Thanks to AirAsia and Penang Global Tourism, I was in Penang last weekend for an adventure to experience and explore Penang cuisine, heritage, culture and more.
#1: Welcome To Pearl of the Orient!
My last visit to Penang was like two years ago for my very best friend's wedding and I'm barely remember whether this is my 4th or 5th trip to this food paradise city but then, I still love to return again for more.
For this particular event, total of 16 #aabc members were exclusively invited - 10 from Kuala Lumpur, 2 from Kuching and 3 from Kota Kinabalu. All those from Kuala Lumpur and Kuching were arrived earlier whereas for us three from Kota Kinabalu, we arrived pretty late due to flight delayed for almost two hours. Upon arrived, we immediately check-in into Olive Tree Hotel, threw our luggages and get ready for seafood dinner.
Restoran Bali Hai
For this particular event, total of 16 #aabc members were exclusively invited - 10 from Kuala Lumpur, 2 from Kuching and 3 from Kota Kinabalu. All those from Kuala Lumpur and Kuching were arrived earlier whereas for us three from Kota Kinabalu, we arrived pretty late due to flight delayed for almost two hours. Upon arrived, we immediately check-in into Olive Tree Hotel, threw our luggages and get ready for seafood dinner.
#2: A very new hotel in the island - Olive Tree Hotel
Restoran Bali Hai
#3: Restoran Bali Hai
For our first night dinner, we were brought to this Restoran Bali Hai located along of popular Gurney Drive Seafood. Stepped right into the restaurant, we were greeted with vast of fresh live seafood aquarium tanks consists of lobsters, prawns, crabs, fishes and lots more, which I can relate that is looks alike to most of the seafood restaurants in Kota Kinabalu.
#4: What we had? Chilli crabs, salted egg crabs, butter prawns, fresh fish, petai and more.
#5: Group photos of #aabc. [Photo Credit To: Amir Nawawi]
Address:
90, 90A, 90B, 90C, 90D,
Persiaran Gurney Georgetown 10250,
Penang, Malaysia
Open daily
Here comes our real adventures on the second day. Besides 16 of us, we were joined by another 10 amazing Penang bloggers. Divided into 5 different groups, each group being assigned to finish 5 challenges - the best breakfast in Penang, heritage trail, eat Penang style, guide for tourists visiting Penang and what resemble Penang.
Being in Group 1, teamed up by Calista Liew, Ana Jonessy and Jian Goh and not forgetting yours truly, we were joined by a Penang food blogger, Ken and he led us all the way in order to complete the assigned challenges.
#8: We even ride the unique heritage mode of transportation, ferry from George Town Island to Butterworth and back and we got to see clearly of their famous iconic, Penang Bridge.
After more than 10 years later, I can't believe I will be back again for another sae ferry ride. My virgin ride when I was still in secondary school having vacation with my family.
#10: Eat like Penang in Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Kuih where dipped fried popiah (spring roll) in Asam Laksa soup.
All the 5 groups managed to finish the assigned tasks on time. And before they decide to announce the winner, we were brought to Queensbay Mall for AirAsia's Battle of The Year 2015.
Then, it's time for dinner at Yeng Keng Cafe in the bustling Chulia Street along together with the rest of the Penang bloggers. Yeng Keng Cafe is well-known for its delicious and scrumptious Hainanese cuisine and coincidentally, the chef who prepared all of our dishes is from Kota Kinabalu. Known as Chef Tan, he is claimed to be the oldest chef in Penang.
Thats's explain why I can't be a proper food blogger cause overall for me, the food taste pretty fine and good for me but for the rest, they said either the food were so-so only or kinda disappointed.
Ended our night by lucky draw to the 10 amazing Penang bloggers who have been working so hard with us to finish the 5 challenges and the three lucky winners got themselves flight ticket to Medan, Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu. As for the team who won the challenges, the prize is flight tickets to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Super envy with them!
Although my group didn't win anything, but we have one the most amazing time having fun travel and eating around Penang. Not forgetting, I would like to extend my gratitude to Ken for his passion to bring us around Penang without involvement of his car.
