EXPLORING PENANG

It was really my first time to visit Penang. I've visited Kuala Lumpur three times, but I've never come to Penang. Last year, I got very cheap return tickets, it just around IDR 350.000 or USD 25. I booked the ticket just for my self, yes, I planned to go there alone. But months later, my friend, Irene, also got the cheap ticket in the same flight. So, I went there with Irene, yay, I have someone to take my photos and  split the bill wkwk.

We stayed in Tune Hotel George Town. I love the room and the view! The price is also cheap I think. It's only USD 45 for two nights.  The location is around 1 km from the street art area. I suggest you to find closer hotel to the street area if you don't like to walk. Anyway, in Penang we really have to walk a lot. I took taxi some time, when it's getting hot in the afternoon. We used Grab, it's only 5 RM around IDR 17250 or USD 1.5.

the room at Tune Hotel 

We arrived on Friday Night. We took bus from airoport to Komtar (around 3RM), then we walked to the hotel around 1 km. So, it took around two hours from airport to the hotel haha, but it so fun. We have to cross many roads with our suitcase and backpack, and also hungry stomach. lol.

We had no energy to stroll around the city that night. We just eat instant noodle and enjoy the room that beyond our expectation in the hotel (lol).

We wake up in the next morning, it was Saturday. We find a place to start our culinary tour (aha, lol). Thanks to Irene's friend who gave many suggestion to us. First, she recommend us to find a breakfast place near our hotel, she didn't remember the name of the place, so we just followed her instruction, to walk straight, turn left, cross the road, looking a crowded place near the police station. We found that place with uncertainty, because the place is still closed. We just realized that, that day is a public holiday in Malaysia (in Indonesia too). Okay, finally, we confused, where to eat, we kept walking, then, we found a crowded place, the place name is: Roti Bakar Hutton Lane. We were curious and we ordered the food there.  I ordered kaya bread, shaking egg bread, and coffee. Meanwhile, Irene ordered a kind of omelet bread and kaya bread, and teh tarik.One interesting point is the owner/the seller remember what we order without take any note. When we finished our food and wanted to pay, he just remembered what we order very detail (applause).

beautiful George Town

beautiful George Town 

Having finished our breakfast, we started our mural tour. The weather was so beautiful that time, so I could took beautiful pictures from my ipod, my camera was suddenly just not working that time (crying).

Anyway, I have read a little bit about the history of Penang and the fact about Penang (just a little bit) before I arrived. I also find out the artist who painted the murals, and I got this site https://www.penang-traveltips.com/ernest-zacharevic-george-town-murals.htm. From that site, I know that the murals were painted by a young Lithuania-born artist, Ernest Zacharevic. This series of murals is entitled Mirrors George Town and painted as part of George Town Festival 2012. Anyway, I didn't get all murals that day, we just took a half day to find murals that day, we continued to explore more murals in the next day.

Roti Bakar Hutton 

We had our lunch in Bee Hwa Cafe. When we arrived there, the cafe is almost closed. But we were still be served by them. They said only prawn noodle and Currie noodle left. So, we ordered both. Irene chose prawn noodle (I saw it's a little bit like tomyam). Meanwhile, my currie noodle is almost the same, but with more coconut milk.

Afterward, we went to Penang Peranakan Mansion. It just beautiful to see an old house, but still in a very good condition. We followed the guide and heard the story from him about the mansion's history. It's more about Chinese culture in the past.

Then, we  were back to hotel to have a little break for praying and re-touch our make up, lol. Afterward, we moved to the sea side by Grab. We strolled around Penang town hall and city hall. It's really in the sea side.

Then, we walked about 1.3 km in a very sunny day to Tan Jetty Area. We walked and stopped sometimes to take a little rest (to take pictures like a model LOL).

Finally, we arrived in Tan Jetty, we just sit there for a while. (When I arrived in Jakarta, I was just curious how to take good photos in Tan Jetty, I browsed in instagram top photos in Tan Jetty and I just got an idea, LOL, I didn't get that angle when I was there *crying* *lol* ).

Afterward, we went to Gurney Plaza to have our dinner. We find Subway. OMG finally I eat subway again after a very long time lol. I didn't eat Nandos btw. (I almost always eat nandos, papparich, subway when I am in Malaysia). We also bought some eureka hehehehee.


We arrived at the hotel with tired foot, lol.


Then, in the next day, we continued our journey to find some murals again. We also had our breakfast in Chinahouse cafe. The cake is around 18 RM, and it's so delicious.

We walked around the city until afternoon. Then, we off to airport around 2 pm.


Overall, I was so happy and enjoy to explore Penang. I recommend all you guys to visit this city.

a little summary:
Where we stay: Tune Hotel George Town
Where we eat : Roti Bakar Hutton (around 7 RM with drink), Bee Hwa Kafe (around 7.6 RM with drink), Subway (around 11 RM with drink), China House Cafe (around 33 RM coffee and cake with drink), Hameed soup (around 9 RM with drink).
Where we go: Finding Murals, Penang Peranakan Mansion (20 RM), Penang Town and City Hall, beach near town hall, Tan Jetty, Gurney Plaza.

a little tips:
Sunday morning in George Town is less crowded than in Saturday morning.
Tea O is regular tea, meanwhile tea is teh tarik (tea with milk).
Wear comfortable shoes and prepare a hat (beacuse we have to walk a lot in Penang)


Thank you for reading, wish you have a great day.

xoxo
Ashry