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| From a sleepy fishing village, Pulau Redang (Redang
Island) has grown into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the
east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The reefs of the Redang archipelago are
home to over 55 genera of corals and 100 species of fish. Every year, Pulau
Redang attracts thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the sun, beaches
and spectacular marine life |
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If there's one place in Penang that has its generous share of foreign visitors,
it would have to be Batu Ferringhi. Aside from
Georgetown, Batu Ferringhi is arguably the second most visited destination
on Penang Island.
It's difficult to put a finger on what it is exactly that draws repeat
visitors to Batu Ferringhi each year. Like Georgetown, Batu Ferringhi is a great
place for visitors to enjoy the good food and great shopping. But Batu Ferringhi
also has some of the nicest beaches on Penang Island. The long stretch of beach
on the northern flank of Penang Island, of which Batu Ferringh beach is part of,
is combination of wide golden-sand beaches and picturesque deep blue-green coves
hedged by large granite boulders that seem to have tumbled from the hilly
interiors of the island, right into the sea.
Compared to
beaches on Malaysia's east coast islands like
Lang Tengah, Batu Ferringhi beach may not be as gorgeous. But Batu Ferringhi
has all the conveniences a visitor would want for an easy, hassle-free holiday.
All along the Batu Ferringhi road, which runs parallel to the beach just a few
metres away, you can find a great variety of shops including restaurants, cafes,
convenience stores, mobile phone shops and souvenir shops. The combination of
great location, ease of access, high number of accommodation choices and ample
facilities and conveniences makes Batu Ferringhi a sure-fire choice for an easy
holiday destination.
One unique feature of Batu Ferringhi is the exciting sidewalk bazaar that
takes place every day from around 6pm until past midnight. This night bazaar is
a busy and enjoyable shopping experience for visitors, and plenty of haggling
can be heard along the stretch of individual stalls. Traders and buyers
negotiating in good humour for the best price for the variety of items on sale –
from imitation designer t-shirts to silver jewellery, colourful plastic buoys to
fragile exotic curios.
And after you have done all your shopping and find yourself too tired to walk
back to your hotel, you can always hail one of the many trishaw that ply the
length of Batu Ferringhi's sidewalk bazaar. The Batu Ferringhi road stretches
3km long and the sidewalk bazaar covers more than half this length.
History
The name Batu Ferringhi itself attests historically to Penang's brushes with
several different foreign powers, including the British, the Dutch and the
Portuguese. Some locals believe that the word Ferringhi was derived from a
foreign language (perhaps Portuguese) which refers to 'foreigners'.
Batu Ferringhi has long been known for its scenic seaside panorama. Like
other seaside destinations such as
Cherating, Batu Ferringhi has been frequented by tourists for decades. Over
the years, factors such as the industrialisation of Penang island and the
presence of the RAAF in Butterworth, further exposed Penang and particularly
Batu Ferringhi to even more foreign visitors. But it wasn't until the late
1970's that one of the first international resorts and hotels were built.
People
In contrast to Georgetown, which is predominantly Chinese, Batu Ferringhi is a
place where the mixed ethnicity of its residents are more apparent. All along
the coast, visitors can see Malay and Chinese fishing villages. The cafes,
restaurants, sidewalk stalls and single-story shops that line Batu Ferringhi
road, are run by people of different races, all sharing in the wealth that
tourism brings in to Batu Ferringhi. And although the sidewalk bazaar in Batu
Ferringhi has a noticeably larger number of Chinese entrepreneurs, there are a
few stalls selling speciality items that are run by entrepreneurs of different
races.
Food
Practically all the variety of food you find in Georgetown, can also be found in
the Batu Ferringhi area. All along Batu Ferringhi street, there are a great
number of restaurants and cafes offering an incredible range of cuisine, from
popular Western spreads to Mediterranean specialities and hearty German meals.
All that, just a few minutes' walk from the string of hotels by the beach. If
you drive eastward towards Tanjung Bungah, on the northern end of Batu Ferringhi
you'll also find a number of street-side stalls selling a variety of snacks for
picnickers the Miami Beach area, which is a popular weekend retreat for local
visitors.
Related Events & Festivals
Be sure to visit Batu Ferringhi beach in June so you won't miss out on all the
fun during the week-long Penang Beach Carnival. This annual carnival held in
Batu Ferringhi features food promotions, various seaside activities and cultural
shows, fashion parades, parties and inter-hotel competitions.
Travel Advice
Just like in George Town, Batu Ferringhi is a great place to do some
shopping, particularly at the sidewalk bazaar. Always remember to bargain for
the best price! Visitors almost never pay the first price quoted by the vendor.
The street vendors are usually good-natured when it comes to bargaining.
For more information, please contact:
Penang Tourism Action Council
56th Floor, KOMTAR
10000 Penang
Tel : 604-262 0202
Fax : 604-2631020
Email :
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OR
Penang Tourist Centre
Penang Port Commission Building
(Ground Floor Arcade)
Pesara King Edward
10300 Pulau Pinang
Tel: +604-2616663
Opening Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, from 8.30am to 4.30pm (Lunch break
from 1pm to 2pm). Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm (Lunch from 12.30pm to 2.30pm)
Getting There
By Bus
Express buses ply the route from Penang to / from Kuala Lumpur and major
cities in the country. Please visit (http://www.plusliner.com/) for more info.
The main bus terminal in Penang is located next to the Ferry Terminal.
By Taxi
To get to Penang Island, long distance taxi service can be hired at Weld Quay,
Penang. Tel: +604-2625721.
By Plane
Daily flights via Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com, tel:1 300 88 3000
) and AirAsia (www.airasia.com, tel: 1-300-88 9933) to / from Penang to major
cities in Malaysia. Penang's Bayan lepas International Airport is roughly 20km
(45-minnute drive) from the Georgetown city centre.
By Rail
You can take the train from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, where it stops at the Penang
Railway Station, close to the ferry terminal. For more information, visit
www.ktmb.com.my or call their call centre at +603-22671200.
By Boat
Ferries can be boarded at Butterworth, in the mainland portion of Penang. Among
Ferry Services available are:
Langkawi Ferry Services (Tel: +604-2643088
Ekspress Bahagia (Tel: +604-2636255)
From the Ferry Terminal you can easily get a taxi ride into Georgetown city
centre.
From Georgetown, catch a Hin Bus No 93 at Lebuh Chulia. It will take around half
an hour to reach Batu Ferringhi. You will need to negotiate for a reasonable
rate if you wish to take a taxi.
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