Georgetown Penang - A Travellers Guide to Trishaws, Old Chinatown and Penang Nightlife

Lots of tourists bypass Georgetown, Penang Malaysia, preferring instead to hang out at overpriced and overrated Batu Ferringhi. But Georgetown offers lots of great attractions, a slower, more relaxing pace, interesting nightlife and quiet culture away from the tourist trail. If you’re looking for a more authentic Penang experience, Georgetown is a great place to wander, with lots of Colonial architecture, friendly locals, nice food and a traditional Chinese influence.

If you’ve travelled across from mainland Malaysia on the ferry, you’ll enjoy some interesting weather on the way – from tropical to rain to winter weather – you’ll get a full day’s weather offering in the strait between Penang and Malaysia.

There are plenty of relaxing activities to do in Georgetown. You can stroll around the seaside promenade and admire the fort or clocktower, then check out the very ornate Chinese temples before catching a trishaw back to the town centre for lunch. There are night markets, street food, lots of arty restaurants and cultural concerts to attend in the evening – Georgetown takes its festivals seriously and puts on public performances with free giveaways for locals and visitors.

Map of Georgetown, Penang

Chinatown

Georgetown has a large Chinese influence retained from the Chinese immigrant settlers who migrated to Penang in the 1800s. The Chinatown area contains many temples, old-fashioned shopfronts, Chinese antique shops and traditional Chinese trades still functioning today, including lantern makers, joss stick makers and signage engravers.

As you walk through Chinatown, you’ll see street altars and fancy, ornate, Chinese temples to look at. You’ll also see mini altars inside the tourist shops with daily offerings on them. There’s Chinese street food to sample and tourist shops selling Asian gifts, as well as some locals doing their spitting, bathing and sleeping on the road.

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Georgetown Maps: Chinatown

Little India

Similar to Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown has its own Little India where the festival of Deepavali, like an “Indian Christmas” (held in late October, early November) brings out the more festive side of the Indian population. Not only are there some quite colourful looking shops and artistically-decorated trishaws, there is also lots of music and feasting going on in the area.

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I liked the Indian Top 20 music I heard so much, I purchased a CD and shopped till I dropped for amazing Deepavali decorations to take home. There were lots of friendly locals to talk to who recommended what to eat and sat with me to chat during my meal.

The food in Little India was particularly tasty and very very affordable, at about AU$8 for two courses and a drink.

Georgetown Maps: Little India

Nightlife & Restaurants

Georgetown has modernised its central restaurants, which have taken decorating to new heights in terms of artistic recycling (or upcycling) and theming. For example, I visited an enormous but tacky Mexican-themed bar, complete with a large range of strong cocktails, live Mexican music (performed by Thai musicians) and more-spicy-than-back-home Mexican food. I was invited to check out a restaurant with doors layered across its ceiling and many other interesting restaurant interiors.

A night market selling handcrafts was situated on the main restaurant strip, and as dusk fell, shopowners turned up the music and excited teenagers laughed and pranked with water bombs and balloon blowing for the amusement of tourists.

Many performances were available, such as the Upper Penang Road Street Anniversary Festival, Chinese dragon parades, Indian Deepavali concerts across the city, nightclubs around the corner from my hotel and Chinese opera. For such a reputedly quiet little town, I found Georgetown quite adequately stocked with nightlife which was popular with the locals and contained only a sprinkling of tourists. Just perfect for relaxation!

Georgetown Maps: Penang Road

Thanks for reading – I hope you enjoyed my blog about Georgetown, Penang Malaysia and I look forward to reading your comments!

All photos contained herein are copyright © 2010 Suzanne Day.

If this information was useful to you, please click the “vote up” or "useful" button below!

© 2010 Suzanne Day

Comments

Ced Yong from Asia on June 08, 2016:

Nice hub and pictures! I've always prefer Georgetown to Kuala Lumpur, and think it's the best city in Malaysia. It's developed enough, but not yet too overwhelming. And choked full of things to see (and eat).

