Blogs from Batu Ferringhi, Penang, Malaysia, Asia - page 5

Back to the beach: Pulau Penang Thursday 12th March 2009 We have been in Malaysia over one week and this is the first chance we’ve had to enjoy the beach (because we have been enjoying cities and mountains). Yesterday we came to Pulau Penang (Penang Island) by bus from the Cameron Highlands. Since our arrival it has been sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, with just a little bit of rain last night to freshen things up. So nice! We are hoping that we’ve now left the rains behind us and it will be sunshine all the way to Bangkok. Although Penang has its fair share of four and five star hotels and resorts, it can still cater well for the backpacker, and so although it is pretty quiet with few tourists at the moment, there are a fair ... read more

I finally found it, a nice little cheap beachside guest house (actually on the beach) with a bar and wireless internet access for free. It's perfect! I had been joking with few mates before I left Australia, that if I found this type of place, i could be in trouble and simply stay there. You hear of people doing it all the time and I can see why. The place is called "Ali Ferringhi's Guest House" and its literally on the beach in Batu Ferringhi nestled amongst all the big resorts. Once again the rooms are basic ($60 Ringgit per night or AUD$25) and mine has a separate bathroom but it's just brilliant. I've booked in for four days (that's the longest they had a spare private room for) and today is day two. The other ... read more

14.12.08 Km travelled 20854 Our stay in Penang is close to its end. I'll be very honest, it's a place I definitely won't recommend. The journey from Koh Samui has not been the most pleasant. It's been actually fine up to Hat Yai, then we got on a mini bus with an horrible driver, on an endless struggle to reach Penang. It was already past nine at night when, after long queues and continuous changes on the way to drop off people here and there, he left us in an unknown street of Georgetown and went away without even a word. Fortunately a Buddhist taxi driver came across and accepted to take us to Batu Firringhi. We're staying at Baba's Guesthouse, the cheapest place we found, but still expensive for what it is. We choose Penang ... read more

Penang Island April 2008 Hello Everyone! How are we all? This will hopefully be the first of many blogs from us! The night we left Melbourne was nice, just had some family and friends over before we left for the airport. The flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur was around 8 hours and we both got a small amount of sleep. We then had to hang around at KL airport for a few hours before we got our domestic flight to Penang. During these few hours we decided to use an internet café and it was only then that we realized we were in the wrong terminal for our next flight, the domestic terminal was actually 15km away! So we hurried for a bus there and in the end we made it safe and sound. The ... read more

Joo-o. Hetki on taas vierahtanyt viime kuulumisista, jotka jai vahan lyhyeksi syysmasennuksen takia. Ja heti on nakojaan asiaan reagoitu ja tiukkaa kritiikkia on tulvinut. Syysmasennus kesti paivan ja nyt on paistanut arska taydelta taivaalta nelja paivaa. Keskiviikkona lahdettiin siis Kuala Lumpurin vilskeesta Penangin saarelle Pohjois-Malesiaan. Ensimmainen yo bunkattiin Banana New Guest Housessa, George Townissa, Penangin keskustassa. (samainen paikka, jossa Jonssonilta kaannettiin reppu muutamia kuukausia taaksepain. Nythan poijjaat on jo Suomessa tutisemassa pakkasessa.) Heitettiin kamat huoneeseen ja nukuttiin paivaunet. Iltapaivalla otettiin taksi tanne Batu Ferringiin ja lahdettiin etsimaan parempaa yopaikkaa ja lahempaa rantaa. George Town oli ihan hieno paikka, mutta kaksi viikkoa Kuala Lumpurissa vietettyamme alkoi palaa naama kiinni kaupungin melskeeseen. Netista oli aik... read more