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Penang - a cocktail of Asian culture

22 July 2023


If there's a more thrilling cocktail of Asian cultures than in Penang, we've yet to find it. Penang has long served as the link between Asia’s great kingdoms and as an important outlet to the markets of Europe and Western Asia.


At its heart is diverse, cosmopolitan George Town, Penang Island's main city and an urban centre that delivers old-world Asia in spades, from trishaws pedalling past watermarked Chinese shophouses to blue joss smoke perfuming the air.


The freshest aspects of modern culture are present, too, in the exceptional art scene and free-spirited carnivals, all fed by an infectious local enthusiasm for Penang's long history and kaleidoscope of cultures.


We reached Butterworth after a four-hour train ride from KL (in business class for $30 including dinner, desserts and Wi-Fi). From there, it was a 10 minute ferry ride to George Town. Returning to Butterworth at the end of our stay for the return train back to KL, our taxi drove over the Sultan Abdul Halim Shah Bridge, the second largest oversea bridge in Southeast Asia.


Penang’s population is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion. Aside from the three main races, the Malays, Chinese, and Indians, the island is also home to significant Eurasian, Siamese and expatriate communities.


Penang's modern history began in 1786, upon the establishment of George Town by Francis Light. Penang became a British crown colony in 1867. Direct British rule was only briefly interrupted during World War II, when Japan occupied Penang; the British retook Penang in 1945. Penang was later merged with the Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia), which gained independence from the British in 1957.


Shoppers aim for KL but the true gourmets make for Penang, home to some of Asia’s best street food. The island’s long history and rich tapestry of Malay, Chinese and Indian settlers means you’ll find Hokkien black noodles and meat bone tea, roti canai and aromatic lamb curry, lush yellow laksa and fruity-spicy rojak, all within paces of each other. These pushcart affairs can be found anywhere – our favourite spot was at the east end of the backpacker ghetto on Lebuh Chulia,


In this former jewel of the British Empire (whose legacy is still visible today through such buildings as St. George’s Church, Fort Cornwallis and the Victoria Clock, all closely located to each other on the Seafront Esplanade), you feel like you’re at the centre of Southeast Asia and its patterns of migration, trade and history - the quest for spice, the struggle for colonial empires and today, the development of a tourism paradise. The point is, this is really a cool spot.


There are many testaments too to Chinese wealth whose traders ruled here for so long, including the Peranakan Mansion. This is a lovely example of what happens when colonial and Chinese architectural styles blend, the mansion is also a monument to the entrepreneurial skill and extravagant lifestyle of the descendants of those Chinese merchants who settled in the great Malay and Indonesian archipelagos.


Further examples of Chinese immigration can be found at the Clan Jetties, comprising six jetties (houses) floating on water in the bay.


George Town has also become famous for its Street Art, especially that of the Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic. Commissioned to do a series of public paintings in central George Town in 2012, he chose to combine his murals with objects such as swings, motorcycles. The art has been a smash hit with his most famous piece, a girl and a boy riding a real bicycle in Armenian Street.


A highlight of the tour of George Town was certainly the Kek Lok Si Temple, near Penang Hill. It is one of the largest and most recognized Buddhist temples in Malaysia and attracts many pilgrims from all over Southeast Asia. It houses stunning architecture and artwork depicting elements of Thai, Chinese and Burmese design as well as numerous magnificent statues, culminating in a 30m bronze statue of Buddha at its peak, offering beautiful views of George Town and beyond.


Having seen the main sights of busy George Town, we then headed down the coast to Batu Ferrighi, where we chilled for a few days beside a long stretch of white sandy beach with many romantic beachside restaurants and rows and rows of stalls selling a variety of clothes, assorted accessories, food and many more.


It was then time to return to KL before boarding our flight back to the Philippines. We really enjoyed our stay in Malaysia and would not hesitate to return, it really does offer everything you could wish for and at unbeatable prices.


















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