Beaches, food, Kongsi's, Chinese shopfronts and a sublime street art scene - that's what I remember most about my time in intoxicating Penang.
Before I start I must note that I am not a crammer. I like to take things in at a relaxed pace, more often than not, by foot, and if there's ever an opportunity to just chill and take in my surroundings at a little coffee joint or even just a shaded park bench, I'll linger a little longer than I expect.
Where I stayed: NOOB Hostel, 484 Lebuh Pantai, Georgetown, $9-$10/night AUD for a pod cubicle. Located in the heritage listed area it was one of the original Chinese Shopfronts. It's also located right next to Penang's version of Bunnings if you're ever in need of a power drill whilst travelling. If you want to be in a busier, more social area, head to Love Lane where all the gringos seemed to congregate. If you like peace and quiet and don't mind walking a few extra blocks (like myself), give the NOOB a try. The pod cubicles give you the feeling like you are in your own tiny little room, and I definitely had no problem sleeping. When I stayed, they had bicycles available for guests along with a breakfast bar.
Day One:
After arriving at Penang International Airport mid morning, I had some time to kill before I could off load my 7kg of luggage (yes, I went to SE Asia for a month with carry on only - easy as!). Attempting to stay hardcore to my shoestring budget, I decided to forego the already highly affordable taxi and went for the public bus option, only with my Lonely Planet and a vague idea of where the hostel was in tow. Turns out it was easy and a great way to see the town (and kill a bit of time). I let the bus driver know the street I needed to head toward, and he kindly made an exception and stopped the bus on the corner of the intersecting street for me. Never be afraid to ask - there can be extremely helpful people out there! Cost of my ride from the airport to Lebuh Pantai 2-3 MYR (less than $1AUD!!)
Brunch (Day One): Black Kettle, 105 Lebuh Pantai, Georgetown. This place has a large variety of pastries if you're just looking for something small or a variety of menu items from snacks to main dinner items. I stuck with a tasty danish and went with a large iced latte to beat the Malaysian heat. Gave me some time to people watch and soak up the atmosphere in the heritage listed area as well. Cost approx. 20 MYR (around $6 AUD)
Penang's Street Art: After checking in and getting my inbuilt navigation system working, I headed straight for Penang's top must see attraction - it's street art. Maps locating all the hot spots and other hidden gems can be found at the hostels or wherever foreigners seem to converge. Penang's street art revival is thanks to Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic with his murals throughout the historical areas of Georgetown. One of the most frequently visited installations involves a bike, an old wall, and two very happy children a.k.a "Little Children On A Bicycle". The area surrounding the mural was packed with a random assortment of travellers from all across the globe waiting for their turn to pose and become part of the art installation. The majority of Ernest Zacharevic's other art installations weren't as packed - it's amazing how being 100 meters further away from the main strip can deter people. Sadly, the murals are deteriorating, with some almost non-existant. Google the image "Boy with his Pet Dinosaur" - he is now extinct. If you want to see the murals, go to Penang sooner rather than later before the elements wipe them all away.
Also go hunting for cats, very random minions and iron works depicting the history of daily life in Penang. More quirky street art photos are toward the end of the post. If you are into photography, the iron works capture differently depending on your lighting - head back later in the day after a rain shower and you may get a completely different shot to your first.
Dinner options (night one): One of the great things about staying in Georgetown is the ample amount of good quality food available. I didn't get a dud meal throughout my whole stay, which I find a very rare feat. For my first night, I decided to go to Little India around Lebuh Chulia. Purely out of laziness post an overnight flight, I wanted to go somewhere close and be able to get an early night. The market areas are buzzed selling random bits and pieces of plastic wares, cheap cans of weird soft drinks and saris every color of the rainbow. The music is thumping and the air smells of an assortment of spices. There are a number of different places to get a cheap meal, just browse around and see what tickles your fancy. I happened to be craving a lassi, and it wasn't hard to find. With a mixture of vegetarian delights along with my mango lassi, I managed to stuff my belly with tasty yumminess for under $5AUD.
On the short walk back I need a few supplies. I could have opted for the easy route and gone right for the 7eleven (see picture above - it happened to be located right where all the hostels were). Instead I went to a little ma-pa shop and got a few little goodies. Granted I couldn't read what exactly was in the beverage I was about to drink, but I saved cash and helped out the little guys that get a lot less business than the chains.
