From the relaxing getaway of Ipoh to the food hub of Penang, the adventure in Malaysia continues
By Brandon Era
In the Lost World of Tambun in Ipoh, I woke up refreshed and energised, eager to see more of the beauty that Malaysia held.
With the little that I know about Ipoh, that is to say, almost nothing except about the famous Ipoh Hor Fun, I was excited when we were to visit a place called The Banjaran Hot Springs & Retreat.
A Cavernous Paradise
Now, I’m someone who doesn’t believe in mythical places like Shangri-La but The Banjaran in Ipoh comes truly close. Picture a perfect tranquil setting, with only the sounds of nature as your “backing track”, the distant calls of birds and various other fauna, with the rushing of water from streams and a natural hot spring that resides in the resort itself.
This is truly the epitome of serenity with natural limestone caves that adorn the retreat, natural sauna caves (due to the steam from the hot spring), yoga meditation caves and even a wine cellar that is artificially-cooled, with a restaurant within to boot.
Just being in The Banjaran eased my worries. It is indeed a true retreat and getaway for anyone, especially from the hectic work schedule and bustle of city life.
Hard Rockin’ Penang
We then loaded our barang barang (belongings) into the bus and sped off to Penang. It took us slightly under two hours to get there, and I was back to a place that boasted a mixture of rural, rustic charm and luxurious hotels.
Our next stop: the Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Famous legends of rock ‘n’ roll adorned the lounge, with a huge statue of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, seated in a throne.
Memorabilia adorned the lounge and the rooms with everything done up in a rock theme. I felt like I had gone to rock heaven.
Of Foodies & Goodies
With much reluctance, I left the rock haven I had so readily decided to call home to explore a little bit more of Penang. I was not disappointed.
The diverse variety of food available in Penang eclipses that which is available in Singapore. Among the mouth-watering food, you can find familiar ones such as Roti Canai (Roti Prata), Orh Lua (Fried oyster with starch and egg), Penang Laksa (an Assam version of the famous dish), and the list goes on.
The food was amazing and left me wanting more. Any description wouldn’t do it justice. I couldn’t even pinpoint a place and list it as a must-try because every dish I tried along the streets was better than the previous place, if not excellent.
Penang is truly deserving of its reputation as a food hub of Southeast Asian cuisine. I am grateful that my last stop in this brief adventure in the wonderful land of Malaysia was a much-savoured food break in Penang.
This trip was made possible by Tourism Malaysia.
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