Reynold Jay from Saginaw, Michigan on October 21, 2015:

Looks like a fun place to me. I must buy a ticket. Well done

Reynold Jay from Saginaw, Michigan on October 19, 2015:

I want a ticket. Well done, Suzanne!!

sujaya venkatesh on September 11, 2015:

a worthy travelogue

Susie Lehto from Minnesota on June 20, 2015:

Susanne, this is a beautifully illustrated guide for travelers to Georgetown. A colorful place! I would enjoy seeing some small villages in the area and the country side of life being a country girl at heart and for real.

georgescifo from India on June 03, 2015:

To say the tr, Georgetown really looks stunning and astonishing from the pictures that you have provided and hope that one day I get an opportunity to visit this amazing place in Malaysia.

Graham Lee from Lancashire. England. on May 18, 2015:

Hi Suzanne. A wonderful hub. I was there when reading all your visits. So well researched and presented. A pleasure to read and I shall save and return on wet English mornings. Tip Top.

voted up and all.

Graham.

juale sisle on May 11, 2015:

hi very nice writers.thanks

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on April 27, 2015:

I noticed on the map that this area is also a UNESCO world heritage site. That alone should entice many people to visit the area! Thanks for giving us a peek into what we would find in the Chinese and Indian sections of that city. Enjoyed the descriptions and your photos. Up votes and happy to share.

Suzanne Day (author) from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on February 26, 2015:

Yes, @poetryman, there is a huge Chinese influence in Penang!

poetryman6969 on February 25, 2015:

Looks like a very colorful place to travel. Definitely looks like a lot of Chinese influence.

Anton from Penza on February 11, 2015:

Malaysia is a wonderful country. Tnx for great story.

Suzanne Day (author) from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on February 05, 2015:

Hi PeachPurple, yes I have visited Georgetown for a week on my holiday. All of this hub and the photos are taken from my real life experience, so if you like the look of it, you should go and see it! I really liked Georgetown. My other favourite places in Malaysia are the Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Malaysia is great place for a holiday and although Australia is supposed to be the dream country (where I live) I liked the feeling and the optimism and the smells of Malaysia. I miss them still.

peachy from Home Sweet Home on February 04, 2015:

you been to georgetown ? Forgive me, I reside in malaysia , yet , i never been to georgetown, i live in the south

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on November 14, 2014:

I had no idea there is so much to do in Georgetown. I would definitely be interested in the inexpensive food in Little India. I enjoyed the photos you chose for this article, too.

Suzanne Day (author) from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on August 29, 2014:

Wow, so good to hear from a fellow Penang visitee! I really enjoyed travelling around Penang when I was there and definitely look forward to going back again one day.

mumsgather on August 28, 2014:

What a wonderful job you did with this hub. I'm from Penang though I don't live there now, I return every year to visit during Chinese New Year. :)

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on May 20, 2014:

This is an interesting and enjoyable hub. I loved the photos! Georgetown sounds like a fascinating place to explore.

precy anza from USA on April 18, 2014:

Beautiful. I know I would check on each shops and hunt for goodies that I like :) I enjoyed the photos very much. Shared.

Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on February 22, 2014:

Georgetown Penang: A Travellers Guide to Trishaws, Old Chinatown and Penang Nightlife is an incredible hub with such lovely photos about this adventurous place.

Patricia Scott from North Central Florida on February 07, 2014:

O yes...it is so much fun and so exciting to travel in foreign countries and experience it for real. This sounds like a trip that allows a peek and not just the 'touristy' side of the area. Maybe one day I can visit it too.

Great photos.

voted up , pinned, and shared..

Agnes on December 13, 2013:

I think I would fit in. It seems like a spectacular place for vacation!

Cathy Nerujen from Edge of Reality and Known Space on November 30, 2013:

What a great trip through Georgetown and Penang inside a glorious hub. My Mum would love this as she is from Thailand, and she knows that part of the world. It looks amazing and well done for creating a beautiful hub for world travelers and anyone looking for ideas about where to go for amazing discoveries, food, culture and people.

SolveMyMaze on November 08, 2013:

Excellent hub! A few friends of mine are heading over to Penang in the new year once they've recouped the costs of Christmas. This hub will be a huge help to them to see the area and the nightlife. I've passed it onto them, so thanks for the handy information.

Shiu-Kay Kan on March 24, 2013:

looking for the chinese lantern makers in george town penang

skk@easynet.co.uk

May PL from Melbourne, Australia on February 01, 2011:

It has been decades since I have been to Georgetown, Sue, but I recall the Chinese influence in that city. Thanks taking me down memory lane. Great hub.

fordie on December 14, 2010:

A very well constructed hub. Thanks