Why I Loved Penang

Of the different countries in Asia I’ve been lucky enough to visit, Malaysia was probably my favourite. And while Mulu National Park was my favourite natural place in Malaysia, George Town, on the island of Penang, was by far my favourite city. What really drew me to the island in the first place was all the street art I had seen photos of online, but there’s so much more than that to pull you in. There were many things that made me fall in love with Penang.

Here are a few of them.

Penang’s street art

Number one on this list, and the main reason I wanted to travel to Georgetown in Penang, is the city’s very famous collection of street art. Adorning a large part of this colonial-era city are colourful murals of every shape and size, covering subjects ranging from the humorous to the political.

My personal favourites were the ones incorporating 3D objects that you could interact with. Check out that swing! I had such a great day exploring the streets with a not-so-accurate map in hand, wondering what I’d find down each side street and around every corner.

Penang’s Food

While street art may be why half the people come to Penang, the other half come for the street food. Night markets are a regular occurrence, and stalls cooking a huge variety of dishes – Indian, Malay, Chinese, Western – line the streets. Cheap as anything, and very delicious.

However, if you’re vegetarian like me, it can be a little harder to find dinner when you’re not entirely sure what anything in front of you is. I recommend bringing a personal taster, someone who knows a bit of the language, or else learning the basics yourself to help you navigate the food scene.

Penang’s architecture

Most of Georgetown was built during the British colonial era, and its architecture reflects this period while also mingling with local Malay, Chinese and Islamic influences. The resulting beautiful buildings are the main reason the city, like Malacca, its southern counterpart, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

Many of the buildings are faded or have paint chipping off the walls, but that just adds to their charm. Look closely and you’ll see the many different colours these buildings used to be. And the less-than-perfect look makes each one feel lived in and a true part of the fabric of the city.

Kek Lok Si Temple

Now this is a temple.

The largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, this sprawling complex sits upon a hill a half-hour’s bus journey from Georgetown. I recommend heading up there in the early evening, as the views while the sun goes down are stunning.

If you’re in the area during the month after the Chinese New Year, make sure you stick around after dark. The entire temple is adorned with thousands of strings of brightly-coloured lights, like a Christmas Tree on steroids, if you will! It’s an incredible sight – not one I’ll forget for a while. And the view across Penang from the top of the pagoda is certainly worth the small fee.

Penang’s Chinese Clan Jetties

Stretched along Georgetown’s eastern sea front are the Chinese Clan Jetties. I knew very little about these before we went, but I’m so glad we made the time to visit. The larger jetties are now major tourist attractions and as such are full of souvenir shops, henna artists and icecream parlours, while the smaller ones are still just as they’ve always been – small, close-knit neighbourhoods stretching along narrow boardwalks out over the water. All are worth seeing.

As the name suggests, each jetty is the home of a particular clan and is named after this clan. Many are homes of ordinary families, and as such their space and privacy should always be respected.

Practical Information:

• The highest-rated hostel in George Town is House of Journey, located in an 1850s heritage building, right in the centre of the the historic town.
• If arriving by coach from the mainland, the local bus to the city centre departs from the same station. Tickets cost a maximum of 4MYR. The bus system, called Rapid Penang, is fantastic – they come very often, are extremely cheap and are easy to navigate. There’s even a free bus system operating every 15 minutes around the city centre, Monday-Saturday – just look for buses labelled ‘Free CAT Bus’.
• The city centre is very walkable. In fact, I definitely recommend walking wherever you go, as this is how you’ll discover the majority of the street art.
• Restaurants are very easy to find, especially around the central Love Lane area, as well as a huge number of street vendors.

Have you ever been to Penang? Did you enjoy it as much as I did? Or are you now dying to visit? Tell me in the comments below!

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