Things to do in Georgetown
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Kek Lok Si Temple
The largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia was founded in 1890 by an immigrant Chinese Buddhist. To reach the entrance, walk through arcades of souvenir stalls, past a tightly packed turtle pond and murky fish ponds, until you reach Ban Po Thar, a seven-tier, 30m (98ft) tower. The design is said to be Burmese at the top, Chinese at the bottom and Thai in between.
In another three-storey shrine, there's a large Thai Buddha image that was donated by King Bhumibol of Thailand. Presiding high above all the temple structures is a striking bronze figure of Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy. The temple's name translates, quite delightfully, as 'Temple of Supreme Bliss'.
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Padang Brown Food Court
Everyone in town knows that this is the spot for delectable popiah (spring rolls) although the won ton mee (egg vermicelli served with pork dumplings or sliced roast pork) and bubur caca (it's pronounced cha cha - don't be so childish - and it's a delicious dessert porridge made with coconut milk and banana) is another good reason to try the food in this area. In the afternoons try the yong tau foo (clear Chinese soup with fish balls, lettuce, crab sticks, cuttlefish and more).
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Cooking Courses with the Chef Association
Penang has no organised cookery courses but you can contact the Chef Association to see if any of their chefs would be interested in giving a lesson or two. The earlier you get in touch with the association, the more likely you are to find an instructor. Prices are not set and will need to be agreed upon by you and the chef and will depend on the venue, menu, group number and number of lessons.
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B@92
Hip bar with a laid-back attitude that features some live acts and hosts a pretty large – and mixed – expat and well-to-do locals crowd. Has an atmosphere somewhere between a British pub, American chain bar and small music venue.
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Eastern & Oriental Hotel
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel dominates the seafront end of Jln Penang. Originally built in 1884 as the Eastern Hotel, it became so popular that the following year it was expanded and renamed the Eastern & Oriental Hotel. The stylish E&O was the archetypal 19th-century colonial grand hotel, established by two of the famous Armenian Sarkies brothers, Tigram and Martin, the most famous hoteliers in the East, who later founded Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
In the 1920s the Sarkies promoted the E&O as 'The Premier Hotel East of Suez' (a catchy phrase the brothers later used to advertise all their hotels) which supposedly had the 'longest seafront of any hotel' in the world, at 8…
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Sungai Pinang
Winding and farting through the heart of Georgetown before spewing into Selat Selatan (South Channel), Sungai Pinang is considered the filthiest river in Malaysia. Over the years it's become a drain for a 50km urban spread of factories, markets and tightly quartered residents who have freely dumped whatever they've wanted into the flowing sludge. Today it not-so-proudly bears a Class V classification, which means it is unable to sustain life and contact with the water is dangerous for humans.
In December 2005 a clean-up project began with goals of turning what many consider to be a sewer into a clean Class II river for swimming and boating. Optimists imagined fish flutte…
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Wat Buppharam
Is there a question in your life that needs answering? Head to Wat Buppharam , a 1942 Buddhist temple bursting with cartoonlike sculptures of Thai, Taoist and Hindu religious figures. The ornate Thai entrance archway is the largest in the state. The wat is home to the 'Lifting Buddha,' a 100-year-old, gold-leaf encrusted Buddha statue about the size of a well-fed house cat.
As a seeker, kneel in front of the statue, pay respects to the figure with a clear mind and then ask, in your mind, the yes or no question you wish to have answered; ask also that you wish for the figure to become light for an affirmative answer. Try to lift the statue. To verify the answer, ask your …
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Chinese Clan Houses
There are five great Hokkein clans that formed the backbone of early Penang: Cheah , Khoo, Yeoh, Lim, Tan. Between the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s Penang welcomed a huge influx of Chinese immigrants primarily from the Fujian province of China. In order to help introduce uncles, aunties, cousins, 10th cousins, old neighborhood buddies and so on to their new home, the Chinese formed clan associations and built clan houses to create a sense of community, provide lodging, help find employment, and more, for newcomers. In the associated temples the clan would worship patron deities.