Planning To Travel To Penang?
AirAsia is flying directly from Kota Kinabalu to Penang with two flights daily.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry up book your ticket for another food, heritage trails and street art adventures.
P/S: I'm using my new toy, Sony DSC WX-500 (a compact camera eventually) and honestly, I found out my mirrorless camera, Sony NEX 5N which I have use for more than three years perform better than the compact one. What do you think?
My Posts on Penang:
Here comes our real adventures on the second day. Besides 16 of us, we were joined by another 10 amazing Penang bloggers. Divided into 5 different groups, each group being assigned to finish 5 challenges - the best breakfast in Penang, heritage trail, eat Penang style, guide for tourists visiting Penang and what resemble Penang.
Being in Group 1, teamed up by Calista Liew, Ana Jonessy and Jian Goh and not forgetting yours truly, we were joined by a Penang food blogger, Ken and he led us all the way in order to complete the assigned challenges.
#6: When most the other group went for either roti canai or toast, Ken brought us to Sin Seow Fong Lye Cafe for chee cheong fun and char koay kak for best breakfast in Penang.
#7: To travel around Penang, ride on their free shuttle bus
#8: We even ride the unique heritage mode of transportation, ferry from George Town Island to Butterworth and back and we got to see clearly of their famous iconic, Penang Bridge.
#9: That's us with the local! [Photo Credit To: Ana Jonessy]
After more than 10 years later, I can't believe I will be back again for another sae ferry ride. My virgin ride when I was still in secondary school having vacation with my family.
#10: Eat like Penang in Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Kuih where dipped fried popiah (spring roll) in Asam Laksa soup.
All the 5 groups managed to finish the assigned tasks on time. And before they decide to announce the winner, we were brought to Queensbay Mall for AirAsia's Battle of The Year 2015.
#11: AirAsia's Battle of The Year - The biggest street dance competition in the country
Then, it's time for dinner at Yeng Keng Cafe in the bustling Chulia Street along together with the rest of the Penang bloggers. Yeng Keng Cafe is well-known for its delicious and scrumptious Hainanese cuisine and coincidentally, the chef who prepared all of our dishes is from Kota Kinabalu. Known as Chef Tan, he is claimed to be the oldest chef in Penang.
#12: Hainanese dinner at Yeng Keng Cafe
Thats's explain why I can't be a proper food blogger cause overall for me, the food taste pretty fine and good for me but for the rest, they said either the food were so-so only or kinda disappointed.
Ended our night by lucky draw to the 10 amazing Penang bloggers who have been working so hard with us to finish the 5 challenges and the three lucky winners got themselves flight ticket to Medan, Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu. As for the team who won the challenges, the prize is flight tickets to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Super envy with them!
Although my group didn't win anything, but we have one the most amazing time having fun travel and eating around Penang. Not forgetting, I would like to extend my gratitude to Ken for his passion to bring us around Penang without involvement of his car.
#13: Thanks to AirAsia and Penang Global Tourism once again for the goodies
Planning To Travel To Penang?
AirAsia is flying directly from Kota Kinabalu to Penang with two flights daily.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry up book your ticket for another food, heritage trails and street art adventures.
P/S: I'm using my new toy, Sony DSC WX-500 (a compact camera eventually) and honestly, I found out my mirrorless camera, Sony NEX 5N which I have use for more than three years perform better than the compact one. What do you think?
My Posts on Penang:
Yeah, I like the combination of popiah + asam laksa soup, this is how Ken taught me!
ReplyDeleteI love going to Penang. There is just so many things to see and food to eat/.. Only thing is the traffic jam .
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely and warm post bringing much memories of my hometown. I went to school for 11 years right behind that Mok Teng Heong which belonged to my classmate's family.
ReplyDeleteThe ferry and Bali Hai are always there!
I missed this!
ReplyDeletemt
This adventure is so fun to get know more about Penang.
ReplyDelete