Will be going to penang in the next two weeks.. checked out some shopping places

1) KOMTAR
2) Queensbay Mall
3) Gama Shopping Centre
4) 1st Avenue Shopping Mall
5) Prangin Mall
6) Straits Quay
7) Gurney Plaza

Read that Komtar is quite old, and has nothing much to offer today. Just would like to know - are these places generic in nature, and should I make an effort to visit them all? As far as I know, (3), (4) and (5) are close to each other. Treating this visit as a relaxation, so don't mind splurging a bit. My (could be wrong) impression of night bazaars are of knicks knacks and little trinklets which I totally have no interest in. Any recommendations, guys?

This post has been edited by sampack: Jun 6 2011, 02:16 AM

Oh, gama is old? I see.. Probably more interested in clothes, and food though.

I will be travelling with my folks, so thinking of bringing them to the Tropical Fruit Farm. Is this place worth the time?

This post has been edited by sampack: Jun 6 2011, 02:17 AM

Hey thanks ghoss, etigge, stimix and DarkNite! You guys provided great resource! I'm definitely striking KOMTAR off my list!
I read that it's a administrative building.. Iwonder do the officials still work in the office towers today?
Basically I will be in penang for the food! So going to some of the malls, probably will help to take a breather, and "cool off" between all the treats!

Darknite, what is this super good deal you are talking about?

This post has been edited by sampack: Jun 7 2011, 12:19 AM

balik pulau sounds like a great place to go! Another forumer recommended this place for it's fruit farms too. It seems far flung from the city centre though. Did you drive there yourself, and how long did it take?

And are there many fruit farms there? Any recommendations? searched the web but results were quite generic.

Just returned from my trip and it was a blast. I spent two nights at Traders Hotel, so checked out the places in the vicinity.. thought i'd like to share.

Gurney Plaza - Good mix of shops not unlike Singapore/KL's.. but lack of human traffic makes it very dull. Wouldn't recommend.
1st Avenue Mall - Spanking new mall, worth checking out. Though some stores remains closed.
Pranging Mall - My favourite. Slightly dated, but it's a great place for checking out shoes/ clothes. Really value for money, and it's buzzing with activities. Food outlets are aplenty.

Transport wise, was convenient through taxi. Don't be afraid of overcharging - the rates although not going by the meter, were pretty much standardized. Very convenient. So much so I didn't hop on a single public bus during the trip. For ease of reference, I'll list them here.

Airport to Batu Ferringhi - 75RM. Don't think of haggling. You have to pay in advance for the ride at a kiosk outside the airport.
Batu Ferringhi to Gurney Drive - ~20RM
Penang Hill to Batu Ferringhi - ~40RM
Traders' Hotel to Penang Road - ~10RM

Alternatively, like a fellow forummer here mentioned (and what I did), you could engage a driver for ~30RM/hr, with a minimum of three. It's actually much more cost-effective if you're covering huge distances.

Penang Hill costs 30RM/person, if you are not an Malaysian citizen. 8RM if otherwise.
It wasn't exactly peak period when I was there.. and it already looked like it's going to have problems handling the crowds if it gets too much. I found the intermittent stops on the way up and down of the hill during the ride to be pretty annoying. Nonetheless, it's worth a trip up. Once there, you can get a buggy (with a driver) to bring you around for 15RM - a 4km trail. Definitely beats walking on foot.

I suggest heading to Kek Lok Si after that. Both are in the vicinity of each other. Pretty quiet place when I was there. Note that there are two distinct levels which can be reached both by car or tram.

If you're staying at the Batu Ferringhi area, the cheapest eating option is at a food court called Long Beach. Within walking distance from Rasa Sayang/ Parkroyal/Holiday Inn. Don't bother to draw your itinerary around the opening hours of the night bazaar. It was boring. As for the eating places I went to, check out the other thread in the food forums - they were all great recommendations!

In conclusion, I'll like to thank you guys for your help with the planning of my trip. Special props to DarkNite, for your prompt replies to this thread!