Let me take you all with me to a visit to my Hometown - Penang, Malaysia

Let me take you all with me to a visit to my Hometown - Penang, Malaysia

Penang Island highlighted in red

Hope you all know where Penang is!  Anyways let me introduce you and let you know where this beautiful place is.  It is a state in Malaysia and is an island located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia.  Penang is the second smallest Malaysian State in area after Perlis, east, and Perak Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. (In Malay it is also known as Pulau Pinang). I am proud to say this is my hometown.  

Given any opportunity I always make a point to visit Penang (my hometown) sometimes with my children or otherwise alone to visit my Parents.  It also takes me back to my younger days where I was born and grew up.  

If you are travelling overland to Penang, then you will probably use the Penang Ferry (Feri Pulau Pinang) which runs between Butterworth on mainland Malaysia, to Georgetown on Penang Island.

We love to cross by Ferry as the scenery is really amazingly beautiful and while watching the waters you really feel like diving in and having a swim. These ferries also take cars for people who drive.  We generally like to stand by the sides instead of sitting as we get to see the beautiful scenery and also different type of fishes and sometimes you get to see jellyfish stuck on the bottom sides of the ferry and you do enjoy the sight.  (Jellyfish - Scientific name is Medusozoa) tends to stick even to human body if you are swimming in the sea, it tends to stick onto your skin and causing pain.   

If the tide is high and the sea is rough then you can see the waves hitting hard against the ferry.  It gets  breezy and you just enjoy it so much so that you feel the journey should be endless.  It is a wonderful experience and we would always love to come back home by the Ferry whenever we made a trip to the mainland of Malaysia either visiting Singapore or Thailand.

Penang is one of the most developed and economically important states in the country, as well as a thriving tourist destination. The capital of Penang is Georgetown and Penang is often known as 'The Pearl Of Orient'.  You can also take a tour of the Island in a day.

The main attraction are the beaches and most popular beaches in Penang are located at Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi, and Teluk Bahang. These contiguous beaches are home to Penang's famed hotel and resort belt.  The most famous beach is in Batu Ferringhi.

Penang beaches

Another routine all my brothers and sisters had to follow religiously was that we would have to get up early, imagine on Sunday when one likes to laze in bed longer than the usual days, whether we liked it or not to go to the Gurudwara first thing in the morning followed by a swim either in the beach or a swimming Pool, as my Parents would be really strict on this.  After a good swim, we would play on the beach and go round digging for shells and also sometimes found live Scallop Sea Shell.  And of course you all know that after a good swim it makes you feel very ravenous and as there are also of food stall, restaurants / hotels on the beach we would all just rush to the eating joints and enjoy eating local Malay or Chinese food or sometimes bring packed home food and have a picnic on the beach.  Really those were the good old days. Wish I could put  the clock back as it was the best time of my childhood with my family.

Food Stall on the Beach

Penang has been ranked by the Travel Channel as one of the "10 Islands to Explore Before You Die"  So, why not plan a visit to Penang?  I am sure you will never regret visiting this wonderful island and it would rather make a memorable visit of a lifetime and you will enjoy it very much as the saying goes : Nothing is impossible as the word itself says “I’m possible”.

Penang Hill : Although Penang has limited land size and dense population, Penang has managed to retain a considerable area of natural environment.  Penang Hill is one of the famous park in Penang. It is located at the fringe of Georgetown and at the foot of Penang Hill have two adjacent green areas which is Youth Park and Penang Botanical Garden.  To go up Penang Hill, you have to go up by the cable train which also has a few stoppages to take in more passengers and stops midway for us to get into another train to reach up to the hill.  Though It is a  very steep ride we all enjoy the experience.  There are beautiful parks and greenery and of course restaurants up there for refreshments and eateries.  When you take a look down from the Hill, you can see the town and it is of course a beautiful scenery.

Cable Train for Penang Hill

We also need to see the Snake Temple, Tortoise Temple and the Sleeping Buddha.

Snake Temple : You do feel scared to see all sorts of species of snakes in the Snake Temple.  The bigger and larger species are kept in the cages and they really look dangerous especially when they stick their tongue out, you do feel scared when they tend to move towards you.  

Whereas the milder ones are sleeping on the plants which are kept out in the temple.  Of course they do move but most of the time they are dozed off.  The Chinese do light  dhoop (Incense Stick) in the temple.  Just outside the temple you have stalls to pick some gifts or replicas of the temple to remind you of your visit and of course food stalls for refreshments.  

Tortoise Temple: Kek Lok Si Temple :The souvenir passageway leads to the Liberation Pond, also called The Tortoise Pond is up a small steep hill where lots of tortoise are kept and there some plants and leaves in the pond on which the tortoise feed.  This Temple has consist of series of monasteries and beautiful landscaped gardens.

You must not miss visiting a Thai Buddhist Temple, Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram.

While the Buddha is not quite as splendrous as the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, but the temple is certainly beautiful, peaceful and nearly void of visitors. There is strong Thai influence in Penang not only here but also where food is concerned.

Come to Penang and you have to shop.   Several shopping malls offering a wide range of merchandise. Penang's largest shopping mall is the Queensbay mall. The first modern shopping mall in Penang is Komtar which has many years of history already. Komtar is also the tallest building in Penang too.  So, must shop in Penang when you visit to Penang especially girls who love shopping very much.

Hawkers Food Stalls

Penang long known as the food capital of Malaysia, is renowned for its good and varied food. Penang is also recognized as having the Best Street Food in Asia citing that 'now where else can such great food be so cheap'.  Penang especially famous with its 'hawker food'.  The best place to savour Penang's food include Gurney Drive, New World Park, Raja Uda and Chai Leng Park.  You must try food such as Hokkien Mee, Laksa, Char Kuey Teow, Ais Kacang and many more!! Beside from that, Penang is also ranked among top ten greatest street food cities in Asia. This is the 'hawker food' in Penang  

 

I must tell you that the best and sumptuous is street food in the Wet markets and you will really enjoy it and come back for more.  Eating here is any day better than the big hotels or restaurants.  It is cheaper and tastier.  It is the same in Thailand.

Pasar Malam

Pasar Malam is night street market where you can purchase household goods, clothings and do your grocery shopping at a cheaper rate.  One really enjoys going to these Pasar Malam.  They are generally held once a week in different areas.

Traditional Soya Sauce Factory

Besides sightseeing you must also visit a traditional Soy Sauce Factory.  The people making it general use their front compound of their house as a factory.  This sauce is even used all over the world when we make Chinese food. We also got to taste the soy sauce, which naturally, was delicious- thick and syrupy and bubbling with that addictive umami flavor. It was a far cry from La Choy, a.k.a. liquid salt.

Colonial Buildings

So by the end of it all you must not miss on having a look at Penang’s colonial mansions e.g. Fort Cornwallis built by Francis Light as defensive measure, Penang Museum. UNESCO World Heritage Site, - major port.  And I was not disappointed. While some were a bit shabby, others were in immaculate condition. But shabby or not, I still relished the chance to see such unique and historical architecture.  

Sigh. Aren’t they just dreamy?

All in all the tour reminded me of why I loved Penang so much- you’re never more than a stone’s throw from a colonial mansion or a really, really good meal.

   

So, have a visit to Penang if you never come to Penang before!!!!                   

My advice to you is not enquire why or whither but just get up and make your plan and visit this beautiful place before you miss the opportunity

Parsan Narang

Kolkata

1st March 2016