Top 5 Activities to Do in Batu Ferringhi, Penang

Hello everyone! AlexisJetsets.com is my new blog and my very first article brings you the best of Batu Ferringhi that lies on the Northern coast of Penang. Penang is a place where many foodies love due to its wide variety of food choices but many of us have overlooked Penang’s natural wonders. Georgetown is an extremely popular area for tourists but in recent years, Batu Ferringhi is catching up and is now, the second most visited destination in Penang. Doesn’t matter whether you’re the adventurous traveler or the relaxed traveler, Batu Ferringhi has many activities to offer so I’ve shortlisted the Top 5 Activities that is both entertaining and enjoyable.

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#1 : Penang National Park (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang)

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Penang National Park spans 1,181 hectares of forest and 1,381 hectares of wetlands. It is one of the few natural forested areas left on the island. It is also currently the world’s smallest national park. However, don’t belittle it as its ecosystem boasts a diversity of habitats with hills, sandy and rocky beaches, streams and lush greenery. It’s an ideal place for trekking, fishing, basking in the sun on one of its gorgeous beaches, taking a dip in the cooling water, camping and discovering birds or animals.

I recommend you to start early around 9am if you’re interested in trekking. There are two main hiking tracks through the forest but it’s impossible to complete both in a day, unless you’re extremely fit. The first route takes you along the coastline to Monkey Beach (Teluk Duyung) before you ascend a steep hill to Muka Head Lighthouse. The second route takes you over the headland to Kerachut Beach (Pantai Kerachut) where you will find a rare Meromictic lake and Penang Turtle Sanctuary. Between April and August, green sea turtles surface on the beaches to lay eggs while between September and February, Olive Ridley turtles come ashore to lay eggs. Depending on your luck and your timing, you might get to observe baby turtles crawling out from their hatched egg shells. If you trek further, you’ll arrive at the most secluded beach at Teluk Kampi.

Of course, if you prefer the easy way out, just take a boat from the entrance of Penang National Park to Monkey Beach instead of straining your muscles and sweating it out during the jungle trek. It’s better to share the boat with others as the pricing is charged according to per boat and not per person and it costs around RM40-50 per boat (one way). There is no entrance fee to enter the park but you have to register at the office at the entrance and get a permit before entering. If you wish to use the canopy walk, you have to buy your tickets at this office.

Here’s some advice
Apply plenty of sunblock and take mosquito repellants along. It might be handy to bring wet weather gear if you have and some dry clothes. You wouldn’t want to suffer from freezing on the buses or cabs. Remember to hydrate frequently and bring some food along. Wear comfortable and proper footwear as the tracks through the jungle are steep, slippery and tricky with lots of roots, causing the ground to be uneven. Sometimes, you need to maneuver yourself under or over tree trunks and rocks.

Details on Penang National Park
Address: Jalan Hassan Abbas, Teluk Bahang
Telephone Number: +604 881 3500
Opening Hours: 8am to 5pm daily

How to get there
You can either get a cab or use Grabcar app, which is much cheaper than cabs in Penang. If you’re on a budget, take Bus 101 that runs from the jetty in Georgetown every 10 to 15 minutes. It will pass by Chulia Street, KOMTAR and along the coast through Batu Ferringhi Beach. You just have to alight at the final stop before the bus makes a u-turn. The trip takes around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic conditions.

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#2 : Tropical Spice Garden

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Be charmed by more than 500 kinds of exotic fauna and flora from all over the world, with an emphasis on spices at Tropical Spice Garden. It’s amazing how founders, David and Rebecca Wilkinson, turned an abandoned rubber plantation to the current colourful, fragrant garden that will tickle all your senses alive. Since opening its door to the public in 2003, Tropical Spice Garden has since attracted many visitors, young and old. You can take your time exploring with the help of an Audio Guide that comes in languages such as English, Chinese, Malay, German, French, Japanese and Arabic. There are a total of 69 exhibits in the garden. If you’re on a tight schedule, I recommend the Express Audio Tour which takes roughly 45 minutes. It will take you to the 8 most important exhibits. It’s a family friendly garden as children will be excited to discover giant swings and 3D slides and ladders within the garden. You can take a short break at the Bamboo Garden and drink the herbal tea.

You should end your Tropical Spice Garden experience indulging in Thai food at The Tree Monkey outdoor cafe overlooking the Straits of Malacca and the beautiful Teluk Bahang shoreline. Do drop by their shop if you want to bring unique gifts made in Malaysia or premium spice therapy spa products back for your friends and family. I ended up buying lots of spices so as to cook delicious dishes back home in Singapore. If you have more time in Penang, why not sign up for their cooking classes where you’ll learn how to cook tasty Malay, Nyonya and Indian cuisine? Schedules and information on the cooking classes can be found at www.tsgcookingschool.com.

Entrance fees cost RM26 (adult) and RM15 (child between age 4 and 12) for Garden Audio Tour while RM35 (adult) and RM20 (child between age 4 and 12) for Live Guided Tours that take place only at 9am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm daily. Elderly of 60 years and above, as well as, students with valid student IDs get special rates at RM20 (garden audio tour) and RM28 (live guided tours). Do note that all rates are subject to 6% GST.

Here’s some advice
Apply plenty of sunblock and take mosquito repellants along. Due to uneven terrain in the garden, there are no pathways for wheelchair and baby pram users so visitors are advised to bring a baby carrier for younger children. If you find The Tree Monkey cafe too expensive and want to settle for hawker or street food, just head to the coffee shops opposite the entrance of Tropical Spice Garden. The beach beside the coffee shop is not as populated as those that stretches along Jalan Batu Ferringhi so if you prefer a tranquil spot, this is it.

