In Penang, aimless wanderings can lead travelers from Chinese shops to
Little India districts; restaurants housed in colonial-era mansions to iconic street
food stands; a street that draws Penang’s four major religions to a street that
features its most popular street arts.
But
wait, there’s more. Skirting this vibrant city is a landscape of beaches and
forests.
This multitude of experiences sums up my recent Penang escapade, made
possible by Philippines AirAsia and Penang Tourism.
Gastronomic Adventure
Our trip was mainly a food tour of Penang, which is known as the food
capital of Malaysia. In 2004, Time
Magazine recognized it for having the best street food in Asia. On our four-day escapade, we got to sample
Chinese, Nyoya, Indian and some of its popular hawker food.
Our Chinese seafood feast was courtesy of Taitong Seafood. This restaurant raised the bar on our Penang
Food Trip. Their three-layer tea is the
best and their mantis prawn with salted egg is a must-try.
Our Nyoya sampling,
which is a combination of Chinese, Malay and other regional influences, at Perut Rumah Nyonya
Cuisine was equally delightful.
I have to say that
Perut Rumah Nyonya Cuisine’s interior is also quite impressive. It has a cupboard of Nyonya antiques; floor
tiles from the olden days; and a charming foyer.
Our Indian lunch
was at Gem’s Restaurant and it was, undoubtedly, the best on our entire
gastronomic adventure in Penang. It was so good I kept craving for rice and
curry even days after.
Our home in Penang,
Sunway Hotel, didn’t only serve superb breakfast and cocktails (Hooray for free
beers!), it also sits right smack in the middle of where the best Penang street
food is. That is New Lane Hawker
Centre.
We tried the chicken wings, char kwey tow,
satay sticks and oyster egg and none disappointed. It was actually the perfect
way to celebrate our last night in Penang.
Nature loving
We also spent a full-day exploring the outskirts of Penang
and experiencing up-close its natural wonders.
We frolicked as butterflies flew all over us; swung like Tarzan; and
explored a forest.
Our first stop was Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm, home to more than
15,000 butterflies, plus different species of insects, invertebrates, small
reptiles and plants. It features
waterfalls, ponds and other surreal garden features.
This multi-storey tropical sanctuary consists of the Natureland and The
Cocoon. The Natureland is a shared
ecological space for the said species. The
Cocoon is an indoor discovery centre, which features exhibitions and other
indoor activities.
Next door to Entopia is Escape, an outdoor theme park, which is my kind
of playground. There’s ziplining, bungee
jumping, tree-swing, slacklining, and other fun, adrenaline-pumping activities.
The park also has tents for rent, for those who want to complete the
outdoor experience.
The rest of the day was spent in Penang Hill, a hill resort comprising a
group of peaks, with its highest point at 833 meters above sea level. It’s 6 kilometers away from George Town.
We reached the peak via the Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway. The
ride was among my most picturesque rides ever.
The scenic ride up was even capped with a magnificent panoramic view of
Georgetown.
The highlight of our Penang Hill visit was the exploration of its nature
reserve, Habitat. Our guide was Shakira,
who has an infectious love for nature. She thought us how to guess the age of
trees; the local names of their flowers; and let us enjoy the giant swings.
I am so looking forward to returning when their canopy walks are
completed.
A Harmonious Walk
Of course, we cannot be in Penang and not explore its colorful and
multi-cultural capital, George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We walked Jalan
Masjid Kapitan Keling, otherwise known as
the ‘Street of Harmony’, which
draws together the town’s four main religions.
We started at the St. George’s Church, the first Anglican Church in Southeast Asia. Then, we walked to Goddess of Mercy Temple,
the spiritual center of the Chinese community.
We continued to walk to Kapitan Keling Mosque.
We saw two clan houses
after. The more elaborate and grander is
the The Khoo Kongsi, which
is part of the location of of the movie Anna and the King.
Our hunt for Penang’s popular street arts followed. I was not that successful though because of
time constraints and because of the shops.
Got to see though the most popular,
“Little Children on a Bicycle,” painted by London-trained artist Ernest Zacharevic,
in conjunction with the 2012 George Town Festival.
The next site we
visited was the Penang Peranakan Mansion, which gave us a glimpse of Peranakan
culture. The museum tells of the opulent
lifestyle of rich Penalakan families in the 19th century. Everything here is exquisite and fine. They also have a jewelry and textile museum
inside.
Our last stop, before we went shopping, was the Chew Jetties Floating
Villages, a village on stilts established mid 19th century. It also houses souvenir shops and
restaurants.
AirAsia in Penang
Want to visit Penang?
Philippines AirAsia offers fly-thru services to Penang via Kuala Lumpur. It's hassle-free. Guests only book one ticket and baggages are collected at the final destination. Log on to www.airasia.com for more information.
Terima Kasih, Philippines AirAsia, Penang Tourism and Sunway Hotel!
Want to visit Penang?
Philippines AirAsia offers fly-thru services to Penang via Kuala Lumpur. It's hassle-free. Guests only book one ticket and baggages are collected at the final destination. Log on to www.airasia.com for more information.
Terima Kasih, Philippines AirAsia, Penang Tourism and Sunway Hotel!
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