Day Two:
Brunch: Coffee On The Table, 164 Lebuh Pantai. After a lazy start to the day (and after a fair bit of public transport research for the next day), first thing was to find coffee and an early lunch. I didn't need to wander too far and just took the already familiar trip down Lebuh Pantai once again. I once again was due for a coffee fix and here they create art out of their foam. I am a tad strange (as most people know) and actually didn't have the heart to eat a cute little milk foam elephant (told you I was strange), so opted for artless coffee along with a very tasty and refreshing thai noodle salad. It definitely was spicy and I was happy to once again be in a country that actually puts spice into a spicy food and doesn't water it down for the Westerners. Thank you Coffee On the Table! Chilled out indie music played while I started my day in a well airconditioned and hipster tailored cafe. Now I was ready to tackle the muggy heat with a big walking day!
After recharging continue North East along Lebuh Pantai, then you'll bang into Fort Cornwallis and the park areas where you can gawk at the architecture of city hall, take a browse along Georgetown's coastline, and people watch the locals relaxing around the parks. I then opted to go to the Penang state museum for a bit of a history lesson into the area. While it did delve into the culture of Penang further, I wouldn't go out of my way just to go here. There are many other small museums around as well if you are needing a bit of a culture fix.
Next stop, Pinang Peranakan Mansion. This beautifully furnished mansion built at the end of the 19th century and owned by the Peranakan's (who's origin was originally Chinese), has antiques oozing out of it's seams, the antiques roadshow team would wet their pants in glee. A blend of Chinese, Malay and British influence, once you step into the mansion you feel like you've stepped back in time. The have small little museum out the back area as well as a kongsi joined alongside, where if you're lucky, you can see the resident bats. Just don't look up, they may poop on you. No food or drinks are allowed here for obvious reasons (you don't want to spill coke on their 200 year old couch!) and there are also photography restrictions in place. Just look out for the signs showing where you can and can't shoot photos. Staff are extremely helpful and the security officers enjoy a good chat. Definitely a must see if you're a culture nut whom likes to look and pretty things and appreciates streams of light billowing in through stainglass windows. Beautiful! A visit to Pinang Pernakan will set you back around 20RM.
Snack time: Kane Mochi, 269 Lebuh Pantai. With the heat sweltering and the sky not sure if it is wanting to rain or not, a nice little snack stop along the way back to NOOB is Kane Mochi. If you like ice cream and jelly come along and try out this tasty and refreshing little spot. Unfortunately each time I headed past there never seemed to be many people inside, and they were open longer hours than most other spots in the area, so here's hoping they maintain (or gain) a clientele base to stay open. It's on my 'must snack' list and when in Penang, I'll be heading back!
I travel a lot during off season, so it's always a roulette whether the weather is brillant or a little crazy. That afternoon, the heavens opened, something which I was actually expecting to happen more throughout my stay but had struck it lucky until that stage. Therefore, I spent a few hours chilling out in my little pod, recovering from the midday sunshine.
Dinner: The Book Sandwich Cafe, 205 Lebuh Pantai. Because of the downpour which refused to stop, I headed to a cafe extremely close to NOOB Hostel and ordered something out of the ordinary for a south east asian country. I opted for... pasta. Choosing pasta in a non pasta country is always a high risk, but turns out in this case, the risk paid off enormously. It was one of the best pasta dishes I had tasted, ever! A fusion of Italian and Chinese and a bit on the pricier side of things, but well worth the cost for the great quality meal. It's only a small little joint and it was packed out whenever I passed by. Evening meals have the added atmosphere of being purely by candlelight. Lebuh Pantai had a treasure trove of dining options and being away from the crowds of the hostel area, you get to try things others might not even realise exist. (Apologies for the poor quality photo - my camera stayed safely in my pod during the downpour!)
Day Three:
Day three and it was time to explore past the little world of Georgetown. I used the public bus to head around and up to Batu Feringghi, Penang's famed beach area. If the beach scene is more your thing, you can opt to stay in one of the resorts in Batu Feringghi. There are quite a number to choose from and have something for all budget levels. Once again, I am a strange nut, so I hopped off in the town area and hiked my way to the Tropical Spice Garden having a little nosey at the resorts as I walked along. The bus does actually stop out the front but I felt like an extra 4 kilometres of exploration by foot although this is not recommended if you do not like the heat... or walking uphill.
