A Weekend in Penang, Malaysia

When I landed in Thailand a month ago, I was jetlagged and exhausted. I handed my passport to the immigration officer, who stamped it and handed it right back to me.

But, when I got home, I looked in my passport. Even though I had a visa, the officer had mistakenly given me only a 30-day tourist exemption stamp.

I stayed for 30 days, but then needed to exit and re-enter Thailand to activate my proper visa. One of the most popular places to visit nearby is Penang, Malaysia. I had never been there, and my girlfriend had been trying to get me to go for years, so I booked a ticket with Air Asia, and headed south to the famous and popular Malay island just south of the Thai border.

the streets of Georgetown

Georgetown, the main city on Penang Island, is known for its historic colonial architecture, funky street art, and world-famous street food. The street art and food are so interesting that they will get their own posts. Stay tuned!

a small local Hindu temple near my hotel in Penang, Malaysia

The airport is in the southern end of the island, and planes have to land sharply over the water. After a quick time at immigration, we took the local bus from the airport to Georgetown. By the time we checked in to our guest house, it was already evening, so we had a nice dinner and got some rest. The next day was our only full day in Malaysia, so we had an early start! Despite the drizzly and grey morning, we set out on foot to see some of the town's sights. First, we came to the Penang State Museum.

the Penang State Museum

Malaysia is a really interesting country with a unique government. The country is a federation of several states and sultanates. The head of state is a king, who is elected for a five-year term from amongst the various sultans. Penang is different from the rest of the country, though. It's one of four states in Malaysia, which are ruled by governors rather than hereditary sultans, and who are not eligible for election to kingship. This goes back to its colonial past.

an exhibit inside the Penang State Museum

The State Museum was pretty small, and parts of it was undergoing renovation, but it only cost 1 ringgit to enter (about $0.30), and the exhibits that were on display were really interesting. The museum taught about the history of Penang, with an emphasis on its long British colonial past.

the British seal of Malaysia

By the time we left the museum, the rain was absolutely chucking down, but there was nothing to do but keep going. The small umbrella that my girlfriend and I tried to share wasn't nearly big enough for the both of us, and we were soon soaked. We hurried across the town to visit the Church of the Assumption, the oldest Catholic church in Malaysia. Penang is currently having a Catholic pilgrimage festival, and the church had lots of relics on display. A woman showed us around, explaining the relics, most of which were artifacts belonging to 19th century Catholic missionaries as well as local Malaysian priests and bishops.

Church of the Assumption

Walking through Georgetown is like taking a trip through time. Penang has preserved most of its old colonial monuments and architecture. The most prominent is the Memorial Cenotaph, which was constructed by the sea after the First World War.

One famous sight, which we decided to skip due to the extremely heavy rain that was falling, is Fort Cornwallis. The old British fort is mostly a ruin now. Although you can pay for a ticket to enter the grounds, you can see most of it from the street. 

Fort Cornwallis

One of the more iconic Penang landmarks is the Jubilee Clock Tower, constructed in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria. The tower was damaged from bombing during the Second World War, and is slightly tilted. Malaysia and Singapore both suffered heavy casualties during the war. Many of the Allied soldiers, as well as Asian laborers, were captured when Malaysia fell, and forced to march to Thailand to build the infamous Death Railway.

the Penang clock tower

One thing that I wanted to do, but couldn't due to time, was visit the Peranakan Museum. The Paranakan people were merchants who settled in Malaysia and Indonesia from southern China, and maintained a really special and unique culture. They are known for preserving their heritage in beautifully-colored homes and clan houses.

a cool old house museum

I didn't get to visit any mosques this time during my trip, but we could hear the calls to prayer ringing through Georgetown throughout the day.

a mosque in Penang

I really like Penang! I had been trying to make it down that way for years. It really sat right with me right away. I wish I could have stayed for a few days longer. Penang has a cool vintage / retro vibe, a slow speed of life, and a ton of great food. What's not to like?

VW cars

I crammed a lot of adventure into a three day (two night) trip! I'll be updating more over the next couple of days!

the sunrise in Penang

A Bonus from a Malaysian Supermarket:

I thought you guys might appreciate this. Islam is the official state religion of Malaysia. However, the country is incredibly diverse, both ethnically and religiously. Only 60% of the population of Malaysia are Muslims. There are large Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist minority groups. Although Malaysia is an officially Muslim country, there are plenty of accommodations for non-Muslims as well. I think my favorite thing that I saw in Penang was this "Non-Halal Corner" at the local supermarket. A section of the grocery store was dedicated entirely to beer and bacon products. It's a great compromise. Muslim shoppers don't have to worry about the ingredients in the food that they can get around the supermarket, and non-Muslims can still buy the products that they want. Sounds pretty good to me!