Penang Hill still a hit among local tourists despite the haze

The haze which hit Penang is not an obstacle for tourists who flocked to some interesting spots on the island for the weekend.

A visit by Astro AWANI’s crew to Penang Hill found that the area remains a hit among local and international tourists, despite the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaching 'Unhealthy' level.

Several visitors from Shah Alam and Kuala Lumpur said the haze that occur in their areas led them to choose Penang as their preferred holiday destination.

“The haze makes it difficult because it makes us want to cough but then it does not limit our outdoor activities despite the haze.

“We still want to go out with our friends and have a good time,” said Nor Azlinda Zailan who hails from Shah Alam.

A visitor from Klang, Izra Shahriza said the haze situation does not prevent them from travelling to Penang Hill as the haze situation in Selangor worsened on Sunday.

“It does not affect me because the situation in Selangor is more worse than here. It is pretty clear and suitable to bring children to Penang Hill,” she said.

Another visitor from the Klang Valley, known as Lim said despite the haze, he is instrumental in promoting domestic tourism.

“We will still contribute to the tourism industry in Malaysia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sofia Eliza Joseph from Klang took this opportunity to relax with her family.

“Despite the haze, we have the opportunity to spend quality time with our family” she said.

Penang on Sunday recorded an API 'Unhealthy' reading where several areas like Seberang Jaya 2, Perai and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) recorded a reading of 180.