Batu Feringghi Night Market – Shopped and reviewed by Backpackies

There is just so much to do in Penang( and i mean the island of Penang), over the week end. It was a hard toss between heading out for some 24hour Nasi Kandar Line Clear at Penang Road and then to Upper Penang Road for drinks or head up to Batu Feringghi to check out the famed night market.
After much discussion, we decided to give our livers a break and opted for some wallet damage.  We took the Rapid Penang Bus 101 from the front of 7-11 on Chulia Street.
We were staying at Roommates Guesthouse Penang for this trip and the 7-11 was just like 2 minutes walk out from the guesthouse. Its a really nice guesthouse with extremely friendly staff.
The bus 101 was air conditioned and took about less than 25 minutes to get to Batu Feringghi. You can easily spot the night market which starts daily at 7pm and runs till around 11pm. If you are not sure, then just press the STOP bell at Golden Sands Resort. There is a new PETRONAS and McDONALDS just directly opposite the hotel. The night market starts from this point and stretches for another 2 kilometers.

Its the usual traffic jam along Batu Feringghi Road because it is all single laned

The market has changed a lot since i first been here about 5 years ago. That time, i used to remember that the stalls were sprawling till it overflowed out to the sides of the walk ways of the street. Nowadays with proper and stricter government enforcing, the stalls are pushed further back away from the road side.

You can also cycle up to the market, which will take you a good 45 minute – 1 hour journey

If you have your own scooter or bicycle, then you can always ride up to the market.

some of the converted stalls have air conditioning in them

there are plenty of clothes for you to shop for like batik and beach wear

Fresh fruits and juice are a hit among the tourists

Not so tacky souvenir shirts- these designs have existed some 10 years ago, when i was a kid. Man!! They should do something about these souvenir shirts!

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I must admit that im a serious addict. A Watch Addict! I was literally drooling at the sight of all the colorful G-SHOCKs that were on sale. These are of course fake watches, but being water proof and for only RM 50 each. Man im sooo buying 5 ! Oh wait, i only got 2 hands!

Another must buy when you are here is the fake DVD’s. These are Blue Ray and DVD quality DVDs that you are getting for RM 4 each! Now who says, Penang’s shopping sucks?!!

A note to other bloggers: Please do not take pictures of the stall as they will beat you up. These pictures were taken illegally.

The latest addition to Batu Feringghi is the new Mc Donalds outlet and also the petrol station. Back about 1 year ago, you would need to make sure you had enough petrol to drive up and back from Batu Feringghi before you made the trip. But now its so convenient with the new petrol station up there.
Also with Mc Donalds added to the fast food option, eating up at Batu Feringghi is so much easier. (I just use the free wifi! )
There is of course the famous – RIDE THRU service

 

 

The night market is a great way to spend your evening. Head up here around 5 ish in the afternoon, head to the beach for a beer or to sun bath, then have dinner at the hawker center nearby, then shop at the market for souvenirs. Then take the last bus 101 back to the hostel. Voila! Mission Accomplished!

Roommates Guesthouse Penang April Promotion!

Honestly speaking, this Guesthouse has to be given credit for making the effort to spruce up the backpacking scene in Penang, Malaysia.

Free local palm wine on Wednesdays, Haunted Tours around Penang for the Month of Cheng Beng, and student discounts are among the few things that they have managed to come up with.

Read more-

Magnificent April promotions and events that will guarantee to get your heads bobbing!!

Like them on facebook at > Roommates Penang

Kek Lok Si Temple during Chinese New Year is worth the visit

Chinese New Year is a celebration celebrated by all Chinese in the world, and of course in Penang, to celebrate the start of a new year. Chinese New Year or CNY on short, falls in end January to early February

The Kek Lok Si Temple or otherwise known as “Temple of Supreme Bliss” or “Temple of Sukhavati” is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam in Penang and is one of the best known temples on the island. It is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Southeast Asia. The temple is heavily commercialised with shops at every level and inside the main temple complexes.

Most visitors approach the temple as they ascend a stairway, roofs of which provide shelter to a multitude of shops selling souvenirs and other – mostly secular – commodities. They pass by a so-called Liberation Pond, following the buddhist tradition of merit-making, turtles may be released into freedom, albeit a limited one.

The temple itself consists of several large halls for assembly and prayer, here, statues of Buddha, various Bodhisattvas as well as Chinese gods are being venerated.

The Pagoda you see lighted up is the Pagoda of the 10,000 Buddhas. It was built in 1930. This 7 storey Pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown; reflecting the temple’s embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.  After climbing up the spiral top, you will have a scenic view of Air Itam Town below.

Intricate woodwork, often brightly painted and a plethora of lanterns add to the visual impression. During Chinese New Year, for an entire month, the entire temple will be lighted up with 100,000 lanterns and lights and these decorations could be seen from a few kilometers away. During this time, the temple will be open to the public till late in the night!

There is an inclined lift to carry pilgrims and visitors further uphill. On the elevated platform, you can find a pond filled with Koi and the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which can also be regarded as Avalokitheshvara, Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion.

In 2002, a 30.2m bronze statue of the Kuan Yin was completed and opened to public. It replaced the previous white plaster Kuan Yin statue which was damaged due to a fire a few years earlier. The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda while the head of the previous statue which survived the fire is preserved and placed on the right hand corner of the new statue.

Getting here:
 Rapid Penang Bus 201, 203, 204, 206, 306 and U502. Check the Rapid Penang Bus Route for details, map and time table. The most convenient bus stop is located along Jalan Pasar, at the foothills of the temple. Jalan Pasar is a one-way street. Walk following the traffic flow until you reach a T-junction. You can see Kek Lok Si towering to the left side. Turn left and walk in its direction.