Air Itam can be said to be a small town in Penang, about 20 minutes drive from the city. Although it is not as concentrated in the same place as the attractions in the World Heritage Area of George Town, there will always be a lot of traffic in Aitam on weekends and holidays (especially Chinese New Year), because here is the century-old Kek Lok Si Temple and the Raising Flag The home of Mt. Ayer Itam and its sister curry mee. Taking advantage of the upcoming Labor Day, it is better to arrange a half-day tour of Ayer Itam to reward yourself.

Come to Aitam Market to fill your stomach

Ayer Itam Market is an iconic place in the local area. For decades, hawkers and stall owners operating in the market have provided local residents with daily necessities such as daily necessities such as rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, tea, and everything they need to eat, wear, and wear. If you come to the Al Itam Market from the urban area, you will see that the road surface is in the shape of a "Bu", with a row of shophouses and stalls on the left, extending to the bridge, and the Al Itam Market on the right. The market is divided into two areas, one is selling fish, meat, vegetables, etc., and the other is a hawker center.

姐妹咖喱面 Air Itam Sister Curry Mee 

When you come to Ayer Itam, the first thing you must eat is the 60-year-old sister curry noodles. This curry noodle stall is run by 83-year-old sister Lin Guixiang and 81-year-old sister Lin Guilai. The two started selling curry noodles with their mother when they were in their teens. After their mother passed away, they took over the stall until now. Over the years, the two sisters insist on keeping the taste of their mother's curry noodles. The ingredients must include rice noodles, fragrant curry soup, chili sauce, fried squid with chili and fresh cockles.

Every morning, they carry all the ingredients to the Bridge of Ayer Itam on a shoulder pole for sale. They all sit on small stools to order and prepare curry noodles. After the customers take the bowls, they find a place nearby to sit down and enjoy. Generally speaking, the market is overcrowded in the morning, especially if weekends and holidays are included, so customers must wait patiently and be considerate of the elderly.

Address: 612 T, Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang

Business Hours: 07:30 – 13:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)

Air Itam Dumb Laksa

Photo via imagui.eu | Air Itam Laksa 2 – Photo via Tallypress | Air Itam Laksa 3 – Photo via Jin Ling

If you ask the locals what is the must-eat food in Ayer Itam, laksa must be on the list. Fresh fish, crispy cucumbers, fragrant lettuce, thick shrimp paste, and some laksa flowers add to the aroma. This stall of laksa has been operating in the local area for more than 50 years, and hundreds of bowls are sold in a day, which shows how popular it is. In order to cope with the large number of customers, the ingredients for cooking laksa are served in extra-large bowls, and there are two barrels of soup that are kept boiling hot. The aroma wafting out makes people want to try their craft.

Address: 1, Jalan Pasar, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang.

Visit one of Penang's most iconic temples, Kek Lok Si Temple

Photo taken from Klook

Kek Lok Si Temple was built in 1893 and is one of the most representative temples in Penang. Because the temple is built on a mountain, you have to go through a winding mountain road to get there. The main attractions of Kek Lok Si Temple are the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas and the 30.2-meter-high bronze statue of Avalokitesvara. In addition, the temple enshrines 10,000 alabaster and bronze Buddha statues, which look solemn and peaceful. The Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas is 7 stories high, and each floor enshrines a Buddha statue. After walking up the steep stairs to the top of the pagoda, you will be greeted by the magnificent scenery of Penang. The best time to visit Kek Lok Si Temple is Chinese New Year, when the temple will be decorated with lanterns and festoons from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am. It is a good time to take pictures.

Address: 1000-L, Tingkat Lembah Ria 1, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang.

Opening hours: 08:30 – 17:30 (daily)

Opening hours: 08:30 – 17:30 (daily)

Photo via http://www.penanghill.gov.my | Penang Hill 2 – photo via DestinAsian | Penang Hill 3 – photo via http://www.penanghill.gov.my

If you want to enjoy the scenery of Penang, Penang Hill is definitely the best place to climb up and look far away. Take the cable car to the mountain at an altitude of 830 feet, so that you can enjoy the beauty of Penang under the embrace of nature. The editor would suggest that you go to Penang Hill to enjoy the sea of clouds between 6:30 and 8:00 in the morning, or go up the mountain to watch the night view at 8:00 in the evening. One is when everything wakes up, and the other is when night falls. the same. Of course, coming to the mountain is not just to enjoy the scenery, you can also set foot on The Habitat's Tree Top Walk aerial trail, get close to the 1.3 million-year-old tropical rainforest, explore historical sites, museums, mosques, Hindu temples, etc. In addition, there are hawker centers and David Brown western restaurants on the hill. If you want to stay overnight in Penang Hill, you can also choose to stay at Bellevue The Penang Hill Hotel.

Address: Jalan Bukit Bendera, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang.

 

Walking in is very important to Penang Hokkien people @天公园

Photo courtesy of Jin Ling

Tiangongtan was built in 1869 and has a history of more than 148 years. It mainly worships the Jade Emperor, the highest god in the sky, or the god of heaven. It is the only temple in Northern Malaysia dedicated to the Jade Emperor. Every year on Tiangong’s birthday, believers will come here to worship, which is very lively. Before entering the temple, you need to go up a flight of stairs. After entering the temple, you will see the Daxiong Hall where three Buddha statues are enshrined. The Tiangong Altar is just behind the Daxiong Hall. On the lintel at the entrance of the Jade Emperor Hall, there is a plaque that reads "One thousand people and one heaven", implying the Taoist belief that "There are thousands of people, and they all belong to one day".

Address: 11500 Penang Hill, Penang

Opening hours: 08:00 – 17:00

Memorial to Overseas Chinese in Penang who died in the Anti-Japanese War

Photo via timeout.com

The Penang Overseas Chinese Memorial to the Compatriots Who Died in the Anti-Japanese War and Learned History This monument was built in 1951 to commemorate the Nanqiao mechanics who risked their lives to transport military supplies and refugee supplies on the Burma Road during World War II. At that time, the war between China and Japan was about to break out. Under the call of the overseas Chinese leaders, the Nanqiao mechanics resolutely returned to China to contribute their strength. At that time, more than 3,000 Nanqiao mechanics participated in the Anti-Japanese War, and 1,028 of them died on this transportation line. If you are interested in knowing more detailed history, you can read the introduction in the previous article.

Address: 8, Jalan Air Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang.

photo taken from http://www.penanghill.gov.my