Sunset at Batu Ferringhi / Ferringi Beach

 I have always like to see sunset so when I went to Penang during the last school holidays, I didn't miss the chance to go to Batu Ferringhi to see sunset. It took us about half an hour to get to Batu Ferringhi from Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown. The drive was smooth and we got there just in time to enjoy a few moments before the actual sunset time.

 This is how it looks when we got there. Not as many people as I would have expected but it left us with some space to enjoy the view and the beach alone.

 From left, my brother-in-law, two nephews on the horse, elder sister and my lovely mum. There are people leading the horses around asking if anyone would like to take pictures with the horses or even to have a ride on the horses for RM30. As technology and social media have advances, people start to take photos of everything just like my brother-in-law.

Panoramic view of the beach.

There are a lot of water activities in Batu Ferringhi. Swimming, sailing and boating just to name a few. One of the most favourite activities is Parasailing or Parascending where a person is towed behind a boat while attached to a 'parachute'. Some enthusiasts choose to view the sunset while being off the land ; more romantic maybe?

The golden colour sky always melts my heart. The sunset view from Batu Ferringhi is one of the prettiest that I have seen. So wait no more if you are visiting Penang, spend some time there! It's worth it!


What I personally think about the downside of Batu Ferringhi:

1)  The sand is not as fine as some other popular beaches.
2)  A little rubbish was seen strewn along the beach.
3)  Be extra careful of your own personal belongings as I spotted a few 'foreigners' eyeing up the bags that were left on the beach.

YOUNIQ Hotel Experience

 This is the first time I am writing about a hotel which I had stayed in. I had to drop my partner off to the airport early in the morning so we both think it's wise to just stay at a hotel near the airport (KLIA). At the very last minute, we booked this hotel YOUNIQ HOTEL from booking.com. There were a few choices so we chose the more luxury one for an extra RM20 for a window. My partner thought it was a change/cool to stay in a colourful  hotel while I was not so impressed as the colour looks rather strange. But after awhile, I sort of got used to the colour and started to like it but not love it.

 Upom entering the lobby, we were served by a lady at the counter whom was not very friendly, didn't smile like she couldn't care less.

            This is the corridor to our room on the second floor (R207). What do you think about it?

 There is a few jelly bean 'sofas' to sit and have a chat near the lift but I don't think it's a good idea as it may disturb the occupants whose rooms are right there.

 This is how the room looks like. We were quite impressed by the size of the room but after trying out the bed, it's not a good bed. Springy bed makes my body ache and I didn't sleep well.

                                                The bathroom is in good condition and clean.

                                                    The power shower is a plus to this hotel.

 What do I think of this hotel (HONEST REVIEW):
1)  The colour is a bit strange but the location makes it worthwhile as it's only about 15 minutes to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
2)  The bed is not that comfortable but I guess this is what you get for the sort of money you pay.
3) We got the room with window and it wasn't a good choice as the room faces the main road to KLIA. The non-stop traffic and the noises made by the vehicles made it a nightmare to sleep in. It's also definitely not sound proof too. I constantly awakened by the opening and closing doors of the rooms with footsteps of walking guests and we could hear the showers from both sides of the rooms. 
4)  My partner slept through most of the noises and only awakened by a car which was speeding so maybe it's not so suitable for light sleepers like me.

ATV Adventure Ride with Tourism Selangor

 This would be my third trip with Tourism Selangor and this time our destination is Kampung Kemensah for the fun ATV Adventure Offroad Ride. This ATV Adventure Park is the largest in Malaysia offering various jungle trails for all the outdoor enthusiasts. Kampung Kemensah is very easy to be found. It is just located behind Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur. We arrived there at 10.45am and it was already quite warm but it definitely didn't put us off from having fun.

 We had to park quite a distance away from the entrance as the car park was already full. Well, a little walk kick-started our metabolism.

                  'WELCOME TO ATV ADVENTURE PARK KUALA LUMPUR'

 Spotted a beautiful 'graffiti' on a big rock and I already felt overwhelmed and excited.

 Upon riding the ATV Bikes, we were given some briefings on the dos and don'ts and also how to handle the big 'guys'. Looks simple but not exactly simple. Loads to remember... I was very impatient while waiting for the guide to finish explaining. I forgot to mention that we had to sign a letter of consent too.

 I wasn't expecting a big bike but there you go.. this is what we got.

 Bags have to be tied at the front of the bike. Bags are not allowed to be held onto as they might distract us from concentrating in riding the bikes. I was wondering... WHY couldn't I hold my bag?

 This is Calvin whom I just knew from travelling together. Our guide trying to give a hand riding up the steep trail.

 One of the jungle trails which might look very calming and easy. Trust me, this is not what it looks like. I don't know how the pictures turned out to be so kind but in fact, the jungle trails were very CRUEL to me.

 I went to Kampung Kemensah with a few other friends but were spilt due to the difficult climb. Never mind, I made 2 new friends. This one was taken 1/4 into our 2 hour route but I don't know where. A little flat land where we could take a picture.

 Another CRUEL trail.

Nigel , the official photographer for Tourism Selangor was enjoying his ride downhill.

After about one and a half hour ride uphill, we arrived at the Kelang Gate Dam. A beautiful 'lake'. I never forgot to snap a pic of myself there.

My friend Lam took a jumping photo. By looking at this photo, you know how excited he was to be on this trip.

After resting , time to leave. Have you ever seen traffic jam in the jungle? Not always...but I have!

Phew, late lunch at Breadties and been drinking water like a fish.

After lunch, as usual Fazly announced the 6 best photographs taken by the participants. Congratulations to all the winners!

There are 5 packages to choose from in this ATV ride:
A)  Half hour ride in the base training track                          RM50

B)  One and a half hour offroad ride to 7 tiers waterfall.             RM100

C)  Two hours offroad ride to Sofea Jane Waterfall.                    RM150

D)  About three hours ride uphill and downhill to Bukit Tabur
    and Kelang Gate Dam.                                               RM200

E)  A four hour offroad to Bukit Tabur, Dam, Liza river, Dataran Mas,
    Bukit Lalang.This is the ultimate amongst all the above and
    requires confidence and teamwork.                                  RM300



My remarks based on my experience:

I think it's advisable for those faint-hearted to take packages A and B only maybe C. Package D is quite intense and difficult for the first timer as the bike is quite heavy to handle with especially with the hours I had to hold onto the brakes. Not advisable to do it after a heavy downpour as the trails might be very slippery making it more difficult to control the bikes. Don't expect to take a lot of photos because you would be too busy concentrating not to fall down than to take photos.

What to bring :
 1) Mosquito repellent
 2) Cap
 3) Water
 4) Camera
 5) Extra clothing ( there is a bathroom there for showering )
 6) A pair of gloves for palm protection purposes
 7) Towel
 8) Wear trainers
 9) Sunblocks