Penang

Let me walk you through George Town, the heart of Penang, in the late afternoon. You stroll streets of colorful colonial shophouses, turn a corner and come face to face with a famous mural, children on a bicycle painted on the wall, so real it seems to leap out. The smell of char kway teow on the griddle drifts from a stall nearby, where a Chinese man has served the same dish for forty years, better each time. Penang is an island where history, art and food meet, and where expats discovered one of the most enjoyable, cheapest lives in Asia.

Penang in 30 seconds

Penang is an island in northern Malaysia, whose capital, George Town, is a UNESCO heritage site, a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian and colonial cultures. It’s considered the country’s (and, for many, Asia’s) food capital, has a strong expat community, a calmer pace than Kuala Lumpur and the same Malaysian trump card: English everywhere and foreign income tax-exempt.

Where to stay, walking you through the neighborhoods

George Town (historic center): the heritage heart: shophouses, temples, street art and the best cafés and food stalls. Charming and walkable, it’s where Penang’s soul pulses. Ideal for anyone who wants history and street life.

Gurney / Tanjung Tokong: the modern seafront, with new sea-facing apartments, malls and the famous Gurney Drive hawker. Popular with expats and families, more comfortable and residential.

Batu Ferringhi: the beach area, to the north, with resorts and more of a holiday feel. Good for anyone who wants the sea nearby.

Bayan Lepas: near the airport and the tech hub, cheaper and practical for anyone working there.

The must-dos, what to do

• George Town’s street art: a hunt for the famous murals (the “Kids on a Bicycle” is the most iconic) and the iron sculptures that tell the city’s story.
• Kek Lok Si Temple: the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, a city of pagodas on the hill, stunning lit up at night.
• Penang Hill: go up by funicular for a view of the island and cooler air at the top.
• Clan Jetties: the stilt villages of the Chinese clans, over the water, a living piece of the past.
• Food tour: Gurney Drive, New Lane and the George Town stalls; come hungry (below).
• Batu Ferringhi: the beach, the night markets and water sports.

The food, reason number one

Penang is, for many, the best food destination in Asia: and dirt cheap. The char kway teow (noodles stir-fried over high heat, with shrimp), the assam laksa (the sour, spicy fish soup, voted one of the best foods in the world), the char koay kak, the nasi kandar (rice with Indian curries), the cendol to sweeten the heat. Each stall has specialized for decades in one dish, and a full meal costs a couple of dollars. Eating in Penang is a pilgrimage, and one of the happiest.

A perfect day in Penang

Coffee at an old George Town kopitiam, with kaya toast and eggs, and a few hours of work at a sidewalk café. For lunch, a char kway teow at a legendary stall. In the afternoon, a bike ride past the murals or a trip up Penang Hill to escape the heat. At dusk, the funicular back and the sea at Gurney. At night, a hawker centre with the Chinese family from the corner, beers and a dozen plates that together come to under six dollars. Cheap, tasty, full of history.

What it costs and the practical stuff

You live very well on US$ 810 to 1,210 a month: cheaper than KL: an apartment with a pool and sea view costs US$ 400 to 650, eating is ridiculously cheap and Grab covers the island. Penang has good hospitals (it’s a medical-tourism destination), English for everything and the same Malaysian tax advantage (foreign income not taxed).

Getting around

• On foot and by bike: George Town is compact and made for it.
• Grab: the ride app, cheap, for the rest of the island.
• Bus (Rapid Penang): covers the island for very little.
• Scooter: maximum autonomy, with the usual care.

Is Penang worth living in?

For anyone who wants Malaysia at a calmer pace: with the country’s best food, heritage charm, English, low cost and foreign income exempt, Penang is a dream. Less “big city” than KL, more soul and flavor. The pick for anyone trading the metropolis for quality of life (and for eating very well, every day).

Penang is one of the cities in the Malaysia guide, where you’ll find the nomad visa (DE Rantau), the foreign-income exemption and the other cities.