Penang, All the Charm, None of the Fuss!
If you love travelling and live in Singapore – chances are that you have skimmed the calendar for all the possible weekend getaways – and why not? Singapore’s strategic location and proximity to 4 beautiful countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand give its residents myriads of great options to choose from. Popular destinations like Bintan, Batam, Bali & Desaru get routinely overbooked. It doesn’t hurt that the SGD is the strongest currency in the region, making these destinations even more attractive.
The problem is that we are not alone in our quest for the next perfect destination, 99% of Singapore’s population is doing the same which means hotel fares increase crazily and the locations get super-crowded.
So for the long Easter weekend in March end, I decided to look for a non fuss, affordable option, popular but still doable. I chose Penang – a state in the north west Peninsular Malaysia.
Why I Chose Penang?
Distance – It is only a 90 min flight away from Singapore which meant that we could do a round trip over the Easter weekend, without missing workdays at all (not that we don’t want to miss workdays for a dreamy vacay!).
Visa free– Malaysia is visa free for Indians in 2024 ( it’s a big plus as Indians need visa for most countries, adding to the cost and hassle for travel.) Singaporeans anyways do not require a visa.
Cost – As I mentioned earlier, SGD is the strongest currency in the region so it’s an icing on the cake when you realize how far your dollar can stretch.
Some say that is the real reason behind Singapore being the happiest country in Asia!!
1 SGD is currently equivalent to 3.5 MYR making your trip 3.5 times sweeter!
https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=SGD&To=MYR
During my research, I realized that our flight tickets were the only “big budget” item of the trip, mostly because we were inflexible about the dates and timings. But if you plan ahead and can play around with dates and timings these could be economical as well. A quick look at some of the travel cost comparison sites such as skyscanner, expedia, trip.com reveal that currently a round trip for 2pax is costing well under <$200.
Hotel rates were really reasonable, food and local travel is pretty cheap. For example we hired a car with an English speaking local driver who charged us only 300 MYR for an entire day of sight seeing in Georgetown. ( And to my husband’s horror, I was about to pay him $300 to which the gentleman graciously replied , “Madam we don’t want your dollars, we only want our ringgit), so MYR 300 which is roughly $86.
Kaleidoscopic Tourism
If you are looking for a little of this and a little of that to make the best of your quick getaway, Penang has all the right ingredients for a pot pouri of experiences or what I like to term as kaleidoscopic tourism!
Food:
POV: You are a foodie and are craving for authentic ice kuchang, chendol or the street favourite kueh pie or Assam laksa? You roam the streets of Georgetown and satisy your craving!
Penang is known for its array of delightful street food and desserts. If you have hired a taxi to take you around, he can definitely take you to unmissable places to please your taste buds. Penang’s Peranakan influences evident both in its cuisine and its culture.
History, Art & Culture
Penang has a rich history with both colonial and Eastern influences. It was established by Francis Light in 1786 and later became a part of the The Straits Settlements comprising Penang, Malacca and Singapore. The heritage houses both in Georgetown- the UNESCO listed capital of Penang and Penang Hill exude colonial charm tempered with eastern vibrancy.
Its diverse culture represents a unique fusion between the Chinese settlors and the local Malays giving rise to what is popularly known as the Peranakan or Nyonya culture. The streets of Georgetown are dotted with street art depicting real life scenes which is another major tourist attraction.
Natural Beauty Abounds: Trails, Sea and Hills
Penang Hill has an elevation of 712 m and is home to many native species of animals, birds, and vegetation making it an excellent place to trek, enjoy nature and bird watch.
There are several trails to explore on Penang Hill including the historic Moniot Trail and the heritage trails that trace the history of the Heritage Bungalows. Check this link to see all the trails https://penanghill.gov.my/hikingtrails/
We were lucky to see the spectacled langurs, the native red giant flying squirrel, various indigenous trees and the highly fragrant ginger plants.
The Big Decision on Where to Stay-the Coast vs. the Hill
Every travel comes with distinct choices, one of the most important ones being where to stay? Husband wants to chill and have good food, children want to have fun and me – I want a place with a view! I want to hear the sound of quietude, I want to admire the setting sun, I want to wake up to the chirping of birds and open my arms to clouds softly enveloping me in their midst, Any guesses who was the winner? Yes, the Penang Hill – the 712 m tall Penang Hill with its British cottages, its colonial charm, the fascinating funicular and its iridescent beauty that grows on you!
It helped matters that the hotels on Penang Hill were more economical than the resorts on the Batu Firrangi beach and the good city hotels. Plus it had started getting furiously hot in March and our first day at Penang brought in news of a heatwave that had hit Peninsular Malaysia, but atop the hill, we were saved the unbearable heat as temperatures were 3-4degrees lower than the plains.
And my choice of hotel on Penang Hill convinced my skeptical husband and kids that this was the right decision as the icing on the cake was Hickory on Penang Hill, a quaint refurbished British bungalow owned and managed by a gentleman named Mr. Raj.
Hickory on Penang Hill – a Tranquil Sanctuary for the Wanderlust in You!
Hickory on Penang Hill, is a beautiful, quiet century -old colonial lodge. A limited number of rooms ensures guest numbers are low so you don’t need to jostle for dining space or queue for breakfast buffet. Added to that the in-house delicious food and personal attention given by Mr. Raj gave the lodge a tranquil home stay feel, a temporary home with a view!
Mr. Raj who had bought the property few years back, had ensured that the interiors and exteriors of the lodge stayed true to their historic origins even after it was refurbished.
The ambience of the friendly house was enhanced by the presence of the owners’ dogs – Jackie & Jasper who playfully kept the company of the guests. My boys soon befriended them, and the dogs would run to greet them each time we returned to the lodge.
