The sweet smells of nutmeg and cinnamon give way to the somewhat off-putting odour of ripe durian. In turn, this is quickly replaced by curry and cardamom only to be brushed aside by spicy chili peppers and the smell of coconut.
So do the aromas assail you as you walk through any number of food markets on Penang Island.
Much has been written about the food on Penang Island and it truly is a paradise for tastebuds. From fresh seafood to mouthwatering spicy dishes, Penang offers the traveler a culinary feast. The ideal spots to eat are the various night food markets, where George Town and even sleepy Batu Ferringghi shine.
What truly sets the food apart from other regions are how the influences from all over the world converge in this one tiny little place. Chinese, Thai, Arabic, Malay, Indian and even Mediterranean all have their own place, but the various cuisines have also inspired each other.
If you and your children are remotely adventurous when it comes to food, Penang is the place to go! But while you indulge your palate at night, why not take advantage of the day to learn about what you are eating and how to enhance your food’s flavours.
Just minutes from Batu Ferringghi lie the Tropical Fruit Farm and the Tropical Spice Gardens. You can easily combine the two for a day trip from anywhere on the island. They provide an educational aspect that complements the savoury gastronomy that you will no doubt indulge in during your stay on Penang Island.
Start your tour at the Tropical Fruit Farm (entry RM40 for adult and RM30 for children), about 20 minutes west of Batu Ferringghi. This isn’t a commercial farm, but one aimed at educating tourists and locals alike about the various fruits that grow not just in Malaysia but the tropics worldwide. Upon arrival, you’ll be assigned a guide and taken by truck to the top of the farm.
From there, you’ll walk back down and explore a variety of trees, shrubs and plants. It’s best to do the tour during the peak fruit season (between June to September), when you’ll see the fruits in all of their glory. That said, you’ll still find lots to see any time of the year, as many tropical fruits grow year-round. When we went in October, we saw mangosteens, mangos, jackfruit, calamansi, nutmeg, bananas and pineapple and then some. In fact, the fruit farm is home to close to 150 different types of fruit! Make sure to ask questions and get to know your guide. You’ll get more out of your tour that way than if you just listen.
The tour through the orchards leads you to a small store, where you can sample various types of honey gathered on site as well as fruit enzymes. These fermented fruit blends are supposed to provide a number of health benefits depending on the type of fruit used, primarily related to the digestive system. They mainly taste like vinegar, but it’s informative to say the least.
The tour ends at a fruit restaurant, where you get to sample whatever fruits are in season and enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie. I recommend the pineapple/nutmeg one if it’s available, made with the flesh of the nutmeg fruit, not the more common ground nutmeg which comes from the seed.
Once you’ve gorged yourself on fruit, head to the Tropical Spice Garden, about 15 minutes away, accessible by Grab or bus. The self-guided, audio tour (RM29 per adult and RM17 per child, although child doesn’t get his/her own radio) takes you around the 6 acre-lot and 69 audio stops. With kids though, we recommend fast-tracking through the first 20-30 (which are primarily various plants and trees) to get into the spice section. Otherwise they’ll be overloaded with information and bored by the time you get to the interesting part.
The walk will take you through stands of cinnamon trees, vanilla groves, sugar canes, pepper, jasmine, ylang-ylang, cardamom and a dozen other fragrant spices. You’ll learn not just about different uses of the various spices, from foods to medicine, but also the historical importance the spice trade had on Penang and Malaysia.
Partway through, make sure to indulge in the free tea of the day near the end of the trail. We had indulged in a refreshing and invigorating concoction composed of lemongrass, pandan and stevia, made with water from the nearby mountain creek!
While there’s a lot of information to absorb, it’s a fascinating look at how spices influenced a large portion of the world for a very long time.
Finish off the tour in style at the restaurant onsite. There, overlooking the water, you can experience for yourself some of the wonderful flavours put to great use. Inspired by both local and Thai cuisine, the restaurant offers a variety of dishes, from sweet and sour shrimp to basil leaves chicken to rice belacan. Match your meal with spiced coffee, spiced tea or a refreshing fruit juice, like a lemongrass-orange-lime fruit juice. Even the ice chocolate is packed with fresh, wonderful aromas. The Spice Garden also offers cooking classes, if you and your children are interested and have the time.
While more expensive than a meal at the food markets in town, the beach setting (complete with dusky leaf monkeys if you are lucky) and the freshness of the food make this a treat not to miss!
