Kathie

During my November trip to SE Asia, I will be spending 5 nights in Penang. I'll be staying at the E&O in Georgetown, and am very interested in historic and cultural activities - and great food and shopping. I'd love some recommendations from some of you Penang experts! Thanks!

rkkwan

I've been there once. Somewhat memorable is the Snake Temple, and the sprawling Kek Lok Si monastery, which has buildings in Chinese, Burmese and Thai style.

But the most memorable thing are the food stalls along the waterfront in the evening - I believe the road is called Gurney Drive. If there's one thing to do in Penang, I think it'd be to eat there at night!

Kathie

Thanks, rkkwan. I've heard that the hawker food there is amazing!

kuranosuke

hi kathy, rk is correct. the hawker center on gurney drive, across from the beach is great. two local favorites are the penang laksa, and the hokkien mee.

my favorite restaurant in penang is hamedia. not too far from the e & o, and well known. the hotel staff can help you with directions. i've been going there since the 60's. its an indian restaurant, so if you are with your friend who shys from indian food, then this is not the place. this place is very local, and most patrons eat with their fingers. delicious!

Kathie

Kuranosuke, we love Indian food, so that's a great recommendation (I think it was Gloria's friend who didn't like Indian food). Is Penang Laksa like Kuching Laksa? We loved the Laksa in Kuching!

kuranosuke

kathie, never had the kuching laksa, so can't compare. the penang laksa soup is a little sour, like the tom yum in bangkok, and it has mint leaves in the broth. my preference would be the singapore laksa, not sour.

the hokkien mee is a delicious noodle soup dish with a prawn base soup with prawns, pork, two types of noodles, and some veggies. you can get a similar dish in the central dept store food court in bangkok. i believe its call penang prawn mee there.

Kathie

Are there any special crafts that are local to Penang?

TravelTwiddle

Dear Kathie,

I reckon from your Borneo trip (I enjoyed reading you trip report), you are someone who love behind-the-scene accolades. I'd be concise and go straight to the "must go" in Penang;

1. Fort Cornwalis - one of the earliest English fort and outpost in South Asia. Still standing strong. Just a walking distance from E&O Hotel.

2. Take a walk on Beach Street and Weld Quay to soak in bygone colonial leftovers. Museum is near there too. All walking distance from E&0.

3. Veer over to Nyonya Musuem in Church Street, near Beach street, and excite your senses with antiqued Strait Chinese finery, jewellery, cookware, furniture and every thing 15-19th century.

4. Take an evening walk at Gurney Drive for street food. The stalls are only open after 6pm. Do some shopping at Gurney Plaza. Besides laksa, try something call "pasembur" - an Indian Moslem salad with sweet red sauce.

5. Go on foot at Penang street and Campbell Steet for local ambience. Eat authentic Indian Moslem "nasi kandar" (curried rice) at Kayu Nasi Kandar shop (air con) or "Line Clear" (makeshift stall) where most locals go. Western food, go to "The Ship" or "Eden" at Hutton Lane.

6. Take the seaside route of Batu Ferringhi and visit Teluk Bahang (touted by locals as "end of the world&quot. Don't miss the butterfly farm and "batik" (hand painted fabric) factory. Spend the afternoon trawling the Ferringhi Beach stretching from Holiday Inn Hotel to Golden Sands Hotel. Be careful of unscrupulous beach boys. At night, there's a wonderful night bazaar along the main road selling souvenirs, crafts and so on. Food, no problem. Lots of restaurants and food courts there.

7. Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam is touristy but OK. If you have time, take a ride up Penang Hill. The station is also in Air Itam. See entire island from the hilltop. If you're adventurous, try trekking down the hill via a paved road (safer) that leads to foothill Botanical Garden, ending up near Gurney Drive area. By the way, locals go to Air Itam's wet market for the best laksa. Sarawak laksa is different than Penang's. Penang version is sour, chewy rice noodles soaked in dark brown soup with lots of onions, chillies, salad and "hay ko" (salty prawn paste). Ask the locals to direct you to the stall run by a speech-impaired hawker. His laksa is the best. Most Penangnites understand English.

8. There's nothing eco to see in the island. So, for a quick fix, you can try arranging for excursion to the mainland call Seberang Perai. Go to a place call Bukit Mertajam. It's landmarked by huge hill you can see when you cross Penang Bridge. Make your way to St Anne's Church, located at the foothill. It's one of the oldest Catholic Church in Msia. Beautiful surrounding. Many local newly weds take their wedding photos there. Thousands from all over South East Asia flock the church ground every year for its feast day. Hike up the hill behind the church and see crosses depicting the 10 commandments along the trail. Hop over to seaside hamlet named Bukit Tambun to eat the freshest seafood and catch the rustic scene of fishing village. The variety of seafood will floor you.

9. Since you are already so close in Penang, do make an effort to spend another day at Matang mangrove mudflat, located in the mainland. The place is about 1 hr 15 mins car ride via the PLUS highway from Penang. As a nature lover, you'd love the place to bits. It is one of the world's largest mangrove forest still teeming with lively flora & fauna. It has just celebrated its 100 year old anniversary as a reserved forest. The rainforest and the sea shake hands here. Migrating birds fly to Matang every year to seek refuge from Siberia's winter. See weird mangrove trees and learn how they survive the muddy and salty soil. The best thing is, NO leeches or mosquitoes there. These critters hate sea water.

