More about the Moon Festival at Pangkor

I created a photo collage of Pangkor and some surrounding areas:

The Tropical Spice Garden in Penang, near Teluk Bahang is one of the treasures of Penang. I am not exaggerating. The 8 acres of lush jungle is filled with more then 500 plants, herbs and spices. This is a magic place to learn about tropical herbs and plants. Not only has every plant it’s specific description, it is also clearly explained what purpose the plant has, toxic, edible, medicinal etc.

The cafe offers a small menu with some extraordinary tasty dishes and drink (the spice coffee is something to explore).

The Tropical Spice Garden is also used by school groups, wedding parties and company meetings.

Nazlina Hussin offers in front of the cafe of the Tropical Spice Garden her Cooking Classes, 3 times a week. I have always said, if you want to eat a curry, you have to visit an Indian stall/restaurant. That has changed since I had Nazlina’s curry here at the Tropical Spice Garden. That was the best curry I ever had, and that means something after spending a year in India and 5 years in Malaysia.

Tropical Spice Garden is located a few minutes from Batu Ferringhi on the way to Teluk Bahang.

Tropical Spice Garden

Nazlina’s cooking class in the Tropical Spice Garden

To learn something about Malaysia requires some knowledge of the local cuisine. More then in other countries, the Malaysian people are food crazy. One can not meet a Malaysian without changing the subject within 5 minutes to food!

Thus, a visit to local food courts is essential to explore the local cuisine. Or, you can follow one of Nazlina’s cooking classes which are held in the Tropical Spice Garden, And trust me, that is a special place. Not only to learn to cook like the Malaysians do, but also to cook in the jungle (or better) at the doorway to the jungle.

This is what you really want to learn… see for yourself how it works:

Nazlina’s cooking class in Tropical Spice Garden Penang

Ikan bilis is the specialty of Pangkor island. Many local travelers come to Pangkor and will. not leave without the ikan bilis. What is it? How is it caught?

Here you find out all your answers:

Ikan Bilis

More photos of ikan bilis

Altough Pangkor is a small island, you will want to have some ideas about getting around. You want a taxi, motorbike or even bicycle, possible, so where do you get them? What’s the challenge etc.

Getting around at Pangkor

Yangshuo China is one of those really beautiful areas in China you can come back and back again, like I do now for more then 10 years (my first visit was in 1997, I think). Today Yangshuo looks different from 1997. The commercial industry has found its way to Yangshuo, even MacDonalds is available.

That said, nothing is better then homemaden Chinese food. And how to make it? You can follow a cooking class in Yangshuo. Or you can follow our Cloud 9 recipes/dish of the month as it is Cloud 9 where the cooking class in Yangshuo takes place. And trust me, it’s good fun!

Tropical Spice Garden Penang is an 8 acres garden park dedicated to spices and herbs of the tropical world. It’s a little paradise inside a paradise (Penang. Have look yoiurself:

Tropical Spice Garden Penang

There was until very recent not a cooking class available in Penang. Unthinkable? That’s what I thought. Penang, the number 1 and formost food heaven in Malaysia had no option to learn cooking. Fortunately, Nazlina Hussin in cooperation with the Tropical Spice Garden have changed history.There was until very recent not a cooking class available in Penang. Unthinkable? That’s what I thought. Penang, the number 1 and formost food heaven in Malaysia had no option to learn cooking. Fortunately, Nazlina Hussin in cooperation with the Tropical Spice Garden have changed history.

In the Spice Garden is now 3 times a week from 9.30 to 12.30 a cooking class based traditonal cooking available:

Cooking Classes in the Tropical Spice Gardens in Penang

While last month I was in Hong Kong, I visited, as I do the last few years one specific toilet! Yes, I am not joking. I know, it’s a bit weird, but I do know, or I should say, knew, the cleaner. He had a story to tell. Here it is:

The story of the toilet cleaner