AhPek Facebook Foodie Round-up: 2025-08 August

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AhPek Facebook Foodie Round-up:

August 2025

We kicked off the month with a journey north for good eats in George Town, Penang and Hat Yai, Thailand.

Some of the memorable eats include: up in Penang, a champion's Char Koay Teow, and Michelin bib tomyum noodles, and apom. Over in Hat Yai were good Teow Chew dumplings, and a seafood fest. Stay tuned at AhPek Biker's FB posts for daily updates!

(Click on photos to link & comment at the original FB post, and also to get geo-tags of the eats places)

(NOTE: If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first; to see ride blogs, click here)

Char Koay Teow at Perak Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow, George Town, Penang – 1st August


Michelin Star Ghee Lian Green Tomyam Noodles (義蓮鱼头米粉) at Weld Quay Food Court, George Town. Penang – 1st August


My late mum, Mamatan, makes the best curry pup, and I am always on the lookout for ones that can match hers – 1st August

This one from Indian style, son take away from hawker at Batu Lancang Food Court in Penang. It's a good throwback to school days when we eat this (with pickled onions) at the stadium while watching sports events.

Asian-Fusion Taster Lunch & Dimsum at Four Hands, George Town, Penang – 2nd August

Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee, Lor Bak Tea-time Treats at Gen-Ki Canteen (元氣食堂), Green Lane , Penang – 2nd August

Hot-pot Dinner at Haidilao in Gurney Paragon, George Town, Penang – 2nd August

Crispy Indian Apom at Swee Kong Kopitiam, Pulau Tikus, George Town, Penang – 3rd August

Pat-poh Guleng Peng at Swee Kong Kopitiam, Pulau Tikus, George Town, Penang – 3rd August

Champion Penang Char Koay Teow at Swee Kong Kopitiam, Pulau Tikus, George Town, Penang – 3rd August

Thai Teow Chew Food at Pakmornalo Naisuan (云海竹筒海鮮, ก๋วยเตี๋ยวปากหม้อน่าล่อในสวน หาดใหญ่) at Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Thai Dinner at Krua Pa-Yad (ครัวปะ-หยัด), Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Shopping at Lee Garden Market Street, Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Food Hunting at Lee Garden Market Street, Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Thai durians at Lee Garden Market Street, Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Thai Medicated Oil & Thai Rice Milk Soap from pharmacies at Hat Yai, Thailand – 3rd August

Thai Wantan Noodles at Hong Tong Noodles (บะหมี่หงส์ทอง), Hat Yai, Thailand – 4th August

Shopping at Thailand 7-11 (Pasawang Outlet), Hat Yai, Thailand – 4th August

Thai Seafood Dinner at Sea Space, Hat Yai, Thailand – 4th August

Thai Dumplings from Roadside Vendors at Golden Crown Grand Hotel, Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Cashew Nuts from Qin Shop, Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Street Stalls at Kim Yong Market (ตลาดกิมหยง หาดใหญ่), Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Tomyum Wantan Noodles at Betong Wantan Noodles, Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Food Shopping at 7-11 next to Aloha Hatyai Hotel, Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Grocery Shopping at Lotus 1 Hypermarket, Hat Yai, Thailand – 5th August

Roti Canai & Roti Telur-Bawang Breakfast At Kiya’s Restaurant, TTDI, KL – 7th August

Buttery Toast Treats with Icecream from Toastlah Food Truck at TTDI, KL – 8th August

Asian Fusion Dinner with Friends at The Gathering Beast, Amansuria, PJ – 9th August

Take-away Penang Curry Mee from Kopitiam 7 (七號咖啡店), SS2 – 10th August

Family Italian Dinner at Yellow Brick Road, Bukit Damansara, KL – 10th August

Korean Birthday Dinner at Ticket to Korea, Tropicana Avenue, PJ - 14th August

Korean Bingsu Desserts at Binq Dessert, Damansara Utama, PJ – 14th August

Chinese dinner with Wife's Schoolmates at Xigong Seafood Restaurant (西公海鮮飯店), Kepong, KL – 15th August

Vade and Putu Mayam at Kanna Curry House, Bandar Menjalara, KL – 16th August

Wholesale Biscuit Factory at Guang Xiang Food Trading, Kepong Baru, KL – 16th August

