Kedah Road Trip - Sungai Petani

As the previous post about Alor Setar road trip got too long, I've decided to split our Kedah road trip into 2 posts.

Waking up from Orange Hotel, we went for breakfast at their snack corner. There's nasi lemak, bread for toasting (just normal bread la, not the fancy type), peanut butter, chocolate spread, butter and jam, and coffee and tea. There was also biscuits for Orange to munch on, the ones we called Marie biscuits.

Breakfast at Big Orange Hotel

After checking out, we started our journey looking for Kota Kuala Muda.

Kota Kuala Muda (Kuala Muda Fort)

This is an old gerbang believed to be built before the 18th century. Now why wasn't it better preserved, we will not discuss here. It's good to have the children have some grasp of the history of places around Malaysia as much as we can. So here we are.

Kota Kuala Muda. Again, loved the lovely blue sky here. 

Pintu Gerbang Kota Kuala Muda

Kompleks Pasar Bisik Kuala Muda (Whispering Fish Market Kuala Muda)

Next is Kompleks Pasar Bisik Kuala Muda. I thought we were really late to catch any action, but buying and selling were in full swing. There are still fishing folks unloading their catch in boxes. The scene was bustling and busy, and the seafood are fresh. However, we didn't buy any as we will still be on the road for the whole day. Hehe, I didn't really catch any whispering going on though, maybe it only happens early in the morning for wholesalers. Oh ya, forgot to mention, we were asked to pay RM2 or RM3 parking fees just to visit here.

With children in tow, of course I asked them to avoid blocking those fishermen and their workers in action. Hm.. should I have snapped some of those action instead of the children standing around? But not sure if tourists snapping photos of them working are not welcomed?

Kompleks Pasar Bisik Kuala Muda.
Just happened that the sky is really different both sides as the above photo taken moments apart.

Sawah padi at Kuala Muda. Beautiful scenery.

I have to say Kedah has really beautiful scenery, we stopped at a random paddy field just to capture the children had been here. This was on the way to Pulau Sayak after visiting Kompleks Pasar Bisik Kuala Muda.

Pulau Sayak

Lunch time at Pulau Sayak Usop Mee Udang. a quaint little Malay eatery. They are popular for their Mee Udang and also Nasi Goreng Udang. We ordered both to try, they were served rather quickly too. Maybe it's just a normal Wednesday, so really not many people here. But the food is really good though, both the noodles and nasi goreng with the big prawns.

At Pulau Sayak Usop Mee Udang. I think that little island might be Pulau Sayak?

There weren't many people at this hour and we manage to sit at this fancy hut to have our lunch.

Can't wait to eat our food, so didn't capture them together.
They were spicy! So the children weren't able to eat much.

After eating, we went for a stroll at the beach. Amazing sights... ok so I'm not writing a promotional piece. It's just that I like peaceful, quiet and idyllic places like this. No crowds, probably because it's midday and it's really hot. Not sure if I'd still be as enthusiastic if it's crowded with people say on weekends or evenings.

I've seen a newspaper report that said one can 'walk' over to the little island during low tide?
Probably it's here where the land kind of jutted out. 

Villager at work

Baby Orange didn't want to walk on sand

So difficult to get his solo shot

Cherry doing funny pose

Usop Mee Udang just behind there.

Pantai Merdeka (Merdeka Beach)

Heard a lot about Pantai Merdeka but never been here. There is even a puisi or pantun about Pantai Merdeka. And the poem really wrote about the scenery accurately. It's exactly like what we saw. There are visitors of different races at Pantai Merdeka. Numerous food and drinks stalls too, which we couldn't resist to buy some snacks before we move on.

The big welcome gate at Pantai Merdeka

Gunung Jerai in the distance

This side can see Pulau Sayak which we were at earlier

I think it's a boat, not sure if going to Tanjung Dawai?

Didi and Cherry went down the stairs to the beach.
It's not the smooth type of sand we are used to, but quite rough.

拍照留念 at Pantai Merdeka

Couldn't contain their happiness at the chance for playground,
even for a little while and under the hot hot sun

Ikan lekur and coconut water - tapao. So little already like iced water.

After Merdeka Beach it's time for some observation of nature.

Kompleks Pelancongan Hutan Paya Laut Sungai Merbok (Mangrove Forest Reserve Museum)

We saw a Malay couple having their wedding photoshoot here. It's quite unique place, and very new. It's built in the middle of hutan paya laut, which makes the surrounding nature so unique. There's a jetty right next to it, but didn't see it being operational. Maybe weekends?

We saw monkeys as soon as we reached the carpark. But didn't take any photos, didn't want any aggressive ones to make a bad impression on Baby Orange. As I said, it's a weekday so no crowd at all. And it looks near to closing time by the time we reach about 3pm, so we hurriedly walk to find the gallery.

I asked Papa to take photo including the unique roots of mangrove trees which are visible above water.
But he said the lighting too dark and couldn't see the kids' faces :P

The complex buildings is build above the water on stilts.

See the unique roots of mangrove trees? The mock charcoal kiln at the museum gallery.

