A-Malay-zing: Penang and Kuala Lumpur

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We entered Malaysia after a long day traveling through the south of Thailand. We could tell immediately that we were in a different country, it feels more developed with it's complex road systems and newer modernised buildings. Our first stop was the small western island of Penang where we spent a few days in it's main city of Georgetown.

A kaleidoscope of cultures fuse together in Georgetown to create this diverse little place; a mixture of Malay, Indian and Chinese communities roll into one. Taking a walk through the streets of Georgetown feels like you are passing through 3 different countries. One moment you will be wandering past the peaceful, incense lined paths of Chinatown when suddenly you turn into the next street to be bombarded with bollywood beats being blared out of huge speakers and the strong smell of bhajis and samosas in Little India! This cultural jumble offered us a wide range of food choices which we spent our days indulging in! 

5 hours south sits the city metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. This capital city blows your mind with it's huge high rise buildings and modern amenities in it's business district. We visited the famous Petronas towers, before taking  a walk to the Menera tower which gave us a great 360 degree view of the city from 276m high. It was a different and modern experience compared to the southeast Asia that we are used to. 

Like Penang, KL is home to large Chinese and Indian communities, with larger versions of Georgetown's Chinatown and Little India located in the capital's suburbs which again provided us with a variety of eats to gorge ourselves on. We enjoyed the most amazing Indian meal at a street stall for under $1 before becoming stuck there for a good hour as the heavens opened! When it rains here it REALLY rains! 

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