We recently went on a 5 days 4 nights road trip during the September school holidays from Singapore to Penang and Kuala Lumpur. It wasn’t our first road trip, but it was definitely our longest one yet! In this first part of the blog, I’ll share the attractions we discovered along the way from Singapore to Penang and give some helpful tips for traveling with kids.
Packing For Road Trips.
Usually, for traveling, I ask my kids to pack storybooks, handheld toys, and empty notebooks for scribbling. But based on previous experiences, I also remind them to bring a plastic bag, just in case they get carsick and feel like vomiting. If your kids have trouble holding their bladder, you might want to consider getting an emergency urine bag too.
Before the road trip, you can take the opportunity to teach your kids how to pack their travel bags. Teaching them to pack for travel isn’t easy. Sometimes, they insist on bringing unnecessary items or overpack. But it’s important to teach them, even though it takes time and might test your patience! Learning how to pack for travel is an essential skill. You can watch a video on how I teach my kids!
Day 1: Road Trip From Singapore to Penang
Setting off from Singapore
We have always maintained a consistent bedtime, so waking the kids up for a holiday without them getting cranky was not an issue. In fact, they were full of energy! Everyone focused on their travel bags and necessary items, so getting ready was quick!
To avoid traffic jams at customs and on the highways, we set off from our house at 4:30am.
1st Stop: Breakfast at Wah Nam Laksa 华南叻沙
Usually, we have our breakfast in JB, but this time I decided to have it at Wah Name Laksa in Seremban, which is about a 3 hour drive from customs.
We arrived around 8:15am at Wah Nam Laksa, a famous local eatery with a 50-year history. They’re well-known for their dried laksa, but I opted for the soup laksa instead. The laksa gravy is not thick like in Singapore; it’s thin but still very flavorful. The cockles were fresh and juicy, and judging by the shells displayed outside the seating area, they use fresh cockles. The laksa also comes with a lot of ingredients like fried wanton, fried beancurd, hard-boiled egg, and fishballs.
It’s a non-air-conditioned place, and parking is along the roadside, which can be quite limited during peak hours.
Wah Nam Laksa
Address: 130, Jalan Tuanku Antah, Seremban, 70100 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Opening hours: 7am to 130pm
https://g.co/kgs/RHPcFek
2nd Stop: Rice Paddy Field
After our breakfast, we drove for another 2 hours and 30 minutes to the Sekinchan Paddy Gallery. Although Sekinchan is a small fishing village, it is also one of the major rice producers in Malaysia.
The Paddy Gallery is a small museum where visitors can learn about every step of how rice is planted, processed, and packaged for consumers. The entrance fee is RM5 per person, and it’s free for those 90 cm in height and below. Each paying visitor also receives a 280g packet of rice.
Paddy Gallery
Address: Lot No, Ban 2, 9990, Jalan Tali Air 5, 45400 Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia
Opening hours: 930am to 1230pm, 2-530pm
https://g.co/kgs/hf5NpQw
3rd Stop: Lunch at Boon Kee Restaurant
Our lunch place is actually very near from the Paddy Gallery, which is about 8mins away.
Since Sekinchan is a fishing village, we definitely had to try a seafood restaurant there. There is ample parking space beside the restaurant and along the roadside. It’s a non-air-conditioned, spacious, yet breezy environment. We were the 2nd customers when they just opened. The first dish took some time, but the rest came out very quickly. I read that they are very popular and the waiting time can be quite long during peak hours. We reach around 12pm and the crowd starts coming in at 1230pm.
The dishes we ordered were great! The portions were really generous, especially the fried rice, so I’d suggest not ordering too much. We ordered enough for the kids to share, but it ended up being more than we needed.
The total bill came to RM234 for 5 adults and 7 kids, which I think is quite affordable for the amount of food we ordered. And overall the dishes is delicious and fresh. The steam prawns, salted egg bittergourd is really a must try!
Boon Kee Restoran
Address: 178-A, Jalan Sungai Labu, 45400 Sekinchan, Selangor, Malaysia
Opening hours: 12pm to 10pm
https://g.co/kgs/XR9dEqD
4th Stop: Check-in JEN Penang Shangri-La
We drove for another 3 hours and arrived at JEN Penang by Shangri-La. We booked one of their Two Deluxe Rooms with an interconnecting option. However, I made a mistake while booking. Their interconnecting package already includes two rooms, but I mistakenly booked two packages, thinking I needed to reserve two rooms separately. So, we ended up with four rooms!
Apparently, I’m not the only one who has done this. The staff mentioned that one customer accidentally booked 12 rooms, and a friend of mine also DM me on Instagram saying they had a similar experience, though it was with a different hotel. So, be sure to double-check your booking details!
The hotel is near Prangin Mall and about 8 mins walk to Kimberly Street Market.