As time went on, many clan associations became extremely prosperous and their buildings grew to…
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Tua Pek Kong
The name is ostensibly Tua Pek Kong, but this recently renovated structure, resplendent in red and gold and with polished black columns, has quite a few more aliases: Hock Teik Cheng Sin, Poh Hock Seah, Hokkien Kongsi and Tong Kheng Seah, among others. What’s with all the names? Well, besides serving as a temple and assembly hall, this building has also been the registered headquarters of several secret societies (Aside: secret societies register their headquarters? Really? With who?). Each society occupied a different portion of the temple, which became a focal point during the 1867 riots/war between societies. The fighting got so intense a secret passage was built betwe…
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Sri Mariamman Temple
For local Tamils, the Sri Mariamman Temple fulfils the purpose of a Hokkien clanhouse: it’s a reminder of the motherland and the community bonds forged within the diaspora. In this case, those bonds don’t come from a benevolent society, but a typically South Indian temple, dominated by its entrance tower or gopuram. Erupting with sculpture, the tower serves several purposes: it represents Mt Meru, the cosmic mountain that supports the heavens, and delineates the line between this world and the realm of the gods, which begins in the temple compound. Local Tamils pay homage to Tamil Nadu by worshipping Mariamman, a mother goddess popular with diaspora Indians who repres…
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Gurney Drive
Penang's most famous food area was once known as North Beach but was later named for Sir Henry Gurney, a British High Commissioner who was assassinated by Malayan communist guerrillas in 1951. Today it's a mish-mash of the city's most modern high-rises and some of the grandest colonial mansions on the island. It's posh for a hawker area so the food is a bit more pricey here than elsewhere but it's worth that few extra ringgit to have a table facing the sea.
You'll find absolutely everything from Malay to Western food, and it's known for its laksa stalls and good people-watching. For the best rojak try the Penang-famous Aye Chye stall. The area around is also home to the G…
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Penang Pewter
Something you'll see in many shops, particularly along Jln Penang, is Penang Pewter. This is a small shop but has a large array of Penang Pewter direct from the factory. As Malaysia's second-name Pewter company, Penang Pewter can be a real bargain compared to the picture frames, goblets, vases and the like produced by its upscale compatriots. The company's newest claim to fame is its gold-plated pewterware, which it happily adds to its 600 or so available items.
If you're not fussed about great quality or brand names, even cheaper pewter items, many of which you can get custom engraved, are available in small shops around Komtar shopping complex. Pewter was once made with…
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Temple of the Reclining Buddha
The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is a typically Thai temple with its sharp-eaved roofs and ceiling accents; inside it houses a 33m-long reclining Buddha draped in a gold-leafed saffron robe. The icon represents the Buddha’s attainment of nirvana and peaceful passage from this existence, although the claim that it’s the third-longest reclining Buddha in the world is dubious. The symbols on the Buddha’s feet represent the marks of a true Buddha (a title that means ‘enlightened one’ as opposed to a name). Also note the entrance and exit; the former is set off by a Naga, a Southeast Asian water dragon, while the latter is marked by a Chinese dragon, the East Asian equivalen…
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Teik Sen
At first glance this open cafe looks like any other popular Chinatown establishment. On closer look you'll notice that patrons are dressed up - button shirts and high heels. Once you try the food you'll understand. This is a step up from the everyday delicacies of Chinatown - just when you thought it couldn't get better, it did.
There's a menu translated into English but chances are you'll be the only one among the tightly packed throngs who needs it. Try the curry prawns, crispy chicken with plum sauce or fried eggplant with bean paste. The adventurous can try other specialities like the braised sea cucumber and fish maws. Arrive early for either lunch or dinner, unless …
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Toy Museum
If your kids have seen Toy Story 2, they might feel bad for the more than 100,000 toys locked up in the Toy Museum with nobody to really love them; no one has tried to break Woody free yet. Don't miss the Chamber of Horrors (not suitable for very young or sensitive kids), Chamber of Monsters, Cave of Dinosaurs, Hall of Cartoons, Chamber of Comic Book Heroes and Hall of Beauties (for lovers of Barbie).
Some displays have voiceovers and sound effects but other than that there's not much action. Still it's a fun kitsch place to visit; chances are that everyone will see some old friends in the collection. The most expensive toy is a 1.8m tall Gundam Robot from Japan - but we'…
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Pinang Peranakan Mansion
The wealthy Baba-Nonyas of the Straits colonial period had some of the most eclectic tastes of their time; their wealth and their home’s position on so many trade routes afforded access to English tilework, Scottish iron embellishments, continental European art and furniture and, of course, the heights of Chinese opulence in interior design. All of the above crash together rather beautifully in the restored Pinang Peranakan Mansion, former home of Chung Keng Quee, 19th-century merchant, secret-society leader and all-round community pillar. His ornate home is full of antiques and furniture of the period he lived in. There’s also an exhibition on Nonya customs, and guided…
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The 'Street of Harmony'
The 'Street of Harmony' houses a church, three Confucian-Buddhist-Taoist temples, two mosques and a Hindu temple. You can savour the relaxed multicultural and multilingual environment. At the southern end is the 'Secret Society' enclave, where sociopolitical organisations carved out their territories in the 19th century.
