Port Dickson was believed to be discovered by Sir Frederick Dickson, a British official who was looking for a suitable port during the colonial period in the 1880s’. The port was needed to facilitate the transportation of tin ore from the mines of Sungai Ujong, a nearby area, to Klang, instead of using the traditional rough road that was long and windy.

Port Dickson at that time was only a small Malay village called ‘Arang’, which means coal in Malay as the villagers made a living from making coal. Over time, it came to be known as Port Dickson. Still, another source says that the official in charge of the Port Dickson district was named ‘Dickson’, which was then how the place came to be named.

Regardless, Port Dickson found little use a port but much potential as a seaside recreational destination! At first, Port Dickson was a resort town for British officials and their families but over time, it attracted locals, especially after Malaysia received independence.