Beaches

The beaches of Port Dickson are some of the best in the south of Peninsular Malaysia. Port Dickson is also the only beachside destination in Negeri Sembilan state. Its proximity also attracts visitors coming from Kuala Lumpur, Malacca (Melaka) and Singapore. The stretch of beaches begin from Port Dickson town and ends roughly in Pasir Panjang towards the south, spanning about 15 km in length. The most popular beaches are Teluk Kemang, Bagan Pinang and Blue Lagoon, offering, sandy shorelines, water sport activities and warm waters to swim in. Some of these beaches also make an ideal and intimate location to express romance among couples.

Teluk Kemang is the most popular beach in Port Dickson, but not the closest to town, as it runs from the 7th to 8th mile. It attracts a large crowd even on weekdays, having many facilities such as shower stalls, car parks, souvenir shops and hawker centers. The main feature of this beach is not its size or length, but the bright orange colour of the sand. Casuarina and coconut trees provide much shade for visitors and tourists along the beach.

Water sport activities are found abundantly throughout the beach of Teluk Kemang. For fun in the sea, people can rent canoes and paddle out into the distant horizon or ride jet skis and skim across the water fervently. A prime attraction among the water sports here is the Banana Boat; a bright yellow tube shaped like a rocket which is pulled by a speedboat. The tube fits up to eight riders, and the aim of the game is to hold on and not fall off when the speedboat makes a sharp turn, which is much easier said than done! Most will end up being flung by the impact and having to swim for dear life back to the tube. On the beach itself, visitors can play sports such as volleyball and soccer.

Small buggies and ponies are also available for riding. Locals love to spend their evenings on the beach having picnics and letting their children play in the water and sand. On days with wind, adults and children can be seen flying kites in the sky. Due to the glut of visitors, the waters are very murky, though the sea bed is still sandy. The beach is littered at some parts with rubbish, but nothing too dramatic that would spoil the entire environment. Despite the less than clear waters, many people can be seen swimming and floating on large tubes. Along the beach are some hawker centers where you can get traditional Malay food while shower stalls and even budget hotels provide more facilities.

Bagan Pinang is the next popular beach destination, situated between Mile 2 to 4. Many resorts and apartments have been built along this stretch, giving it a slightly cluttered look. Still, it a quieter beach than Teluk Kemang due to the fact that this beach lies directly in plain sight along the main road running from town, and thus, ironically, attracting less visitors.

The wide expanse of sand that is Bagan Pinang makes it popular among families and couples who come to relax, and not to play water sports. The middle portion of the beach has been turned into a recreational area complete with playground. Over here, a small mangrove patch sits at the side where anglers and fishermen come to play in the mornings and evenings.

The Blue Lagoon is nestled between the wings of two capes, the southern side being the base of Tanjung Tuan, or Cape Rachado. Also called 'Tanjung Biru', this beach can be reached by a narrow road from the 10th Mile. The lagoon which forms the main area is enclosed by a sandbar in the distance and protected by the capes, creating a large but shallow pool of water. As its name implies, the waters here were once so clear, that they appeared blue in colour.

Today, the beach is not as beautiful as it once was, the water now a little murky and certainly more green than blue. While small, this beach still has cleaner waters and a much more charming environment compared to touristy beaches like Teluk Kemang. The distance from town to get to the lagoon and the few resorts found here provide some privacy for visitors and tourists coming to spend the day here. The largest hotel facing the lagoon directly is Ilham Resort, just a stone's throw away but other holiday bungalows are available for rent at the beachside. An interesting feature of this beach is that during low tide, the receded shoreline reveals numerous crab holes, which is perfect for spear fishing at night. Just directly behind the Blue Lagoon is another beach, called Pantai Cermin.