MALAYSIA | WHAT TO SEE & DO IN TANJUNG BUNGAH & TANJUNG TOKONG, PENANG

While you point out Penang, the very first thing that involves thoughts, apart from meals, is the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed metropolis of Central George City—it’s the state’s declare to fame. However Penang is big, and there are different locations on the island price visiting, just like the suburbs of Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong—each off-the-radar locations for tourism that may be explored for a day, and even half a day. Good for individuals who’ve already ticked all of the locations to see in George City or these searching for a aspect journey from Batu Ferringhi.

UNDERSTAND TANJUNG BUNGAH & TANJUNG TOKONG

AN EVENING VIEW OF TANJUNG BUNGAH AND FARTHER OFF, TANJUNG TOKONG, IN PENANG

Tanjung or Tanjong in Malay means cape, and these two jap seaside cities are principally upscale residential areas—house to most of Penang’s expats.

Tanjung Bungah, or Cape Flower, borders the well-known seashore city of Batu Ferringhi on its northern aspect. And proper beneath it’s Tanjung Tokong, or Cape Temple, which sits proper beside the northern border of Central George City. Each Tanjung Bungah and Tokong are suburbs of George City Metropolis, which encompasses the entire of Penang Island.

HOW TO GET TO TANJUNG BUNGAH & TANJUNG TOKONG

RAPID PENANG BUS FOR GEORGE TOWN – TANJUNG BUNGAH – TANJUNG TOKONG – BATU FERRINGHI ROUTE

Apart from hailing a taxi or a Seize Automobile, there are quite a few public transportation buses that ply the primary roads of Tanjung Tokong and Tanjung Bungah—Speedy Penang buses 101, 102, and 104—that goes to Batu Ferringhi up north, and Central George City and Penang Worldwide Airport, down south.

TANJUNG BUNGAH TOURIST SPOTS

Most of Tanjung Bungah’s vacationer spots are positioned by the ocean, however a number of of those can be discovered on its hilly western portion. For simpler navigation, we’ll begin on the northernmost a part of Tanjung Bungah, happening south the place its seashores connect with its neighbor—Tanjung Tokong’s—seashore areas.

TIKUS ISLAND

TIKUS ISLAND, TANJUNG BUNGAH ~ MAP FROM GOOGLE MAPS

One of many very first thing I observed throughout our keep at Tanjung Bungah was Tikus Island, a small islet positioned virtually a kilometer away from the coast of Tanjung Bungah Seaside. It actually interprets to Rat Island, not as a result of it’s infested by rodents, however as a result of assortment of easy massive rocks that make up the island which vaguely seems to be like a profile of a rat when seen from above.

PULAU TIKUS OR RAT ISLAND ~ PHOTO BY CMGLEE FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

There may be really a seashore on the island and a tomb—the Shrine of Seyad Mohamed Kuddoos Oliyullah, a neighborhood Muslim saint, apparently. It’s a correct shrine with a jetty resulting in it. There’s, nevertheless, no common boat service or perhaps a tour that takes individuals to and from Tikus Island. Attending to the island requires a kayak, and these could be rented from the Penang Water Sports activities Centre.

PENANG FLOATING MOSQUE

SUNRISE AT PENANG’S FLOATING MOSQUE ~ PHOTO BY SHEBALSO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

There’s the KK Floating Mosque and there’s Melaka’s Floating Mosque. Penang adopted swimsuit and constructed their very own floating mosque proper by the Straits of Melaka. Fronting a middle-eastern model façade combined with native motifs, it has a seven-story excessive minaret and a muṣallá prayer corridor that may accommodate 1,500 individuals.

Like different floating mosques in Malaysia, it’s really constructed on stilts and solely seems to drift when the tide is excessive—and it’s much more stunning when it coincides with the rising solar.

