Isle of Treasures

5 Reasons To Add Penang To Your Bucket List

By Pandora Poikilos
When one mentions Malaysia, the first destination that comes to mind is the coun
try's capital which is Kuala Lumpur. Fair enough, with the outstanding structure
of the Petronas Twin Towers, diversified shopping, the Sepang circuit and of co
urse the night life, where everyday is a party if you find the right spot, one i
s bound to be dazzled.
But no, it's not Kuala Lumpur that captured my heart, I went to Malaysia and I f
ell in love with the Pearl of the Orient, otherwise known as Penang. Located on
the northern end of Malaysia you can get here by flight (you will need to transi
t in Kuala Lumpur), bus or car on the North South Highway or even train which is
run by KTM Berhad and stops you at its mainland, Butterworth.
Even as you land in Penang and take to the streets, the only word that will come
to mind is, rustic. You will see a blend of old and new, foreign and local, the
luxurious and the basics all paraded on one street which brings me to the point
of unity.
Unity
At the time of writing, the Malaysian government is carrying out a 1Malaysia con
cept which carries the objective to further strengthen and reitirate the unity a
mong the three main races in Malaysia. Having been to most of the states in Mala
ysia, it is Penang that bears the emblem of this concept to perfection. You will
see a mosque, a church and a chinese temple on the same street. In a hawker cen
tre, you will find at least one spot that serves each kind of food although, in
most areas, available food is Chinese food.
Food
Now, if you're on a diet or the kind who doesn't enjoy trying food at your holid
ay spots, then Penang may not not be that fantastic for you. Otherwise, it's pro
bably the other reason why Penang is known as the Pearl of the Orient. Selection
s are extensive and range from anything as light as roadside toasted bread for b
reakfast, Nasi Kandar for lunch, Ice Kacang for tea and Char Koay Teow for dinne
r. Now, naming a full Penang menu, well, I'd need at least a whole day. Price wi
se, I wouldn't call Penang food expensive, you can have one Roti Canai and a dri
nk under RM3.00 (approx. USD1). There is a large selection of restaurants that r
ange from middle range to luxury dining (at a minimum of RM150.00 per person) bu
t word of the wise, the hawker food will have you salivating. The two areas wher
e you can get most of the popular Penang dishes under one roof would be Gurney D
rive or One World Park, both located in the central area of Georgetown.
Convenience
While some people may often have gripes about public transportation in Penang or
the non metered taxis here, there has been a vast improvement with its bus serv
ices since 5 years ago. However, transportation aside, most areas have your basi
c needs covered and you would usually find everything is accesible and convenien
tly placed in within one area. When it comes to food, there is a hawker, restaur
ant or cafe at least every 10 minutes of the way. When it comes to shopping cent
res, you have the fancy ones in the form of Queensbay mall or Gurney Plaza place
d in prominent areas very accessible with public transportation and then you hav
e hypermarket giants in the form of Tesco which has sprouted on the island and t
he mainland, Butterworth. You also have Carrefour on the mainland and some local
hypermarket chains in the form of Giant and Econsave.
Heritage
When traveling extensively to other places, you may find that history will be in
 a book or in a torn down building, but in Penang, chances are you'd be able to
visit that building and be told the story of how it came to be. Like some of its
other Asian counterparts, Penang was also once ruled by the British with Captai
n Francis Light landing at the sie of For Cornwallis and taking posession of the
island in 1786. While outsider governance and the effects of the World Wars may
hold bitter memories for some, it is also very enriching to see that in most pa
rts of Penang, heritage has been preserved. Old schools, townhalls, fields and o
ld buildings which over the years have been given a face lift still stand proud
and erect as a reminder of past lessons for a current and future generation bles
sed with independence.
Language
Most places in Asia, English serves as a second language, sometimes even a third
which will usually mean that you would require a translator when walking the st
reets or talking to street sellers. Not in Penang. Almost everyone speaks Englis
h. And almost everyone will be more than willing to share their story with you.
From the guide who will tell you of his school days in Penang to the hawker who
will tell you how he raised his children by selling 'char koay teow' on a street
corner, yes, everyone will have something to share if you are willing to listen
.
And there you have it, I do not promise you a non-sweltering, non-insect bite As
ian holiday, but I can promise you Penang will open your eyes to Asian treasures
that will leave you with memories for a lifetime. She is after all, the Pearl o
f the Orient.