Acclaimed tenor Luciano Pavarotti said he "almost cried" when he saw the beauty of Malaysian resort-island Pangkor Laut. And that was even before the island`s latest addition, the super-luxurious Pangkor Laut Estates at Marina Bay.
It`s unashamedly high-end, so a visit to the resort doesn`t come cheap: If you want to stay at any of the eight mini-estates it will cost you at least $2,000 a day.
Perhaps surprisingly, Mark Yeoh, of YTL Corp., which owns and runs the resorts on the island, is not worried about the impact on business from the slowing world economy: "There`s always money in the system," he says, "especially since the market we`re looking at is recession-proof." Indeed, he says, by international standards, the resort represents good value for money.
So what`s on offer? I stayed in Estate No. 5, which like the other estates, comes with its own swimming pool, several bedrooms and separate dining and sitting pavilions. A team of solicitous butlers and chefs is also on hand and always ready to whip up yet another tasty morsel. Impressive! But what`s perhaps even more striking is the 140-million-year-old virgin rainforest in which the resort is cradled, and which is home to some exquisite tropical birds that whizz overhead through the thick foliage.
YTL says it`s committed to keeping at least 80% of the island (which lies just off the much larger Pangkor Island) under vegetation and, according to Yeoh, has taken great pains to ensure development doesn`t interfere with the environment. "It wasn`t unlike building pyramids because excavation was done by hand," he says. "If trees got in the way, well then, the buildings had to move." Bureau Report