Penang is an important place that cannot be missed when traveling to Malaysia. Penang is an island located in the northwest of the Malay Peninsula. Penang is the English name and Pinang is the Malay name. And Both are commonly seem. However, Malaysians whom I know seem to pronounce it as 'pineng'. George Town in Penang is a main city where past and present coexist and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Table of Contents
1. How to get to Penang
2. Where to find gourmet food
3. Where to go sightseeing
4. Where to go for shopping
How to get to Penang
by airplane
If you fly from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the approximately one hour flight will take you to Penang International Airport, located on the southern part of Penang Island.
Penang International Airport is located approximately 20 km from George Town. They have been talking about a light rail transit (LRT) project connecting the international airport and George Town, but it is still lagging. It will be fully operational 2030.
by automobile
Driving from Kuala Lumpur to Penang takes approximately 4 to 6 hours depends on how many times you stop and traffic jam. The distance between the two cities is 370 km, slightly longer than the distance between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, which is 335 km.
However, the road between Kuala Lumpur and Penang is not as good as the road to Johor Bahru. After passing Ipoh from Kuala Lumpur, you suddenly have to climb a mountain road.
Driving into Penang Island involves crossing a 13.5 km long bridge called the Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang). To enter the bridge, you have to pay 7 ringgit at the toll gate. Only electronic payment methods such as Touch 'N Go and SmartTAG are available. Charge your Touch 'N Go card in advance.
The highlight of the drive to Penang is crossing this bridge. As you cross the Malay Peninsula and enter the bridge, you can see Georgetown in the distance to your right. And on the sea, you can also see ships going from Butterworth to Georgetown.
by bus
If you take the bus, you will arrive at Terminal Bus Sungai Nibong, which is a little bit far from Georgetown. Alternatively, you can take a bus to Butterworth, a town located opposite Penang Island, where you can take a boat directly to Georgetown.
There is also Komtar Bus Terminal underneath the Komtar building in Georgetown. It serves as both a terminal for Penang's local buses and an international and intercity bus terminal. From here you can go to Hat Yai in Thailand and Singapore. There are also buses to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, etc.
However, Komta Bus Terminal does not have as many buses as Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal.
For your information, Butterworth has a ferry terminal, bus terminal, and train station all in one place. I once took a train from Butterworth to Bangkok, Thailand, but the train was really slow compared to the bus. Although the train has its own charm.
Where to find gourmet food
Your trip to Penang starts with food. Penang is a foodie's paradise. In particular, the restaurants in the alleys of Georgetown can be said to be a collection of restaurants from all over Malaysia. There is no need to leave Georgetown in search of delicious restaurants.
The must-try foods in Penang in my opinion are Curry Mee, Curry Fish Head and Hokkien Prawn Mee.
Unfortunately, I don't know which restaurant in Penang has these three dishes the best. That's because these three restaurants were places that my Malaysian uncle who lives in Penang, who is now deceased, used to take me to, but I don't know where they are as I just followed them. I know the approximate location, but I can't find them.
Siam Road Charcoal Char Koay Teow
When there are a lot of people waiting, you have to wait for more than an hour to get your fried noodles. There weren't that many people in the past, but now a lot of tourists flock there thanks to word of mouth and internet fame.
82, Jalan Siam, George Town, 10400 George Town
Penang Air Itam Laksa
Ayer Itam means ‘black water’ in Malay. Ayer Itam is a suburb about 6km from George Town. The name Black Water is said to reflect the murky waters of this area.
The laksa house is located near Penang's most famous temple, Kek Lok Si Temple. This is where you can taste Penang’s Assam Laksa. The taste is sour and you can taste the essence of unique Assam Laksa.
Malaysian Assam Laksa is a food that has very different likes and dislikes among Non-Malaysian people.
Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong, 11500 George Town
Deens Maju Nasi Kandar
Nasi Kandar House is located a little far from George Town. Because it is a famous restaurant, the waiting line is quite long. It is more expensive and more delicious than the local Nasi Kandar in Kuala Lumpur.
170, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town
Teochew Cendol
This is Teochew Chendol, Penang’s representative dessert. Chendol is a representative dessert in Malaysia. Teochew Chendol House is located inside George Town and is not difficult to find. Teochew is a region in Guangdong Province, China.
You can find people gathering to eat Chendol in an alley between mango trees with mangoes hanging down in clusters.
27, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town
Gurney Drive Hawker Center
There are night markets near Georgetown, but my personal favorite is the Gurney Drive Hawker Center on the northeast coast of Penang Island. The food at this hawker center is quite delicious.
