Malaysia: The ultimate guide to Penang

Penang’s island capital is Georgetown is a multicultural capital rich in heritage architecture, magnificent mosques and preserved shophouses. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also arguably Southeast Asia’s all-time top spot for mouth-watering street food.

The settlement of George Town was the British East India company’s first foray into Southeast Asia, established as a small trading port in 1786. The coming years have seen mass comings and goings: Chinese merchant settlers, primarily the Peranakans, have left just as big a mark as the British, with further influences also evident of Tamil Indians, Burmese, Arabs, Persian, Armenian, Filipino, and of course ethnic Malay.

Georgetown today sees all these cultures live side-by-side. A typical day in the city will see you walk past Chinese ‘clan’ houses down by the waterfront, admire a Hindu temple, barter for clothes and trinkets in bazaars, and hike to small villages in the forest interior. Breakfast could be Indian, lunch Malay, dinner Chinese, and dessert European.

Your first night in Penang should get right to the heart of the issue: join a guided food walk around the very best hawker centers and have an enthusiastic food-obsessed local introduce you to the key dishes and the multi-generational stalls which serve them.

Your first full day should see you continue your exploration with a guided city tour of Georgetown. Key sites in the UNESCO World Heritage city are Fort Cornwallis, a British bastion from 1786 onwards; the Khoo Kongsi clan house and nearby Peranakan Mansion to tell the story of Penang’s Chinese influences; visits to Wat Chayamangkalaram and the Dhammikaram Temple to taste the island’s Indian and Burmese links respectively; and highly entertaining walks through Little India and Chinatown.

A full-day tour of Georgetown can be rounded out to include a street art walking tour. The city streets are littered with colourful graffiti projects, many of which have a photogenic and immersive element. Don’t miss the art on Weld Quay, Leith Street, Armenian Street, and Muntri Street.

Should you have a second full day a wider round-the-island tour takes in attractions of the island beyond Georgetown. Stops include the sprawling Kek Lok Si Buddist temple; tropical spice gardens, educating you on key ingredients in Penang cuisine; a scenic funicular train up to Penang Hill; butterfly farms; and a drive through the beach resort of Batu Ferringhi.