20240106_121723Kek Lok Si Temple (January 2024)

Following a long and tiring afternoon in Penang, I woke up super early the next day, as I was still adjusting to the 16-hour time difference between Los Angeles and Asia (even in Taiwan). I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I decided to get up and head out for an early breakfast while it wasn’t too hot outside. After getting dressed and spraying myself with bug spray (mosquitos are no joke in Southeast Asia), I was on my way.

Just a few blocks from my hotel, there was a small food cart that sold roti canai and teh tarik from Malaysian Indians. I got a roti canai with daal and a teh tarik, all for $1 USD. The roti was flaky and fluffy, perfect for dipping in the hearty and spiced daal, and the teh tarik was rich and creamy– this wouldn’t be the last teh tarik I would consume, as I would order at least a dozen more throughout my time in Malaysia (and Singapore)!

20240106_070912Roti canai with daal and teh tarik

I also tried white coffee at a hawker centre just next to my hotel, a Malaysian specialty. The coffee isn’t actually white in color, but rather describes the process of roasting the beans in palm oil and margarine, before topped off with condensed milk. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, and I found the white coffee too strong for my taste, but I’m glad I tried it.

20240106_073303White coffee

I returned to my hotel by 8h00 to rest a bit before I was to leave for a half-day private tour of Penang, arranged my travel agent. My driver, a Malaysian-Chinese, picked me up at 9h00, and we set off to explore the island outside of George Town. Along the way, we made pleasant talk, conversing in Mandarin Chinese, to my surprise. Even though I was aware of the multiethnicity of Malaysia, I didn’t expect myself to speak Chinese throughout the entire trip– I think it’s because I’m of Chinese descent, and Malaysian-Chinese seem more comfortable speaking Chinese than English. All the better to brush up on my mother tongue!

We arrived to the first stop of the day at Penang Hill. Normally, one can take a funicular to the top for panoramic views, but unfortunately, I happened to arrive the week that the funicular was closed due to maintenance. However, there was the option of taking a 4×4 to the top, albeit pricey– in the end, I paid $33 USD for the 15-minute (rocky) ride to the hill’s summit. I spent about an hour and a half enjoying the views of Penang (although hazy) and exploring a bit of the extensive botanical gardens in the area before descending the hill with a return 4×4 trip.

20240106_094413Views from Penang Hill


20240106_102243Botanical garden

Next, we headed to Kek Lok Si, the largest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia with the largest statue of Guanyin, the goddess of Mercy. It’s an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists throughout Southeast Asia, and overall, an impressive monument. I took a small funicular to the top of the temple, where I saw the 120-foot (36.5 meter) tall statue of Guanyin, the smaller temples within Kek Lok Si, and more panoramic views of Penang from the balcony. I also wrote a little prayer on one of the colorful wish ribbons offered by the statue, before wrapping mine around one of the wooden poles to (hopefully) make it come true– although I’m not Buddhist, my family is, and I found it nice to pay tribute to my roots.

20240106_114810Guanyin statue

Afterwards, we headed further out towards Batu Ferringhi, one of the main beaches of Penang. Along the way, I asked my driver if he knew of a place that served nasi kandar, and he took me to a random stop in a random strip mall that was bustling at lunch time. It was a no-frills kind of set up, and I ordered the lunch special for 11 MYR ($2 USD). Portions were generous with plenty of biryani, vegetables, fried chicken, and a fried egg– all with a flavorful and spicy sauce on top. Saying that this was the best and most-memorable dish I had on my trip would be an understatement– it was SO GOOD. Flavors were bold and intense, portions were huge, and that fried chicken (ayam) was some of the best I’ve had, ever! I would go back to Penang just for nasi kandar!

20240106_131108Nasi kandar– the BEST

We reached Batu Ferringhi around 13h00; it was absolutely boiling by that point, so we didn’t stay out too long by the shore, only to admire the cerulean waters and boats docked by the shore before heading back. My driver also stopped us at another beach, where I decided to grab a fresh coconut drink– I hadn’t had a fresh coconut before, and I found it mildly sweet with soft and jelly-like coconut meat inside. For those “tropical vibes,” I guess!

20240106_140232Batu Ferringhi


20240106_140932Fresh coconut drink

Our tour concluded around 15h00, as my driver dropped me off back at my hotel. It was six hours of driving throughout much of the island, and it was fun to have seen more beyond George Town for the day. Even though I was a bit tired, I still wanted to explore more of George Town itself, as it would be my last night in town.