Wholesale Foo Choke (Soy Bean Curd Skin)  at Xian Mei Food Industry (鲜美食品有限公司)Kepong Baru, KL – 16th August

Curry Chee Cheong Fun, Buttery Toast & Hailam Tea at Restoran Kopitiam Good View, Kepong Baru, KL -16th August

Kepong Baru Mural Lane next to Health Lane, Kepong Baru, KL -16th August

Fish Ball Noodles at You Fishball Noodles, Kepong Baru, KL -16th August

Family Thai Lunch at Lao-Thai 5 to 9 Restaurant (老泰私房小厨 5 to 9), Segambut, KL - 17th August

Take-away Ansoon Chee Cheong Fun from Teluk Intan, Perak – 22nd August

Char Koay Teow at Air Panas Food Court, KL – 31st August

Take-away Kolok Mee from Kuching, Sarawak – 31st August

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Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Penang-Hat Yai 2025

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Penang-Hat Yai 2025

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 : 1st to 5th August 2025

Small Group (Road Trip) Tour of George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and Hat Yai, Thailand:

Kuala Lumpur>Penang>George Town>Thailand>Hat Yai>Kuala Lumpur.

(See day-to-day blogs for more detailed routes)

It's been just three months since our holiday in Morocco, and our travelling legs are getting itchy again. We will be travelling to Penang for some matters, and since we will be driving there, we decided to cross over to Thailand and continue onwards to Hat Yai for a two-night stay.

BLOGS

Below are the daily blogs of our tour. click on the respective photos to read. Further below are some travel trips for this region. It was an interesting and awesome tour, so come and have a look:

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 1 & 2: Kuala Lumpur to Penang - 1st & 2nd August

From KL, we drove up to Penang to stay two nights. So what do one do in Penang.... eat!

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Day 3: Penang to Hat Yai - 3rd August

A smooth trip across the border, with an interesting lunch and visits to market streets in the evening.

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 4 & 5: Around Hat Yai & Home - 4th & 5th August

Days of good breakfasts, visits to a stainless steel temple, a busy street market and a sumptuous Thai seafood dinner.

(Next...  Laos-China?)

___________________________________________________________________________________

Related Blogs:

Cycling Thailand

These are the cycling tours that we did in colourful Thailand, a beautiful country with ever-smiling people. Includes tours of the south and Isan & a non-cycling tour of Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son.

Morocco 2025

A 13-day non-cycling tour of Morocco, to bustling medinas, beautiful gardens, scenic deserts and even a blue city.

Cambodian & Thai Food

Local baguette, street fare smoothies & broth, yummylicious pig trotters, etc.

Thailand 2016

Some of the interesting places we visited and the good food we had during a couple of cycling tours to South Thailand and the Isaan region.

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TRAVEL TIPS FOR MALAYSIA & THAILAND

1. Driving & Traffic Directions!

    Driving in Malaysia and Driving in Thailand is right-hand drive, and driving is on the left side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads. A valid international driving licence is required for both countries. Those with a driving licence from ASEAN countries can drive in both countries, subject to conditions. Short-term car insurance is also required.

    We drove around in Thailand, but where we expected difficulty in parking, we either took a tuk-tuk or hailed a Grab Car, comparing prices first.
    Malaysians driving their car into Thailand will require a temporary import permit. This form can be obtained at several highway-side shops around Changlun. At the Thailand Immigration/Customs side, passengers will have to alight and go through the pedestrian lanes, while the driver drives through a different lane to have the form processed. There is no need for the passengers to alight when leaving Thailand. A copy of the approved form will be returned to the driver. This COPY HAS TO BE RETURNED to the Thai Immigration/Customs; otherwise, one is considered to have imported a car to Thailand, and on the subsequent entry into Thailand, one may have to pay a hefty fine!
    We did the car import permit and comprehensive Thai car insurance at Mini Travel 1982, which has a large car park, a duty-free shop and a food court. They also helped fill in tourist entry forms and sell Thai DTAC Happy Tourist phone SIM cards. This also includes tow truck services, which can be contacted via WhatsApp call/message to +6012-4971068.

    Speed limits in Malaysia:
    Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
    Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
    State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
    Do adhere to these limits, as speed detection cameras are along the expressways. Install the Waze App, and run it while driving, as it highlights if one drives above the speed limit, and will warn of impending speed traps.