10. Latest discovery. People in Nibong Tebal (situated in mainland, about 35 minutes drive from Penang island) has found colonies of fire-fly in their riverine outskirts. See berembang trees glow like Christmas tree when thousands of fire-fly gather to mate every evening. To see such wonder elsewhere, one has to endure a 14 hours hike in the jungles of Brazil (I was told by a Japanese friend who did that). Boatmen are available in the afternoons at the jetty to provide visitors with river cruise safari. The village people are very friendly.

So there you are. I believe these locales will fill up your 5 days easily. Actually, there are more interesting places but 5 days won't be enough to cover them. One of them is white water rafting in Kampung Sedim, Kulim. The class 2-3 river is about 2 hrs drive from Penang island. Fantastic way to see the rainforest along the river.

Happy planning.

Kathie

TravelTwiddle, WOW! Thanks so much for so many suggestions. I already have a long list of things I'd like to do and I'll add your list to it. I know 5 days isn't enough time, but that gives me a reason to go back. I was thinking I'd make this visit mostly historic and cultural rather than adventure/eco, but I'll have to reconsider. (though can it really be adventure if there are no leaches?? )

TravelTwiddle

Kathie, if you need map to help you plan your 5 days to cover as many places as possible, email me at [email protected]. I'd return email you the map and rough sketches (this forum doesn't allow jpeg file attachment) on how to get around. I read about you saying good things about Msia when someone posted that the country is full of nuts. Thanks for correcting the fallacy. I am a Christian citizen here and have never been victimised by any of my Moslem friends or neighbours. My kids play with Moslem kids all the time in school and the local plyground. My neighbour, Eygptian expat doctor, is amazed by how kids here can understand at least 3 languages - Malay, English, Chinese. Anyway, I would like to say thank you by helping you out as much as possible. If I am free from work on November, I wouldn't mind spending a day driving you around so you can see more places. Help you go places not accessible by public transport, off the beaten path vistas. I live in Ipoh, roughly 1hr 40min drive from Penang. I go to Penang on monthly basis. If you're into history and culture, you won't find it much around Georgetown - it's already quite urbanized. E&O is a good choice though. There's a very well restored antiqued mansion call "Cheong Fatt Tze" at Leith Street near E&O, you shouldn't miss it. Cheerio!

Kathie

TravelTwiddle, what a lovely and gererous offer! I will write to you to discuss some ideas. My initial thought was to spend most of our time in Georgetown, wandering little streets and shops. I do know about the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, and will enjoy visiting it.

I have been thinking about retiring to SE Asia, and have considered Thailand, but I am also considering Malaysia. It has a very attractive retirement visa, and it allows someone retiring there to buy land, which Thailand does not. I have found Malaysian people to be warm and welcoming, and your help and the help I received from Hornbill for my Borneo trip are wonderful examples of that. Than you so much!

Lyndie

Hi Kathie-we recently spent a marvellous couple of weeks in Georgetown. The waterfront close to Lebuh Chulia and many of the Chinese temples, is an interesting walk just to check out some local fishing families & see how the live right on piers over the water. You can get a walking tours map from your hotel. A great walk is to stroll around Little India & then up Lebuh Penang to the waterfront near the E & O and maybe catch a local bus to the funicular railway & on another day go out to Batu Ferringhi. Georgetown has the best Chinese & Indian food! People are generally friendly & helpful however bag snatchers are ready to rip your shoulder bag off! They ride motor bikes & quickly rip the bag from you. One of our mates fell victim just 2 weeks ago. BTW the E & O is glorious & their pool area is very special. Hope you have a marvellous time there. It's become our second home since we left India. All the best!

Kathie

Thanks, Lyndie, good to see you posting again. Any specific restaurant recommendations? Any special craft items to buy that you don't see elsewhere?

Lyndie

Hi Kathie- I don't have my little green book with me right now but there are some great Indian, Indonesian & Chinese places in Georgetown. Lebuh Cintra has the best dim sum places, imho. Jalan Penang (up near the E & O)& Lebuh Penang near Lebut China have excellent Indian places. I will dig out my notes & report back. Of course you know we are "cheap" eaters but that doesn't mean we sacrifice quality! We discovered a brilliant Indonesian restaurant with choice of two dishes and rice for 2 ringit P.P & the magic muslim place close to Lebuh Chulia for 4 ringit for dahl, chicken tandoori & veges & roti was fabulous. Will be in touch & so good to have the time to report! I'm not very good with crafts, except jewellery making, so cannot help there. All the best!

Kathie

Many thanks, Lyndie. I'll look forward to your food recommendations.

Lyndie

Hi there Kathie. These are our top 3 choices for quality & price.

1. Pusako Indonesian on Tamil St off Jalan Penang (close to E & O) near blue & white police Station building. Around 2 ringit for one lunch. Great tofu with nuts!Get there around 12 midday for freshest choices.

2. Ananda Bhawan Indian Lebuh Panang (Little India) near cnr of Lebuh China. Wonderful tandoori & thalis & around 4 ringgit for dinner for one person.

3. De Tai Tong Chinese on Lebuh Cintra near Lebuh Kimberley. A close 4th is Leong Kee Tea Garden cnr Kimberley & Cintra. Fab dim sum for around 14 ringgit for 2. Just walk around & sample the food from stalls. Truly worth it! Never once were we ill. Always bought from very busy places.

We'll be back in Georgetown in August so will check out some others & report. Have fun!