Golden Sands Resort

Golden Sands Resort is a hotel under the umbrella of the internationally acclaimed Malaysian-founded Shangri-La hospitality company. It is situated along the tourist beach strip of Batu Ferringhi, on the north-east end of Penang Island.

Their rooms were clean, spacious and tastefully decorated. I especially liked the wood-carving at the headboard of the bed and behind the sofa in the lounge room of the Executive Suite.

I had the opportunity to stay at this resort twice - both times in rooms that had commanding views of the pool area, beach and ocean. Although facing the pool, both times I was fortunate to be in rooms that were high enough to not be bothered by pool-goers.

Just the view of the pool and sea is enough to make anyone feel guilty for not going down there for a splash!

A little hard to think that it would not be enjoyable - there is a Haagen-Dazs ice-cream stand to start of temptations!

And so yes, I did end up soaking my feet in the pool with ice-cream in hand. Both times.

The resort has its own designated beach area, so it is perfect for a morning or sunset stroll, as it wouldn't be overcrowded.

And although I didn't take any photos of breakfast, I do think that their breakfast buffet isn't too bad. 

Golden Sands Resort
Jalan Batu Ferringhi, Kampung Tanjung Huma, 11100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 4 886 1911, Fax: +60 4 881 1880, E-mail: gsh@shangri-la.com

Tropical Fruit Farm

I have heard Dad talk about the Tropical Fruit Farm in Penang once and have made it a point to visit the orchard the next time I holidayed in Penang. Therefore, this trip, I dragged the bestie couple and Jennie along on my fruit exploration.

We paid RM40 each to join a guided farm tour, which included a fruit place and fruit juice. The tour lasted about half-an-hour.

The guide spoke in immaculate English and was very knowledgeable in the fruits grown at the orchard. He even introduced the medical benefits of each fruit and there were some trivia info, as well. 

The orchard is 25 acres wide and has more than 250 types of tropical and sub-tropical fruits. Some are familiar to us, some not quite. The orchard uses organic fertilisers, some even processed on site from their own fruit waste. Chemicals are used only when absolutely needed. 

I found the guided tour educational and could see how it contributes to the eco and agro-tourism of the state (and country). I am pretty sure that not only will foreigners learn a thing or two but also locals, especially when the current generation spend much time looking at an electronic version of plants and not the real version.

We were also introduced to their enzyme processing facility and I ended up buying a bottle of special enzyme to helped with my period pains. Apparently, they have an online facility that allowed for online shopping of their products but the selection is limited. Hm, seems that I may have to visit them again to buy a bigger bottle of that enzyme!

Tropical Fruit Farm
Batu 18, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Teluk Bahang, 11500 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: +60 4 866 5168; Mob: +60 12 497 1931
E-mail: info@tropicalfruitfarm.com.my
Daily 9:00am to 5:00pm

Roomies Suites

I have had the experience staying with Roomies Penang and thought of them when I made my next trip to Penang. Coincidentally, they had a newly opened branch called Roomies Suites and so I made it a point to stay there. Also in Batu Feringghi, they are located in a complex directly opposite Golden Sands Resort called Eden Parade.

The complex building itself was not impressive. In fact, we were a little skeptical when taking the lift, as it felt a little dodgy. However, when we arrived on our specified level, we were welcomed by a wall of synthetic green grass and a brightly-lit corridor.

Their reception area was spacious and decorated with bright colours. The check-in process was rather speedy and we found out that the manager there was Indonesian.

The television was playing in the background and there were coffee and tea-making facilities. Only some rooms were on this side of the complex and we gave the bestie couple a room here due to M's back problem. Well, you see, if you have to climb a ladder to get to bed, it is not advisable to do so with a bad back.

The other family rooms with loft beds were on the other side to the reception area. See that colourful door? That's where the rooms were and we had to key in a security code to enter.

It was clear that they had children in mind with setting up the Loft Room. There were toys, a kiddy tent, beanbags and a colourful carpet under the loft.

We were able to enjoy movies lying in bed. It was really comfortable but found the soundproofing a little lacking, as we could hear people laughing and running outside.

The bathroom was clean, simple and we had a rain shower. Would have been more handy to have more hooks for clothes inside the bathroom, though.

Breakfast was included and the next morning, we had a packet of nasi lemak. I made myself a cup of tea to go with it. Simple but satisfying.

