#25348 Escaping to the Beautiful Island in Pangkor, Malaysia

In Malay, Pangkor means "beautiful island," and no place feels more remote, more feral and at peace than this jungly speck on the Straits of Malacca. Pangkor Village is a tiny fishing community nestled into a primal rainforest, where monkeys crouch on the narrow roads and cantinas serve fresh seafood and bean-curd ice cream for a song. Rent a kayak and paddle into the Pangkor Laut Jetty, or borrow a bicycle and discover a Buddhist temple hidden in the forest. Explore the remains of a Dutch fort, or hike the bouldered seashore. Pangkor poses as a sleepy islet of 25,000 locals, but adventure lurks around every corner. Beautiful? What's Malay for utopia?