Luxury Hotels in Pekan

Pekan is one of the districts in Pahang, the largest state in the Peninsular of Malaysia, located just about 50 kilometres away from Kuantan, the capital city of the state. Pekan is one of the well-known districts as the current prime minister of Malaysia, Mr Najib, is from this district. Pekan is also the royal capital of Pahang, meaning that the royal families are staying and rule from Pekan. Based on old folklore stories, Pekat got its name from a type of flower, Bunga Pekan, which is one of the nightshades family, that was abundant on the riverbanks of Sungai Pahang. Some said that the name ‘Pekan’ was actually from a weekly market, ‘Pekan Sehari,’ that the locals simply called it as ‘Pekan.’ This place is thought to exist since the time of the Old Kingdom Pahang where it was known as Inderapura, shorten to Pura which eventually turned to Pekan.

How to Get There

By Car

Driving from the capital city of Kuantan will take less than an hour via Jalan Gambang as there is no highway that connects these two places. If driving from Kuala Lumpur via the East Coast highway, take an exit at the Gambang Exit before proceeding another sixty kilometres to reach Pekan.

By Bus

There are daily bus services going to Kuantan from the Terminal Bersepadu Kuala Lumpur (TBS) with the ticket price starting around RM RM24 per trip. The bus will stop at the Kuantan Bus Station and from there, take another bus to go to Pekan. The trip to Pekan will take about an hour with fare around RM5 per person.

By Plane

Take a flight to into Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, Kuantan International Airport and from the airport, book a taxi to go to Pekan. Do note that the price might be expensive for the fifty-five kilometres trip as the drivers rarely could pick up any passengers to bring back to Kuantan. Make sure to agree first with the price before getting in the taxi.

Tourist Attractions

Museum Sultan Abu Bakar

It is Pahang State Museum, showcases on the native people of the state. The building that houses the museum was built in the 1920s, during the British Malaya time. It was once the official residence for the British government, army barracks and also the official palace for Sultan Abu Bakar, the ruler of Pahang but now, it has been renovated to a museum and opened to the public in the year 1976. The museum has one of the biggest collection of ancient Chinese glassware and ceramics, relics that were found throughout the country, especially those that come from the state of Pahang. This museum opens every day, except for Monday, and from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening.

Stargazing

As Pekan is rather far from big cities, the amount of light pollution is lower here, making the stars much more visible at nights. Most stargazers, both locals and tourists, they prefer to gaze upon the stars from the riverbanks of Sungai Pahang.

Hotel

Ancasa Royale

Just three kilometres from the centre of Pekan, across the Sungai Pahang, this is the only luxury hotel in town. Its strategic location, close to town, and also a beach makes it one of the best choices for accommodation in Pahang. The rooms in this hotel are spacious, clean and very comfortable. Their staffs are friendly and very helpful. Previous patrons of this hotel also loved this hotel for its breakfast menu choices which are plentiful and changed every day. A room for a night starts at RM193 with a complimentary breakfast for two. Some of the rooms also have great views of the longest river in Peninsular Malaysia, the Pahang River, so make sure to ask for a room with a view.