BALIK PULAU GARDEN COOKING + SUNSET CYCLING

Tropical Spice Garden
A little piece of paradise that offers you a lush green scenery. With a gorgeous landscape and home to more than 500 species of flora. Aside from the flora found in Malaysia, you will also come across the indigenous spices in tis garden that are brought from Indonesia, Seychelles, Ecuador, Amazon and Tropical America. You might also catch sight of the frisky Silverleaf monkeys swinging about on tree branches. From the Spice Globe, Water Garden, Spice Terraces, Reflexology Paths to the Heart of the Garden, Tropical Spice Garden is a galore full of wonders. The best part is perking up with a soothing cup of hot tea at the Bamboo Garden & Tea Kiosk while sitting in a lovely shaded area to soak in all the ambience.

Garden Cooking Class and Lunch
Then partake in the experience of hands-on garden cooking classes with the veteran homecooks of Tropical Spice Garden. Here, their talented panel of chefs and experienced home-cooks will share with you their treasured family recipes – featuring delectable, spice-laden cuisines of South East Asia. The cooking school – the first of its kind in Penang – features Nyonya, Malay, Indian-Malay, Thai, Penang Street food and Asian Vegetarian cuisines. This well thought out cooking class is curated to offer a deeper insight into the use of herbs and spices through generations for healing, health and to create a myriad of rich flavours. Surely preparing your own meal, then having to taste it, gives you a kind of satisfaction that is different from dining at a restaurant.

Paddy Field
Since Balik Pulau is famous for its fishery and agriculture activities, the best way to set the pacing for the day is to go for a refreshing sightseeing of the paddy fields. Here you will admire the picturesque scene of the vast stretches of paddy fields. It can be a common sight to see locals jogging along the field, so don’t hold back on waving and greeting them, they are likely to reciprocate with their local friendliness. It’s exactly this laidback charm that makes you feel at ease.

Vegetable Farm
There are also a number of small-holder farmers, passionate about the missions of their farms, and open to tourists to explore. Open up your world and gain knowledge on the methods incorporated in vegetable farms to maximize yield while avoiding the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

Malay Kampung
Within the freshness and the authenticity of Balik Pulau’s ecosystem sits a treasure trove of traditional houses withstanding the test of time, their stories waiting to be heard. This Malay Village embodies an image of rural charm.

Fishing Village
There’s also a tiny fishing village where you’ll be greeted by the old-school fishing boats docking the shores, fishermen tending their nets and locals quickly nabbing catch of the day. Besides that, some of the friendly fishermen offer boat rides until the mangrove area and the nearby surrounds.

Mangrove Forest Reserve
This small mangrove forest doesn’t take long to explore, however, it’s still one of those spots you do not want to miss out on as the swamp is full of different species of crabs, something you don’t get to see often anywhere. With wooden walkways built along this mangrove forest, you have a clear direction to navigate without having to take different turns or paths.

Mango Farm
As the name speaks for itself, it’s no surprise this farm is home to sweet mangoes. These fresh and juicy fruits are never short of variety, each having their own distinctive taste and smell. Take pleasure sampling some mangoes while enjoying the cool breeze and listening to the rustling of leaves of the Mango Farm.

Tour Ends
Drop off back to your respective hotel in Penang.