Inflight Pictures : Moon and aeroplane in the sky

 Photo copyright by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Plane-spotting sites in Penang outside Penang Airport in winter months

Research, copyright by (unless otherwise stated) : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA          Images : Screenshots

Image : The empty space beside CPI Penang EMS Division faces Flight Take Off Viewing Area along Jalan Bayan Lepas

Pintasan Batu Muang above : 28 mins by bus from Penang Airport, 17 mins by car from Penang Airport. Pintasan Batu Muang is behind Jimmy Corner Fastfood (closed on weekends).

Jalan Baru Batu Maung above : 25 mins from Penang Airport by bus, 17 mins by car/Grab. The site is rubbish chute and fence at the end of the road.

Flight Take Off Viewing Area : 17 mins by Grab from Penang Airport. Also for spotting planes that are landing.

Image above : The flight path to and from Penang Airport in January 2026.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad Office above : 29 mins via Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah to Tenaga Nasional Berhad office, Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa. Plane is flying very high after taking off. Plane is descending towards the airport. It is along the flight path.

Jambatan Harapan Queensbay above : 38 mins from Penang Airport (traffic jams that can last for hours, beware)

Penang Air Cargo Complex public car park above (Image from JB Chew, Facebook) : 35 mins from Penang Airport via Jalan Permatang Damar Laut by bus, 17 mins by car/Grab from Penang Airport.

Images : No bus, no car, no Grab to Landing Planes Sea View and Damar Laut Beach. The nearest site is Flight Arrival View Point along Jalan Permatang Damat Laut, 10 mins by car or Grab from Penang Airport. The site is along the road. Beware of traffic. Planes hardly land at this direction in the afternoons.

StayGate Pictures : Plane-spotting in Chiang Rai Airport

 Photo copyright by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

My first and only tourist destination outside Chiang Rai Airport

 Report, photo copyright by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

I visit the so-called Chiangrai Beach, along Had Chiangrai Road, on 11 February 2025 because according to the taxi kiosk, Garden of Reeds close enough for plane-spotting is closed and Singha Park is too far from the airport.

Chiang Rai Beach or Chiangrai Beach, as locals spell, should be renamed as Chiangrai Riverside Park as it is not about visiting the beach to sunbathe. There are aplenty of plants and trees and local activities by the narrow strip of river.

Chiangrai Beach is of 30 minutes taxi ride from Chiang Rai Airport and a distance of 20 km from the airport. A round trip from the airport with the taxi-driver waiting for the visitor costs 600 Baht. Upon arriving at the destination located on Had Chiangrai Road, I see many beautiful flowers blooming and behind the flowers is the narrow river and hilly terrain. Many tourists come here for relaxation, flora and photography.

Visitors come to see the flora, take selfies and not the river as the river coastline is not spectacular. There is no river tour and restaurant here.

February is one of the blooming months of begonia and other northern Thailand flowers. The riverside park has educational and recreational value.

Image above : Thais also accept "Chiangrai" as name of the city as seen in this road sign "Had Chiangrai Road". So, it is ok to address the city without the blank, just like addressing Phu Quoc as "Phuquoc".

StayGate Pictures : Welcome to Chiang Rai

 Photo copyright by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA