Penang Gourment

If Penang is the food capital of Malaysia, Gurney Drive is arguably the best of Penang on a plate. The popular seafront promenade exemplifies the colours and atmosphere of Penang – fun, lively and vibrant. Also known by its Malay name, “Persiaran Gurney”, Gurney Drive offers delightful street and high-end cuisine. Food courts and open-air hawker stalls pepper the seaside stretch, offering gastronomic delights well into the night. Local favourites such as Penang Laksa, Bak Kuk Teh (a herbal stew of pork ribs and meat), Oh Chien (fried oyster omelette), grilled squid, and nasi lemak make for mouth-watering meals. The New Gurney Drive Food Court has both a halal and non-halal section, and is open from 6pm. 

If you’re craving for something other than hawker food, try the piping hot dim sum at the Corner Club Restaurant. For weight watchers, the 24-hour Mr. Pot offers a selection of sandwiches and toast, all-day breakfast sets, healthy meals and oil-free dishes.

Nearby, along Lorong Burma, is the island’s first Burmese temple. Built in 1803, the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple has striking golden rooftops, pagodas, a huge Boddhi tree and a wishing well.

Nearby, the Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram Temple greets worshippers and visitors alike with its unique architecture: sharp-eaves, extravagant ceilings and images of Asian dragons. The temple was built in 1845, with a huge 108-foot long reclining Buddha within its walls, said to be the third largest Buddha statue in the world. 

Watch our video on Penang Gourmet here. 

Fabulous Food Hunt 2013

As part of Visit Malaysia 2014 Fabulous Food hunt, a nation wide hunt for some of the best eateries around KL, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture recruited an eight-member band, and performers for a flashmob to entertain the unsuspecting bystanders and passer-bys. And TrulyAsia was there to catch it all for you guys!

The event began at Lanai Matic in Jalan Ampang and ended at Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honor in attendance at the flashmob was Rashidi Hasbullah, deputy secretary general of Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Datuk Musa Yusof, Director of Marketing Division, Tourism Malaysia and Mustapha Kamil, New Straits Times managing director.

This event was launched by the Ministry’s deputy secretary general, Rashidi Hasbullah. The rules were simple: Eat and move on to the next checkpoint until all the tasks were completed. 

The winning team gets RM5,000 and round trip tickets for four to Adelaide, Australia. First and second runner-ups did not go home empty handed. Both took home RM3,000 and RM1,500 respectively. There were nine checkpoints (in no particular order) and three treasures.

Watch the Fabulous Food Hunt 2013 video here.

A Night Out In Penang

For those who are looking for a short breakaway, Penang is the right and great place to unwind, enjoy and relax. It is just a short one hour flight away, with many interesting sites and fabulous food.

Most Singaporean feel very comfortable, at ease and relax visiting Penang as they are quite familiar with Penang’s rich multi ethnic culture, food, lifestyles, languages and the friendliness of the people. They don’t seem lost unlike when travelling to other holiday destination. 

The charm of Penang has always been interesting to Singaporeans. Unlike Singapore, which is now a super ultra modern city, Penang is still a little lacklustre but maintaining it’s quaintly and charming old school way of life. Most Singaporeans coming here tend to experience a nostalgic feeling especially when they start exploring George Town. They feel it is like taking a step back yesterday once more and able to get a small peep back of what they used to know Singapore as it was during the 50’s and 60’s. It not common for Singaporean visitors to say “Oh we use to have this. What a shame we pull it down”. Well, it’s always nice to recall those treasured sentimental memories when seeing something that made you think back. 

For those interested in eco tourism, Penang’s lush green tropical gardens, parks and hills offer some fascinating sights like those at Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang. The beaches at Batu Feringgi are also attractive and well developed. 

