ABOVE: Relax and unwind amongst
the trees in a Hill Villa perched high in
the rainforest. INSET: The traditionally
decorated rooms of The Estates will
not disappoint.PANGKOR LAUT
RESORT, MALAYSIA
You can’t get more private than a private
villa on a private island. Pangkor Laut is a
small, 300 acre pocket of paradise one
and a half kilometres off the west coast of
Malaysia. A four hour chauffeured drive
from Kuala Lumpur, a half hour yacht ride
with drinks served in crystal tumblers, and
you’re ashore. A ten minute drive through
the main resort and you’re at the Estates.
Each of the nine Estates has a private
pool, dining pavilion, relaxation cabana and
several villas. A host of staff ensure you’re
always looked after. A three-course Asian
banquet for two? No problem. Banana
pancakes at breakfast? Of course.
The Estates have their own beach and
are separated from the main resort by hills
covered in jungle. Go for a morning run
and keep an eye out for the resident
monkeys that get up to mischief when
your door is unlocked.
If there’s just the two of you and you’d
rather be close to the resort’s main
facilities, stick to the eastern side of the
island. Garden Villas sit next to the
open-air library but the Hill Villas have the
best of both worlds. Perched above the
resort, the villas sit high in the rainforest
canopy, with 180 degree views of the
ocean. Jungle vines wrap around Malay
wood balconies, hiding you from the world
below. It’s private but not isolated, with the
resort’s restaurants, pools and bars at the
bottom of a long outdoor staircase.
See if you can book into Pavarotti’s
Suite. The famous tenor declared Pangkor
Laut “paradise”, and he wasn’t the only
celebrity to think so. Keira Knightley, Sting,
Joan Collins and Jodie Foster have all
taken time out here.
Some celebs prefer Pangkor Laut’s Sea
Villas. Connected by wooden walkways that
could be straight from the Pirates of the
Caribbean set, the villas sit over the water,
with balconies opening out to the sea. Follow
the walkways around to Uncle Lim’s, the
resort’s Chinese Restaurant or keep going
until you hit the award winning Spa Village.
The Royal Princess pamper package is a
decadent 180 minutes based on traditional
Malaysian pre-wedding rituals. A milk bath
filled with hundreds of rose petals and kaffir
lime slices is bliss, and the Malay steam box
heats you up like a pandan cake but
cleanses the skin with Jasmine, magnolia
and rose oil. pangkorlautresort.com299 | bridetobe.com.auHIDEAWAY HONEYMOONS