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Malaysia

Top Things to Do in Penang

Dating a native Penangite for the past 7 years meant I had plenty of chances to visit this charming island, just off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Even so, I’ve never grown tired of going back. Penang is a delightful mix of history, culture, beaches and fooood. There is always a new place to discover, new dish to taste. Here’s my top 8 favourite things to do (so far):

1. Street art in George Town

Street Art vs Street Life

It all started with a street art project by Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic for the 2012 George Town Festival. The series of wall murals combine with 3D props to reflect everyday life of the locals. The project blossomed, adding on to the quaint whimsicality of George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of the wall art can be found around or on Armenian Street itself.

I must say – it’s pretty fun coming up with creative poses beside these life-sized murals.

Armenian-Street-Bicycle
Coming up with creative poses with probably the most famous wall mural of them all – Little Children on a Bicycle
Penang-Wall-Mural
One of the newer murals and metal sculptures that describe colloquial Penang
Penang-Wall-Art
Even street art needs a break too
Penang-Street-Art
That’s what you get for stealing from the cookie jar

2. Clan Jetties along Weld Quay

Sunset at Chew Jetty
Sunset at Chew Jetty

The quay was first constructed in 1882, attracting Chinese immigrants to build their homes here on stilts. It subsequently grew to become whole settlements of different clans. There remains 7 clans today: Chew, Ong, Lim, Tan, Lee, Yeoh and Chap Seh Keo (Mixed Surname Clan) Jetties.

Weld-Quay Penang
Boats docked at Chew Jetty

The Chew Jetty is the most famous with the highest occupancy. Many families still reside there, as you will see them going about their daily routines when strolling down the narrow, wooden walkway. Some of them earn an extra living by selling souvenirs or drinks to visitors. Others continue as fishermen/boatmen who dock their sampans (or motorboats) at the functioning jetty.

Weld-Quay-shops
Walking through the narrow walkway
Chew-Jetty
Peering into a family’s home – this one was watching TV

From Armenian Street, walk straight towards the shore to reach the entrance of Chew Jetty.

3. Hawker Food

Aaand finally, after the appetisers comes the main course. For the uninitiated, Penang is a mecca for foodies, a regular in “Top Food Cities” lists like here, here and here. Its melting pot of cultures has tastefully cooked up plenty of flavour, spilling all over its streets in the form of hawker food.

To name a few must-tries: Char Kway Teow, Assam Laksa, Curry Mee, Rojak, Hokkien Prawn Mee, Chendol…………(:

*just let me wipe my drool first 

While you’re likely to easily find hawker food just around the corner, here are my shortlisted few:

Air Itam – Assam Laksa
(Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong, 11500 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

One and only

Did you know that Assam Laksa is the 7th best food in the world according to CNN? This tiny bowl of goodness will bring a burst of flavour the moment it hits your taste buds, with its thick, spicy-sour fish broth filled with flaked mackerel, chilli, onion, pineapple and vegetables. The one at Air Itam is unarguably one of Penang’s best, proudly hemming its tagline of being “The One and The Only One”.

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul – Assam Laksa, Chendol, Char Kway Teow
Jalan Penang, 10450 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

From a humble roadside Chendol stall back in 1936, Penang Road’s Famous Teochew Chendul slowly expanded to Assam Laksa, Rojak and even a successful franchise with outlets springing up across Malaysia today. Chendol is a popular shaved ice dessert with pandan-flavoured toppings, drizzled with light coconut milk.

The Assam Laksa here is my personal favourite as its portions are generous and I love the springiness of its noodles.

Penang-Chendol
Even with its air-conditioned franchise outlets, nothing beats having the original version on the bustling streets

Kafe Heng Huat – Char Kway Teow
108, Lorong Selamat, Georgetown, 10400 Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Penang-Char-Kway-Teow
Cooking up a storm

Yet another one of Penang’s best Char Kway Teow (fried rice noodles with cockles).

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre
172, Solok Gurney 1, Georgetown, Jelutong, Penang, Malaysia

Gurney-Drive
Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

Granted that it’s a little touristy and slightly more pricey, this is the best one stop shop to enjoy Penang’s variety place to enjoy the wide variety of food. It is also right across the beach – where you can walk it off after all that feasting.

Penang-Delights
A little bit of everything

Ok, time to digest and move on.

