Last week we went on a short vacation with the kids. We brought them on a 4 days 3 night trip to Penang, Malaysia. The last time that we were in Penang was 4 years ago when Tiger girl was less then a year old.
Posing with the kids at an old tram
It was the first time that we brought them up to Penang Hill. 823 Meters above ground it is the highest peak on the island where one can get a panoramic view of the area.
It was a short 15 minute ride up in the tram but it was over packed so I couldn’t even get a decent shot of it. I guess that being the holiday season for the kids there it was more crowded then usual.
The station at the top of the hill
We were greeted by this three story complex when we exited from the train station. The place has it’s rustic feel and it feels like one is back in the 1980s- 1990s. There were no fancy LED signs or other modern amenities like air-condition or escalators at the place. We had to walk to view the various places of interested on the hill.
A view from the peak
This was the view that we got to admire from one of the look out points. We could see nearly the whole island from where we were.
The view from the other side
I love the panoramic view from the top. However if you compare the view to the one that I have seen at The Peak in Hong Kong this one pales in comparison.
The kids and R posing with the pitcher plant statues
The kids were fascinated by this gigantic pitcher plant statue and happily posed for pictures with their dad.
The Kids on the Love seat
It was interesting to see so many different love lockets being chained to the fence along this look out point. I’ve seen similar love dedication fences other parts of the world. Have you seen such fences too?
Us on the love bench
I would love to add my own love locket onto such a love dedication fence however there weren’t any for sale at Penang Hill. Maybe next time when we visit the one at Seoul Tower we be able to put up our own love lock.
Have you visited Penang Hill before?
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It was a weekend of fun filled activities as we were invited for a 3 days 2 nights weekend stay at Angsana Bintan. The boys were hyped and eagerly packed their bags when they heard that we were taking off this weekend by ferry. We were excited to be off on our first family adventure week on the island of Bintan.
The hotel lobby
Even though the ferry ride only approximately an hour and the bus ride from the terminal to the hotel 15 minutes, Tiger girl was totally exhausted when we arrived.
We took the last ferry on a Friday night as the ferry tickets were booked out for Saturday morning and we didn’t want the kids to miss out on the activities that were lined up for them on Saturday.
Our welcome drink- Lemongrass juice
We arrived at the hotel close to 10pm and checked into the room before proceeding to the Lotus Cafe for a late dinner.
The King size bed in the one bedroom suite
We were given a one bedroom suite with an extra bed for the five of us for our stay. The room was rather cozy and simply decorated.
The living room
The other side of the living room with the pantry area.
I love the fact that the room was big and roomy and the kids had lots of space to run around in it. The kids were happy that there was cable TV and they could watch their favourite cartoons when they were relaxing in the room.
Having fun at the recreational lounge
The kids were wide awake after the late dinner so we checked out the Recreational lounge which was a few doors down from our room. The boys had a round of snooker and ping pong while the girl and I played connect four. I love the cozy set up of the room with bean bags on one side and sofa sets on the other. There were also other board games available to play but we didn’t manage to try them out as it was nearly midnight when the boys decided to call it a day.
The private beach at Angsana Bintan
The boys having a game of Petanque with R
Everyone woke up bright and early as the first activity for the boys was to start at 9.15am. We took a stroll around the hotel grounds to the beach before heading to the Lotus Cafe for a buffet breakfast.
The boys spotted this pit and had their first game of this French sport- Petanque. They had to throw the metal balls as close as possible to the marker. The person who is the nearest would be the winner.
The boys having their buffet breakfast at the Lotus Cafe
The boys had some Team building games which included a Treasure hunt and jungle hike that Saturday. We dropped them off in the lobby and went off with Tiger girl to enjoy the rest of the morning at the pool.
A view of the hotel pool
Having fun at the pool
The little girl was extremely happy to be in the water and we spent many hours swimming from one part of the pool to the other. There was colored balls available for loan and she had fun playing with the balls with the other kids in the pool.
The lunch buffet spread
The kids were starving by lunchtime and hungrily tucked into the buffet spread that the hotel had before we went our separate ways again.
Tiger girl at the Kids Club
Tiger girl was happy to be playing in the air-con comfort that afternoon. We checked her into the Kids club where she had fun playing with the kitchen sets and other toys that they had to offer in the room. She also did some coloring and made a butterfly from recycle material which she proudly showed us when we returned to fetch her after our nature walk.
On a nature walk with the guide from the Conservation lab team
R and I were led on the Ranger trail which went through part of the forest , golf course and ended up at the beach. We were introduced to the Tongkat Ali plant and saw Monitor lizards on the trail. It was the first time that I saw endangered turtles in a hatchery. They will really cute. ( Will be featuring the animals in the next Wordful Wednesday post…look out for it!!)
The boys having fun bridge building at Angsana beach
We spotted the kids and their camp leaders at the beach after our Nature walk. They were attempting to build a bridge using the planks to get across the moat that they had created. I was observing them from a distance and could see that the kids in the group were all enthusiastically carrying out the instructions that they were given while working together on the project that they had been assigned.
Dinner at the Pantai Grill
The day ended off with a Beachside BBQ at Pantai Grill where we tasted their succulent meats and seafood that were on offer. The setting at the beach was really romantic.
Angsana Beach
It was another day of fun in the sun on Sunday as the boys and us headed off to the beach for our activities. Tiger girl chose to stay in the kids club and enjoy playing with the toys there.
Going on the Jet Ski and ATV
It was the first time that R and I rode on the Jet Ski and ATV. The last time that we did outdoor sports as couple was during our honeymoon in Thailand 13 years ago!! It was really great to be finally able to enjoy these fun activities together.
Having the wind in my hair as I raced with R on the water was a unforgettable experience. I’m not really into these extreme sports but gamely tried them with him. Bystanders watching us would be thinking I was having loads of fun while in actually I was half the time trying my best not to go too fast least the jet ski flip and overturn on me.
I drew the white flag when it came to driving the ATV alone and chose to ride pillion with R instead. Even though I have been driving for the past 18 years handling an ATV was really different from a normal car. I had to hold on tight to the metal bars while R and I followed the guide through the jungle path. My hands were numbed at the end of the ride from holding
It was a really fun and adventurous weekend for the whole family and everyone enjoyed themselves. The service at Angsana Bintan was top notch and we enjoyed the activities and food that they provided. Doggie boy enjoyed the Beach Archery activity the best while Monkey boy enjoyed his swim in the clear blue sea. I love the fact that I was able to have fun as a family, a couple and also had some me time for myself that weekend taking pictures with my DSLR.
The dishes on offer at the Lotus Cafe
What’s New
For the month of October the Lotus cafe at Bintan Angsana will be featuring South East Asian specialties. Signature dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore will be available to whet your appetite. Do give the foods a try if you intend to stay at the Angsana Bintan .
Angsana Bintan Resort and Spa
Jalan Teluk Bermbang, Laguna Bintan, Lagoi 29155 Bintan Resorts, Indonesia Tel:+ 62 770693111
Disclaimer: We were invited to Angsana Bintan for a fun filled weekend and to try out their Family Adventure Package. All opinions are 100% my own.
Join us this week for Wordful Wednesday – Christmas Edition.
