Getting to George Town
Penang is an island off the northwestern coast of the Malay Peninsula, and George Town is the capital and largest city on the island. (Penang is also a state of Malaysia that includes the island and some mainland territory, and the long bridges between the two.)
To get there, we booked a private driver using Dive into Malaysia. It was a seamless experience with competitive rates. They also host a Facebook Malaysia travel group. Helpful to join if you plan to spend time in this part of the world!
I’ve also spent a short time in Penang before but was not wowed by that experience. This is a place that many people flock to for the history and cuisine but it never tickled my fancy the way the Perhentian Islands or Kuala Lumpur did.
But I’m older and more well-travelled so I thought I would give George Town another chance while we move up the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, toward Thailand.
We stayed in an apartment for nine nights. We could easily walk to several food courts/street vendors and the bus stop was a few steps from the front door.
We explored a lot on foot and through our tummies. I still don’t love Penang because the beaches are just not very nice BUT I still enjoyed the visit.
Here’s a list of things we enjoyed doing.
Highlights
Festivals
We were so fortunate to be in Penang during a few local festivals.
We knew that Thaipusam would kick off right after our arrival and Corey and I jetted out on our first day to see the parade.
We had learned about Thaipusam in Singapore thanks to an exhibit at the Asian Civilizations Museum. Thaipusam is one of the largest holidays celebrated in Malaysia. It derives from the Tamil community in India, but oddly it is not a major festival in southern India. During Thaipusam, worshippers walk to temples carrying milk on their heads or across their shoulders, with their bodies pierced in various areas. Family and friends travel with them as they bear their burdens, encouraging and chanting with them to keep going.
There is also the breaking of coconuts for good fortune.
On parade day, two chariots (one gold, one silver) travel along a parade route through George Town, on their way to the temple complex in the northwest part of the city. While the two chariots each start and end at different temples, they process across the city on the same route over the better part of a day.
We meandered around the city toward the parade route so that we could be a spectator to the celebration. We did not have to walk far or wait long for the procession to come by.
It was the afternoon and the festivities were just getting started when we arrived. All along the parade route, tents were set up and temples, businesses, or families were handing out cold drinks, snacks, and hot vegetarian meals for free. We turned down offers for free food since we just wanted to observe but it became increasingly more difficult to say no to the outstanding hospitality!
It was hot and the bottled water and cold yogurt drinks were refreshing!
The Golden Chariot and its procession slowly made its way toward us. We followed it along the parade route for the remainder of the day. It was around two or three miles to the Waterfall Temple area, where we loitered for a time watching the worshippers, as well as random monkeys stealing food and drinking milk! On our way back, we passed the Silver Chariot, heading toward the same area. The party was still going, and would continue well into the night.
Here’s a video of what it’s like to experience Thaipusam.
The third night of the festival featured the return of the chariots. While it was a smaller parade, it utilized a slightly different route that went directly by our lodging. I was ready for sleep but the booming speakers were playing thumping beats until 2 AM. It was like living next to a club!
Penang National Park
One of our days in Penang was spent out at the National Park, formerly known as the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve. All the Barrs hopped on a bus from George Town to the end of the line on the other side of the island. Corey and I hiked to Turtle Beach and Dale and Linda hired a boat to meet us there and provide return transportation. Hiring a boat was simple: while there were a few vendors in and around the parking lot, we chose one who simply called herself “Mom.” The options and prices were listed in a binder, so no negotiations were necessary.
The hike across the park was fun and we worked up a sweat in the humid Southeast Asian weather even though we started fairly early in the morning!
We arrived at the unswimmable Turtle Beach right on schedule. We even had made friends along the way: Alessandra and Martin. Turtle Beach is home to a small turtle sanctuary that helps ensure the survival of the turtles at the beach. The turtles at the sanctuary were adorable! There were dozens of tiny ones floating around in their tanks.
From Turtle Beach we all loaded on to the boat and headed to Monkey Beach. Our new friends joined us as well!
Monkey Beach is aptly named for the rascals that truly run that beach. They’re everywhere! They steal backpacks and sneak into beachside cafes. We kept them away from our table by waving Linda’s walking sticks around. The monkeys seemed to understand “the stick”.
We relaxed at a beach café for a few hours, swam in the warm, clear waters, and walked down the shoreline admiring the views (and dodging monkeys!).
If you don’t like monkeys, don’t come to this beach!
Blue Mansion (Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion)
One of my favorite activities was touring the Blue Mansion, the historic home of the wealthy merchant, Cheong Fatt Tze. Old houses in Penang hold a lot of history, so what a treat to tour a restored home in that area. Our walk through the mansion helped us better understand the significance of this home and its former owner.
This historic house, that at one time was divided into derelict apartments, is now a hotel and a museum. The rooms were out of our budget so we purchased a tour and enjoyed afternoon tea from the on-site restaurant.
It has also been used as a set for several movies. For example, the mahjong scene from Crazy Rich Asians was filmed in the inner courtyard.
Kek Lok Si Temple
The four of us had actually started our day at the Penang Botanic Garden. It was a lovely walk with wide paved paths. At this point in history, the Botanic Garden is a large park but offered less plant information than what we have seen at other gardens. But the shady greenery provided a respite from the heat, and the park offers plenty of pretty scenery. It was great except for the hordes of monkeys running around everywhere.