TANJUNG BUNGAH PUBLIC BEACH

THE EXPANSIVE TANJUNG BUNGAH BEACH ~ PHOTO BY SOUMYADEEP FROM PIXABAY

Earlier than Batu Ferringhi grew to become the go-to public seashore in Penang, Tanjung Bungah Seaside was the seashore for each vacationers and Penangites. It’s virtually two kilometers lengthy and has creamy white sand bordered by timber, posh condominiums, and mountains past. Penang’s Floating Mosque can be positioned on the western a part of this seashore.

TANJUNG BUNGAH MARKET

MORNING SCENE AT THE TANJUNG BUNGAH WET MARKET

The largest moist market north of Penang, the Tanjung Bungah Market is a bustling two-story constructing housing a moist and dry market, and a hawker heart. On Tuesday nights, the grounds surrounding the market rework into an evening market.

INTERESTING FOODS AT THE MARKET

The market itself is kind of attention-grabbing, even for vacationers, with its plethora of native foodstuff. I discover their number of recent and dry noodles and dimsums to be outstanding.

Its hawker heart is typical, however not that crowded. Folks advocate the hokkien mee, hokkien prawn mee, and popiah.

PEARL HILL PARK

TANJUNG BUNGAH’S PEARL HILL PARK ~ PHOTO BY CMGLEE FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

For people who find themselves into brief hikes, the Pearl Hill Park is the right course. Elevated 222 meters, its looping path meanders for about 5.3 kilometers with a view of the encircling areas of Tanjung Bungah and the Melaka Straits. The hike is pretty straightforward, with paved roads that may even accommodate bicycles. Make sure to carry insect repellents although.

LONGEST MALAYSIAN FLAG MURAL

THE LONGEST JALUR GEMILANG MURAL IN THE WORLD

Painted off the aspect of an elevated street alongside Tanjung Bungah’s most important street is Malaysia’s longest nationwide flag, the Jalur Gemilang or the Stripes of Glory. 541 meters lengthy and three.3 meters excessive, it was painted in 2003 by the Younger Muslim Sports activities Membership.

COLLEGE GENERAL SEMINARY

THE COLLEGE GENERAL IN TANJUNG BUNGAH ~ PHOTO FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Situated on the foot of Pearl Hill is the historic Faculty Normal Seminary. It was based in 1665 in Ayuthia, Siam—now Ayutthaya, Thailand—and has since moved to different components of Thailand, Cambodia, India, and Melaka earlier than relocating in Penang in 1808.

PATRICK’S BEACH

TANJUNG BUNGAH’S PATRICK’S BEACH ~ PHOTO FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Situated beside the Penang Swimming Membership, Patrick’s Seaside is a pocket seashore about 300 meters lengthy. It’s in all probability the least visited seashore in Tanjung Bungah, good for individuals who abhor the gang. It may be accessed from the primary street via Jalan Abbas.

PANTAI BEACH

PANTAI BEACH IN TANJUNG BUNGAH

This seashore is typically known as Mercure Penang Seaside, Hompton Seaside, or BoraBora Seaside—relying on which resort it fronts. On Google Maps, it’s labelled as Pantai Seaside, however pantai in Malay means seashore—so, is it actually named Seaside Seaside? I doubt it. Despite the fact that I’ve really walked its 700-meter stretch, I nonetheless don’t have any clue as to its official identify.

PANTAI BEACH’S NORTHERN BREAKWATER

It has the same old Penang cream-colored sand, however on its western aspect the shore is replete with shells, so carry correct footwear. The seashore terminates on the east on the border of Tanjung Tokong’s Tua Pek Kong Temple.

TANJUNG TOKONG TOURIST SPOTS

Earlier than glitzy residences lined Tanjung Tokong’s shoreline, it was as soon as a quiet fishing village, and this really can nonetheless be gleaned from components of Tanjung Tokong Seaside. It’s smaller than Tanjung Bungah, and like its northern neighbor, its vacationer websites can principally be discovered alongside the ocean. Should you proceed southwards, previous its border, there are two well-known temples, a Penang Thai and Burmese Temples, and a well-known hawker place, Gurney Drive Hawker Middle, simply previous it, which are literally a part of Central George City.

