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Port Dickson is a beach
resort with an 18 kilometers stretch of beachfront, with open
public beaches for day-trippers, budget chalets and
motels for weekend family holidays and as well as five-star
hotels and apartments for the well-heeled. This coastal
town is located 30 kilometers
from Seremban and it is a short highway
drive from Seremban while the older coastal route winds
past most holiday spots. Named after British colonial
officer, Sir John Frederick Dickson, Port Dickson refers
both to the town and a 55,868 hectare district,
popularly known as PD.
 Beyond beaches, Port Dickson
has other attractions like the Tanjong Tuan Lighthouse.
Rebuilt in 1860 at Cape Rachado after the original was
destroyed in the war, it offers a panoramic view of the
Straits of Malacca. The natural forest here is a
sanctuary to migratory birds such as hawks, eagles and
buzzards, 54 local bird species and wild monkeys that
forage for food at the lighthouse. Just 28 km from Port
Dickson is
the Pasir Panjang Recreational Forest.
Photo: Beach View at
Port Dickson
Among the activities offered
to visitors here are camping, jungle trekking, kayaking, abseiling and
endurance training. Facilities include food stalls,
camp-sites, gazebos, toilets, a playground, a fishing
jetty as well as a kelong kupang (a mussel trap) and
among the popular activities being carried out by
visitors are boating, fishing, picnicking, swimming,
waterskiing and windsurfing.
North of
Port Dickson lies historical Lukut and relics of its
golden era as the capital of the tin trade. The main
draw is the ruins of Kota Lukut, a fort built in 1847 by
the ruler, Raja Jumaat, to protect the booming tin
trade. It had a "poisoned well" said to have been used
to soak criminals to death. Relics from Kota Lukut and
other historical artifacts are displayed at Lukut
Museum. It has several galleries that depict the history
of Lukut, Adat Perpatih and a battle between Portuguese
and Dutch armadas.
Nearby is
Kuala Lukut Fishing Platform a haven for anglers, just
15 minutes from Kuala Lukut. Run by a local fishing
cooperative, it takes up to 20 visitors at a time and
offers angling berths, wood cabins, a cooking area and
seafood stalls. Those who like mystery can visit
Pengkalan Kempas Historical Complex, 35 kilometers from Port
Dickson. It has a tomb of a renowned missionary from
Sumatra, Sheikh Ahmad Majnun, topped by a hollow stone
with Arabic inscriptions. The best time to visit Port
Dickson is during the Pesta Port Dickson which is a
carnival held annually in the month of August.
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