Around and inside the museum gallery.
There are storyboards and stuff but I didn't take photos as it is not ready to be photographed. As you can see, the walkway is quite extensive for visitors to enjoy walking along the mangrove. We heard noises, and saw shadows of probably a big reptile. 

Overlooking the bridge to Semeling Town, and the jetty. 

Wow Gunung Jerai again.

  

Hm.. they had to do this pose for fun

Another outdoor view

Semeling Jetty? Not very sure...  

Charcoal kiln probably showing mangrove trees are used to make charcoal.
And more of the mangrove upon my request

At the carpark, the big signage.

Lollipop Cafe and Bakery

Last stop is filling up tummy again. This time more child-friendly at Lollipop Cafe and Bakery. Probably almost closing time too, it's almost 4:30pm when we reached :) The bread they use is really good. We even bought some to bring back with us. Even though I knew they have a branch in Penang, but I really didn't fancy George Town traffic jam.

Lollipop Cafe and Bakery. We ordered almost everything we fancied.
Baby Orange so cute in this photo, he pointed to himself as we initially didn't want to include him.

How the cafe looks like outside. Still clean and nice inside luckily. 

Before we set off back home, we took a photo at the Sungai Petani clock tower. Haha so old-fashioned.

Sungai Petani Clock Tower

Kedah Road Trip - Alor Setar

Makan-makan dan Jalan-jalan around Kedah with Baby Orange. It's his first trip and we wanted to see if he could travel with us.

First stop, food as usual. We tried Nasi Lemak Ong at Alor Setar, which is now at new location. Previously once in their old shop, we had wanted to go around 2pm+ and they were washing the floor cleaning up already! It's really good, though. Kids polished up everything. The uncle who helped us take our food customized for the kids so they enjoyed it. The shop is not crowded at this time, we visited at around 11:30am.

Having yummy brunch at Nasi Lemak Ong, from full plate to none!

Front of the shop, perhaps it's Uncle Ong at the back? :)

Next stop is Kedah Royal Museum or Muzium Diraja Kedah, 10 minutes away from Nasi Lemak Ong. First Papa took the kids around the grounds for photos.

Beautiful Masjid Zahir, beautiful sky.

View towards Alor Setar Tower

Entrance to Kedah Royal Museum is free. It's airconditioned! It's a hot day, so we enjoyed walking around. The grounds was not too hot though, it's shady with trees.

Muzium Diraja Kedah grounds. It's a 1610 cannon!
However, yellow and green building was off-limits to visitors.

Inside the museum main entrance

Intricate staircase. 1731 cannon.

Balai Nobat, and a clock tower.

Another view of  the gerbang Balai Nobat

We also visited the Galeri Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah. Gracious, have to sign-in names.

Treasures and antique cars in the Gallery

We are setting off further from Alor Setar. On the way, saw this place called Dataran Tanjung Chali. It looks new at the time. Baby Orange sleeping in the car by this time.

Gosh the sky :)

Don't know what is this Dataran for, but it seems relaxing. For an evening walk perhaps?
Too bad parking is not easy, it's by the roadside.

Our next destination is Muzium Kuala Kedah. We have to pass Jambatan Tok Pasai to reach there. Since Baby Orange still sleeping, so the two older kids go for photo to remember where they had been hahahaha.... upon my request.

Jambatan Tok Pasai

Jambatan Tok Pasai... the sky!

Jambatan Tok Pasai. There are cars but just so happen not many when they took photo.
Some people look at us weird when we do this funny tourist thing :P

Muzium Kota Kuala Muda

This museum is located at historical site, although some are rebuild. I like it here. Coupled with the wonderful blue sky as backdrop, it's picturesque!

Entrace at Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah

The lighthouse, quaint.

Cannons.. and gerbang

The rebuild Gerbang Kacapuri

Another view of the lighthouse at Muzium Kota Kuala Kedah

The gallery building. 

After visiting the museum, it's snack time. We stopped by for Zakaria Laksa Teluk Kechai. Different from Penang laksa, this laksa has clearer soup and sambal nyior. It's matched with hard-boiled egg if you like. Delicious!

Laksa, sate and ice kacang

As it's still early, we went back to Alor Setar city. I think we wanted to try the 'chai por' fish but it already closed. Somehow we ended up visiting Rumah Kelahiran Tun Mahathir, free entrance.

Rumah Kelahiran Tun Mahathir

 By now the children are quite tired, so we proceed for our hotel check-in. We chose Big Orange Hotel at Sungai Petani, specially selected to commensurate Baby Orange's first hotel stay. Get it, Baby Orange staying at Orange Hotel :)

The hotel is quite new, so the room is clean and nice. However, have to tolerate some noise as each room is "partitioned" only. When sleeping, my legs knocked on the wall a few times when I turned, as I'm taking the side of the bed that is adjacent to the wall.

Big Orange Hotel at Sungai Petani. Baby Orange on orange chair :)

Inside hotel room. Spacious, and clean as it's quite new.

We had dinner at Sungai Petani's Jade Restaurant. Quite good, after a tiring day. The children are already craving rice.

Dinner at Jade Restaurant Sungai Petani

As the post is getting long, I will have Day 2 Sungai Petani in a new post.