After the stroll through the garden, Corey and I attempted to hike up and over Penang Hill (against the advice of multiple locals). But after 45 minutes of climbing (with monkeys rustling over our heads), I was scared by a nine-inch-long giant millipede. I practically ran back down the hill!
We had also lost the trail about the time that we had the gross animal encounter and I was not up for an off-trail jungle adventure.
Once back where we started, we walked through the city toward Kek Lok Si. We got halfway there but without the benefit of the shade, we were overheated and ordered a Grab taxi for the rest of the journey. It was midday around this point and we were drenched with sweat!
When we eventually arrived at Kek Lok Si, we had wonderful views of the multi tiered temple and also of the island.
Kek Lok Si is a must-visit place in Penang and very popular with Buddhist worshippers and tourists. It is one of the largest Buddhist temples in South East Asia!
We started from the bottom and worked our way up through the 10 acre complex. The first courtyard is filled with thousands of Buddhas.
We then worked our way up the hill and also climbed up the tower. After 101 steps up, I felt like laying down just like this Buddha statue.
We continued on to the tram that takes folks up the rest of the way to the top, where the large Buddha statue resides. It was an impressive and tranquil setting, and I am glad we visited while in George Town.
Food Scene
Penang is loaded with flavorful food on every corner and down every alley. There are numerous food courts scattered throughout the city, providing an opportunity to try Malaysia’s unique cuisine. It is also easy to find Malaysian versions of Indian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese cuisine at food stalls.
One of my favorite food courts was New World Park Food City, which offered a wide range of quality foods, with plenty of available seating.
Our favorite meal was the famous pork soup at Beng Kee Claypot Bah Kut Teh, located at the Old Green House food court.
Bah Kut Teh is a long-cooking, herbaceous pork broth, to which are added your choice of pork cuts.
In addition to a large clay pot of soup, we all shared a few other noodle dishes and soups from other stands at the Old Green House.
We also made a stop at New Lane Hawker Center. It is a hopping food street at night. Corey tried Char Kuay Teow (wide rice noodles) cooked over a hot charcoal fire. We only had to wait about 25 minutes in line to order a great example of one of Malaysia’s most-famous dishes.
We tried laksa (a sour soup) a few different times, but it was not one of our favorite tastes. I generally don’t like soups that have too much of a vinegar taste which laksa does. I anted to like it, but I do not.
It was mostly fun to try new and different items at the various food courts and stalls. Each dish typically costs just a few dollars, so if you don’t like it, it is easy to move on to try something different. We walked by a dessert stall that was making fresh tiny pancakes filled with coconut, chocolate, or banana. They were my favorite!
Another great thing about food stall centers is that you can find cheap, common delicious dishes. If you’re not adventurous you can still eat good food. For example, satay is available all over Malaysia. You can’t go wrong with meat on a stick!
Jetty Jaunts
The Clan Jetties are a series of piers on the east side of George Town that are each a small complex to explore. Chinese immigrants to Malaysia built the jetties to assist in the burgeoning shipping business. All of the remaining jetties still have dozens of residences, although each of the jetties are slightly different.
Chew Jetty is the most touristy, with trinket shops and other stores. It was crowded and felt like a strip mall built over the ocean. Because this jetty is closest to town and the cruise ship pier, it is the most popular to walk around. If you visit, spend the extra time to explore the other jetties!
Some of the jetties are better maintained than others, and as we walked to the end of the piers, we sometimes felt like the boards were going to fall through and leave us in the mud.
Others seem like affluent neighborhoods, with archways and fancily-decorated houses.
On the way there are a couple of small food courts and restaurants, serving typical Malaysian food at an economical price.
At the far south side of the jetty area is a large temple over the water, Hean Boo Thean. It offers views of the jetties from the water side, and is a good place to look back after a couple hours of jetty exploration.
Penang Hill Funicular
If you’re looking for a great view there are several options. Kek Lok Si Temple (above), the KOMTAR skyscraper, and Penang Hill (either by hiking or by funicular). There is no need to do all of them unless you have lots of time on Penang.
Days after our aborted walk up Penang Hill, we took the funicular up the steep 1.2-mile track. It is an interesting ride (it goes through a tunnel on the way up!) and the views at the top are great. There are a few sights in the upper complex, such as a colorful Hindu temple. Overall, it is worth it for the views and for the ride, which is just as interesting going down! Check out a quick video here!
Street Art
If you’ve been to Penang in the last decade then you probably saw the street art decorating the town. This concept was not a thing yet when I visited in 2007!
After wandering around the jetties it was fun to stroll through the neighborhoods discovering various art pieces on buildings.
Island Hopping
The Barrs were finally ready for some relaxing tropical beach time after touring so many cities throughout Malaysia and Singapore. Our next stop, Langkawi, is an island only about 70 miles north of Penang, but is best reached by an ridiculously-short flight. There used to be a boat that ran between Penang and Langkawi, but that service was stopped due to COVID, and has not yet resumed.
The flight is very inexpensive (luggage will cost more than the base ticket), and is only 25 minutes in the air, but the hassle is packing up your stuff to be flight-ready and then going through the hoops at the airport (make sure your luggage is not overweight!). It all worked out and we arrived in lush Langkawi right on schedule. More on that in our next post!