetofaunal species.