To complete my special birthday odyssey in Malaysia, we chose Penang. Why? Penang, a tropical island off the Northwest coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, offers all the ingredients for an indulgent R&R stint—and it was my birthday, after all.
My idea of R&R is lying around a cool pool, hanging out on a white sandy beach and beach bar, eating great food, and mooching with “no particular place to go.” Bliss.
We arranged this part of our SE Asia trip with a travel agent familiar with the best deals in Penang. Five years previously, I had done a dummy run of accommodation for the same time of year, so I knew it would be costly. But our very able travel agent didn’t let us down. She found us a reasonably priced, perfect spot for five days of unwinding.
We were booked at the beautifully presented Shangri-La Rasa resort on the shores of Batu Feringgi Beach, with plenty of attractions at our fingertips. Confession: We barely stepped outside the resort. Five days of being cocooned at a beautiful resort was heaven.
We soon fell into a daily habit of swimming, followed by perching on bar stools with the sand under our feet. In the mornings, we drank beautiful fresh tropical fruit mocktails, and in the evenings, we an array of cocktails at the canopied beachside bar. The minty, limey, cooling, delicious Mojito became my favorite. We reckon the barman’s secret lime syrup was what made his Mojitos so very quaffable!
Every day, we spent hours lounging around the adult-only pool, which had a bonus: a smaller, shallower pool further away for children only. Win, win. An additional treat was a luxurious foot massage while reclining poolside on my comfy lounger. I was drawn to the lifeguard perched on the towering lookout, well-sheltered from the sun, keeping an attentive eye as we soaked in the cool water. We were not in danger, but he was a reassuring addition to the poolside.
Balmy evenings were spent enjoying the beautiful fairy lights strung in the many aromatic trees as we strolled to dinner. We dined Al fresco at beachside tables, enjoying a symphony of beautiful curries, seafood, and tropical fruits. And on New Year’s Eve, we treated ourselves to a gastronomic “Indulgent” set menu full of specialties such as seared scallops, delicious lamb, and other mouthwatering goodies. (See menu below). Penang, known as the food capital of Malaysia, sure didn’t disappoint.
We were lucky to time our stay for New Year’s Eve. Resort management invited all guests to an all-expenses-paid NYE party. They went “all out” with pretty little tables and chairs set amongst the beautiful established palm trees, surrounded by fairy tale twinkling lights. And atmospheric fire lanterns were dotted throughout the velvet green lawns of the property. Live music and plenty of champagne added to the joyful evening. Everyone was dressed to kill, and to add to the party vibe, we all donned little sparkly tiaras or shiny silver top hats along with beautiful smiles.
At the stroke of midnight, emerald green and silver balloons were released from a high ceiling net, floating gently, landing on happy guests, drifting to the ground, and surrounding our feet. We all joyously cheered and shared the fun of welcoming in a new year together on this tropical island in Malaysia.
MTR stayed
How MTR got there
We traveled with a private driver from Kuala Lumpur to Georgetown Penang. Door to door approx. four-hour trip – NZ$110.00. **Prices may have changed since we traveled in Dec 2023**
If you would like more information about Penang please contact Mytravelroom on janeco@mytravelroom.co.nz
