 | Penang Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 872 |  |
"Imagine a free-ranging buffet, several hundred square kilometers in area, through which to graze at will. This limitless cornucopia brings together some of the liveliest culinary traditions of Asia, and participation costs only a few dollars. That's the Malaysian state of Penang. "
(Time Magazine, Nov 2004)
Now with such a fitting description of Penang, what do you think a sane fella like yourself should do? Why arm yourself with lots of loose ringgits ( that's the Malaysian currency ) and charge out into the streets to eat of course! Everything is extremely edible around here and the local fare that you find on the streets is just bursting with flavour and colour. Of course, do yourself a favour and avoid the fare in the touristy regions of Batu Ferringhi and the hotel restaurants . They're sterilised to suit the foreign tongue and may not quite match the authencity that you can find in the streets.Of course, there's this thing about hygiene but you should be alright if you've gotten your shots. IMHO, this place is way cleaner compared to HCMC. In the many days I spent here, the only time my tummy rumbled was only when there were too much rich food inside:)
How to Start?
Do yourself a favour, get a couple of good recommendations from us VTers in the Forum or better still, grab a Penangite and cajole him to reveal to you the island's best grub. If you're really lazy, you can just print out my food list. You haven't been to Penang if you haven't tried their:
1)Char Kway Teow - Flat Rice Noodles fried with Prawns, Sausages,Bean Sprouts and Lard, yes lard. So this is definitely not kosher or halal!
2)Lor Bak - A schizophrenic selection of fried pork sausage, squid, beancurd and other yummies.
3)Penang Laksa - A Delicious Seafood Broth Noodle Soup flavoured with a dollop of prawn paste, shredded fish and fragrant herbs.
4)Tau Sah Piah - A sweet flaky confectionary with green bean paste. Leave a Comment Address: area of Chulia St, Masjid Kapitan Keling St, Bisho |
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"The historical Cheong Fatt Tze mansion in Penang became the pride of Malaysia - beating 26 other international entries to secure the Unesco Asia-Pacific's Most Excellent Heritage Project Award. The magnificent structure was restored by architect Laurence Loh and is also known as 'La Maison Bleu' or the Blue Mansion and touted as the best of 18th and 19th century Chinese architecture in Penang."
(New Straits Times, The Star/Asia News Network)
Now, if you think that Kek Lok Si Temple is the best ancient Chinese architecture in Penang, you're sadly wrong. It happens to the strange blue mansion which you barely looked at when you were clubbing in Leith Street. Yes, the one with the faded blue paint. Despite the crummy exterior, the interior of Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is an architectural marvel. God only knows how many times my breath was taken away when I gawked at the ceremic relief paintings, the gold-encrusted wooden frames and the majesty of the spiral staircase. The crummy blue exterior paint which I found out later, happened to be indigo paint which washes off with every rainfall but since the paint is organic, it preserves the "health" of the walls and prevents cracks. Visit this little blue UNESCO gem while you're in Penang. It's surprising isn't it to know that you don't have to fly elsewhere to look at a world heritage architecture?
NOTE:Photography is prohibited of the interior so visit thewebsite below to have a better look. Leave a Comment |
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The Goddess of Mercy Temple is an incredibly active place. There are people cooking outside, and more smoke from the tons and tons of incense burning. (This also could be due to my being there on the 15th...since offerings are given during the middle of the month.)
According to the walking tour brochure, this temple was founded in the 1800s....even if you've seen many temples, this one is so active that it's worth seeking out.
Although many people are there to ask for good fortune, there are quite a few who are down on their luck...keep an eye on your bag, your belongings, and use common sense caution. Leave a Comment Address: Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling |
Penang Hill is an interesting way to spend an hour or two....one of the reasons is that it's so much cooler than the rest of the city down below.
It's a lush place, with nice views of the city and the water, and some lovely birds, and semi-aggressive monkeys.
In addition, there's an interesting old hotel, and if you sit on the veranda (just like an old colonialist) you can check out the pit vipers that live there. Leave a Comment |
Yes, Penang is listed as one of the places in the famous tome ,"1000 Places to See Before You Die" . But if you believe in the author, Patricia Shultz, you'll have to do these three things to enjoy Penang:
1)Sit on a trishaw and meander through Georgetown
2)Visit the legendary E&O hotel
3)Go on the Furnicular and conquer Penang Hill
Hmm, tempting options. Guess I'll eschew the first and try the other two. Afterall, when was the last time you've seen an Asian on the back seat of a trishaw anyway? But honestly, I love the last option. But I think it should be corrected to "Having tea at Penang Hill" since the furnicular ride sucked. But sipping Darjeeling tea at 830m above sea level in the Garden of Bellevue Hotel, Penang Hill is another thing altogether The view was astounding and I could even see KOMTAR and Penang Bridge from where I was. Plus it was 5degrees cooler at the top of the Hill. Simply amazing. I could stay the whole day there. Leave a Comment Address: 215 Macalister Road 10450, Penang Hill |
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"This port on the Straits of Malacca shows that booming cities can compete in the world economy without sacrificing their soul. Penang feels far more relaxed than most Asian cities and looks much the way it did decades ago, with bustling marketplaces and winding streets lined by traditional "shophouses".