Details on Tropical Spice Garden
Address: Lot 595 Mukim 2, Jalan Teluk Bahang, 11050 Penang, Malaysia
Telephone Number: +604 881 1797 / +6012 590 8797
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm daily. Last admission at 5.15pm. Note that The Tree Monkey café is open from 9am to 10pm daily while the gift shop is open from 9am to 4.30pm daily.
Website: http://tropicalspicegarden.com/

How to get there
You can either get a cab or use Grabcar app, which is much cheaper than cabs in Penang. If you’re on a budget, take Bus 101 that runs from the jetty in Georgetown every 10 to 15 minutes. It will pass by Chulia Street, KOMTAR and along the coast through Batu Ferringhi Beach. The bus stops directly outside the entrance so look out for Tropical Spice Garden’s huge signboard. The trip takes around 40 to 50 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

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#3 : Penang Botanical Gardens

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Nature lovers will love taking a morning or afternoon stroll at Penang’s Botanical Gardens, which is also known as the Waterfalls Gardens. The Botanical Gardens contains a plethora of indigenous and exotic plant species. It used to be an old quarry site but is now divided into 12 sections – the Formal Garden, Lily Pond, Perdana Plant House, Tropical Rainforest Jungle Track, Fern House, Fern Rockery, Aroid Walkway, Cactus House, Orchidarium, Horticulture Centre, Nursery and Quarry Recreational Park. Be enchanted by the cannonball tree, pinang palm, black lily and many more. Some of the more unique plants are kept under lock and key and are only open to visitors from 7am to 7pm. Pressed for time? No worries! You can take the tram that brings you around the garden and takes approximately 30 minutes. Locals pay RM3 (adult) and RM2 (child) while foreigners pay RM10 (adult) and RM3 (child) for the tram ride.

Besides plants, you can spot a couple of animals such as monkeys and squirrels at the Botanical Gardens. Do be warned not to get too close to the monkeys and not to feed or touch them as they might get aggressive and they can bite. There’s a RM500 fine if you do feed or touch them. Waterfalls at the Botanical Gardens have been cordoned off for visitors’ safety, so don’t bother looking for them. If you’re really interested, approach the park officials for a guided tour.

Here’s some advice
Apply plenty of sunblock and take mosquito repellants along. Bring some snacks and drinks if you want to have a picnic in the garden.

Details on Penang Botanical Garden
Address: Pavilion Administrative Complex, Jalan Kebun Bunga, 10350, Penang
Telephone Number: +604 226 4401 / +604 226 4405
Opening Hours: 5am to 8pm daily
Website: http://botanicalgardens.penang.gov.my/index.php/en/

How to get there
You can either get a cab or use Grabcar app, which is much cheaper than cabs in Penang. If you’re on a budget, take Bus 10 that runs from the jetty in Georgetown every 10 to 15 minutes. It will pass by KOMTAR and continues towards the outer rim of Georgetown, ending at Penang Botanical Gardens.

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#4 : Batu Ferringhi Beach

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Batu Ferringhi Beach boasts soft, white sandy beaches spilling out onto the turquoise blue ocean and stretches all the way up the Northern Peninsula. Thrill-seekers would go ecstatic at the idea of renting a kayak, jet-ski or banana boat to have some splashing good fun. You can even try overcoming your fear of heights by parasailing. However, if you’re there to unwind and simply bask in the sun, remember to bring your beach blanket, a good read, some snacks and plenty of water.

Most of the strip of Batu Ferringhi Beach has been taken up by luxury hotels but there are still quite a number of public beaches. There are some shops that offer massage and a huge Starbucks that you’ll not miss! Feeling the heat? Just head into the air-conditioned Starbucks to cool down a bit before you carry on with your activities.

Here’s some advice
Apply plenty of sunblock and hydrate yourself frequently. Look out for warning signs before you enter the waters.

Details on Batu Ferringhi Beach
Address: Batu Ferringi, Penang

How to get there
You can either get a cab or use Grabcar app, which is much cheaper than cabs in Penang and it’ll only take about 15 minutes’ drive from the centre of Georgetown. If you’re on a budget, take Bus 101 that runs from the jetty in Georgetown every 10 to 15 minutes. It will pass by Chulia Street, KOMTAR and along the coast through Batu Ferringhi Beach and takes about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

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#5 : Batu Ferringhi Night Market

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Still energized after a full day of activity? You can pop by the night market along Jalan Batu Ferringhi. This area comes alive every night as vendors set up stalls selling everything from fake designer bags to inexpensive pirated DVDs to locally handcrafted souvenirs, just to name a few. However, if your expectation of a night market includes the food area, you’ll be disappointed, like me, as there is no food stalls set up at this night market.

Here’s some advice
You MUST bargain for the best prices! If you’ve seen something you like, don’t buy it first. You should walk further down the strip and check out other stalls to see if there might be the same item being offered at a better deal. If not, you can simply head back to the original stall and bargain for the best rate. A good gauge will be half the price that’s originally quoted.

Details on Batu Ferringhi Beach
Address: Batu Ferringi, Penang

How to get there
You can either get a cab or use Grabcar app, which is much cheaper than cabs in Penang and it’ll only take about 15 minutes’ drive from the centre of Georgetown. If you’re on a budget, take Bus 101 that runs from the jetty in Georgetown every 10 to 15 minutes. It will pass by Chulia Street, KOMTAR and along the coast through Batu Ferringhi Beach and takes about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

These are the Top 5 Activities that I’ve enjoyed around Batu Ferringhi. There are other attractions such as the Wet World Wild, Penang Batik Factory, Penang Butterfly Farm and Tropical Fruit Farm too! Hope my guide will help you, especially if you’re heading to Penang soon! I’ll be writing about Georgetown’s interesting museums and street art next time.