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GEORGE TOWN – Many tourists visit Penang but limit their exploring to the island without giving much thought to what the mainland has to offer. This list of five locations to visit on the mainland may sway visitors to give the island a miss when travelling to the northern state.
Grow Community Market @ Juru Auto City
Auto City is Seberang Perai’s oldest and most famous entertainment and shopping area. But other than good food and luxury vehicles, there is also a self-sustaining small community market that opens its doors every second Sunday of the month, attracting locals both from the mainland and the island.
This market promotes a healthy lifestyle through community involvement by selling organic and natural products. They also provide a platform for home farmers, artisans and those with special needs to sell their products.
A green initiative project started by entrepreneurs Chee Hoyyee and Joeyin Chuah from Pop & Chee Healthy Home Farming, the market starts at 8am with a free yoga class. Entertainment follows suit with games and workshops for both adults and children, busking and community sharing.
Penang Bird Park
There are 10 types of hornbills in Peninsula Malaysia, and you can spot nine of them in the five-acre Penang Bird Park. Its director, Dr Gino Ooi, has always been passionate about birds and though his park attracts many local visitors, his focus has always been toward conservation.
Here in Malaysia’s first and largest bird park, you can see more than 300 types of local and other rare and protected bird species. There are altogether more than 3,000 birds, all carefully and scientifically housed to encourage breeding.
There are large aviaries where you can sit and enjoy watching their shenanigans. Don’t miss the cassowary, Cuban flamingoes, rhinoceros hornbill and a very large estuary crocodile when visiting.
Sungai Acheh Mangrove Swamp
What most people don’t realise is that they don’t need their companies to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) before they can do their part to conserve mangrove forests.
Those who want to get down and dirty in the mud to plant mangrove trees can do so by contacting the Penang Inshore Fisherman Welfare Association (Pifwa). Its president, Ilias Shafie, told The Vibes that Pifwa has been planting mangrove trees since 1997 to preserve the mangrove ecosystem.
Since then, the association has planted approximately 400,000 mangrove trees around the state. It only costs RM8 to purchase a mangrove shoot. With a secured appointment, individuals can be briefed about mangrove forests before heading out to the swamp to plant the mangrove.
The association will also furnish visitors with the correct attire before heading out into the forest.
Ilias can be contacted at 019-427 8743 or 04-593 1906.
Kampung Agong
Mainland Penang has what the island does not – a lot of land, enough to have a 10-hectare “agro theme park” named Kampung Agong. Located at the Seberang Perai Utara town of Penaga it is set within a coconut grove, within sprawling paddy fields.
Its surroundings are akin to Sekinchan in Selangor and Bali. It has 15 giant bird nests, fake pianos and even six swings for “insta-worthy” shots. Entry is ticketed at RM10 for Malaysians and those with MM2H cards.
According to the owner who does not wish to be named, he is the fourth-generation owner of the land. He wanted more people to experience the “kampung life” that is fast depleting with many developments springing up.
Fruit Farm Trail at Berapit Hill
Those keen to get a sweat session in during their travels to Penang can opt to go up Fruit Farm Trail, also known as the 328 Rainbow Stairs on Berapit Hill. The trail that opened early last year is still rather new but has attracted many hikers because of the rainbow coloured stairs that leads to the top of the hill.
Despite its name, the hill is actually the northern flank of Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest. It takes approximately 30 minutes to get to the point where the rainbow stairway starts. From there, it is 328 steps up to the lookout point.
These are just five lesser-known sites on the mainland most, even Penang islanders may not know of. It could just be mainlander’s best-kept secret. For those looking for a change of scene, mainland Penang presents a larger, nature-filled playground for tourists. – The Vibes, January 20, 2022
