Why You’ll Love Visiting Penang

I first visited Penang through the pages of books set in Malaya during the early 20th century, and this left me with this wondourous idea of a far-off mystical island, redolent with history and suffused with the smells of exotic food. So when I had the chance to finally visit Malaysia, I was keen to see what modern-day Penang would be like. Read on for some of my favourite things about this part of Malaysia:

Georgetown

Most of the action is centered around Penang’s main city – Georgetown. This colourful city is a true multicultural hub, where you’ll find Chinese temples juxtaposed with British colonial buildings and ornate Indian architecture. Make sure to join one of the (often free) walking tours of the city, to get your bearings and learn about the fascinating architectural history of the city and how all the many cultures have coexisted over the years.

The Blue Mansion

Crazy Rich Asians fans – you can visit one of the actual film (the setting for the film’s pivotal mahjong showdown) right in the centre of Penang. This beautiful blue home was built by a Chinese merchant, Cheong Fatt Tze, at the end of the 19th century. Since then the mansion has been lovingly restored and is now open to the public.

The Temples

Penang is home to a plethora of different temples, due to the many cultures living side by side. Georgetown itself has naturally split into different areas: wander through Chinatown and you’ll see reams of red lanterns, then round a corner and you’ll suddenly be in little India, where you’ll see beautifully ornate Hindu places of worship. Make sure you bring your camera as this city has one of the highest concentrations of architectural delights compressed into a small area.

The Food

No post about Malaysia is complete without mentioning the food, and I can assure you that Penang did not disappoint on that front. A true melting point of Malaysian, Indian and Chinese cuisines, the smells wafting out of restaurants in the streets of Georgetown will have your tastebuds tingling with impatience. My must-go place in Georgetown is the Jetty Food Court, where you’ll find all the street food you can dream of under one roof (just pick a table in the middle and mix and match with dishes from different stalls) – you may even be treated to some Chinese karaoke! Penang is also home to some of the best curry outside of India, often served on traditional metal trays so that you can try a variety of different options.

Coffee Culture

Georgetown is home to some really cool cafes: think hidden courtyards and book-lined nooks. You’ll also find some original recipes designed to cool you down in the humid climate: iced rose tea anyone? Yum! ChinaHouse was my cafe of choice, spread across three historical buildings with covered courtyards in between, this was the perfect place to chill out. And did I mention they serve over 30 different varieties of cake?

Speakeasies

One thing that I did not know before visiting Penang is that it’s home to a buzzing speakeasy scene! Drinking alcohol has not always been viewed favourably in Malaysia, leading to the creation of genuine underground drinking holes. Nowadays you’ll find cool drinking spots hiding in the most unlikely of places – my favourite being through the door of an orange fridge in an unassuming looking cafe. Challenge yourself during your visit to find as many as possible – you’ll need to do your research for this one!

Planning a longer trip? See my other posts about Malaysia here