Though what we have here, probably Singapore will have it too but usually Singaporeans will get all excited about our fabulous food. Take our famous char koay teow, hokkien mee (prawn mee), rojak, Indian pasembur, mee udang, loh bak, assam laksa, hae ko chee cheong fu, roti canai will tickle your gastronomic desire. For dessert there are the all time famous Teochew cendul, refreshing coconut jelly, freshly blend nutmeg and ampala juice. For lunch and dinner try the Hainanese, Peranakan (Nyonya), Mamak (Indian Muslim) and seafood restaurant which serve a great range of scrumptious authentic cuisines. 

The Gurney Drive Hawker Centre with over ninety stalls gives you different varieties of street food in one area. This is a popular multi ethnic food centre which enables visitors to eat all sorts of Malay, Indian Muslim and Chinese food. The other is at the Esplanade Hawker Centre. Here you find mouth watering and delectable mee udang, mutton soup, fried mee, mee java and pasembur. 

For durian feast the best time will be in late May till early August. The best durian plantations are located Balik Pulau. The road leading to the town is absolutely scenic and serene and at some points you able to look down at the lowland and the shoreline with the horizon and beyond. As the road winds towards the edge of the slope you catch glimpses of durians hanging in the tree and nettings down below to catch the falling durians. 

Watch A Night Out In Penang video here.

Petaling Street, The Heart of Chinatown

Petaling Street, the centre of Kuala Lumpur's original Chinatown, maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors fan out their merchandise along the street. 

While you can shop for anything from gems and incense to toys and t-shirts, the true allure of this night market is in wandering about and enjoying its sights, sounds and energy. Food is plentiful with many scrumptious varieties to choose from; some of the restaurants here have been in business for generations. 

Locals flock to Petaling Street primarily for bargain accessories and great Chinese food. So, go on, be brave - head down to Petaling Street with an empty stomach and an adventurous spirit. Even if you don't spend a penny, (which will be hard!), you are guaranteed to have an amazing experience here. 

At the end of Petaling Street, you can further explore the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple which dates back to 1906. The interior of this building features open courtyard pavilions, intricate carvings and paintings. On the exterior, the temple depicts elaborate glazed ceramic sculptures which grace the facade and roof ridges. 

For more adventurous tourists, further down from Petaling Street is the South Indian Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. This temple is situated at Jalan Tun H.S. Lee which is within walking distance from Chinatown. Built in 1873, the temple is said to be the most ornate and elaborate Hindu temple in the country. The design and decorative features include intricate carvings of Hindu deities, gold embellishments, precious stones and hand-painted motifs. Exquisite Italian and Spanish tiles provide further ornamentation. A silver chariot housed within the premises features prominently in religious processions, transporting the statue of the deity through the city streets. 

Outside the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple are stalls selling garlands and strings of sweet smelling jasmine. Additionally, the strong aroma of Chinese traditional herbs and that of freshly brewed coffee waft through the air from across the street. 

Watch Petaling Street video here.

Top 5 Places To Visit In Kuala Lumpur

1. Aquaria, KLCC

Nestled in the heart of the bustling Golden Triangle and within walking distance from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC is a state-of-the-art aquarium showcasing over 5,000 different exhibits of aquatic and land-bound creatures over a sprawling multi-level space in the Concourse Level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. 

From the tropical waters of the Asian region to the rainforests of the world, Aquaria KLCC takes you on a journey to discover the fascinating nature of aquatic life as well as the unique behaviour of animals and crawly creatures above water. 

Immerse in an absorbing aquatic experience (without getting your feet wet!) from the moment you enter Aquaria KLCC. An educational study charting the course of natural waters flowing from the highlands to the streams and deep sea is devised to help visitors appreciate water as a habitat and ecosystem.

Highlights include a 90-metre tunnel tank with a moving travelator where you can marvel at Sand Tiger sharks, stingrays, marine turtles and other sea creatures swimming around unhindered in the vast oceanarium, a spectacular live show of divers feeding these creatures at meal times and a rare opportunity to come into contact with live starfish and bamboo shark at the Touchpool area. 

Watch Aquaria KLCC video here. 

2. Central Market, Kuala Lumpur

Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, a few minutes away from Petaling Street, Central Market is a famous landmark for Malaysian culture and heritage. 

