Historically, what is today Port Dickson and nearby Lukut were part of the luak (chiefdom) of Kelang, one of the original nine that formed the first iteration of Negeri Sembilan in 1773.

The British considered the area to have great potential as a harbour, and it was intended to supersede the port in Pengkalan Kempas.

Along with Seremban, Port Dickson is part of the Malaysia Vision Valley, a growth corridor jointly initiated by both the federal and state governments that aims to develop the western half of Negeri Sembilan to complement existing development in the neighbouring Klang Valley and the Greater Kuala Lumpur area as a whole.

Due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997, however, many of these projects stalled, leaving many unfinished buildings scattered along the Port Dickson coastline.

[13][14][15] Linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Straits of Malacca is the shortest sea route between three of the world's most populous countries—India, China, and Indonesia.

Inspired by the sea trade, expats founded the Royal Port Dickson Yacht Club (RPDYC) in 1927, which still offers dinghy sailing courses and runs regattas.

The newer, five-star Admiral Marina & Leisure Club has dock facilities for yacht travellers, sailboats, and luxury cruisers.

In the past, a 39 km-long branch line of the KTMB network linked Port Dickson to Seremban, but operations ceased in 2008.