There is a saying “Don’t put all the eggs in one basket”.
With this in mind, the Penang State Government launched its promotion video on Seberang Perai yesterday.
State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Yeoh Soon Hin was on hand at the Iconic Hotel to launch the very first Seberang Perai Tourism Product Promo Video under the umbrella of “Experience Penang”.
“It is one of my aspirations to balance the tourism development between the Penang island and Seberang Perai, closing the gap between two sides.
“Away from the buzzing city of Penang island, Seberang Perai has many hidden gems yet to be uncovered as one gets to experience the opposite side of the island with a different variety of tourism offerings from agritourism and ecotourism.
“Tourists should also venture over to the mainland and discover the equally amazing hidden holiday gems in Seberang Perai.
“We have many nature-based and agro-based ‘theme parks’ on Penang mainland. Among them is the Frog Hill – a former mining site filled with water that is now known as ‘the Jiuzhaigou of Penang’, and Kampung Agung that has been dubbed as ‘Penang Bali’ by the locals.
“Meanwhile, Nature lovers can take in the sights and scenery here,” said Yeoh during the launching of the “Opposite Side of the Island, Seberang Perai” ceremony.
Other attractions on the mainland are the Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest that is the Seberang Perai version of Penang Hill.
Familiarly known as Tok Kun Hill, its dome-shaped peak, which is the tallest point on Penang mainland at 545m, is a popular hiking spot and clearly visible from afar.
Hikers can opt to run through the maze of trials up to the summit or go for an arduous full-day loop covering the nearby peaks.
Batu Kawan’s Bandar Cassia is home to some of Penang’s best shopping malls. There is the largest outlet mall – Design Village that offers designer brands at great bargains and the first IKEA outlet in the Northern region featuring high-quality European-styled Nordic furniture.
For the art enthusiasts, Yeoh said that they could take a walk down the small alley in Jalan Bagan Luar known as Butterworth Art Walk.
Other attractions are Pulau Aman which offers visitors serenity and splendid vistas, colourful fishing boats, historical sites, beautiful beaches, and vast offerings of seafood dishes.
There are also interesting activities for the adventurous such as kayaking, fishing, jungle trekking, camping, and more in Pulau Aman.
Lending support to the event was the chief executive officer of Penang Global Tourism (PGT), Ooi Chok Yan, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, (MOTAC) Penang Director, Jonathan Freddy Bagang, Tourism Malaysia Northern Region Deputy Director, Siti Hajar Yunus, Kevin Cheah, general manager of Iconic Hotel, James Chang, GM of Grand Orient Hotel among others.