Thinking back about my Penang trip, it brings back memories of heritage, delicious local delights, value for money accommodation and hipster cafes. Before I went to Penang, I heard that it was a foodie paradise so I had the misconception that it was ONLY a foodie place but I was very wrong. It was a pretty nice getaway from my shiny Singapore because of its gorgeous old town, wall paintings and good views. Anything that is vastly different from your habitat helps you to disconnect. Sometimes, one just wants to run away from one's home once in a while. Everyone has their own enemies to escape from. For this reason, George Town is the perfect place to stay in Penang.
George Town
The city centre of George Town has been inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. George Town was named after King George III after British East India Company had gained possession of Penang. I really enjoyed the charm of old towns, comprising buildings from pre-war times - Old yet Beautiful, like the charm of a couple aging gracefully, together.
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| View of the old town from my window |
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| Roadside Stalls |
Wall Paintings in Penang
You must pay a visit to the wall paintings in George Town! I enjoyed admiring the wall paintings especially those of children. The artist behind the wall paintings is Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic. Click
here for more information on the wall paintings. I love how he had captured the innocent expressions on the children's faces and the way he combined different dimensions into a piece of art. It is also amazing how the style of the painting fits the old town charm. Don't leave Penang without checking them out!
Waterfront in George Town
I always enjoy taking a stroll with a great view such as a waterfront. It always brings about a sense of tranquility be it day or night.
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| Good view of the sea |
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| Night view |
For the foodies, there is a hawker centre right beside the waterfront. It was bustling with hungry people enjoying the local delights.
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| Hawker Centre just next to the waterfront |
There are also a few jetties along the seafront. I was very hungry and my return flight was in the morning. I had to get up early and to my dismal, most of the cafes and even Chinese stalls were closed. I checked with a local and he directed me to Chew Jetty for my early breakfast! I enjoyed eating the Wanton Mee.
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| Chew Jetty |
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| Wanton Mee at Chew Jetty |
Chew Jetty Cafe
George Town, 47, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Cultural Insights
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| Little India |
The colourful lights at Little India were very beautiful. I also had a great meal at the famous Kapitan - delicious Indian Cuisine! The ambience was great and the price was reasonable.
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| Indian Cuisine |
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| Masala Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Naan |
Restoran Kapitan
Address: No. 93, Lebuh Chulia, 10200, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
Phone: +604-2504316 / +604-2641191
Kek Lok Si
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| Impressive building |
Kek Lo Si is a famous Buddhist temple in Air Itam. I was enjoying the impressive view of Penang as I continued to climb the stairs of Kek Lo Si and took a funicular to the highest point. It was fun and relaxing as visitors could take a rest in the pavilions beside a pond. I did not take any pictures of the statues because there are many different cultural rules involving taking photos of buddha.
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| View of Penang from Kek Lo Si |
Air Itam Assam Laksa
After visiting Kek Lo Si, I chanced upon the famous Air Itam Assam Laksa! We always get more excited with positive chance encounters. The thing that we are looking for always appears when we are not looking for it.
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| Famous Assam Laksa |
It was definitely one of the more delicious Assam Laksa I had tried. Some might find it too minty but I love it.
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| Assam Laksa |
Right beside the famous Assam Laksa, there was a friendly uncle selling a Must Try Local Delight - Penang Char Kway Teow. I ordered one with duck eggs and no regrets! The aroma from the duck eggs, soya sauce, chilli, Kway Teow, was amazing.
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| Penang Char Kway Teow with Duck Eggs |
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| Don't forget to ask for duck eggs! |
Village Fish Head Bee Hoon
(鄉下éšé 米粉)
Talking about famous food in Penang, I tried Village Fish Head Bee Hoon and it was delicious. I was very happy to be able to choose my own ingredients. I chose fish slices, squids, fried beancurd sheets, meatball, vegetables, mushrooms and tried both fish and Tom Yum broths. If you can only try one type of broth, the fish one is a Must to try. The orange apple fruit juice was so refreshing that I ordered two glasses.
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| Fish Broth |
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| Tom Yum Broth |
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| Village Fish Head Bee Hoon |
Village Fish Head Bee Hoon (鄉下éšé 米粉)
107A, Pengkalan Weld
10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Malaysia
Hipster Cafes
I stayed in George Town and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that there were a few cafes with interesting decor and delicious food. My favourite is The Book Cafe
The Book Sandwich Cafe
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| Beautiful Cafe |
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| I wonder if I could borrow a book to read. |
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| Artistic feel |
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| Lobster Sandwich highly recommended |
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| Pretty Duck Dish |
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| She is definitely a human. |
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The Book Sandwich Cafe
Address: 205, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Phone: +60 4-261 3445
Gayo Coffee
I needed a good breakfast to start my beautiful day. I noticed that there were a few cafes which were closed. Among those that were opened, Gayo Coffee stood out with its amazing decor. For its unique ambience, I definitely recommend this cafe as a breakfast option. It is also located near the wall paintings.
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| Good Old Western Breakfast |
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| A variety of cakes |
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| Natural Light |
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| Rest and Relax in front of a tiger. |
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| Artsy |
Gayo Coffee
Address: 161, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Hours:
Closes soon: 1:30AM ⋅ Reopens 9AM
Phone: +60 4-261 9891
Yin's Sourdough Bakery & Cafe
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| Sourdough Sandwich |
My favourite bread is Sourdough. Yin's Sourdough Bakery & Cafe received very good reviews on Tripadvisor and I decided to check it out. If you are into wholesome and delicious sandwiches served by a friendly crew, this is for you. The Sourdough bread was delicious, toasted to a slight crisp.
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| Good cake and coffee |
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| Old School Charm |
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| Chillax |
Yin's Sourdough Bakery & Cafe
Address: 11, Pesara Claimant, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Phone: +60 11-2419 5118
Ming Xiang Tai Pastry
Ming Xiang Tai Pastry Shop is located near Chew Jetty. I was on my way to Chew Jetty for my Wanton Mee breakfast when I chanced upon Ming Xiang Tai. Apparently, it is famous for its traditional Chinese pastries.
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| Traditional Chinese Pastries |
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| Egg tarts! |
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| My favourite snack! |
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| Chinese decor |
Value for Money Hotel in Penang
- B Street Hotel
I have saved the best for the last because I was very impressed with B Street Hotel. I paid around S$40 per night and I was very happy with my stay.
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| Complimentary hot drinks and biscuits all day |
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| A place to relax |
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| Computer provided |
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| Good service |
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| Tasteful decor |
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| Comfortable bed with TV |
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| Clean toilet |
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| Safe deposit box, Hair-dryer, Water, Hangers |
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| Nice environment for S$40 per night |
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| Enjoying my perks |
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| Complimentary sweets |
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| Water provided all day |
B Street Hotel provided everything that I needed for a decent stay. I learnt that it does not take much to make others happy - biscuits and coffee will do.
Address
263, Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
+60 4-251 9999
Penang - A place that is known for more than its good food!
For those of you who are into street food and Zi Char, check out my other
blogpost!
Feel free to share my post with your friends if you have enjoyed reading about my Penang trip... Goodnight.
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