I have to admit, I’m happy overall with all the planning we did before leaving. This trip would have been a lot more stressful if we’d either planned nothing at all or tried to cram in way too many places. Somehow, even after more than six months on the road (which still sounds a bit unhinged when I say it out loud), we’re all still enjoying the adventure and genuinely want to keep going.
That said, it’s been a bit harder on the kids lately, especially Emma. Christmas is coming up, and we won’t be home or with family to celebrate, which hits a little harder than we expected. Add to that the fact that we all caught a cold at the same time, and morale dipped a bit. All of this made us extra thankful that we planned two easy stops in Malaysia instead of the Borneo jungle trek I originally dreamed about. So here we are, in Penang. More specifically, George Town, for a full week of taking it easy.
George Town is the capital of Penang Island, just off the west coast of Malaysia. We flew there, even though it probably would’ve been faster to drive once you factor in airports and waiting around. Too late now. Luckily, it turned out to be a great stop. The old town is known for its colonial architecture and Peranakan culture (which means that they are locally born but from Chinese descent), and it’s a fantastic place to wander. Colourful shophouses, Little India, Chinatown, and something interesting around every corner. Instead of doing a day-by-day breakdown, here are some highlights from our time there.
Walking around George Town and Street Art
We’ve seen a fair amount of street art on this trip, but the murals scattered throughout George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, are easily some of the best so far. Many of them incorporate real objects, which encourages people to interact with the art instead of just snapping a photo and moving on. Exploring the city felt like a scavenger hunt, and it was genuinely fun.
Kek Lok Si
Our first attempt at Penang Hill didn’t go as planned. The funicular line was over an hour long, and Emma suddenly started feeling unwell. Joey took her back to the apartment, and we scrapped the plan. Teddy and I decided to make the most of it and visited Kek Lok Si instead.
Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, and it’s an impressive place. There are temples, pagodas, gardens, and great views over the area. Teddy and I really enjoyed wandering around, and it ended up being our favourite temple visit so far on the trip.
Penang Hill and The Habitat
A few days later, we gave Penang Hill another try. The funicular ride itself is pretty iconic, and sitting at the front gave us an excellent view, along with a reminder of just how steep that climb is. At the top, we checked out a few lookout points before heading into The Habitat, a peaceful rainforest park with canopy walks, trails, and wildlife.
We spotted some very cute dusky leaf monkeys, although they were too far away for decent photos. We also saw other monkeys, some impressively large bugs, and a giant squirrel. That said, let’s be honest, it wasn’t that much bigger than the ones back in Ottawa. The highlight is definitely the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk, which offers a 360-degree view over Penang Island.
Clan Jetties
Along the waterfront, you’ll find the Clan Jetties, traditional Chinese stilt houses built over the water. Each jetty belongs to a different clan, and you can walk along the wooden paths, passing homes, small shops, and shrines. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a slower and more traditional side of life in Penang.
Eating our way through Penang
Penang is apparently famous for its street food, and it definitely lives up to the reputation. From hawker stalls to full-on night markets like Kimberley Street Food Night Market, there’s no shortage of things to eat. Spicy laksa, Indian-Malay dishes, comforting Chinese egg noodle soups, it’s all there. There was also surprisingly good Japanese food. Teddy ordered the exact same meal every time: miso soup, salmon nigiri, and edamame. Not twice. Not three times. Four times in one week. When something works, no need to reinvent the wheel.
Not everything was a success, though. One night, I ordered Duck Koay Teow, which came highly recommended. What I failed to specify was that I meant duck meat. What arrived instead was less of a meal and more of a comprehensive duck inventory: intestines, feet, head, heart, liver… basically every single part of the duck except the one most people actually want to eat. It was chewy, slippery, and deeply unsettling. I took a couple of very brave bites, questioned my life choices, and quietly accepted that this was not my moment. Lesson learned!
And of course, we had to try the king of fruits: durian. Let’s just say it’s an acquired taste, and we are not currently working on acquiring it. At all. Obviously, we filmed the whole experience for you.
Tech Dome Penang
Tech Dome Penang is the city’s science museum, filled with hands-on exhibits all under one roof. The kids had a blast dodging laser beams, floating balls with air, and trying out everything they could touch. It’s fun, chaotic in the best way, and surprisingly engaging for adults too.
The wallet adventure
No trip is complete without a little drama. One evening, as we walked back into the apartment, I noticed my purse was open. A quick check confirmed my wallet was gone. Crap. Honestly, I’m kind of impressed it took me this long to lose it. Joey and I rushed back downstairs, retracing our steps from the Grab drop-off to the apartment. Nothing. Joey went back downtown to check where we’d been sitting while waiting for the cab earlier. Still nothing. We tried contacting the Grab driver. Nothing again. Double crap.
Thankfully, I didn’t have all my cards in my wallet, but replacing anything while travelling for another five months would have been a pain. I blocked everything online and tried to stay calm. By some miracle, Joey eventually managed to reach the Grab driver the next day, who did, in fact, have my wallet. After a bit of bribing, he agreed to bring it back. Success.
So yes, I’m happy to report that we had a great week on Penang Island, that we’re now fully recovered from our colds (and freshly vaccinated against influenza), and that I’m leaving with my wallet intact.
Penang has so much more to offer than what we managed to see in one week. We barely scratched the surface, and that was intentional. We slowed down, skipped the beaches, the national park, the butterfly garden, the waterpark, and probably a lot more food we could have eaten. All good reasons to come back someday.
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