The lodge represented a laid back relaxation and rejuvenation haven. We played board games after dinner, badminton and basketball during the day and read books from the vast collection in the lodge. It was peaceful with the quietude being broken by the insects at night and the birds in the morning.
There was a funicular station within walking distance from the lodge which was really convenient.
The only exception is if you have luggage like we had when we came from the airport, you cannot take the Funicular and need a jeep to pick you up from the Botanical Garden and ferry you up the hill to the lodge. The jeep ride is fun as well as it makes its way on the meandering turns and twists and the air gets cooler.
We stayed in a quadruple room the first night which was was a separate unit on the ground floor. The next night we shifted to the upper floor with 2 interconnected double rooms with its own private balcony! The view from the balcony was spectacular and we really wished we had one more day to enjoy the views and the balcony.
Did I mention that the food in Hickory was just amazing – from their breakfast menu to the juicy burgers? You only had to decide early as they have a small kitchen and find it hard to accommodate last minute requests. And they had an amazing free counter for beverages- tea, coffee, malt – you name it and they had it!
So, if anyone wants to explore Hickory on the Hill, you can contact them through their Facebook page , or book via Booking.com or Agoda. Remember, this is a simple place so do not go looking for fancy gadgets or over the top hotel amenities. It is a great place to just relax, read and enjoy nature.
My children bought Hickory T-shirts as souvenirs and vowed to come back again!
Our 2.5 day Itinerary
Day 1 – After checking into the hotel and relishing some home made sandwiches at the Hickory, we set out to explore the hill. Despite, detailed instructions from Mr. Raj, we took a wrong turn andhit an accidental trail while making our way to the Funicular station. We walked through dense forest, rocky steep terrains all the way down to the second lowest station -sweaty and a bit anxious as we were not sure we were going to reach anywhere soon – but in a way we couldn’t have started on a more adventorous note! Finally, at the station we called the train driver and requested him to pick us up and take us to the top of the hill.
We took a walk in The Habitat, a purposefully built eco-reserve that celebrates and protects the biodiversity of Penang Hill. Here we encountered the spectacled langurs or the dusky leaf monkeys. They are called so as they are vegetarians, eating leaves off trees and the band around their eyes makes them look like they are wearing glasses. The monkeys seemed most nonchalant about the attention they were getting and were not easily triggered allowing themselves to be photographed. The most spectacular feature of these primates were their bright orange offspring.
Strategically placed swings in The Habitat allowed us to take rest and also photo breaks. By the time we exited the eco-reserve, it was almost sunset time and we headed to the Hindu temple atop the hill famed for exquisite sunrise and sunset opportunity. However, the sun God seemed not too pleased with us and the rain Gods were overzealous in their presence, blocking our view.
We then had some snacks at the hill top and made our way back to the hotel for a welcoming dinner and night’s rest.
Day 2 – We hired a car with an English speaking driver to sightsee Georgetown. It was terribly hot in the city and we took refreshment breaks a too many. Nevertheless we were able to cover:
- Kek Lok Si Temple – A temple with a massive iron statue on the top and surrounded by ponds that house turtles and even monitor lizards. You need tickets to enter the temple premises.
- Fort Cornelius – Easily the most historic monument to visit in Georgetown, Fort Cornelius still showcases cannons and what seem like prison cells with massive doors. Fort Cornelius pays homage to Penang’s founder: Francis Light. A surprise element (and a life saviour) was the restaurant inside Fort Cornwallis premises which served absolutely sumptuous food and drinks. I would give it a 4.9/5 rating. Definitely worth a visit!
- Pinang Peranakan Mansion -a Museum with Peranakan artifacts dating back centuries
- Stopped by a local market to have ice kuchang, chendol , and chicken satay
- Chew Jetty – We stopped by the jetty to enjoy its rustic charm, distinctive wall art and souvenir shops.
- Coffee and Chocolate centre– where we picked up pre-mixes of coffee and tea and ended up tasting a dozen or more flavours till the taste buds couldn’t tahan (tolerate) anymore!
- Batu Firrangi Beach -Yay! We didn’t stay at the beach but did not mean that we will miss it! Our last stop was the famous Batu Firrangi Beach. Here we did the speed boat ride and the boys did the jet ski too. We watched the sunset, downed Mojitos, dusted ourselves off and made our way back to the hotel exhausted but happy!
Day 3 – We decided to spend our morning lazing around in the beautiful, relaxing vicinity of Hickory- reading books, talking to Mr. Raj and the other guests. Children played badminton and basketball and ran around with the dogs.
Since we had an evening flight we still had time to check out the Botanical Garden at the foothill as also have one last Funicular ride. So we decided to check out and bid adieu to Hickory and we asked the jeep driver to collect our luggage from the hotel and pick us from the Hilltop.
We took the Funicular up to the hilltop and took lunch at David Brown – a popular cafe named after a businessman who was instrumental in developing most of Penang Hill. Since we still had time before our pickup, we also visited The Edgecliff Museum.
The museum paid homage to the rich history of Penang Hill, traced the origin and development of the Funicular Railways and also showcased the colonial heritage of the bungalows on Penang Hill. It had an interesting mechanized toy version of the funicular.
Visit to the Edgecliff museum – that literally looks like it’s hanging off a cliff – was the perfect way to end our short but eventful trip to Penang.
Traveller’s Tip:
Find yourself a local driver from before, especially if it’s your first visit and you want to cover a lot in little time.
But don’t depend completely on the driver, do your research and set your itinerary as per your taste and liking.
Finally, you live on the hill, start your day early, and plan your meals in advance as things get really quiet here at night.
