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� Accommodations & Food � Beaches � Tanjung
Tuan (Cape Rachado) �
� Eagle Ranch � Military Museum (Armed Forces) �
Port Dickson, or more popularly known as,
P.D, is also one of the major attractions in Negeri Sembilan with
its beautiful and sandy beaches, and spectacular sunsets by the seaside of
Straits of Malacca.
Originally a town called Arang, where the villagers made their living from
burning wood in kilns. Arang means 'charcoal', it was later sought to be
developed as a port by Sir Frederick Dickson who 'founded' PD, in the 1889. As
a leading official in the Straits Settlement during the 1880s, he sought o
reduce transportation costs and time from the interior tin mines. It was a
highly potential area to be a harbour, which later on developed into a busy
trading centre. Railways were built for easier transportation. However, Port
Dickson was never as successful as the other deepwater ports.
While it never did develop into a full-fledged port, PD's popular beaches
attract thousands of weekend visitors from the cities.
With frequent buses, commuter trains, and taxis plying between Kuala Lumpur
and the resort, Port Dickson's appeal lies in its easy accessibility and the
attractions of a beach getaway.
To catch a glimpse of the locals at 'work', a night market comes alive every
Saturday at an open carpark next to the Petronas Petrol station on 4th mile.
Lots of snacks, food and produce to buy for the weekend stay-over.
Aside from the beautiful beaches, other attractions in the Port Dickson
district include Cape Rachadu and Tanjung Tuan, Eagle Ranch recreation resort,
the Armed Forces Museum and several historical sites such as the Lukut Fort
and Pengkalan Kempas Historical Site.
Accommodations & Food
Accommodation should pose no problem for the visitor as this resort town has a
place to stay for all. Accommodation can be found in the form of government
chalets, hotels, and bungalows or even privately owned apartments that are
rented out at reasonable rates. Food stalls can also be easily found along the
beaches, as well as the town centre. Being a seaside resort, PD's specialty
would naturally be seafood.
 Beaches
PD's main attraction is its 18km stretch of sandy beaches that extend from
Tanjung Gemuk in the north to Tanjung Tuan in the south. These are carefully
protected by rows upon rows of casuarina palms, coconut trees, and elegant
Bayan trees.
Some of the popular stretches are: 8th mile, 6th mile, 4th mile and further up
the 12th mile Jalan Pantai (Beach Road), there's a lagoon nearby Tanjung Tuan
with casuarinas trees which makes Teluk Kemang, and Blue Lagoon popular spots.
Blue Lagoon is the most famous picnic spot and is an excellent spot for the
water sport enthusiast.
 Tanjung
Tuan (Cape Rachado)
The Rachado Lighthouse sits on a hill overlooking the Tanjung Tuan Forest
Reserve. It is the oldest light house in the country. The lighthouse was
originally built by the Portuguese in 1528 to guide ships to the safety of
Melaka's harbour during her hey day. It has been remodelled over the years to
its current look.
Many historical events are said to be taken place in the seas around Tanjung
Tuan, including the fierce battle between the Portuguese and Dutch armadas in
the 16th century which resulted in the sinking of four warships including the
Nassau - a famous Dutch vessel. Some artefacts from the Nassau has been
successfully excavated from the sea and are on display in the Lukut Museum.
It is also said that there is a spot here where the legendary 15th Century
Malay warrior of the Melaka Sultanate, Hang Tuah, was supposed to have set
foot. It is also believed that Parameswara, the first Sultan of Melaka was
buried in this area.
Apart from its historical significance, Tanjung Tuan also boast a diverse
flora and fauna including 54 species of bird in its forest reserve. It is also
a strategic location for bird watchers to observe migratory birds. Flocks of
migrating sparrows, honey buzzards, swifts, hawks, and eagles stop over here
annually.
To access the lighthouse, you need to enter the entrance of the Tanjung Tuan
Forest Reserve. From there, a steep road takes you up. A warning sign outside
prohibits vehicles from entering, but many who do not want to take a long walk
will drive their bikes or cars in. At the top, the lighthouse sits on a small
hill where you need to climb another 72 steps to reach it.
Once there, walking to the front of the lighthouse will enable you to catch a
panoramic view of the Malaccan Straits and the clear blue seas below. Over
here, the wind is breezy and the sight of ships sailing in the wide sea is
breath-taking. On clear days, you can even catch a glimpse of Sumatra�s
outline in the horizon. Also look down at the shore from the top and you can
see some corals in the waters.
Location: 16km fm P. Dickson at the
border of Melaka State
Eagle Ranch
A little place several miles out of PD town called the Eagle Ranch riding
centre, has a small riding stable of 10 horses and is open to public. Apart
from horse riding, Eagle Ranch has now expanded into Eagle Ranch Resort
formerly known as Eco-Goodlife Resort. The area sits on 8.1hectares of old
rubber estate plantation. Extra curricular activities now include canoeing,
kayaking, trekking, go-karting, and archery. The resort has also reserved a
portion of their estate for an orchard where guests can savour a variety of
fruits like durian, mangosteen and rambutan during the fruiting season. Guests
can also opt to stay at the resort where a choice of accommodation from log
cabins, water chalets, dormitories, camping to even Teepees.
 Military
Museum (Armed Forces)
the museum houses a wide range of former combat vehicles, artillery and
planes. The museum is on an elevated land, and a fountain cum monument for
fallen soldiers in battle sits in the middle.
Around the monument are rows of decommissioned artillery, trains, military and
armored vehicles. There is also a fighter jet plane, a transport plane and a
helicopter parked at the sides. You will find the galleries on Malaysian Armed
Forces. The highlight is a subway tunnel that runs below the building and
exits near the cargo plane at the side of the museum grounds. This tunnel is a
realistic simulacrum of tunnels used by communists during the 'Emergency'
period. At the sides of the tunnel are glass cases displaying weapons and
military equipment as well as dioramas of soldiers engaged in meetings,
medical treatment and sleep.
The Armed Forces Museum is located 8 km
away from Port Dickson town.
RELATED LINKS
P. Dickson Area Map
View street and location of towns, and beaches etc of
Port Dickson Area
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