After shopping at the nearby mall and grabbing a late-night snack at the Gurney Drive hawker centre, you can take a short walk along the coastal road.
172, Solok Gurney 1, Pulau Tikus, 10250 Jelutong
Where to go sightseeing
Although Penang is an island, it is not a place where you can enjoy swimming in the sea. However, there are many things to see other than food when traveling to Penang.
Penang Peranakan Mansion
The Peranakan Mansion in Penang is a great place to get a glimpse into Malaysia's Peranakan culture. The Peranakans, descendants of immigrant Chinese and local Malays, have a uniquely mixed culture.
29, Church St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town
Rainbow Skywalk
The Top Penang building, opposite the Komta Building in George Town, has a glass-floored observation deck on its rooftop.
George Town Jalan Penang 1 (1, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town)
Fort Cornwallis
This fort was built by the British East India Company in 1786, located on the beach facing Georgetown. The name of the fort, Cornwallis, comes from Cornwallis, who was the Governor of Bengal at the time the fort was built. The fort is in a fairly good state of preservation despite its age.
After seeing the fort, continue up the beach, past the empty plain called Padang Kota Lama, and reach Penang City Hall and Sri Pinang Hall.
On the beach near Penang Hall, there is a food court called Kompleks Makanan Medan Renong Padang Kota Lama, where the Rojak is quite delicious.
Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, George Town, 10200 George Town
Penang Hill
If you want to see George Town and the sea at a glance, Penang Hill is the answer. Plus it's not far from the city center. And it's fun to take the train up Penang Hill.
Penang Hill's old train, which had been in operation since 1977, was replaced with a new railway in 2010. I have ridden both, and the new railroad is comfortable and good. New trains are faster and transport more people. However, the old railway, which was slow and hot in the past, had its own unique charm.
If you go up Penang Hill, you can enjoy a walk and see various temples, George Town, and the Malay Peninsula in the distance. There is also a cafe and sells various foods.
They say you can climb Penang Hill in the evening to see the night view, but I have never climbed it in the evening.
11500 Bukit Bendera
Kek Lok Si Temple
Penang has numerous temples and temples. There are many temples, especially in Aiur Ittam. There are many temples, including Indian temples, Thai temples, and Myanmar temples, but the most famous among them is Kek Lok Si (Paradise of Paradise), built in 1905. This temple is worth seeing at night, especially before the Lunar New Year.
In particular, the 30m bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue is the most famous in Kek Lok City. And the Kek Lok Si Pagoda has the lower, middle, and upper levels of the pagoda made in Chinese, Thai, and Myanmar styles.
Jln Balik Pulau, 11500 Air Itam
Clan Jetties of Penang
It is a Chinese village built on the sea by the beach. The path connecting the floating houses was made using the surrounding wood. And there is also a temple.
Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town
Snake Temple
It is an old temple built in 1805. This is a temple where snakes live. Anyway, it is a famous temple and is also known as a tourist destination.
Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Bayan Lepas Industrial Park, 11900 Bayan Lepas
Resorts World Cruises
This is a somewhat cautious recommendation. Lizt World Cruises is a cruise line in Penang. This ship usually lasts 1 night and 2 days, so you can eat and sleep on the ship. But in fact, this ship is a casino ship. If you leave late in the afternoon, you can have dinner in the large hall, and once the ship is out on the high seas, people can play casino.
After dinner, you can go up to the deck and there is a swimming pool. You can spend leisurely time looking at the sea, listen to music concerts, and look outside from your cabin. The next morning, after a delicious breakfast, you will return to Penang.
10300 George Town
Where to go for shopping
Because I lived in Penang before, I didn't often go to expensive and crowded shopping malls. Instead, I went to a small shopping mall in my neighborhood to buy groceries. I also used to go to Tesco (currently, Lotus's) often because there was my favorite bakery.
1st Avenue Mall
This is a shopping mall near Georgetown. This is a modern shopping mall that is rare in George Town, where there are many small old shopping malls.
182, Jalan Magazine, 10300 George Town
Gurney Paragon Mall
When I go to Penang, I always go to Gurney Drive, so I often stop by this shopping mall. Gurney Drive is home to many of Penang's most expensive condos right on the beach. That's why Gurney Paragon Mall also feels expensive.
Gurney Drive , 10250 George Town
Queensbay Mall
This is a shopping mall located on the southern side of Penang Island. When it comes to large shopping malls in Penang, Queens Bay Mall is a representative example. This shopping mall is located between the 1st and 2nd Penang Bridge (
Jambatan Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah ), about 11 km from George Town.
100, Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas
What do you want to do in Penang?
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