| SEBARANG PERAI:
Connected to the island by the Penang Bridge , Prai is a thriving industrial premise on the mainland. While her island sister hogs most of the limelight, Prai has her own share of attractions.
Penang Bridge
The Penang Bridge, which links Penang Island and the mainland was officially opened on September 15, 1988 . The spectacularly beautiful bridge spans 13.5km across the channel, offering a beautiful view of the open sea, ships and the sprawling coastline.
Mengkuang Dam, Bukit Mertajam
The biggest dam in Penang which has a storage capacity of 23, 639 million liters of water is located in the Mengkuang Valley north of Bukit Mertajam on the mainland. Jogging tracks and walking trails are available for the fitness buffs. The dam was recently host to the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival.
Penang Bird Park , Jalan Todak
A five-minute drive from the Penang Bridge , this 2-hectare bird park is home to more than 800 birds of 300 species from all over the world. Be prepared to see the huge birds of prey, pelican and the gigantic cassowaries, emu, and ostriches, all housed in large aviaries in simulated natural surroundings.
The park also boasts beautifully landscaped garden with cascading waterfalls and ponds with lotus, water lilies and water fowls which swim freely.
St. Anne’s Church,
Jalan Kulim, Bukit Mertajam
From a small chapel built atop a hillock by visiting priest Fr. Adolphe Couellan in 1846, it grew to become a center of pilgrimage in the region. Hence a bigger church was built next to the old one, now called the Shrine. The dedication of the new church with its multi-tiered Minangkabau roofs and Gothic architecture was held on the 26 July 2002 .
The church was named after St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and has a sitting capacity of 1,800. Celebrations are held on a grand scale annually in conjunction with the annual St. Anne's Feast (in the month of July) which is usually followed by two nights of can delight procession by thousands of devotees at the church grounds.
|