Former HK Actress Amy Yip Opens Hotel in Penang & Plans to Open More

If you’ve seen “Amy Yip big pau” and wonder who the heck is Amy Yip, wonder no more.

This is Amy Yip, and she’s invested in a hotel in Penang, and plans to invest three more.

But before that: who is Amy Yip?

Who is Amy Yip?

Amy Yip is a Hong Kong actress, model, and entrepreneur born on 10 July 1966.

She rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s as one of the leading sex symbols in Hong Kong cinema2. Yip gained fame for her roles in popular Category III films such as Erotic Ghost Story (1990) and Sex and Zen (1991), the latter being the highest-grossing Category III movie in Hong Kong box office history.

Despite her involvement in risqué films, Yip was known for her “Yip tease” technique, cleverly using camera angles to avoid full nudity while still showcasing her assets.

So, what’s with the Amy Yip pau?

Known as the “Amy Yip Steamed Buns” or “Amy Yip Big Pau,” these oversized steamed pork buns were first introduced in Cheras, Malaysia, in 1996.

The buns gained popularity not for their taste but for their impressive size, which was a direct reference to Yip’s famously large bust.

At the height of their popularity, these buns were selling over a thousand per day across various branches.

Here in Singapore, you can also find Amy Yip Big Pau in Nam Kee Pau outlets.

Amy Yip Opens Hotel in Penang

On 29 September, Yip was in Penang for the grand opening of The Leith Hotel, a boutique hotel where she has invested. In an interview with Malaysian media, she shared that this marks her first business venture in Malaysia, and she plans to invest in three more hotels in Penang.

She also said she plans to visit Malaysia more frequently now that she has business interests there.

Yip revealed that she hadn’t flown in nearly 20 years due to a terrifying experience during a past flight. She explained that she once flew to Taiwan and encountered a No. 10 hurricane signal. The plane circled for almost an hour, unable to land, and eventually had to return due to low fuel. This incident left her with a fear of flying.

However, she decided to face her fears for this trip to Penang.

While in Penang, Yip enjoyed the local cuisine and even tried durian. She mentioned that she plans to ask friends to send her more durian to Hong Kong, and joked that she gained 4.5kg from all the food and will need to work it off once she’s back home.

Yip also made headlines earlier in September when she ordered a 1.8kg empurau fish from Malaysia for a dinner party in Hong Kong.

The empurau, considered Malaysia’s most expensive freshwater fish, can cost up to RM1,800 (S$560) per kilogram.

Now, we can only wonder if she would be trying any Amy Yip Big Paus in Malaysia.