Lunch: Tree Monkey, Tropical Spice Garden. When researching Penang, this was one of the first places that I added to my 'must dine' list, and it didn't disappoint. I opted for the Larb Gai (a spicy salad) and a refreshing lemongrass beverage. If you're in the area I highly recommend it. From the porch, you have views of the ocean while monkey's play in the tree tops above diners heads.
Following lunch, take a browse around Tropical Spice Garden. You can do a self-guided tour with head sets provided, tour without a head set, or a walk around tour with a guide. I opted for the head-set option but in the end, ended up skipping much of the tape and just read along as I went. Highlights include the giant swing and of course sniffing all of the delightful spices available at the garden. If you are into spices or are looking for a relaxing couple of hours, head on up.
Afterwards the beach beckons. Directly across from the Spice Gardens is a gorgeous beach. It is also right next to the bus stop back into town.
Dinner: Red Garden, 20 Lebuh Leith, Georgetown. Last night in Penang... time for an experience in a mess hall! Red Garden is just a big food hall out in the open with little local joints all competing for your customs. I wasn't quite sure how it all worked, but apparently you tell the food cart of choice your table number and they bring the food out to you. I didn't know that there were men running around selling drinks and began wandering around looking for drink options, eventually giving up, then got approached by a drinks man. I have no idea how they remember your order. They run around to a tonne of tables then come back with armfuls of beverages, knowing exactly what goes where... and I can't even remember what day it is. Food is cheap and tasty. Atmosphere is jovial. Mess halls can appear intimidating initially, but a great way to go and eat where the locals eat. Mmm! Pineapple Juice!
Have a morning spare?: I wasn't due at the airport til after lunch therefore I had another morning at my disposal to soak in the atmosphere of Penang. This can actually be achieved whilst wandering around looking at the street art as well. I did managed to pop in to a couple of Kongsi's on my first afternoon, but with Kongsi's hiding around every corner it's easy to find quite a few more undiscovered ones. Featured below is Tan Kongsi, but open goggle maps and run around to your hearts content. If you want an added whiff of incense burned into your nostrils prior to leaving, this is the way to go about it.
Masjid Kapitan Keling is also another place you can't really avoid in Georgetown. This is where all the noise is coming from and it's one of those things that will stick with me whenever I think of Penang. If you've ever been in the heart of Georgetown, or when you finally get there - you'll know what I mean.
If you need a quick and cheap spot for some souveniers (or cheap pants because you were smart and spilled pen ink everywhere), Armenian Street will provide you with all of the shot glasses and key chains you need. Bicycle hire and day tours can also be found around this street as well as a kongsi or two and a littering of street art.
All in all, Penang is just one of those places which I personally can't fault. There is much more to do than what is listed here and you could easily spend a week and still not do everything you wanted to do. The food is a huge distraction (apologies for the amount of food places mentioned). This was a huge surprise and I wasn't expecting the large amount of high quality variety - I guess that's the benefits of a multicultural society with their ample amounts of fusion dishes. You could honestly just eat your way around the island and do nothing else.
Essential packing items for travelling during November/December:
Light raincoat/plastic poncho
Sandals/ flip flops/ sport sandals (enclosed shoes will get very wet!)
Light t-shirts
Skirt/Shorts
Headscarf (if attending religious areas)
Light cotton pants (if attending religious areas)
Waterproof gear for any electronical equipment you may have
Waterproof bag cover
Insect repellent
Sunscreen
An empty stomach!!
Bathing suit/ Quick drying towel
I very easily managed to bring all that I needed in a 7kg carry on, and I still had a month left of travelling around afterward. If you're on a shoestring budget, Air Asia can get you there super cheap. I have had no issues with them - you just need to pay for things like food, checked in luggage etc. Just bring a subway sandwich on board with you, shop around for the cheapest day, and you can get to Penang (via Kuala Lumpur) at a very low rate. Flights from KL to Penang can be found for the price of a restaurant meal or less via Air Asia.
Hope you've enjoyed this 'little' rundown of Penang. My blog is now officially launched! If you have any comments, or suggestions for improvements, please fire away. I'm still in the teething phase at the moment, so if there's any bung links or anything that I may have missed, feel free to let me know.
Thank you,
Now Go To Penang!!
Beccas Travels
