The entrance to Batu Ferringhi is lined with a shopping area and 1Km long Bazaar called "PASAR MALAM" stretching from Rasa Sayang Resorts and Spa Park Royal Hotel. Ferringhi Night Bazar is located in the middle of the market near the popular restaurant "The Ship".
The area offers a wide range of accommodations ranging from budget hostels to 5-star resorts. The resorts are more towards the further end of Batu Ferringhi where the road starts heading into the forest and eastern end of the Island. The size and number of resorts and hotels suggest a number of people travelling to Penang for holidays. The beaches seem to have given way to urban development and you do not see as many palm trees as in the tourist magazines and pictures. The water has plenty of jellyfish at different times of the year and is more suited to motorboats, water scooters and similar water sports. The beaches are cleaner towards the Hard Rock Resort. It is still better to bathe and relax in the water facilities provided by the resorts rather than going into the ocean
Things to do in Batu Ferringhi
Beaches & Water Sports
Most beaches along the Batu Ferringhi are popular for water sports including water scooters, banana boats, island hopping tours and swimming in general. Some popular resorts along the coast include Hard Rocks Resort, Bayview Resort, Hilton Resort and many other medium-range resorts.
Tropical Fruit Farms
Other interesting activities to indulge in include a visit to a tropical fruit farm for fruit tasting. A 25-acre fruit farm is located in Batu Ferringhi. A bus service will take you to and from the farm where you can taste more than 200 varieties of tropical fruit including Durian. Make sure you carry insect spray with you when visiting the farm.
Butterfly Farms
A must-see attraction at Batu Ferringhi is the Butterfly Farm which is open around the year exhibiting more than 4000 species of butterflies including the popular Raja Brookes Bird variety.
Where to Stay in Georgetown
The best places to stay in Batu Ferringhi include Shangrila's Rasa Sayang Resort, Hard Rock Resort, Shangrila's Golden Sands Resort and Park Royal Resort.
Gurney Drive - Georgetown
A great feature of living in Batu Ferringhi is the Gurney Drive shopping area is only 15 15-minute drive from this location. At Gurney Drive, you will find world-class cinemas, shopping and great cafes and restaurants. There is a nice club at Hotel G on Gurney Drive. Gurney Plaza is a world-class shopping centre with famous brands around the world. You can find plenty to eat in the food court as well as Paragon Shopping Mall right next to the Gurney Plaza.
The waterfront across the shopping area is quite popular with love birds as it offers a great view of the ocean and is ideal for a romantic walk in the evening. Make sure your car is parked in the allocated parking areas on the main road as traffic police are very strict with parking rules. Your car can easily get clamped if you are not careful costing around RM50 to remove the clamp. I was lucky to avoid my car getting towed around 10 pm on the roundabout in front of Gurney Plaza. However, being a tourist I was not exempted from the fine.
According to my experience, some of the best places to stay in Georgetown is along Gurney Drive as all the important places are easily accessible. Make sure you explore G on Gurney and Gurney Beach Resort Condominium.
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