A Magnificent Holiday Island (Penang)

Member Name: petehall

Product:	Penang
Date:	23/03/02 (135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean, many, many attractions, cheap

Disadvantages: A long way from home

Long golden beaches, superb accommodation, superb sightseeing and great shopping , what more could you ask for? Ferringhi beach is on the north coast of Penang and forms the main tourist area of the island. There are many superb hotels along the beach but the Ferringhi Beach Hotel is not one of them (this is on a rocky promontory quite some distance from the beach ? too far to walk). We stayed at the Casuarina Beach Hotel and were absolutely delighted. Toward the western end of the beach, far enough to be tranquil but near enough to the centre of activity to walk there in a few minutes, it is a splendid hotel with a nice pool area, watersports facilities and a choice of restaurants and bars. Drinks and food tend to be very pricey in the hotels compared to the local cafes and restaurants, so the majority of people choose to eat out.

A few yards from the Casuarina, across the road, we found the Happy Garden where they did a lovely English style breakfast for a couple of pounds. They did lunch and evening meal too ? that?s where I tried the shark?s fin soup (not what I?d expected). I tried cuttlefish at one of the other little eateries ? it was like eating silicon rubber and it apparently has the nickname ?Chinese chewing gum? (far too complimentary in my opinion).

There are lots of small shops across the road from the hotels and at night they turn the same road into a night market. Counterfeit watches, tee shirts and other similar goods are the main lines on sale, but at prices lower than I?ve seen anywhere else. Many of these products are of surprisingly good quality, particularly the clothing.

Sightseeing is best done by air-conditioned taxi. Forget the coach trips being sold by reps at the hotel, it will take at least two trips to see all the main sights, and will cost more than a taxi. To do the two trips would have cost the two of us £60, to be herded around in bunches and then to stand waiting for the usual late arrivals at every lo
cation. We spoke to a taxi driver outside the hotel, told him where we wanted to go and he quoted us £20. When I tried to haggle he wouldn?t reduce the price but added a further two destinations. We were taken door to door, given good advice and information, he was waiting and watching for us at each place so we could make a prompt departure and we did the whole thing in one day.

So where should you go? Penang Bridge, the Kek Lok Si Temple, the Snake Temple, the Botanical Gardens, the Thai Temple and the Burmese Temple are probably the main destinations. You can reach the butterfly farm by bus from the resort, and of course you should visit the capital, Georgetown.

The weather was lovely, with only occasional torrential rain (it was the rainy season) and the drinking water is reputed to be the cleanest in the world.

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