TUA PEK KONG TEMPLE

TUA PEK KONG STATUE AND HILL ENTRANCE IN TANJUNG TOKONG

Tua Pek Kong is a Taoist deity that’s believed to bestow religious steerage, wealth, security, and concord to its devoted. Tua Pek Kong, translated, actually means Grand Uncle. The deity is predicated on a Hakka clan Chinese language that unintentionally landed on Penang as he was crusing to Sumatra. It’s stated to be the supply of Chinese language migration in Penang.    
   
The primary Tua Pek Kong Temple was constructed on the border of Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong after his dying. And tokong, which suggests temple, is definitely the place Tanjung Tokong obtained its identify.

THE TUA PEK KONG TEMPLE

The temple itself will not be that massive and a bit unremarkable, however discovering his bigger than life stone statue close to Tanjung Bungah Seaside was a little bit of a shock. I additionally noticed a closed off stairs resulting in a hill, in all probability a view level.

TANJUNG TOKONG BEACH

KOLEK BOATS ALONG TANJUNG TOKONG BEACH

Instantly after Tanjung Bungah’s Pantai Seaside and related by the Tua Pek Kong Temple is the crescent-shaped Tanjung Tokong Seaside. Littered by conventional blue and pink Malaysian kolek fishing boats, it echoes the city’s origin as a fishing village. The seashore has related options with its neighbor’s and stretches for about half a kilometer earlier than terminating on the Seri Tanjung Penang Promenade.

TANJUNG TOKONG WAVE BREAKER VIEWPOINT

THE BREAKWATER VIEWPOINT AT TANJUNG TOKONG ~ PHOTO FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Jutting out 160 or so meters out into the ocean alongside Tanjung Tokong Seaside’s western portion is the View Level Wave Breaker. Produced from boulders, it’s actually made to maintain the waters alongside Tanjong Tokong Seaside calm for the fishing boats that dock on its shore. It has additionally grew to become a neighborhood go to position for a grand view of the 2 adjoining seashores.

TANJUNG TOKONG WORLD WAR 2 RELICS

WORLD WAR II STRUCTURES IN TANJUNG TOKONG BEACH ~ PHOTO FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Dividing Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong Seaside are a collection of small concrete constructions—pillboxes, bunkers, and a three-story lookout tower—constructed by the British in anticipation of the Japanese invasion throughout the Second World Battle. Japan did invade and occupy Penang in 1941, however these constructions stay, surviving the strafing and bombings on the island.

SERI TANJUNG PINANG PROMENADE

THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SERI TANJUNG PINANG PROMENADE

The place Tanjung Tokong Seaside ends, begins the Seri Tanjung Pinang Promenade. The park walkway follows the coast because it turns northward to the Straits Quay Marina. It then continues previous the marina and the shopping center, previous a bridge that connects to the bogus island being reclaimed parallel it, and into Metropolis of Goals.

EVENING VIEW OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF SERI TANJUNG PINANG PROMENADE

It’s about two kilometers lengthy, excellent for strolling and jogging. The view of Gurney, Georgetown, and Butterworth is especially pretty throughout the evenings when the constructing are all lighted up.

STRAITS QUAY MALL & MARINA

STRAITS QUAY MARINA AND MALL IN TANJUNG TOKONG

A swanky mall with swanky a division retailer and swanky meals locations—Straits Quay Mall & Marina is Tanjung Tokong’s twelve acres of swankiness. Managed by E&O Penang, it sports activities an analogous colonial period façade with the well-known lodge. It actually has 100 store tons, quite a few bar and eating places, and even a performing arts theater.

STRAITS QUAY MARINA’S TOWERING LIGHTHOUSE AT NIGHT

It additionally has a correct marina that may berth forty boats and a towering seven-storey fake lighthouse that homes E&O’s customer heart.