Tips on What to Buy When Shopping in Pangkor Island

If you are looking for shopping malls and fashion boutiques in Pangkor Island, unfortunately, there’s not much. The island isn’t exactly a shopping haven since its main attractions are the beaches. But don’t worry: shopping in Pangkor Island is still possible as there are a number of colorful clothing shops selling shirts, sarong, batik, trousers, hats and swimwear. Of course, shopping spots in Pangkor aren’t as extensive as compared to Lumut, Sitiawan and Seri Manjung.

Pangkor town is small one-street town, lined with several coffee shops, dried fish stores and souvenir shops. Because of the increasing tourism industry in Pangkor, more and more locals create different range of souvenir items. There’s a lot to see when doing souvenir shopping in Pangkor Island. One is the souvenir shirt stores selling T-shirts and other apparels with Pangkor Island prints. The clothing comes in different styles, colors and sizes, a great item for all ages. Another cute memento from Pangkor is the shells designed colorfully and sold in a certain shop in town. Souvenir shells vary, from big conch shells to the little cowrie tiger shells with Pangkor Island print, which visitors buy as keepsakes. Pretty photo frames are also displayed decorated with colorful shells. Other souvenirs found in Pangkor are pearl and shell accessories, fridge magnets, key chains, mugs and more.

Shopping in Pangkor Island isn’t limited to souvenir items and clothes. Besides these items, every tourist shouldn’t miss the major product of Pangkor Island – dried seafood. There are numerous shops selling dried seafood in Pangkor town. With the modern technology today, several shops provide vacuum-sealed packaging to maintain product freshness. It is also neatly wrapped and presentable, which can be a great gift for your family and friends back home. Of course, majority of the dried seafood are sold in traditional style. Contained in large buckets, you can choose and pick from loads of varieties. The price isn’t far from the mainland shops but you can surely buy with confidence because their produce is always fresh.

Pangkor Island is famous in Malaysia for producing top quality ikan bilis (anchovies). Anchovies are the specialty of Pangkor Island and every tourist won’t leave the island without bringing some of this delicacy. There are different types of anchovies and when you come on the right shop, they can show you the ‘secret’ on how to pick the right type of anchovies. There’s a reason why Pangkor-produced anchovies are more popular than imported anchovies. If you take a closer look at the imported one, there’s a thin layer of white powder on its skin. It is also saltier and drier than the locally-produced dried fish. Pangkor dried anchovies have no added chemicals or salt and taste far better, making them 100% natural, yet only a little more expensive.

Apart from touring around on souvenir stores and batik shops, don’t miss buying some dried seafood when shopping in Pangkor Island. Aside from anchovies, other popular seafood varieties are cuttlefish, oyster, squid, fish and prawns. If you are looking for a complete shopping destination, you had better visit nearby cities like Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh or Penang where practically everything you need is present.