© TheRealDestinations 2018
It's the nineteenth century British trading port that time forgot. Colonial-era shophouses, the original mixed-use urban developments, still stand on the streets and alleys of Old Georgetown. Street food is both cheap and plentiful here, a fusion of Chinese, Malay, and South Indian influences brought by waves of merchants and settlers over the centuries.
Penang is a destination to visit for the atmosphere, not for the selfies. The entire Old Quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but there aren’t really specific attractions that most people will recognize. The street art scene is both recent and thriving, adding a subtle undertone of fresh energy to the city's historic center. Once dilapidated historic houses are being carefully restored, but many still wait for their turn. All of this combines into a place where the past still lingers, even as bits and pieces of it move into the pres.
Penang is an affordable, easy to get around little island. Keep your expectations low for the nightlife, high for the food, and settle in. Go for the vibes. Chill.
United MileagePlus: via Kuala Lumpur: Singapore Airlines, Air China, EVA Air, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, ANA
American AAdvantage: Malaysian Airlines. Or via Kuala Lumpur: Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qatar Airways, Etihad (non-OneWorld)
Delta SkyMiles (Good luck…):via Kuala Lumpur: China Southern, KLM.
[This wall mural photo is probably my favorite. Hidden away in a back room of a bar or hotel of some kind, an unexpected find just walking down the street, calling out from the back.]
The Good:
Great atmosphere in the Old Quarter. Make sure to stay there, since you'll want to spend most of your time in that area. Georgetown becomes less historic as you head away from it into the more modern neighborhoods.
It's cheap, with hotel and meals coming in far less than what you’re used to at home, but still offering all the comforts and fanciness you’re looking for.
Food Tours. This is a city with real, authentic street food scene. And with not much else going on to distract you, you'll want to focus on that. But oftentimes, the best stalls are the most nondescript ones you’ll walk right by. You'll want a good local guide to show the way, and there are plenty of top notch, affordable options in the city. Mine was Simply Enak—can't go wrong with Mark.
The Bad:
There's really not a whole lot to do or see beyond browsing the streets of the Old Quarter and adjacent areas—which, to Penang's credit—covers a pretty large area while on foot. The surrounding island does have beaches and nature, but this is a relatively built-up island.
If you have to prioritize, a city like Bangkok has both a comparable food scene as Penang, but also the iconic sights and attractions too. While the quiet, historical ambience would be lacking, the nightlife certainly wouldn't. It would be hard prioritizing visiting here first unless you're specifically drawn to somewhere more low-key, or consistently historic.
It's hot and humid, and will be most of the year. Many places will have AC, but you won’t find it quite everywhere. As a smaller city, you'll likely have to connect via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to get here.
the Summary:
A low key, atmospheric destination for sure. Come here for the food, stay for the unique vibes of this little city, both historic and quirky. Take a well locally guided food tour, stroll the streets of Georgetown's UNESCO World Heritage recognized Old Quarter on a cool evening, and visit a quirky spot or two. Like the old clan houses, small worlds to themselves hidden away behind nondescript walls and still preserved.
With tourism now a major driver of Penang's economy, expect to find plentiful new options for visitors here. Some key streets have become centers for the backpacker crowd, where you can even find craft cocktails in an otherwise dry Malaysia. Getting around is easy with plenty of Uber coverage in Georgetown, and it's about as cheap as the public transportation back home.
For a breath of fresh air, get out of the city for a day trip around the island where the exotic exports of the Spice Islands are still grown today. One shot up there was from a clove farm. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander, all of these species have to come from somewhere.
Thanks to a small phone mishap later on in the trip, most of the food shots were lost. You'll just have to take my word for it, not that you'll need much convincing if you've ever been to a good Malaysian restaurant.
Lanterns mark out the highlighted streets of the Old Quarter many well preserved lanes.
© YC 2018
At the turn of the 20th century, Penang as a major draw for internationals, including one notable architect of Modern China.
© YC 2018
Once upon a time, Penang was surprisingly similar to Singapore, a British international trading port on an island settled by mostly Chinese and Indians merchants from the southeastern coasts. It faced the naturally sheltered waters of the straight of Malacca where ships could safely wait out the monsoon season. When the British left, Penang was absorbed into Malaysia, lost its free port status, and declined into a long period of neglect.
When most cities in the region tore down the old to make room for new, Penang just stayed the same. The many shophouses in the Old Quarter were left more or less alone until tourism came around in the 1990s, just in time for historic preservation and building codes. Now, we're left with one of the few places to see the Asia of the past, as we imagined, before the world’s cities all started to look the same.
When to Visit
It's almost going to be some variation of warm and humid here, so time of year doesn't really matter.
Language Barrier
Not too bad, as a cosmopolitan corner of Malaysia, English is widely taught and understood.
Price Level
~60% cheaper than home.
Getting There
~$800 Roundtrip or 75K miles on Star Alliance or OneWorld carriers.
Looking for Hotel and Restaurant Recommendations?
Armenian Street is one of the most charming of all the little side streets in Georgetown. Its name calls back to a time when the Armenians settled far and wide in the pursuit of trade and riches.
© YC 2018