Roomies Suites

1-9B Eden Parade, 1 Jalan Sungai Emas, 11100 Batu Feringghi, Penang, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 4 881 1378; Mob: +60 12 474 1869, +60 16 477 5227

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi 邱公司

In my opinion, the Khoo Kongsi is a must-visit whenever in Penang. Open to members of the public every day of the year from 9:00am to 5:00pm, we paid RM10 to enter and were given postcards and a sticker each. Children under the age of 12 require only RM1 to enter while children under the age of five do not require a fee to enter.

Kongsi translates into clanhouse and in this case, this clanhouse belongs to the Khoo clan with an impressive lineage dating back 650 years. Located in the oldest part of Georgetown amidst other pre-War buildings, it is the grandest of all the clanhouses in Malaysia with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture. Together with the Cheah, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi, they were known as the Five Big Clans and formed the backbone of the Hokkien community in early Penang.

The clanhouse is made up of a cluster of buildings, including an association building, a traditional theatre (pictured below) and late 19th-century clan houses encircling a granite-paved square. The Khoo Kongsi is a clan association belonging to the Leong San Tong (Dragon Mountain Hall) clan, whose forefathers originate from Sin Kang District (now known as Xiangcheng District 芗城区) in the Chinese province of Fujian (福建省).

The Khoos were one of the wealthy groups Straits Chinese traders of 17th century Malacca and early Penang. The forefathers of the Khoo family who emigrated from South China built it as a clan house for members of the Khoo family in 1851. Then, the clan complex resembled a miniature clan village, with its own self-government, as well as educational, financial, welfare and social organisations. In 1894, it burnt down from allegedly lightweight and the Chinese believed that it was due to its resemblance to the Emperor's palace, which provoked the gods. In 1902, they begun building a scaled-down version, which was completed in 1906 with the addition of a clan temple. The clan temple is dedicated to the clan's patron deities and also houses a collection of ancestral tablets. I did not take a photograph of the deity altars and ancestral tablets as as sign of respect. I did, however, take a photograph of the entrance of the temple, where there are elaborate paper lanterns painted with the Khoo (邱) surname.

Even though scaled-down, the complex still boasts a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.

Lifting my head, I was even amazed at how much thought was put into the roof patterns. Evidently, the architectural expression that received most attention was the timber work. Just look at how carefully calculated all the trusses and beams are held in place using a technique called "three cross beams, five queen posts".

The basement has been converted into a museum and if you are lucky like my friends and I were on one of our visits, you may bump into a local Khoo paying his respects to his ancestors who would volunteer to explain things to you. It was through one of the many Mr. Khoos and his son who happily shared information regarding how prolific Khoo descendants would have a plaque displayed at the Kongsi. Only the boys, though, as the girls would not carry on the family name. They have a genealogy chart, which they strictly abide by and today, they have followed up to their 27th generation.

The Kongsi is rather hidden from view and even the main entrance of the Kongsi is rather inauspiciously marked. Would help to ask the locals for directions but do keep an eye out or Google for Owl Shop, as the entrance is just next to this shop.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi

18 Cannon Square, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 4 261 4609, Fax: +60 4 262 2591

E-mail: info@khookongsi.com.my

Chew Jetty 姓周桥

One of the main attractions of Penang Island aka Pearl of the Orient are the clan jetties. Of eight clan jetties, only six remain. Over a century old, each jetty belongs to a clan and are part of the area recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage. 

Chew Jetty is the biggest of of the seven clan jetties with the most stilt-homes, longest walkway and is the most tourist-friendly.

Wall art of Grandpa and Grandson

Tourism was evident from how many homes had their front verandah converted into souvenir shops or cafes.

There were also traces of props left behind by several movies. Two movies that immediately spring to mind are Ice Kacang Puppy Love (初恋红豆冰) directed by Ah-Niu (阿牛) and The Journey (一路有你) directed by Chiu 导.

There were many sampans and fishing equipment in sight, reminding visitors of one of the initial uses of the jetties as loading docks and to moor sampans. 

The Chew, Lim, Yeoh and Tan jetties are the older jetties while the Lee and Mixed Surname jetties are the newer additions.

Although the jetties are tourist-friendly, we have to be mindful when walking around in groups so as not to disrupt the daily lives of the residents there. After all, these are real homes that make up the water settlements.