We paid about SGD 540 for 3 days and 2 nights, excluding breakfast. For breakfast, you can pay at the check-in counter for RM55 per adult (instead of RM66). For kids, it is RM33 per person.
I would say the hotel breakfast is a good option if you have young kids. Having a hotel buffet for breakfast is less hassle and more convenient. For the price, the buffet spread is very extensive. Even the porridge has more ingredients compared to other hotels I have stayed at so far. Just at the egg station, they have omelettes, sunny-side up, fried eggs, herbal eggs, and hard-boiled eggs. Even their fruits also have wide varieties like banana, pineapple, strawberries, berries, papaya etc.
5th Stop: Dinner at Tina’s Kitchen
After we checked in, we walked to Kimberly Street Market and had dinner at Tina’s Kitchen. There was a lot of nice street food, but for the comfort of the kids, we decided to eat in the restaurant.
Tina’s Kitchen is a popular Nyonya restaurant on Lebuh Kimberley. The shop is very small, but the owner and staff are very nice and friendly.
The food portions are not very big, but the dishes have a comforting, home-cooked style. We ordered a lot of dishes, which is great when the portions are small, as it allows us to try different foods. The ones I highly recommend are the cream cheese rangoons, black vinegar pork, and nasi ulam.
The achar is the watery style, no pineapple. So it depends on your preference.
Tina’s Kitchen
Address: 70, Lebuh Kimberley, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 11am to 930pm
https://g.co/kgs/uZsRHBM
6th Stop: DE8000 Mini Golf Penang
After dinner, we walked to DE800, which is about a 19-minute walk. I suggest taking a cab if your kids aren’t good at walking; otherwise, you can use the walk as a way to aid digestion after dinner!
We bought the tickets from Klook. For a weekday visit, we paid about S$13.60+ per adult and S$12+ per child for non-Malaysians.
DE8000 Mini Golf is a 2 levels indoor, creative golf course in Penang. Each person gets one golf ball and one scorecard. You can play an unlimited number of times per hour inside the golf café.
The 18-hole golf course is very interesting and creative, suitable for both adults and kids. The design is also very Instagrammable, so you can take lots of photos! Since we went there after dinner, we didn’t get any drinks or food, so I can’t comment on that.
I would say it’s a good place to relax and wind down after a long road trip on our first day.
DE8000 Mini Golf
Address: 32, Jalan Green Hall, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 10am to 11pm
https://g.co/kgs/KEmnDtp
Buy tickets from Klook, use code “QIQIKLOOK” for discount*
7th Stop: Dessert at Tian Geng Tong Sui
After our mini golf activity, we walked for about 15 minutes to Tian Geng Tang Sui to end our day.
Apparently, it’s a very newly opened place that serves fusion Chinese traditional desserts. We arrived around 9:45 pm, and there were a lot of customers inside. According to the reviews, they are popular for their Sweet Taro with Mochi, but it was out of stock when we arrived. So we ordered other 6 desserts.
Recommended: Crystal Jelly Fresh fruits with brown sugar and Signature cold tauhua.
Tian Geng Tong Sui
Address: 149A, Victoria St, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 4pm to 11pm
https://g.co/kgs/zaWKrUi
Day 2: Exploring Penang Attractions
On Day 2 of our trip, instead of George Town, we spent our time on the other side of Penang, which is an hour’s drive away from our hotel.
1st Stop: Penang Tropical Fruit Farm
Driving to the Tropical Fruit Farm involves an uphill road with one lane, so be careful and drive slowly!
You can buy the tickets from Klook. We bought the guided farm tour that comes with 1 box of mixed fruits and 1 fruit juice, which will be given after the tour. Each adult (non-Malaysian) is about RM58 /S$18+ and RM48/S$14 per child (non-Malaysian).
The fruit farm is really huge and located up on a hill, so we had to take a small ride up the hill after paying the entrance fee.
The whole tour took about 2 hours, which was definitely worth it. Our tour guide was very detailed and patient in answering all the kids’ questions. He also explained all the tropical fruits clearly and let us try them if ripe fruits were available.
Penang Tropical Fruit Farm
Address: 18th Mile Stone, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Teluk Bahang, 11050, Penang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm
https://g.co/kgs/5AieU6N
Buy tickets from Klook, use code “QIQIKLOOK” for discount*
2nd Stop: Lunch at 2 Acres Cafe
After our visit to the fruit farm, it was time for lunch! The cafe, 2 Acres Farm, is about a 10-minute drive away from the fruit farm. It’s also a popular place for Penang durian from May to July.
2 Acres Cafe offers both alfresco and indoor dining. Although the cafe’s food selection isn’t extensive, the food is tasty and affordable.