(The Utne Reader)
Now, if you're an American, chances are, you would have come across this delightful magazine that offers alternative and insightful views of the world in general. Well, this worthy mag recently proclaimed Penang to be one of the seven urban wonders of the world! Quite a feat if you consider that there are thousands of beautiful cities all over, vying for that honour ( Singapore included ) . But really, once you're there, you'll understand that statement well. How many places on earth can you find tradition so well preserved in the midst of modernity? Even in Singapore, preservation sometimes take a sterile turn. If you can, take the time to go to the cramped and narrow thoroughfares of Chinatown. Look at the lettered colonnades, colourful awnings and the colourful russet roofs. And that's just the architecture. Consider the ancient trade that still goes on behind those walls. Visit an old restaurant if you can, or an ancient craftsman shop where time-trusted tools are still used. Leave a Comment Directions: Where: Chinatown just next to KOMTAR ( the garishly tall building in the heart of town). Take a walk down her arteries of lanes. Look out for Campbell Street. |
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Just like the 'blue mansion' the Peranakan Mansion is someone's home that has been turned into a museum.
Peranakan is the name of the Straits Chinese, who, to my knowledge, settled mainly in Singapore, Melaka, and, obviously, Penang. They seemed to have their heyday about 100 years ago, at the turn of the 20th Century, and built these amazing, and ostentatious mansions, and seemed to enjoy living the high life....
This mansion is beautiful, and filled with the lavish artifacts of these wealthy people. While you are allowed to wander the downstairs alone, you will need a guide for the upper floor. There is a separate chapel in the back.
It's on the HIstoric Georgetown Walking tour....and a small admission fee is charged. Leave a Comment Address: 29 Lebuh Gereja |
Where does one being to describe this place? It's really a complex: multiple temples, building, statues, buddahs...plus, it's a hike up a hill...but you don't really know that it's such a hike, since it's relatively enclosed, with shops lining the sides.
I don't want to offend anyone with this next comment, but this complex is the Las Vegas on temples....really, there's an unreality about it, there's stuff to buy everywhere, there are ways to part you from your money buy supporting even more building of the temple....all in all, a pretty amazing place....
Once you reach the top, you're treated to great views of Penang below! Leave a Comment Address: Ayer ItamDirections: near Ayer Itam, close to funicular |
Without a doubt, this was the finest museum I saw during my trip to Malaysia. It clearly presents the people who were in the area and who came to settle, and the development of the area. Despite presenting such historical facts, it wasn't too heavily text-based. The layout was really clear, and the galleries small, yet never felt cramped.
I'd highly recommend this as your first stop in Penang. Also, it is here that you can pick up that difficult to find walking tour map of Georgetown. Leave a Comment Address: Lebur Farquahar |
Created in 1884, the gardens is spread over 30ha of forested hills and lush green tropical trees and plants. The garden has a wide collection of both local and tropical trees, flowery plants and ferns. There are also dozens of plant houses and nurseries, waterfalls as well as lily ponds scattered throughout the park. A popular sight here would be the mischievous monkeys which can be found dangling from the branches of the trees overhead or roaming freely in groups on the ground.
The garden is a favourite spot for jogging, picnics & also wedding shoots. On weekdays, common scenes are groups in Tai Chi, Xi Gong, Line Dancing.. Weekend scenes - mixture of ages, students on school trips, family outings..
Lots of good memories here for me since young.. taking part in art competition at the garden, dating days (lots of lovebirds during the evenings), picnics. about 10 years ago, the garden even keeps a pair of black honey bear.
Opening Hours : 5am to 8pm daily
Admission : Free Leave a Comment Address: Jalan Kebun Bunga, 10350 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.Phone: 604-2270 428 / 2271 354Directions: The Gardens is located at the far end of Jalan Kebun Bunga, approximately 8 km from Georgetown city. You can reach there by boarding transit link bus No.7.Website: http://www.sukpp.gov.my/KebunBunga/main.html |
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on November 13, 2005
on April 13, 2006
on July 26, 2004
