The working waterfront around the ferry jetty at Pangkor Town is the most authentic part of the island — fish drying on racks in the sun, boats unloading catches, and the smell of the sea mixed with salt and diesel. This is where Pangkor's fishing industry operates. Several seafood restaurants cluster near the jetty; the freshness of the fish is guaranteed because you can essentially see where it came from.
The best time to visit the jetty area is early morning, when the boats return and the fish market is active. In the evening the same restaurants serve the day's catch grilled, steamed, or fried. Look for the dried seafood stalls selling salted fish, dried squid, and shrimp paste — classic Malay pantry staples that make good souvenirs if you are flying back to Malaysia, though not if you are catching an international flight.