Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels: Sites : Hakka Cottage Village

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Sites : Hakka Cottage Village - Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia

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Footsteps - Jotaro's Travels

Hakka Cottage Village

Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia - March,2013

Nestled up on a small hill in Balik Pulau, Penang is a unique place called the Hakka Village. Here one can explore Hakka Culture as it was in olden times.

I had the opportunity to visit the place during a cyclo-hunt for a village Penang Laksa (see Penang Laksa Hunt Ride).
To reach the Hakka Village head from Balik Pulau town towards village of Kampong Pulau Betong. Just before reaching reaching the village, a mosque can be seen on the right hand side. The Hakka Village is set up on that hill upfront in the above photo.

This mosque is the Pulau Betong Mosque. Take a left turn into narrower village lanes opposite it.

At the end of the rustic village lanes will be a steep concrete road, this is a two kilometer road leading up to the Hakka Village.

NOTE : Due to the steepness of that concrete road, the owners of the Hakka Village has barred cars from driving up, lest any accident happens.
They do provide a pick-up truck service. If one is not inclined to hike up, then call ahead for them to send the pick-up.

As the top of the road, one is greeted by attap houses sitting amid the natural jungle in an open landscaped area.

At the end of the road that leads here is a wooden, main building. This acts as a community hall and dining area. A kitchen is on one end.

From here, Pulau Betong (Betong Island) can be seen in a distance, lying solitary in the sea below.

The owners have taken steps to decorate & furnish the place to give it that rustic and old feel - like this table with old "Singer" sewing machine used for legs.

An old latex rubber pressing roller machine. This one is from the heydays of Malaysia's rubber industries, when many things still have to be done manually.

A hollowed out tree trunk drum. Behind it is a kerosene pressure lamp.

Potted cacti to add some color to the place.

On the slopes above the main building are several attap chalets. These are for guests who wants to stay overnight.
Yes, one can come for a day trip of spend several nights here. Do call them up for reservations - the numbers are below.

This place is still fairly new - around 6 months old - and the owners are still improving the place with more landscaping, mural paintings on rocks, etc.