4. Pinang Peranakan Mansion

Penang-Peranakan-Museum
The mansion’s spacious courtyard

Instead of stomaching it all, it’s worth getting a taste of Peranakan culture beyond its cuisine. After visiting the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, I discovered that the heritage of Babas and Nyonyas is as rich as their food. The green mansion was built by local personality, Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee, a Chinese businessmen in tin mining and opium trading. He was the wealthiest man in Penang during his time. He was also a secret society leader.

Pinang-Peranakan-Museum
“Hai Kee Chan” or “Sea Remembrance Hall”

Although not a Baba himself, the residence is reminiscent of a typical wealthy Baba house that blends together different styles – Chinese carved wooden panels, English floor tiles and Glaswegian cast-iron columns, complete with a temple dedicated to himself. The opulence of their lifestyle, customs and traditions shines through every single piece of the thousands of jewellery and antiques on display.

Peranakan-Entrance
Entrance of the mansion

A guide is free and definitely must-have, else the collectibles in the house will be reduced to empty, expensive items. Our guide injected meaning to the place by explaining its history and pointing out the details. For instance, I learnt that a couple’s bed comprises of two joint single beds – the only way for Nyonyas to express their displeasure by separating the gap in times of domestic fights.

Also, the wife is adorned with a dragon robe in the below picture. This alone in China would have caused a beheading, but was possible in Malaysia because the Sultan placed much less importance on the dragon, compared to the Emperor.

Chung Keng Kwee's wife
Portrait of Chung Keng Kwee’s wife

5. Kek Lok Si (Temple of Supreme Bliss)

Kek-Lok-Si
A panaromic view of Kek Lok Si Temple and its striking pagoda

Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The magnificent temple is built on a hill, with a beautiful maze of gardens, courtyards, a seven-tier pagoda and a giant Kuan Yin statue. If you look closely at the pagoda above, its architecture is an eclectic combination of styles: the spiral dome is Burmese, the middle tier Thai and the octagonal base Chinese.

Towering from the hill above the main temple is a majestic bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy. The RM70 million statue stands at 30 metres and is sculpted by the same artisans who crafted the world’s largest sitting Buddha statue in Hong Kong. It replaces the previous white porcelain statue that was damaged by prolonged exposure to rain since 1977 and a fire in 1993.

Kek-Lok-Si-Guan-Yin
The magnificent Kuan Yin statue
Kek-Lok-Si-Lanterns
Thousands of red and yellow lanterns light up the complex during all 15 days of the Chinese New Year celebration, from evening till midnight

Visitors can enjoy a scenic ride from the main temple to the Kuan Yin statue on Malaysia’s first inclined lift that moves diagonally along the hill.

6. Batu Ferringhi

Batu-Ferringhi
The sandy beaches of Batu Ferringhi

Batu Ferringhi is a long stretch of sandy beach on the Northwestern coast of Penang Island. The waters are clean and warm to swim in, but frankly, cannot be compared to the clear, pristine beaches of islands like Redang or Tioman west of the Peninsular. Still, it’s a lovely place to relax, catch the sunset or enjoy a massage at one of its many parlours. It’s also worth paying a visit to the famous ‘Pasar Malam’ or night market selling random things from souvenirs to counterfeited goods.

For a little more excitement, there are plenty of seasports to try. My virgin parasailing experience was here in Batu Ferringhi.

Batu-Ferringhi_Parasail
Pulled by a speedboat up in the air


7. Penang Hill

With an elevation of more than 600m above sea level, Penang Hill offers the best panorama of Penang and its eastern coast, including the bridge that connects to the mainland. There is a funicular that brings visitors right to the top. The Penang Hill funicular tunnel, with a steepness of 27.9°C, is the steepest tunnel track in the world!

Fitter souls can also hike up Penang Hill through a paved road that starts from the Penang Botanical Gardens.

8. Penang International Bridge Marathon

Sunrise at Penang 2nd Bridge
Sunrise at Penang 2nd Bridge

The Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge – or Penang Second Bridge – is 24 km long, with 16.9km over water, making it the longest bridge in Southeast Asia. It is also the venue for the world’s longest bridge marathon.

For avid runners, the Penang Bridge International Marathon is a great opportunity to run freely on the bridge which will be closed off to vehicles for that few hours. On any other day, it is impossible to walk across the bridge as there are no pedestrian sidewalks. The event happens twice a year (half-marathon in June and full-marathon in Nov).

Penang-Bridge-International-Marathon
Penang Bridge International Marathon in Nov 2014
Penang-Bridge
The brightly lit Penang 2nd Bridge from the skies

The list could go on, but I guess I shall stop at these top 8. Hopefully more to come in my next trip!

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