2 Acres Cafe
Address: Lot 313, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Kampung Sungai Pinang, 11000 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: Weekday – 10am to 6pm, Weekend – 9am to 6pm
https://g.co/kgs/hLUwGdn
3rd Stop: Audi Dream Farm
Audi Dream Farm is our second-to-last activity for the kids, and it’s just 6 minutes away from 2 Acres Cafe. Audi Dream Farm is a place in Penang that combines animal and vegetable farming.
I bought the tickets from Klook; each one costs less than S$10 and includes a basket of feeding food, which is quite substantial. They have a variety of animals including deer, cows, goats, fish, chickens, birds, and rabbits, so there are plenty of animals to feed!
Overall, the farm is okay—there are lots of animals to feed, it’s open-air, spacious, and generally clean. You can see workers walking around taking care of the vegetables and animals. The only concern I have is with the rabbit area. While there are plenty of rabbits for the kids to feed, some of the rabbit cages are not in good condition; some rabbits appear to be sick, and there are many newborn rabbits. Hopefully the rabbits will be well taken care.
There are pony riding in this farm, but we skip that because we are heading to Countryside Stables (next stop) for horse riding.
Audi Dream Farm
Address: Audi dreamfarm 145, MK B, Sg.Rusa, 11010 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 9am to 6pm
https://g.co/kgs/1h5JgJC
Buy tickets from Klook, use code “QIQIKLOOK” for discount*
4th Stop: Countryside Stables Penang
Our last activity for the day is horse riding at Countryside Stables Penang. I would say this is the highlight of the trip for the kids—and possibly for the adults too!
We paid for the entrance tickets on the spot. Given the price point, I feel it’s quite reasonable, especially for the horse riding experience.
When you walk in, you’ll be greeted by their farm dogs and cats. They might look fierce, but they won’t harm you. In fact, one dog kept barking at my husband. We thought the dog was “scolding” him, but actually, the dog was barking at a monkey that was hanging above my husband’s head. The monkey was actually aiming because he and my kids were holding food.
Once we paid for the tickets, we went straight to the horse riding section to start our ride! The entire horse riding experience was really good, and the amazing part is that the whole area didn’t have any unpleasant smells. You can see that the horse caretakers take good care of their horses, as the horses are calm and clean.
Countryside Stables Penang
Address: Lot 10050, Jalan Sungai Burung, Kampung Sungai Burung, 11000 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 130pm – 6pm
https://g.co/kgs/ah4Wnz2
5th Stop: Dinner at Red Garden Food Paradise
After all the activities, it was dinner time. The kids took a rest/nap in the car since it would be an hour’s ride back. We went to Red Garden Food Paradise for dinner. The place is somewhat like our local Lau Pa Sat, with many stalls selling different kinds of food, but they only have one drink and one dessert stall.
The entire area is very large and spacious. It’s not air-conditioned but very windy, thanks to the many large fans around. From 9 p.m. onward, they have a live band! Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay that late since we had dinner around 6:45 p.m., and the kids needed to go back early to rest.
I wouldn’t say the food is exceptionally fantastic, but it’s a good place to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the environment. You can see both locals and expats relaxing and chilling for the night.
We ordered quite a lot of food, I didn’t take photo for some, but I would say if you really want to try, you can try the Char Kway Teow and the old school prawn noodle (i requested no noodle, the uncle change all to beansprouts).
Red Garden Food Paradise
Address: 20, Lebuh Leith, George Town, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening hours: 530pm to 12am
https://g.co/kgs/JtU5zjX
Day 3: Leaving Penang to KL / Conclusion.
It’s so sad that we only stayed in Penang for 2 days. On the 3rd day, we had to leave Penang and head to KL. After visiting Penang, I feel that our stay was too short, and I would love to visit again. Next time, we might stay a few more days to fully explore the island—there’s so much to do!
Best Month To Visit Penang
Most websites recommend visiting Penang from mid-November to February because of the slightly cooler weather. Some also suggest going between May and July for the Penang Durian season. However, I would say to just go during the month that suits you best, as Penang has a tropical climate throughout the year.
Tips In Driving In Penang
The tips I’m sharing are based on our experience.
Hubby said driving to Penang is actually less stressful compared to driving to Desaru and Cherating. One reason might be the timing; we always travel on the highway during off-peak hours, so there aren’t many big trucks. The highway to Penang that we took has some new routes with fewer cars and roads with more than two lanes. In contrast, most roads to Desaru and Cherating have only one lane.
I’ve read a lot about Penang’s driving style, but personally, I find it quite relaxed and laid-back. Drivers don’t seem to be in a rush, which can slow down traffic. They also don’t signal much, and I’m not sure if it’s because the lanes are narrow, but some drivers don’t always stay in their lanes. To be honest, I fear the motorcyclists the most because they tend to squeeze between already narrow lanes or appear out of nowhere to weave through traffic, so you need to keep an eye out for them.
