Travelogue #7 – Penang

I love Penang; I have been going there since I was a kid and I still go there, almost yearly. There are literally 1001 things to do and this short piece cannot list them all.

Pulau Pinang was once called the pearl of the orient. It however has nothing to do with oysters. It has a lot to do with promoting tourism. Excuse me for being ignorant but I haven’t seen that tagline for quite a while now.

Back in 16th century, Penang was used by the Portuguese ships as a stopover for supplies of fresh water. They used to anchor at the north of the Island at a place now called Batu Feringghi.*
Penang was once part of the state of Kedah but was given to the British East India Company in 1786 by the ruler of Kedah, Sultan Abdullah (I think that’s his name) in exchange for military protection in case the Siamese and Burmese armies threatened Kedah. Penang was renamed Prince of Wales (POW) Island by Captain Francis Light because the Prince was having his birthday party when Frank landed on the Esplanade. It was not until 1867 before the name Penang was re-instated. Frank also named his settlement Georgetown, after POW’s dad, King George III. Penang was the first British possession in the Malay States and Southeast Asia.
Apparently the good captain did not seek his bosses’ approval when agreeing to the terms of handover with Sultan Abdullah. As a consequence, the Brits did nothing when Siam attacked Kedah. The Sultan became murka (pissed or angry; not to be confused with marqa, which means boyfriend/girlfriend) and assembled an army to get rid of the British. DYMM Sultan amassed his men at Seberang Perai (Province Wellesley) to retake Penang Island but was defeated by the cunning Captain Light who attacked the Kedah army during the night. In 1791, HRH Sultan Abdullah of Kedah signed a treaty with the British, officially handing over Penang to them. He got 6,000 Spanish dollars (£1500) annually as part of the deal. Apparently, the Penang State Government still pays the Sultan of Kedah RM18,000 annually (for what, I don’t know). Frankie Light was appointed the first Superintendent of Prince of Wales Island. Between 1832 and 1935, Penang was the capital of the Straits Settlements.

Penang is about 4 hours by car from KL, depending on the traffic, driving speed and how many times you stop at the R&R. During the holiday period or festive season, it could take 7-8 hours, depending on whether you use the emergency lane or not. After exiting the Juru toll plaza, follow signs to the Penang Bridge, once the longest bridge in Asia. Pay RM7 and you’re on the bridge (the outbound trip is free, or rather, factored in the inbound toll), in less than 15 minutes, you’re on the island.

Traffic in Penang is a mess. The roads are bad, the one-way system is confusing and cars are parked illegally, indiscriminately by the roadside turning 2 lanes into one. I have never tried the public transport but apparently it is also a mess. Trishaws are still used as a mode of transport in some parts of the city, mainly as joyrides for the tourists. For a beautiful view of Penang, take the road to Balik Pulau, the winding uphill road offers wonderful view of the Island. The driver however is advised to keep all eyes on the road …

Penang is famous for food; Penang char kway teow, pasembor, nasi kandar and assam laksa. My favourite nasi kandar is Line Clear on Penang Road near the Chowrasta market. Good food can also be found on Gurney** Drive, on the esplanade. The stalls operate daily from sunset till past midnight. Gurney Drive also offers a good vantage point for sunset on the island.
Things to do and see Fort Cornwallis is the largest fortress still standing in Malaysia. Nothing much to see especially if one is used to the castles and forts of Europe but a must see nonetheless.

The E&O Hotel was once of the grandest hotels in the region, alongside the Raffles in Singapore and the Strand in Rangoon. It still looks grand but I haven’t had the chance to experience its hospitality. Suites (there are no rooms) start at RM570 all the way up to “Price upon Request”. It is definitely in my list of places to stay in Penang. Maybe I’ll go there for my honeymoon.

At the foot of the hill in Ayer Itam is the famous Penang Botanical Garden, with lots of monkeys and some Sakuras. Do not attempt to be friendly with the monkeys, they can be quite fierce and could be violent. Despite that, a relaxing walk around the gardens is highly recommended. There is also a Butterfly Farm in Teluk Bahang, you can see a lot of ummm ... butterflies there, all shapes, colours and sizes.
The Penang Hill funicular railway is known for its un-reliability but a trip up the hill (also called Bukit Bendera) could be worthwhile albeit a little risky should the train break down. There are quite a lot of things to do up on the hill, jungle walks, bird watching, look at flowers and plants … Interestingly, there is an Indian Temple and Mosque built side by side on Penang Hill with no racial conflict and tension. Residents of Sec 23 Shah Alam should organise a “lawatan sambil belajar“ here.

The 200 year old Kapitan Keling Mosque along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (obviously!!), in Little India (duh!) is one of the best known mosques in Penang and was previously the state mosque of Penang.
Kek Lok Si Temple located on the hillside near Ayer Itam is the biggest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia and is worthy of a visit. Another temple to visit is the snake temple in Bayan Lepas. Visitors are however warned not to pick up the snakes, just look at them, no touching, I doubt they’ll bite because the smoke form the incense makes them high but just don’t risk it.
Wat Chaiyamangkalaram is the largest Thai Buddhist temple in Penang which ironically sits on Burma Lane. Geddit? Thai temple on Burma ... oh nevermind!
The beach is a major attraction in Penang. All the way from Tanjong Bungah to Teluk Bahang there are picnic spots and pristine sandy beaches. Hotels of all classes and holiday apartments line the beachfront and there are many water sports to choose from. The world famous Hard Rock Hotel is located at the end of Batu Feringghi, next to the Bayview Beach Resort which hosts the annual Penang Jazz Festival. There is a night market every night in Batu Feringghi selling everything from DVDs, watches, handbags, clothes and souvenirs. Only the souvenirs are original.

I am already planning my next trip to Penang …

*Feringghi is the term used to describe the Portuguese or some say the Europeans.
**This Henry Gurney guy got his name on a street with good food as well as on a school for delinquents.