They formed cross-cultural alliances to gain control over territory, manpower, opium and other concessions, rather than fighting along ethnic lines. Today, it is a marvellous neighbourhood of mosques and Chinese clan temples, with clandestine gateways and hidden passageways leading to courtyards. We can literally retrace the covert trails and escape route…
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Penang Museum
From the town’s foundation site, it’s only a short stroll to the Penang Museum, one of Malaysia’s best presented museums. The permanent exhibition is a comprehensive walk-through of Penang’s history, festivals and cultures. No settler group is left out and all are admirably described in sympathetic detail, a testament to this state’s admirable record of tolerance. Look out for the beautifully carved opium beds, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and the incredible silk-brocade outfits once worn by the Baba-Nonya (Straits Chinese) population. Temporary exhibitions are eclectic, ranging from galleries of colonial prints to displays on traditional Malay seamanship.
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Kuan Yin Teng
On Lebuh Pitt is the temple of Kuan Yin Teng – the goddess of mercy, good fortune, peace and fertility. Built in the early 19th century by the first Hokkien and Cantonese settlers in Penang, the temple is not large or especially impressive, but it’s very central and popular with the Chinese community. It seems to be forever swathed in smoke from the outside furnaces, where worshippers burn paper money, and from the incense sticks waved around inside. It’s a very busy place, and Chinese theatre takes place on the goddess’ birthday, celebrated on the 19th day of the second, sixth and ninth lunar months.
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Protestant Cemetery
Here on Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, the mouldering tombs of colonial officials huddle together under a canopy of magnolia trees. Here you'll find the graves of Captain Francis Light and many others, including governors, merchants, sailors and Chinese Christians who had fled the Boxer Rebellion only to die of fever in Penang.
Also here is the tomb of Thomas Leonowens, the young officer who married Anna - the schoolmistress to the King of Siam made famous by Deborah Kerr in the King and I. The 1999 remake, Anna and the King, was filmed in Malaysia, including some scenes in Penang.
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P Ramlee House
Who would have guessed that this humble, and now thoroughly restored kampung house was the birthplace of Malaysia's biggest megastar, P Ramlee. Ramlee was particularly known for his singing voice and acted in and directed 66 films in his lifetime. No other Malaysian celebrity has ever reached the same iconic status. He died of a heart attack at the age of 44 in 1973.
Artefacts and photos are displayed in the main room, while the other areas of the house are furnished as they would have been when Ramlee grew up and are scattered with his personal items.
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Lebuh Armenia
Although this street is named for Penang's Armenian population (such as the famous Sarkies who established the Eastern & Oriental Hotel), there's no evidence that any Armenians actually ever lived here. In the early 1800s the street was known as Malay Lane from a kampung settlement here, and later the Chinese named it pak thang-ah kay (copper worker's street) because this is where brass- and copperwares were sold.
It later became a centre for Chinese secret societies and was one of the main fighting stages of the 1867 Penang riots.
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Yoga Classes and Accreditation at Trisula Yoga
Yogis and yoginis come from all over the world to get their teacher training and certification at Trisula Yoga as it's one of only four yoga schools in Malaysia that is a registered yoga school (RSA) with Yoga Alliance USA and Asia Yoga Alliance India. Certification is in 'nondenominational' hatha yoga and generally takes six weeks. Occasionally the school also runs reiki training courses so check the website if you're interested.
For regular lay-person classes, call or email for times (which change regularly); pilates is also available.
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East Xiamen Delicacies
With tables made from antique sewing-machine stands, ageing tile floors, overhead fans and scrolls for menus, this quaint little café is one of Penang's most atmospheric. The food is equally interesting with tasty homestyle recipes such as teochew lor ark (stewed duck) eaten with rice or congee, mangkuang (vegetarian dumplings stuffed with shredded yam-bean and chives, also known as kuchai kueh) and kuang cheang Teluk Anson (yam blended with groundnuts, wrapped in soya bean skin and deep fried).
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Red Garden Food Paradise & Night Market
Groove to '80s hits in this red-themed courtyard - the chairs and tables are red and the walls are white and red. This place has yet to win over the locals, but it has an excellent location in the heart of Chinatown and has a wide selection of food including most local specialities, dim sum (for breakfast), pizza and even sushi.
Green Hut has an outlet here, selling its outrageous Australian desserts. It's not a bad choice for families looking for something low-key, and is one of the few hawker centres with plenty of parking.
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