Itinerary of A Happy Tummy: A Food and Travel Guide of Penang (Malaysia)

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This article is part of the Penang Food Trip series. Check out the installments in this series: Penang Food Guide | Penang Food and Travel Guide | Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery (MICHELIN-Starred Peranakan Restaurant) | ChinaHouse (Longest Cafe in Penang) | Hameediyah Restaurant (Nasi Kandar) | Hema Hema Ice Cream (Artisanal Ice Cream) | Kafe Ping Hooi and Tiger Char Koay Teow (Traditional Coffee Shop with Popular Char Kway Teow) | JOJA Bagels (Sandwiches Made with New-York Style Bagels) | Kimberley Street Food Night Market | Lok-Lok (Street Food Skewers) | Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay (Traditional Snacks or Desserts) | Penang Road Famous Laksa and Teochew Chendul | Sister Curry Mee (Curry Noodles) | Toh Soon Cafe (Traditional Coffee Shop)

I realized that a majority don’t travel primarily for food like I do. Their itineraries are filled with the usual tourist spots and that’s perfectly fine. While some of them want to experience true local cuisine, they miss out on it due to loaded schedules and lack of planning. They end up with mediocre food or Western food chains (nothing wrong with the latter as I love trying them abroad, but you’ll miss out a lot if that is all you eat).

I want YOU to avoid this trend, save your stomach space from useless calories, and be “food wise” in your travels. After all, this is what my blog is all about. So I started a new series called Itinerary of A Happy Tummy. It’s a collection of travel guides that includes tourist sites to visit and food experiences to try. This one is for Penang, Malaysia.

Introduction

Penang is a state of Malaysia located north of Kuala Lumpur, and is composed of a mainland and an island. Its capital, George Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to many historical structures such as British buildings and Chinese shophouses.

But aside its rich history and architecture, Penang is also known for its food. In fact, it’s considered the food capital of Malaysia. From affordable street food to MICHELIN-rated spots, you will not run out of options for good food!

What to Expect (and Not TO Expect) in this Food and Travel Guide?

To manage expectations, here’s what you can expect:

Dishes and Food Experience to Try
Attractions to Visit and Activities to Do
Sample Itinerary
Tips

I’ll be excluding accommodations, transportation, visas (if applicable), and whatever else is not included above.

Lastly, this guide focuses mostly on George Town (for now). Hopefully, I’ll be able to include other areas of Penang in the future.

Dishes and Food Experiences to Try

Below are the dishes and food experiences I think you should try in Penang. I will include the spots where to have it, and I’ll also include places that I haven’t tried (I’m trusting the local and international food b/vloggers’ recommendations).

Here are the food experiences you can try (click the links for related articles and sites):

Assam Laksa. Laksa is a popular Malaysian/Singaporean dish among locals and tourists alike. It’s a noodle soup dish usually with a coconut milk-based broth. But did you know that Penang has its own version of laksa (like most of the Malaysian states) and has no coconut milk at all?

Penang-style laksa, a.k.a. Assam Laksa, has a fish-based broth that’s made sour (“assam”) with tamarind. It’s also composed of thick rice noodles, shredded mackerel, sliced vegetables (cucumbers, onions, and lettuce), and chunks of pineapple. You can try this at Penang Road Famous Laksa. Check out our experience here.

Cafes. George Town is a haven for coffee enthusiasts. You will not run out of hip or unique cafes to visit when you’re there.

One of the most popular and fascinating ones is ChinaHouse, which is the longest cafe in Penang, stretching 400 feet (check out our ChinaHouse experience here). For other cafes, you can try JOJA Bagels (check my review here) or check out this list.

Char Kway Teow. Char Kway (or Koay) Teow (CKT) is a stir-fried (“char”) rice noodle (“kway teow”) dish and is one of the staple dishes of Penang. Compared to its Singaporean counterpart that uses chicken eggs, has yellow round noodles, and is on the sweeter side, the Penang variant uses duck eggs, sticks to flat noodles only, and is more on the savory side.

Popular CKT hawkers include Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, Siam Road Char Koay Teow, Tiger Char Koay Teow at Kafe Ping Hooi (check my review here).

Chendul. Also spelled as Cendol or Chendol, this is a shaved ice dessert popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s usually composed of worm-like green pandan (screwpine) jellies, red beans, coconut milk, and gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup. Some varieties even have durian on it.