Visiting Chew Jetty was my second experience of water settlements and I have say that I was greatly impressed by how clean the place was compare to my first experience at Pulau Ketam. I understand that the latter has a much bigger population and relies heavily on its fishing industry but first impressions matter, especially when it comes to the cleanliness of the place.

There was a network of narrow boardwalks connecting the different houses and I imagined a rather interesting childhood for the children living here.

Like our homes, they also had all the amenities and technology. Many, of not all homes had an Astro dish fixed outside.

A friend of mine asked me if they get taxed, as they live on water and not land. Frankly, I have no idea. Anyone does?

The clan jetties are situated a stone's throw away from the ferry terminal and are accessible by public transport, which I would recommend over driving. Of course, walking is the next best option, to help burn off all the extra pounds gained from Penang's notoriously irresistible street food.

Roomies Penang: Boutique Bed & Breakfast

Many of my friends know that I enjoy visiting the island we call the Pearl of the Orient, so much so that I visit almost every year. During one of my random browsing of Penang places to explore, I came across a place called Roomies. They were only renovating when I found out about them. Intrigued, I liked their Facebook page to keep track because who knows, I may pay them a visit one day. And visit them I did!

I went with a group of friends - 6 of us girls in total. It was an easy trek from the Penang Airport. We took the Rapid Penang #101 that goes all the way to Teluk Bahang, pressed the bell as we noticed the police station and thanked the friendly bus driver.

For those thinking of traveling with a 20kg luggage bag, please be informed that they are located on the 4th floor of a row of shops without elevators. We packed light and so the climb up the stairs was not too bad for us. 

We were greeted by a panel of planks with a transparent case in the middle showcasing a statue of the head of the Buddha - unique but a little confronting. 

The panel of planks also functioned as a divider that shields their Perfect 10 dorm beds from the main entrance. How clever.

After checking-in, the first request all of us had was for the washroom, as the bus ride had taken longer than expected. The washroom is a combination of the toilet and shower. They are located right at the end of the premises and could do with a few more hooks for clothes. For most of my friends, this was their first time using an accommodation with shared bathroom facilities and so were pretty impressed with the clean and simple layout. I, too, was impressed, and found them to be better than some of the more established B&Bs I have stayed at in Australia and New Zealand.

We took two rooms - the Studio Suite and the Cinema Room. Two of my friends and I opted to spend the night in the latter. First thing we did was to allocate beds and as they were both afraid to climb that high up, I volunteered to take the highest loft bed. Quite fun an experience to sleep that close to the ceiling, I thought, but boy did I regret my choice after a day at Escape. As I was aching every where, climbing up those steps was nothing short of painful and once I made it up there, I refused to climb back down!

However, it was convenient that this room is located just before the washrooms - made it easy to wash our hands, freshen up and to use the toilet. The downside of this was that we could hear footsteps throughout the evening and in the morning, as other people walked past to use the toilets.

You can't have a 32" LCD screen with free in-room HD blockbuster movies on demand with no snack, can you? Fret not, there is a whole basketful prepared but do check the expiry dates of each packet - one of my friends had one that was expired.

The Studio Suite is more spacious and has double room configurations - mini bar, ensuite bathroom and a window for fresh air (our Cinema Room didn't have windows).

 

Having checked out our rooms, we explored the rest of the place. I really appreciate their efforts in introducing Batu Ferringhi. They had a "Roomies Guide to Batu Ferringhi" in the reception area.

They even had a few bags of homemade cookies for sale.

As mentioned previously, behind the reception area are the dorm beds, which they claim to be "shake-proof". I like how they provide each bed with a curtain to provide some privacy - something I have not seen in the dorms I have been to. And should you worry about snoring or someone chatting on the phone/Facetime/Skype/, they provide complimentary Bose "QuietComfort" 20i Noise Cancelling plugs.

In addition to a sun deck and roof terrace (where we had our breakfast the next morning), they also have a lounge for guests to chillax and socialise. 

And of course they are on TripAdvisor. Not only are they on there but they are also ranked the best B&B in Batu Ferringhi, so what's your reason not to choose them?

Roomies Penang
76C-4 Jalan Batu Ferringhi, 1110 Batu Ferringhi, Penang.
Tel: +60 4 881 1378; Mob: +60 12 474 1869, +60 16 477 5227
E-mail: stayatroomies@gmail.com

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