Gunung Baling Hiking - How To Go

It is crazy that I need to wake up at 4:30am.

We depart from Bukit Mertajam at 5am, and reach Gunung Baling at 6am. So estimate at least 1 hour from mainland to Baling and at least 1.5 hour from Penang Island.

The entire journey took us around 2 hours to peak.
First 30 minutes is a very muddy steep slope, go slow, follow your own pace, not your friends'. Beginner K.O. at this stage.
The next 30 minutes is less muddy but still steep with more tree roots and steps.

The last hours are all rocky and you need to use a lot of hand. There are quite a lot of hikers, so there is plenty of rest time at some of the difficult part while waiting others to pass thru.

For those who follow my blog before, you will know my stamina is really bad. :p
So you will know when I tell you it is OK, that is definitely an OK.

For stamina wise, it is totally OK (Just need to go slow on the first 30 minutes).
But the rocky place is dangerous and slippery which I do not recommend for kids less than 12 year-old.

We reach the peak at 8am, missed the sunrise. However, the view is still, SPECTACULAR. it is definitely worth waking up at 4:30am. I feel it even nicer than Lembing Hill.

If you are from Penang Island, go towards Alor Setar direction after edit from bridge. Go straight until you see the BKE Expressway exit (To Grik/Kulim Hi-Tech Park).
Follow the highway to Grik, drive straight and you will need to pay two RM1.60 toll. Please make sure you have a touch n' go card in hand. After you pass through 2 tolls, go straight until u see exit to Baling on your left.  Follow the sign to Baling. After you slightly pass through Baling Town, you will see a Chinese cave temple on your left, and after awhile you will see a small road on your left with signboard Pendakian Gunung Baling.

Location: 5°41'13.3" N 100°54'53.6" E


Things you might need:
Headlight (if hike early)
Long pants (avoid cratching on rocks)
Kampung Adidas is the best

Shinjuku Cafe, Japanese Restaurant at Raja Uda

I think in the mind of most people, we got to eat western food during Valentine's Day, the candle light's charm...

Therefore, those places are packed with lots of people. To avoid traffic, we, mainlandant have to stay at mainland for the day.
This indeed make people a really big head, where not much nice western food in mainland as far as I know. Moreover, I need something new, not Nando's, not Manhattan Fish Market... @_@

After Googled bunch of things, decided to go Richard's Top Taste Cafe in Inderawasih. It's very near to my house, it's cheaper, and vkeong's blog mentioned about it.
I purposely drive passed the shop on my way back home. I got scared away by it's outlook. Ok, I'm not gonna go there during Valentine's Day. Quickly called another restaurant on my list, fully booked. Call another one... Fortunately~
And here we are, Shinjuku Japanese Restaurant near Raja Uda at Pusat Perniagaan Teras Jaya.

And yes, we going to have Japanese food on Valentine's, not western.

The shop is on the same street with Who's Bryan and Apex, and on the 1st floor (upstairs, not so easy to spot), opposite of Chung Ling Secondary School (北海钟灵中学对面). The interior is ok, not a high-class one but with dim light, room temperature, not hot and not cold either, and not noisy, the thing that I felt most grateful.

My kids just tooooo cute

In fact, I was quite worry about the food.

The first dish comes up was salmon sashimi. The salmon given was quite thick, but still small in portion with a price of RM13.80. It's fresh and taste good, which make us happy for awhile.

 Next is the cheese-baked scallops (hotate), RM12.80. It was disappointed. I need to scratch the shell to take out the scallop meat, obviously overcooked. And I could not understand the taste of the sauce. Taste like there is ginger inside... never had a scallop with ginger before. Kinda weird, probably because I really don't like ginger.

Teppanyaki chicken set came later. The chicken tasted quite nice, a satisfied one. It costs RM16.80 with miso soup, salad, fruits and green tea. The miso soup is terrible by the way. I cooked a better miso soup with the miso paste bought from organic shop. @_@

Another main course we ordered is Gekikara Ramen (Spicy Seafood Ramen). The appearance looks convincing, but the first mouth make my eyes really big, what is this...?
It taste really weird, I can't tell what is wrong with it. After few more mouth, I felt it was scorch. I didn't ask waiter/waitress about it. Still wondering is it how it supposed to taste or it is really burnt. I couldn't finish the noodles.

Well, it wasn't a good experience. I just so glad it was my main course that tasted terrible. But still, we hardly get a pure Japanese Restaurant in mainland here (Sushi King & Sakae not count la), it does have a chance that their sushi could be nice. If anyone happened to taste their sushi, do update us on it. :)
 



Shinjuku Japanese Restaurant
Address：28,Lorong Teras Jaya 8, Kawasan Perniagaan Teras Jaya, 12300 Butterworth, Malaysia
Business Hour： Mon - Sun:   11:30am - 03:00pm / 05:30pm - 10:00pm

Tel: 04-3246588

GPS Coordinate：N 5 26.022   E 100 23.436