    Speed limits in Thailand:

    Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
    Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
    State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
 60 km/h within urban areas, 100 km/h outside urban areas, including expressways, and 120 km/h on highways. Do adhere to these limits, as often police are monitoring with radars; our driver-guide was careful about this.

2. Immigration & Customs Requirements

    Those from ASEAN countries (except Myanmar) can enter member countries without a visa for periods between 14 to 30 days. Click here for Malaysian visa requirements for other countries. Click here for Thai visa requirements for other countries.

3. Getting to and around Malaysia.

    Both Malaysia and Thailand are well served by many international airlines. Click here for airlines serving Malaysia, and click here for airlines serving Thailand.

    Highway and local roads in Malaysia are excellent, and while those in Thailand are good. Many expressways in Malaysia are tolled, while Thailand only have tolled roads in some cities.

    Petrol is cheaper in Malaysia, with RON95 at RM2.05 (USD0.48) per litre. While in Thailand RON95 costs more than double at THB32.55 (USD1.01) per litre. So, do fill up just before crossing the border into Thailand.

4. Places & Things of Interest  

    Enroute were many places of interest, the following should not be missed (Note: click on GPS coordinates for a directional map to respective places):
    a. George Town (UNESCO Heritage Site) (GPS: 5.41409, 100.32852).

    b. Streets & Alleys of George Town (GPS: 5.41700, 100.33797).
    c. Street Art of George Town (GPS: 5.41555, 100.33726).

    d. Stainless Steel Temple (Phra Mahathat Chedi Traiphop Traimongkon) (GPS: 7.00495, 100.51630) in Hat Yai.

    e. Wat Khuat Mak Dhamma Siri Bottle Temple (วัดขวดมากธรรมศิริ) (GPS: 6.81869, 100.65517) in Hat Yai.

    

5. Food

    Arising from its diversified culture, Malaysian Food is a wide-ranging potpourri of Malay, Chinese, Indian and often with a fusion in between. With so many types of food available, one is spoilt for choice, but one should not miss Nasi Lemak and Char Kuey Teow.

    Although not as diversified as Malaysian food, Thai Food has memorable, strong flavours, and not to be missed are Tomyam and Thai Crab Omelet.

6. Accommodations

    Two nights at a relative's place in Tanjung Bungah, Penang Island, Penang. And two nights at the Golden Crown Grand Hotel (GPS: 7.00728, 100.47039) in Hat Yai, queen room at RM120 per night.

7. Communicating with Each Other

   When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.

    Physical sim cards can be ordered online or purchased upon arrival at international airports OR one can order Malaysian e-sim on line.
   Some of us bought DTAC Happy Tourist physical Thai phone SIM cards at the "Mini Travel 1982"  travel assistance office at Changlun. We got the 7-Days unlimited data physical sim at RM25.
Others subscribed for the Touch-n-Go e-SIM directly through the Touch-n-Go e-Wallet App in their phone, getting a 7-Day 1-GB plan for RM9. A 15-Day 2-GB plan is available for RM15. This e-SIM has to be activated and set up just before entering Thailand, or if in Thailand then activate it where there is WiFi.

9. Communicating with Locals

    Although Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of Malaysia, most Malaysians speak fairly good English; even in smaller towns or villages, locals speak some rudimentary English. One can warm up to locals by conversing in some basic Bahasa Malaysia. Failing which, Google Translate, should one get stuck vocally.
    The official language of Thailand is Thai. At the tourist areas, many locals can speak basic English. One can warm up to locals by conversing in some basic Thai. Failing that, Google Translate should be used if one gets stuck vocally.
    

10. Weather

      Average day and night temperatures in George Town were 32°C and 26°C, partly cloudy with no rain. For Hat Yai it was 34°C and 24°C respectively

     A useful weather forecast site for George Town is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

     

11. Navigation

     Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.

___________________________________________________________________________________

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October 2023 Foodie Roundup

You are at - Jotaro's Blog /AhPek Biker-Footsteps /Malaysia-Thailand/Penang-Hat Yai 2025

If you like this, view my other blogs at Jotaro's Blog

(comments most welcomed below. If you like this pls share via Facebook or twitter)