A FIRST-TIMER'S GUIDE
George Town is known for its colourful buildings, must-see street art, colonial architecture, and multicultural food scene. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, the capital city of Penang, located on the north-west side of Malaysia, is perfect for travellers wanting to discover a range of historical, cultural and unique sites all in one place.
QUICK LINKS
PENANG STREET ART
One of the top things to do in George Town is hunting down the street art sites across the city. Although many artworks feel like they have been a part of Penang forever, the street art scene is relatively new, beginning when Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian artist, created the first series of murals in 2012. In 2013, UK newspaper The Guardian declared Zacharevic’s work, “Children on a Bicycle”, as one of the best pieces of street art in the world. Since then, the number of street art sites in the city has grown so large it’s almost impossible to see them all.
There are many maps online you can use to find the artworks, but when you're out and about, keep your eyes peeled, as there are many hidden gems to discover too. We've saved most of the artworks we saw on our Google Maps list, which you can view from the link at the bottom of this blog.
HIN BUS DEPOT
The Hin Bus Depot was an operational bus maintenance base until 1999. It lay abandoned until Ernest Zacharevic, the same artist renowned for his Penang Street Art, chose the depot as the venue for his 2014 solo exhibition. Brought back to life, but with the original structure preserved, a team of local artists proposed the venue be permanently run as an independent gallery space. Today, Hin Bus Depot is run by a creative collective who maintain it as a place for community and artists to gather, develop work and showcase their talents. Within the compound, you can explore the art, independent stores, and artist workshops and try all the cafes, restaurants and bars.
CHEW JETTY
Chew Jetty, located at Weld Quay, is one of a handful of waterfront settlements that make up the Clan Jetties. These Jetties are settlements that were built and resided in by Chinese immigrants, creating communities of houses on stilts joined by wooden walkways. The Clan Jetties have become a popular tourist destination, highlighting an interesting juxtaposition between the modernised George Town and the local community lifestyle of the clans. During the day, there are a range of stalls selling snacks, drinks and souvenirs, with many residents also selling goods out the front of their homes. There are a few Penang Street Art locations to see along Chew Jetty as well.
Entry is free, and opening hours are between 9 am-9 pm to decrease the disturbance to the locals who live here.
CHINA HOUSE
China House, located on Beach Street, is a traditional compound comprised of 3 heritage buildings. The complex has been divided into 14 spaces, including cafes, restaurants, shops, galleries, a courtyard and a live music venue. The main entrance to China House steps straight into the café Kopi C. This very popular café is renowned for its incredible cake selection, which you cannot walk past without trying at least one (very generously sized) slice.
COLOURFUL STREETS & BUILDINGS
The best way to explore George Town is by foot. Every street in the UNESCO World Heritage listed town is lined with interesting architecture and colourful buildings to explore.
Lebuh Armenian (Armenian Street) is a narrow street in the middle of town made popular by the famous street art locations, the rainbow umbrella alleyway down Lorong Song Hong and many great shops, cafes and ice cream parlours.
Jalan Kek Chuan is a bit further out from the main streets of George Town, not far from the Hin Bus Depot, and known for the row of colourfully painted houses. There are a few places to eat nearby, but other than that, there is not much to do on the street itself. It is easy to find and worth a stop and a photo or two if you are in the area.
Built at the end of the 19th century, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion depicts the typical home of a rich Baba and their customs and traditions from more than a century ago. The mansion showcases their lifestyle through antiques and collectibles, as well as the restoration of the beautiful architecture, which combines Chinese, English and Scottish features and proudly stands out on the street in a bright shade of green.
The admission fee is 20 MYR.
Cheong Fatt Tze – The Blue Mansion also proudly stands out, behind its gates, in a bright shade of blue. The mansion was home to Cheong Fatt Tze, who was a rags-to-riches Hakka entrepreneur. The complex includes 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows. The mansion is now guest accommodation with a few dining options for guests and the public.
General admission for the public is only through guided or self-guided tours, which can be booked online for 25 MYR per person.
OUR GOOGLE MAPS
When planning our travel destinations, we pin our bucket list of sites to see and recommended places to eat and drink on Google Maps. We are then never lost for ideas, and can easily share these lists for our friends and family to use too.
Click here to see our Google Maps for Things To Do in George Town.
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