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IT’S hard for me to be objective about Penang since it’s my home island. But what can give you is the truth.
If you’re visiting Penang solely for sun, sand and sea, you’ll be disappointed. There are better places for that.
But if you are looking for a place that’s got everything else besides that, you won’t be. Intrinsic to enjoying Penang is appreciating its laidback pace of life that usually tends to revolve around food.
24 hours in food
If you’ve only got a day to spend in Penang, the best way to spend it would be to eat your way around some of the island’s best spots.
Breakfast
Pulau Tikus is great because you can pretty much pop into any of the coffee shops in this enclave and find good hawker food.
Some of my favorites are Hokkien mee (aka prawn mee) at Bangkok Lane and char koay teow, sin hoa and curry mee at a corner shop opposite the police station. Penangites don’t go by names, we go by smells.
Mid-morning snack
Curry puffs with teh tarik at the corner of Jones Road and Kelawei Road.
Lunch
There are two char koay teow stalls on Lorong Selamat. One always has a queue, and the other doesn’t.
I’m not a believer in the myth that the longer the queue, the better the food is, so I’d go for the quieter stall – they serve you with more care and I reckon their fare is just as good. A must-try is the ice kacang.
Tea
Assam laksa is a light in-between snack. Try the version at Sun Plaza at Fettes Park.
Dinner
For variety, go to either Gurney Drive or the Northam Road Food Court by the sea or the New World Park Food Court at Swatow Lane.
At Gurney Drive, I like the ba kut teh at Song River Café. At Northam Road, my favourite is the apom – the lightest, crispiest pancake you will find this side of Peninsula Malaysia.
And at New World Park, people go crazy for the ais kacang – sold by the same family who made it famous from their little side street stall at Swatow Lane.
Dessert/supper
If you’re still hungry in the wee hours of the night, try Green House on Burmah Road where the Hokkien mee is famous.
Out and about
After all that food, you might want to work it out and Penang’s got a good variety of spots where you can get out and enjoy the island air.
Go for a run on the beach (Batu Ferringhi is a nice long stretch of white beach) or along the Gurney Drive promenade. You can also go for long walks in the Botanical Gardens – I like this park because it’s not over-preened and over-manicured.
You can also take a trek up Youth Park and stop at several shelters along the way. These shelters are built and maintained by volunteers.
You can also do longer hikes at the only national park in Penang, Taman Negara Pulau Pinang, and when you get there, laze on the Pantai Kerachut beach which has a turtle hatchery. The hike is about 3 kilometers and takes about 90 minutes.
Hidden gems
Since its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site, awareness of this aspect of Penang has risen, both among the local communities and foreign visitors.A good place to start is at the Penang waterfront area, at Weld Quay, which used to house the only link (by ferry) between the island and the mainland.
You will find fishing villages that used to welcome the first emigrants from southern China, and stately buildings that served as the major financial and trading institutions in Penang’s rich trading past. And you will also find numerous Chinese temples, mosques, churches and Indian temples, right next to each other.
Take a walk along the pier or sit at the various bars and cafes here, where you can soak in a bit of nostalgia with your beer, cocktails or coffee. “Hainan Town” sits right on the waterfront, a great spot for looking out into the ocean and dreaming of the days of old, while Wisma Yeap Chor Ee is an example of the fine restoration work that’s been undertake to preserve the island’s past.
If you’d like a guide, visit the Penang Heritage Trust, which runs heritage walking tours. Their guides are well versed in historical anecdotes and they don’t just rattle off dates and events. Ask questions; that’s the best way to ensure they tell you what you want to know, not what they want you to know.
Penang by night
For live jazz and a relaxed feel, the G-Spot at G Hotel, Gurney Drive, hits the spot. By the way, this hotel’s duplex suite has a bathroom that has the best view of Penang – you sit in a bathtub and look out through high glass windows at the sea.
I like the feel of Bagan. Located in a sprawling old house which has been restored, this restaurant and bar serves pretty good food – I was surprised by how good the char koay teow was – and plenty of attitude in its live singer, who puts his own interpretation on every song he (or is it she) sings.
The new Sigi’s Bar & Grill On The Beach at Golden Sands has a lovely spot where you can dine on the beach and listen to a live band from the Philippines who can pretty much play anything you request.
The inner city has some good spots. Go to the areas – Chulia Street, Penang Road, Campbell Road – where the backpacker hotels are and you’ll find a bar or two that’s full of color and local flavor. Or the Penang Waterfront area and near the Eastern & Oriental Hotel where there’s a good vibe happening.
The post The best ways to soak in the laidback vibe of Malaysia’s Penang island appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.
Source: travelwireasia.com