You can try this at Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul, which, as its name suggests, is the most popular chendul seller in Penang. Check out my review here.

Curry Mee. This is a noodle soup dish with a spicy, coconut milk-based broth. It usually composed with egg noodles (“mee”) and rice vermicelli noodles, and topped with blood cakes, sliced cuttlefish, and tau pok (tofu puffs or fried beancurd).

You can try this at Sister Curry Mee, which is a street food institution in Air Itam, a suburb of George Town. Check out our experience here.

Local Breakfast. To try local breakfast, head to a Kopitiam, which is a traditional coffee shop (“kopi” is coffee in Malay, and “tiam” is shop in Hokkien) commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries. It’s a space composed of different hawkers, and its owner typically sells beverages (so it’s mandatory to buy drinks). One kopitiam you can visit is Kafe Ping Hooi (check my experience here).

You can also try a traditional breakfast set consisting of toast, soft-boiled eggs, and kopi (coffee with condensed milk) or teh tarik (pulled milk tea). For this, you can go to Toh Soon Cafe (check out our experience here).

Nasi Kandar. This is one of the food experiences that originated in Penang, Malaysia, and sold by Indian Muslims. It translates to “rice” (nasi) and “balance” (kandar) because it used to be sold by vendors who would carry poles (on their shoulders) with two huge baskets containing home-cooked dishes and rice.

You can try this at Deens Maju Nasi Kandar, Hameediyah Restaurant (check out our experience here), Nasi Kandar Imigresen, and Restoran Nasi Kandar Line Clear.

Nasi Lemak. This is Malaysia’s national dish. Literally “fat rice”, nasi lemak is a dish consisting of boiled or fried egg, cucumber, ikan bilis (fried anchovies), peanuts, sambal (chili sauce), and of course the nasi (rice), which is cooked in santan (coconut milk) and flavored with pandan (screwpine) leaves. It’s usually paired with a viand or two (or sometime more), in which ayam goreng (fried chicken) is the most popular. Imagine the flavors and textures!

Ali Nasi Lemak is known to serve the best nasi lemak in all of Penang. The flavor is a mix of sweet, spicy, and salty. It’s definitely an umami bomb!

Night Markets. There are plenty of night markets around Penang. These pasar malam, as it’s locally called, are full of energy and good food.

Some night markets you can visit are Chulia Street Night Market, Kimberley Street Food Night Market (check out our experience here), and Macallum Street Night Market.

Peranakan Food. To the uninitiated, Peranakan refers to a people group with Chinese and Malay heritage. So imagine the blend of its cuisines and flavors!

While there are many Peranakan restaurants in Penang, I highly suggest that you go to the MICHELIN-starred Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery. Check out our experience here.

You can also try Peranakan Kuih (snacks or desserts). I recommend Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay, a kuih maker in operation since 1933! Check out our experience here.

If you want an extensive list of restaurants, cafes, and other food spots to visit in Penang, then check out the Penang Food Guide that I created. Check it out here.

Attractions to Visit and Activities to Do

Normally, I would list down areas instead of individual activities, attractions, museums, and shopping spots. That’s because I want you to maximize your visit at a particular area and help you save time and fare. However, George Town’s heritage zone is small, and tourist attractions are just walking distance from each other.

Here are the attractions and activities that we recommend:

Armenian Street. This is one of the most visited streets in George Town. It’s teemed with clan and shophouses, souvenir shops, street art, and temples.

Don’t forget to visit to take a detour to the Umbrella Alley!

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (a.k.a. The Blue Mansion) and Pinang Peranakan Mansion. These mansions are two of George Town’s famous heritage buildings. Built by business moguls, these mansions-turned-museums showcase the culture, traditions, and opulent lifestyles of the Babas and Nyonyas (Peranakan men and women, respectively). You can join their guided tours.

Moreover, The Blue Mansion was converted into a hotel and restaurant so you can also stay and/or dine there. And if you’re fan of Crazy Rich Asians (the movie), then you should know that one of its scenes was shot here.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Address: 14 Lebuh Leith, George Town, Penang, Malaysia | Contact No.: +604 262 0006 | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Clan Jetties. The Clan Jetties are “floating villages” or villages on stilts occupied by Chinese clans. There are a total of 6 jetties in George Town, in which the Chew Jetty is the most popular one.

