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Balik Pulau and Pulau BetongThe western part of Penang with Balik Pulau and Pulau Betong hold quite a few treasures. Seldom visited by the mainstream tourists, this part of Penang is surprisingly local and remote. While the mainstream tourist enjoys him/herself in Georgetown (Armenian Quarter) for the fantastic heritage or at Batu Ferringhi, an occassional visitor makes the effort to visit to the Tropical Spice Garden or Teluk Bahang but the southern areas of Penang are usually forgotten. And, to my shame, that included me, until now!
Balik Pulau is located in a surprisingly rural area with padifields and typical Malay houses, unique for Malaysia. The name of town means literally "back of the island" which makes sense as it is "behind" the hills. It's a widespread town with few buildings higher then a few floors. In Penang Balik Pulau is famous for the durian, a favorite fruit for almost all Malaysians. Around town there are several belachan (belacan) factories.
Belachan (belacan)Belachan is made from fermented shrimps, then , sun dried and cut into rectangular blocks. The purpose is to use in dishes like curries and sauces. It has a strong smell which many Westerners do not appreciate but it is essential in many dishes. When you get out of town, you might see the belachan drying in the sun. It doesn't look too exciting but trust me, it is delicious in many dishes. In Balik Pulau Town there are two famous Asam Laksa stores. Although laksa is by many (including me) associated with "spicy", the asam laksa offered in these shops is smooth. The soup is thick and almost creamy. According to some locals including our real estate agent Mr. Yeoh, the asam laksa served in both of these shops are the best to get in Penang. And although I do not pretend to know all the laksa places in Penang, this laksa was amazing. And apparently I am not the only one, even at 3pm it was still jam-packed!
The town is has a typical kampung atmosphere and still all the facilities you possibly want are available with a bank, post office, market, supermarkets, food stalls and bus station. The feel however is as if being in a totally different part of Malaysia, only 30km or so from Georgetown.
Pulau BetongJust south of Balik Pulau, following a remote little rolling road lies a small beach and Kampung Pasir Panjiang. The island Pulau Betong is nearby too.
The beach at Kampung Pasir Panjiang is remote, no public transport reaches the beach through a small and hilly road with here and there some spectacular views towards Pulau Betong. It's a truly beautiful and hardly touched area. The beach is small, it is directed south and when I visited it was clean and good for swimming, including with little kids.
TsunamiThe Tsunami of Christmas 2004 was in Penang mostly felt in this area of Penang. It was mostly in north and west Penang the tsunami made casualties and ravaged the land. Here too some people died in the rising of the water mass. Getting there and awayIn fact, Balik Pulau is remarkable close to Georgetown, but it's not that easy to travel to without your own transport. The easiest way to find Balik Pulau is to take a bus to the Nibong bus station and change to a bus to Balik Pulau. There are three main roads from Georgetown to Balik Pulau.
For those who love a real treat, get a bicycle and cycle all along the island. Back to the top of Pulau Pangkor.com Back to Pulau Pangkor.com homepage
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Penang HotelsPenang has a wide range of hotels, here you find the details of some of our favorites:
Retire in PenangPenang is a good place to retire. There are plenty of good options to enjoy your life in Penang. Balik Pulau is mostly untouched by tourism and a good place to retire Teluk Bahang National ParkThe Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang in the north west corner of Penang is less known to many tourists. However, less known does not mean less interesting. Contrary. It's a good set up park and worth a visit. |
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