Sampling the Colonial Architecture and Delicious Food in Penang, Malaysia

If you have some time in the region, Penang, Malaysia is a cool little place to go explore for a few days. It’s probably not a place that would figure too highly on a relatively short timeframe in Southeast Asia, and definitely not a super short one, but if you are moving at a more relaxed pace and have already hit a lot of the bigger “must-see” sights and places of the region like the streets of Vietnam, the temples of Cambodia, and the beaches of Thailand, it’s definitely worth a stopover. 

 

Two of the things that stick out most as special about Penang are its beautiful leftover British colonial architecture, still in good form from its colonial days (beginning in 1768 with the arrival of Francis Light who took formal possession the land in the name of the king at what became Fort Cornwallis), and its delicious food. 

 

The architecture of Penang is really something, especially the way in which the old colonial buildings co-exist right next to the big modern highrise buildings in some places. The gleaming white city hall building is also a great example, dating back to 1903, and a stroll around old town Georgetown is the best place to get a good glimpse of a lot of the beautiful architecture. It’s also a great place for a snack or a meal as you stroll in one of the many delicious restaurants you’ll pass along the way; follow your nose, or you can pick up a Penang Food Trail map and make a day of following the trail and your tastebuds based on the descriptions of the dishes. 

 

What is unique about the food is not only the quality and incredibly cheap prices for it, but the fantastic selection of truly well done authentic Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian dishes, owing to the high populations of each demographic on the island. Nasi goreng, butter garlic naan, chicken tikka, and mango lassis; dim sum and bao; Penang Char Koay Teow, chicken satay, or assam laksa, you can get it all with ease, great prices, and excellent quality. Wash it down with some sweet iced teh tarik or a glass of iced Milo. In addition, there is a good selection of other international fare available, and it is easy to find excellent Korean, Japanese, and American food on the small island - there’s even a Chili’s and TGI Friday’s, and the Kentucky Fried Chicken set in the old colonial building has to be seen to be believed - talk about a combo deal!