Penang Nasi Kandar

Nasi Kandar with curry dishes ^^

Penang is famous with the uniqueness of Nasi Kandar and for Muslims people, you should know that Nasi Kandar is HALAL food. So, no need to worry and just enjoy with the mouth watering food. 

special recipes is using to make "nasi briyani

spicy curry dishes with different ingredients

 Actually, Nasi Kandar comes from an Indian Muslim cuisine with the rice and with variety kind of spicy curry dishes. Rice and curry are practically is the main dishes for Nasi Kandar. Rice can cook plainly or cooked it with special recipes by using herbs like ‘nasi briyani’. The other dishes instead of rice, it can be eat with curry chicken, curry beef, fish and other food ingredients but not pork.

people line up to buy nasi kandar at the stalls

 It sounds very delicious right. In this milenium era, Nasi Kandar is not only liked by the Indians and Malays but also the Chinese as well and the tourist who come to Penang. Even though, nowadays many big restaurants try to develop this kind of food into franchise chains at every state in Malaysia but the taste is not the same and the originality is little bit different and not the same like in Penang. Visit one of the Nasi Kandar food restaurants and taste it by yourself to get a better idea about the taste. Plus, you can take a look at the preparation o the food while waiting for it after finishing orders them. 

Here some of the popular restaurants address that serve a great Nasi Kandar: 

view from line clear nasi kandar

 Line Clear

Address: Ally next to 177, Penang Road.
Open: 24 hours.
Close: Closed on alternate Tuesdays.

view from Nasi Kandar Beratur @ Restoran Liyaqat Ali

 Nasi Kandar Beratur

Address: 98 Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (next to Kapitan Keling Mosque)

Open: 10 p.m - 9 a.m

Penang Dragon Boat Festival

dragon boat view from the above

Dragon boat racing is one of Penang State Signature Event. It is among the fastest growing water sports in this region and become a very popular corporate and charitable sport among the participants. 

There have a story behind this festival where this festivals actually associated with the Rice Dumpling Festival which falls on the 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The story begin  when the poet named Qu Yuan had jumped into the river and make all the villagers rusher in order to save him but it is too late. So, they started to throw rice dumplings into the river to feed the fish instead of Qu Yuan’s body. Dragon Boat race commemorates with their rushed efforts to save him and the Chinese also made rice dumplings every year to eat and remember Qu Yuan's patriotism and loyalty toward the country.

every teams try harder to compete to win the race

the race view with Penang bridge at the back

 But Dragon Boat Race Festivals is not only for Chinese people to participate but people around the world. Today Dragon Boat race has become an international sport with participation from Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and USA.  Many more countries are expected to join in the race participation.  The public is also are welcoming to witness the race at the beautiful Teluk Bahang Dam. 

Top 5 Penang Shopping

people in shopping mall

After Langkawi, Penang is well known as duty free island so it drew a lot of people especially shopaholic who are hungry for shopping adventures. Shopping centres and department stores have taken over all the Penang landscape in recent years to provide people with a good place to shopping. With shopping malls scattered all over and a plenty of street markets, Penang’s retail landscape is almost as comprehensive as Kuala Lumpur’s. The most popular shopping malls include KOMTAR, Gurney Plaza, and Island Plaza. But, not only shopping malls that can attract people and tourist, even night markets and antique shops to cultural areas has their own attraction.

Top 5 most popular shopping in Penang 

Komtar Penang

 1. KOMTAR - Georgetown

Komtar was named after Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the second prime minister of Malaysia. . It has the same name as Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Bahru, built about the same time but on a smaller scale. Komtar is a multipurpose complex and not only focusing on shooping complex as it consisting of retail outlets, transportation hub and administrative offices for the Penang state government.

 

Komtar is located in central Georgetown with the 65 story high rise and most prominent landmarks in Penang with a viewing deck on the 58^th floor offering views of the island and across the straits to Penang’s mainland.

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Gurney Plaza, Penang

2.  Gurney Plaza - Gurney Drive

Gurney Plaza is a Malaysia lifestyle shopping mall and it is located at at Gurney Drive promenade in George Town.

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Chowrasta Bazaar

3. Chowrasta Bazaar - Georgetown

This bazaar is more known as wet market  where people can find groceries, fish vegetables and others. but mostly, this wet market is open in the morning.

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Queensbay mall

4. Queensbay mall - Bayan Lepas

Queensbay Mall is one of Asia's and Malaysia's largest retail, dining and entertainment complex and located at Queensbay Mall 1f-78 Persiaran Bayan Indah  11900 Bayan Lepas.

*Opening hours : 10.30 a.m - 10.30 p.m

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Gurney Paragon

5. Gurney Paragon mall - Gurney Drive

 Gurney Paragon Mall is a new beachfront lifestyle mall set to open along Gurney Drive, Penang. 

*for more information : http://www.gurneyparagon.com/paragon_mall.php

Batu Ferringhi Beach

Batu Ferringhi Beach

 Penang is an island that is cover with gleaming emerald waters and beautiful sandy beaches. Plus, Batu Ferringhi beach is the most popular beach in Penang. Along this beach area, there are various hotels, restaurants, cafes,  transport rental services, and souvenir stores. 

water sport

jet skiing

horse riding

 People and tourists can spend their time at the beach as in Batu Feringhi, there have variety of beach sports and water sports activities that can be done with your family, friends or others. If you want to experience something new, you can jet-skiing, parasailing or deep-sea fishing because this activities are available here. Beach buggy, horseback riding, Frisbee throwing and beach volleyball are some of the games that are commonly enjoyed here instead of water activities.

sidewalk bazaar

visitors are looking at the items

After sundown, it is time for some relaxation and perhaps a leisurely walk around the area. Night Market or Sidewalk Bazaar' is one of the most popular activities among visitor and tourist at Batu Ferringhi. For shopaholics, there are many stalls selling a wide range of items such as souvenirs, clothes, women accessories, watches, handbags, luggage bags, CDs and DVDs, children toys and games sets.  These merchandises are selling at very low possible price and attracts a huge crowd but do not worry about getting lost. Take a walk along to this stretch of canopy stalls and compare the quality or price if you wish. Here, you can try bargain and haggle to get a best price and satisfied you with the price range. They operate right after sunset, as early as 6pm until past midnight. 

one of the restaurants at Batu Ferringhi beach

one of the cuisine at restaurants in Batu Ferringhi

All along Batu Ferringhi street, there have plenty numbers of reastaurants and cafes, from posh dining outlets to humble roadside restaurants. All of them offer mouth watering food at a reasonable prices. Here, there serve with a plenty of choices in terms of the types of food, from Indian to Middle East cuisine.

view of Lone Pine Hotel

 But where to stay when you are at Batu Ferringhi? Do not worry because there have a lot of hotels and chalets services. The cost is reasonable because there have several high-end and mid-range resorts line suitable for your budget. You also can find hotels that are facing the sea.