Penang is a state in northwest Malaysia comprising mainland Seberang Perai and Penang Island. On the island, the state capital of George Town is home to landmarks such as colonial Fort Cornwallis, the ornate Chinese clan house Khoo Kongsi and the Kapitan Keling Mosque, all testaments to centuries of foreign influence. To the west, a funicular ascends Penang Hill, with its trails, flower gardens and panoramic views.
This is one of Malaysia’s most diverse, cosmopolitan and exciting cultures. It culminates in George Town, Penang Island's main city and an urban centre that delivers old-world Asia in spades; think trishaws pedalling past watermarked Chinese shophouses and blue joss smoke perfuming the air.
Yet it would be a shame to neglect the rest of the island's tropical abundance, its palm-fringed beaches and fishing villages, its mountainous jungle and farms growing exotic produce such as nutmeg and durian. And there's even more of the state to explore across in Penang's mainland section, Seberang Perai.
What we can do there?
1. Take a walk along Penang’s Harmony Street
Penang’s Street of Harmony is found along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling and is by far one of the places which best reflect the multi-cultural uniqueness of Malaysia as a country. The street is filled with multiple places of worship catering to different faiths and it’s not uncommon to see devotees pouring in and out on a weekend or religious holiday.
2. Stay at a heritage building or museum
When visiting a place as steeped in history and heritage as Penang, it’s safe to assume that not all buildings were built in the past 20, 30 years. This includes some restaurants and hotels. Known as refurbished heritage sites, visitors are allowed to spend the night in these buildings much like any other hotel or hostel.
3. Embark on a culinary marathon
Having covered Penang’s street art, I think it’s only fair (and probably required by law) to start talking about Penang Street FOOD. Penang is consistently ranked as one of the best food paradises in the world and it would take a brave soul to argue against that. From hawker food staples like Char Koay Teow to delicious broths like Penang Laksa, and even to scrumptious after meal delights like Rojak, Penang has it all. So much so that ‘Penang’ has become a sort of brand in Malaysia’s culinary field.
4. Hop on a trishaw for a breezy tour of George Town
In Penang, apart from cars and buses, there are bicycles and…trishaws. Though it’s gotten a little bit tougher to find these three-wheeled vehicles compared to the past, you can still find a number of trishaw peddlers around the George Town area and some near the pier of the SuperStar Libra cruise ship. It’s a nice and traditional way to get from point A to B in the city or simply for a breezy tour around Georgetown.
5. Pay a visit to the Kek Lok Si Temple at night
The Kek Lok Si temple is one of the finest and largest temple complexes within the region. Adorned with many sculptures and carvings, and even more images of Buddha, the temple is an essential aspect of Buddhism and Chinese cultural rituals in Penang. The temple’s architecture, with its many pagodas and archways, is even more enchanting during the Chinese New Year and Wesak Day celebrations as the temple will be covered in dazzling lights.
6. Visit one of the world’s largest reclining Buddha statues
The temple was commissioned in 1845 by Queen Victoria and it houses a 180 feet, gold-plated reclining Buddha statue, one of the (if not THE) largest in the world. The temple is located on Jalan Burma and it is just a stone’s throw away from Bangkok Lane (because, obviously) and is truly a remarkable sight to behold.
7. Visit to the Snake Temple
Penang has deep cultural roots, of course there were bound to be more than the odd temple or two. Anyway, the snake temple was featured at one point on The Amazing Race and it is essentially a Buddhist temple. The temple is filled with snakes (no prizes for he or she who guesses why it’s called Snake Temple) and even though they are venomous vipers, they have had their venom extracted and for the most part, they just laze around peacefully, apparently lulled into a sense of nirvana by the smell of incense in the temple.
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