In these jetties, there are food spots, murals, and souvenir shops. While these are tourist spots, people still reside in the houses so please be mindful and respectful when you visit (as you should in any tourist spot that you visit).

Free Walking Tour. If you want to explore spots that are on the off-the-beaten path and understand Penang culture, then we recommend that you try joining a free walking tour (but of course, you are encouraged to give a tip to the tour guide). The walking tour we joined lasted for almost 4 hours (against the advertised 2 hours). But it was worth it!

By the way, the free walking tour we joined will end by October 30, 2024, and we’re not sure if it extended. So we recommend that you search the Internet for a free walking tour of George Town.

Fort Cornwallis. This fort was built by the British during its colonial era. It was established by Captain Francis Light, the Royal Navy officer who secured the island of Penang.

Interestingly, this fort never experienced any military action. Currently, it’s now a popular tourist attraction.

Address: Jalan Tun Syed Barakbah, George Town, Penang, Malaysia | Operating Hours: Daily, 9AM-7PM

Kek Lok Si Temple. Located in Air Itam, this temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. It’s a popular tourist destination, usually partnered with a visit to Penang Hill (more on this later).
Penang Hill. This is a hill resort that offers a panoramic view of Penang Island. Aside from its viewing deck, there are other attractions here, including the funicular that brings visitors to the top. But don’t go there on a weekend. The queue just to ride the funicular going up the hill takes 2 hours. If you hike up, it also takes the same amount of time.

Straits and Oriental Museum. This museum, as its website states, is “Malaysia’s and Penang’s first cultural centre with museum, art gallery, exhibition centre, restaurants, cafe, bar, and gift house.”

An interesting part of the museum is the collection of artifacts recovered from shipwrecks.

Street Art Hunting. George Town is a haven for Instagrammers. You can get your IG fix by hunting the street art dispersed throughout the city’s heritage zone. These are mostly murals, steel works, and other installations.

If you want a map of George Town’s street art, you can visit this site.

Wonderfood Museum. This is an interactive and informative museum that features Penang’s cuisine and larger-than-life replicas of Malaysian dishes.

Foodies like me will really enjoy this attraction!

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Before I show you my sample itinerary, here are few things to take note of:

The sample itinerary is for a trip of 4 days and 3 nights. For me, this is the minimum length for a trip to be enjoyable. If your trip is longer, then just fill in the additional days.
I included the areas, attractions, and food experiences that you should visit/do for a first-time visit.
Because we all desire to maximize any trip, I assumed that you’re arriving at Penang in the morning and leaving in the evening.
I didn’t consider the operating days and times of the attractions and food spots listed in the itinerary. So please do some research and take note of them (you can check my linked articles if applicable). Adjust as needed. You don’t want to end up with the attraction or food spot closed.
In the end of the day, it’s your time, money, and trip. So feel free to change anything in the itinerary. If you want to splurge for an activity or food experience, go for it. If you want to sleep in or take a nap in the middle of the day, go for it. Enjoy your trip in the way you want to!

TIPS

Finally, let me give you some tips to maximize your explorations and foodventures:

It’s best to start the day at 8AM with a breakfast to further maximize the day. I’m a big believer in breakfast. I have 2 reasons: First, it’s always good to load some energy for the whole day. Some activities can be strenuous, like climbing up hundreds of steps, doing a day hike near the city, or just walking kilometers within the city. Second, there’s always the tendency to skip lunch or have no food for a long period of time if the day gets too busy or an itinerary stop takes longer than expected.
Take note of the weekends, when tourists swarm attractions. We made a mistake when we visited Penang Hill on a Saturday. The queue just to ride the funicular going up the hill takes 2 hours, which we didn’t have the time and patience for.
I have given you a good amount of resource to plan for your exploration and foodventures. But if you still end up in a place where you’re unsure where to eat, try a trusted technique: Look for a place with a lot of customers or where there is a queue. There’s a high chance that those places serve good food.
Leave some room for spontaneity. Sometimes, the best experiences happen when we least planned it. But don’t leave too much room lest you end up wasting resources.

Did you find this guide helpful? Is there anything I need to add? Comment them below!

For other Itinerary of a Happy Tummy food and travel guides, check these out: Bangkok (Thailand) | Cebu City (Philippines) | Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) | Singapore