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Published: April 23rd 2016
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1.5 years in Kuala Lumpur and I still hadnt been to Penang. Most people found this offensive, so I finally found a nice long weekend that would allow me to visit this historic island.
5o minutes on a plane and we touched down on the unexpectadly rugged island of Penang. There a few accommodation options, depending on what you’re after. Most people opt to stay in the oldest corner of the island; Georgetown. As did we. Famous for it’s maze of streets and alley ways, the place has more recently attracted attention for its street art and I was excited to wonder.
And wonder we did! The place is made for this pasttime and it is what you will see most of the tourists doing around town. A lot of the action is centred around the intersections of Beach Street, Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Chulia. There is also a nice little vibe on the other side around Love Lane and Jalan Muntri. It is easy to get hold of a map that notes all the locations of the more popular pieces of street art but there is also plenty to see on top of this.
New art and sculptures are popping up everywhere so a general wonder down a derelict side street can be very rewarding and it’s this unknown quality that gives Penang it’s charm. Have a wonder and search them out if you get the chance to visit, they really are worth it!
On another morning we took the bus up to the base of Penang hill and caught the funicular railway up to the top. As we have working VISA’s and icards for Malaysia, we were able to pay the local price, which I must say is MUCH cheaper than the tourist price. I feel like the discrimination is a bit too heavy here! The views from the top are amazing and it is a bit cooler than the blistering heat you will experience on the streets. As we had paid a reasonable price, we were quite happy with a little mooch aroun but if you want to get your money’s worth as a tourist, there isnt much else to do up there!
I didn’t get to visit Batu Feringghi this time round – the beach resort destination on the northern tip of the island –
but I did run from Georgetown to the botanical gardens one morning and it was beautiful. Running on the seafront as the sun rises in Georgetown is amazing and the gardens themselves were surrounded by lush forest, marked with numerous trails. The forest leads up the side of a small peak that seperates this part of town from Batu Feringghi so you can actually run all the way to the beach area. I will do this on my next visit.
One final thing to mention is the haven that is China House! A very complicated building that spans from Beach Street to Lebuh Victoria, China House has a variety of different functions. If you enter from Lebuh Victorie, you will be greeted with a pub type affair, often with local musicians playing. Enter from Beach Street and you enter a world of marvellous indulgent cakes. More than you can bare to imagine and each one as delicious as the next. Linking the 2 is a variety of different rooms with different functions that you are free to wonder through. If you don’t come here for at least a cake and tea, you are mental.
So in conclusion, I will be heading back to Penang very soon. Nuff said.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Penang
Very nice