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Discovering the Best-Hidden Secrets of Penang, and it’s not about Technology
20May2010 Filed under: Others Author: Kitkat
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Today it’s time to take a break from Gadgets and Techno stuff. Instead we have decided to look at Penang, widely acknowledged to be the I.T. capital of Malaysia.
Mention the word Penang… your imagination (and mine) would automatically venture to the beautiful stretch of beaches along Batu Ferringhi.
But once you have driven past the Batu Ferringhi stretch and resisted the temptation of stopping by one of the gorgeous beaches, you would reach the end of it and find yourself at the Penang National Park. This would prove to be the start of a hiking venture that few know about and have experienced, though those who have would most definitely recommend this adventure to others!
Take a short walk up the trail and you would find yourself at an intersection, the left takes you to Kerachut Beach while a right turn takes you to Monkey Beach. Take the left turn and hike for an hour or two before you arrive to a secluded beach that is alluring and charming in every way imaginable. Alternatively you could also take a boat to the beach (it’s about RM15 one way per person the last time I checked), but hiking to the beach makes the journey more enjoyable.
Enjoy the gorgeous sunset at the beach, or camp overnight and watch the stars at night as Kerachut Beach is a brilliant camping site (for those who know the spot). It also holds a turtle hatchery site, thus if you are a fan of turtles, this place would appeal to your greatly!
Exhausted after a day of hiking? Time for a huge meal to recharge if you ask me! No one visits Penang without having a taste of the famous Nasi Kandar, thus why not consider a plate! I have tried countless nasi kandar stalls in Penang, but the one that sticks in mind each and every time is most definitely Nasi Kandar Line Clear! Trust me when I say that Line Clear serves the best servings of nasi kandar anywhere in Penang!
Located in an alley in between Chulia Street and Penang Road, the place might not be the cleanest around, but you will forget about hygiene the moment you set eyes on the scrumptious dishes on display! Highly recommended is the Ayam Madu (Honey Chicken) which practically melts in your mouth, and for those that love Fish Head Curry, this is the place to taste the best of the lot!
The same can be said about their chicken curry, chicken kurma, fried squid, mutton curry and all their other dishes! No matter what you take, you would not be left disappointed!
Apparently Nasi Kandar Line Clear has been around since 1947! And if you are concerned about budget, worry not as Line Clear charges extremely affordable prices for their food.
Us tech people need a break too. So why not try out Malaysia’s technology capital? Time to head off to Penang again, what say you?
Data Analysis
May 20th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Beautiful. On the wish list.
Komodo Dragon
May 20th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
I must say, that is some beautiful scenery, and some pretty turtles! With some great food to boot! =D
G Web
May 20th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Malaysia is really beautiful, and one day I would love to take a vacation there, and walk on the magical white beaches of Penang. The beauty of this all is that this will still be a fairly affordable holiday, as opposed to going to europe or the usa. When the IT capital boasts scenery such as this, it sounds like a true geeks paradise, LOL!
sell your textbooks
May 20th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Your description was great! I wish I could be there now and I live at the beach. To be able to cut loose for a week in such a place would be great right now. Maybe I could find a way to make it a business trip.
aggelies
May 20th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
A very nice place to travel to. The picture of the the beach is just awesome.
Yogi
May 20th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Penang scenary is not bad… much better than KL for sure
But Thailand beaches are in a class of their own! My favorite is still Phuket.
mobile phone
May 21st, 2010 at 3:33 am
Looks amazing, but man, I’d suffer from a lot of culture shock
Laptop Briefcase
May 21st, 2010 at 6:56 am
That food sounds delicious, even if it is made in a dirty back alley. I love south asian food. I also agree that the scenery is pretty sweet. If my body could stand heat a little better I would have to consider moving my home business there.
Komodo Dragon
May 21st, 2010 at 9:10 am
@mobile phone, probably but that’s all the fun!
Inner Game
May 21st, 2010 at 10:37 am
The beauty of this all is that this will still be a fairly affordable holiday, as opposed to going to europe or the usa. When the IT capital boasts scenery such as this, it sounds like a true geeks paradise
G Web
May 21st, 2010 at 8:58 pm
@ Mobile Phone – I am so with you on that bit, but as Komodo Dragon said, it is part of the fun! The language barrier can just be a bit of a challenge, especially when you need directions. Does Garmin have maps for Malaysia? And other exotic destinations for that matter?
Horizon
May 21st, 2010 at 9:12 pm
@GWeb: Besides Penang, Langkawi is pretty good for beaches too. You need to be careful with the Penang food… Gurney Drive is overated and sometimes a rip off.
mobile phone
May 22nd, 2010 at 10:11 am
I also agree that the scenery is pretty sweet. If my body could stand heat a little better
G Web
May 22nd, 2010 at 3:03 pm
@Horizon – Thank you for the words of advise! I’m going to Google Langkawi and have a look. Food is always an issue when travelling in hot climes. The stuff just spoils so quickly, and when it is flavoured with heavy spices you don’t realise that the meat was a bit overripe….with intertesting effects on soft western bowels that aren’t used to wild food…..heheheheh
aggelies
May 23rd, 2010 at 12:20 am
When i traveled to India a few years ago, i got the same recommendation, as Gweb is saying. Caution on the food and always drink bottled water.
Laptop Briefcase
May 26th, 2010 at 1:12 am
That is true about foreign food. While the locals may have no problem with it, visitors would likely have weaker stomachs. A lot of foreign countries may also have more lax restaurant regulations.
mobile phone
May 27th, 2010 at 7:20 am
Mostly I think the reason travellors have problems, is the water. Water contains so many different variations of bacteria, locals have built immunity to it, but travellers have not.
Web design
May 27th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
From the look of the title, I thought you would say, beside IT, Penang would be famous for its politics and corruption expose – lol.
Jokes aside, Penang is indeed famous for its tourism, especially its hawkers food (street food) – I like the assam laksa and fried kuey teow.
Inner Game
May 31st, 2010 at 1:53 am
wow, looks like a beautifull place, it great to get lost in those kind of places ones in a wile
Laptop Briefcase
June 1st, 2010 at 1:40 am
@mobile phone: that’s a good point. Water treatment would definitely vary from country to country. Usually you can avoid that by just drinking bottled water, just check where it’s actually bottled though. Or else you might end up with pretty much the same water as from the taps.
pays to live green
June 1st, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Wow, what a beautiful place. Not only do those beaches look great, but the food does as well.
Penang Hotels
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:42 am
To come to the rescue of Penang in view of some of the comments above: food poisening can occur anywhere in the World. Penang is a wonderful place with great food and comfortable hotels. Thanks you for your wonderful article!
kl-stock
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
The beauty of Penang is not just the beaches and surrounds but it’s also a charming town with a historic flavour, combined with a modern metropolis which is not over developed. Much better than KL for sure although CNY traffic is no fun at all!
Program
June 4th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Your description was great! I wish I could be there now and I live at the beach. To be able to cut loose for a week in such a place would be great right now. Maybe I could find a way to make it a business trip.
Selina
July 4th, 2010 at 6:19 am
I love Penang. Not only for their food and beaches but also for their friendly people! I love staying at Lone Pine beach resort, it’s so simple and laid back. Great place to be!
Bidet
August 14th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Wow this place looks beautiful, like paradise. I never heard of this place before, thanks for sharing it.
Tej Kohli
September 13th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Nice Post , I am always looking for Such a Good Information !
car battery
October 26th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
That looks like a heavenly place for a holiday. When you’re working in a technological environment, no doubt you will be living in a crowded cityscape, so such natural vistas are a welcome sight for a vacation.