This article is a follow up of Part 1 and 2 from previous posts.
Penang is a state in Malaysia, located on the northwest coast of peninsular Malaysia by the straits of Malacca, it is second smallest after Perlis.
Picture shows – regular hawker stalls in Penang
Penang island is a food paradise for Malaysians. It was recognised as having the Best Street Food in Asia by TIME magazine in 2004, citing that nowhere else can have such delicious food and yet so cheap. Penang’s cuisine reflects the Chinese, Nyonya, Malay and Indian ethnic mix of Malaysia, but is also strongly influenced by the cuisine of Thailand.
Picture Top Left – Char Koey Teow, Top Right – Lor Bak, Bottom Left - Barbequed chicken wings, Bottom Right – Oysters fried with Eggs aka O’chien
Places to savour Penang’s food are Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus, New Lane, Swatow Lane, Penang Road and Chulia Street. Be sure you check my food blog before visiting, then you can make the most out of your trip, you have not been to Penang if you have not tried the Char Koey Teow, O’ chien (oysters fried eggs), Prawn mee better known as Hokkien mee, ikan bakar (barbecued fish, normally sting rays), Lorbak, Chicken wings and Laksa. Another site that I strongly recommend is www.what2seeonline.com, where this Malaysian lady tells you all about the great food in Penang.
Left Pic – Bayview Resort, Right Pic – Golden Sands Resort
Where to stay in Penang? I would suggest you to stay away from the centre of Penang, for a relaxing holiday and a good sea view. Well Batu Ferringhi has many great hotels with beach front, and a lot of great hawker food stalls to dine in as well as night market to visit nearby, the few recommended luxurious hotels include Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La, ParkRoyal Penang, and Hard Rock Hotel Penang. For a more budgetted accomodation, you may find these ideal, they are 3 star hotels on the beach front – Holiday Inn Resort Penang and The Bayview Beach Resort, both with good reviews.
Picture – G Hotel in Gurney, next to Gurney Plaza Mall
If you prefer the convenience of the shopping malls, then find a hotel in Gurney area, e.g. G hotel, or Evergreen Laurel Hotel Penang, are just a 5-10 minutes stroll to the mall, and there are also hawker food stalls around the area which opens till very late at night, and the famous seafood restaurant just about 10 minutes walk away– Bali Hai which is overlooking the sea, it is always crowded with locals as well as tourist, I’d recommend you go there if you love seafood.
The disadvantage of staying in Gurney is you don’t get a beach there, so if you are looking to stay in a hotel with a beach front, this isn’t the place, but it is only about 15-20 minutes drive to Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah where you can enjoy laying by the beach or even enjoying the water sports.
Eventhough this Island is fairly small, it is rich with history and sights, and it offers a large variety of places to visit, from cultural temples to historic buildings. Find out more where you should visit in Penang here
Stay tune for my next post – Nearby places to visit – Langkawi, Lumut, and Pangkor Island
May 18th, 2010 at 2:12 am
What a great resource!
May 29th, 2010 at 12:30 am
nice post. thanks.
June 10th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Kota Kinabalu is also the largest city in Sabah and the sixth largest in the country. With Mount Kinabalu – the highest mountain in Southeast Asia – in substance, Kota Kinabalu has been listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, due to the richness and diversity of flora and fauna that are found here.