The building was built in 1888 and originally functioned as a wet market and was built by Yap Ah Loy, the city’s Chinese Kapitan. It has since been classified as a Heritage Site. 

It served as a prominent landmark in colonial and modern-day Kuala Lumpur. When it was relocated in the 1980s, the Malaysian Heritage Society successfully petitioned against the demolition of the building, and it was subsequently declared a centre for Malaysian arts, culture and handicraft.

Tourists flock to Central Market for its variety of handicrafts, art, kebaya, songket, batik and authentic Malaysian souvenirs. A Batik Emporium houses well-known designer labels, with the best Malaysian-made batik items ranging from clothes, shoes, bags to home furnishing. 

The Central Market Outdoor Stage is where visitors can catch colourful arts and cultural events. During the country’s main festivals, the area will be lit up in theme, reflecting the multiracial diversity of Malaysians. 

For a more contemporary take on the local arts scene, The Annexe Gallery, located at the back of Central Market, is a popular venue for events such as film screenings, art exhibitions and public discourses. 

Watch Central Market video here. 

3. Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Alor is the well-known food street unique food destination in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Every local and tourist will eventually end up here having feast of good food in one of the many many restaurants and stalls. During the day, there is not much activity but when the sun goes down, the street will be hustling and bustling with activity.

On Jalan Alor, the stalls are parked all along the street and will take up both sides of the road selling food that best represents Malaysia. It is quite an overwhelming experience for whom may have some difficulty on deciding where to eat.

Jalan Alor is synonymous with good food, so much that there were much protests when the local authorities renamed the road. Jalan Alor indeed has a lot to offer for local visitors as well as those coming from abroad, so head there and experience it for yourself.

While most of the menus are in Chinese characters, there are some who also provide English translation in order to cater to tourists and a growing number of locals who are not Chinese-educated.

Located within the Bukit Bintang area, it can be easily found. It will takes 5 minutes walk to Jalan Alor from metro's Bukit Bintang Station.

Watch Jalan Alor video here.

4. ATV Adventure

If you are an adrenaline junkie and seeking for adventures activities while visiting Kuala Lumpur, you might want to try riding an ATV at ATV Adventure Park.

Only a 15 minutes drive away from Kuala Lumpur, located at Hulu Kelang, this ATV adventure park is the largest of its kind in Malaysia and offers various jungle trails for outdoor enthusiasts and all-terrain vehicle riders.

ATV Adventure Park is incorporated on 24th July 2006 by En. Mas Fadzillah Khan bin Ali.  Having more than 20 years motoring experience, set up the ougn tourists, increased to 36 units in early 2009.

You can choose out of five packages which suits you the most. Be thrilled to ride the bike while enjoying the magnificent view and sounds of nature.

The journey of the ride will take you to a stunning waterfall called Sofea Jane Waterfall as well an off road ride to Bukit Tabur, Klang Gate Dam, Sungai Liza, Bukit Lalang and Dataran Mas.

Do not miss out a chance to take a deep fresh air while having this adventure activity during your visit in Kuala Lumpur.  The ATV Adventure Park open everyday from 9 am to 6 pm.

Watch ATV Adventure video here.

5. Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

The magnificent Batu Caves are one of the top tourist attractions in Malaysia, partly because they are located only 13km from downtown Kuala Lumpur and easy to get to.

Site of a Hindu temple and shrine, Batu Caves attracts thousands of worshippers and tourists, especially during the annual Hindu festival, Thaipusam.

A limestone outcrop located just north of Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves has three main caves featuring temples and Hindu shrines. The caves are Cathedral Cave, Dark Cave and Cave Villa. 

Its main attraction is the large statue of the Hindu God at the entrance, besides a steep 272 climb up its steps to finally view the stunning skyline of the city centre.

Monkeys frolic around the caves, and it is a popular spot for rock climbing enthusiasts. Paintings and scenes of Hindu Gods can also be seen in the Ramayana Cave.

Batu Caves is a place where you should not miss on your next visit to Malaysia! 

Watch Batu Caves video here.