That said, I headed to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a museum dedicated to Peranakan history. The museum is housed inside a former mansion that once belonged to a prominent Peranakan family. The Peranakans were a group of affluent Chinese merchants who immigrated to Malaysia in the 19th and 20th centuries, integrating into Malay society while also creating their own unique identity. The men and women were known as “babas” and “nyonyas,” respectively, and I spent two hours on a guided tour (entirely in Mandarin Chinese, as I’d missed the English tour) learning about this distinctive culture and admiring the architecture throughout.

20240106_165634Inside the Pinang Peranakan Museum

The guided tour wrapped up around 17h00, and I headed to check out Cheong Fatt Tze, aka “the Blue Mansion,” another Peranakan mansion that was actually the filming location for the famous mahjong scene in “Crazy Rich Asian.” Unfortunately, the mansion was closed to a special event, so I couldn’t enter, but I did take time to admire the blue exterior before continuing with my visit.

20240106_171151Cheong Fatt Tze (“The Blue Mansion”)

It started to rain, but I managed to make it to my dinner spot in town relatively dry. The restaurant served assam laksa, a Penang fish curry noodle dish. The broth was a tad spicy and also acidic and sour from tamarind, a main ingredient of the dish. I very much enjoyed it, along with the other dishes I had that day, from the roti canai for breakfast to nasi kandar for lunch.

20240106_174336Assam laksa

Stomach full and satisfied, I decided to head back to my hotel after a long day of sightseeing– thankfully, the rain subsided, so it was a pleasant walk and I was back by 19h00. That pretty much concluded my time in Penang– it was two, intense nights in town, but I enjoyed my taste of the paradisiacal island. It was a great starting point for my time in Malaysia, as I got to see some gorgeous street art and architecture, enjoy the pristine beaches, and eat some incredible food– in fact, I later learned that many people go to Penang to eat! Certainly a foodie heaven, and it got me excited to check out more of Malaysia.

More of my adventures in Malaysia are coming soon. Until then! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

37 thoughts on “Destination: Penang, Malaysia (Private Tour, Incredible Nasi Kandar, and the Pinang Peranakan Mansion– DAY 2)”

  1. Looks like an amazing day exploring Penang. I’d love to visit the Peranakan Mansion, I’ve learned a lot recently about the Straits Chinese and Baba Nyonyas across Malaysia and Singapore. Amazing you can do the tour in English or Mandarin 🙂 That Nasi Kandar looks delicious!! Can’t wait for more of your Malaysian adventures.

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    1. Thanks, Han! Malaysia is certainly a multicultural country, and it’s a plus I can understand two of its common languages! I still dream about that nasi kandar to this day, and I promise more Malaysian adventures to come soon 😊

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  2. Teh tarik is one of my favorite drinks too. There’s something comforting about it. Good to know that you had a great time exploring the local cuisine in Penang. I must admit when I had assam laksa for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed it. But I’ve had it again for a couple of times since then, and now I can enjoy it more.

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    1. Teh tarik is absolutely delicious: sweet, creamy, and earthy all at the same time. Assam laksa is tasty, and I enjoyed how it was prepared! Penang is nothing short of delicious eats, that’s for sure 😊

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  4. Fun tip about the Blue Mansion! Now I want to watch the movie again. And I can totally relate to eating the same dish 6 times on one trip abroad… sometimes when traveling, it’s nice to find a little comfort in familiarity.

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    1. Yes! Crazy Rich Asians is one of my favorite films, and it was lovely to learn that parts of it were shot in Malaysia! Teh tarik was a drink I went back to again and again during my time in Malaysia and Singapore– it’s hard to find it here in the US, so I miss it dearly! Thanks for reading 🙂

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  7. Wow, the food there sounds great and such huge portions! You can usually rely on a local driver/guide to give you a good recommendation, and the joy of a private tour is that you can be flexible like that 🙂

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  8. The interior of the Pinang Peranakan Museum looks so beautiful, and I love the views from Penang Hill, Rebecca! It looks like a perfect nature getaway that offers fantastic views of the surrounding landscape as well as a perfect way to get to know the local flora and fauna. As for the 16-hour time difference – jet lag is not my favourite part of travelling! During my travels, I found myself way too many times wide awake in the middle of the night (or ready to snooze mid-afternoon) after travelling from one time zone to another. Fortunately, these effects are usually temporary and only linger before my internal clock readjusts based on exterior signals in the new environment. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Penang is stunning at every turn along the way! I agree with you that jet lag is difficult, but inevitable, as that’s the drawback of traveling. It depends on where I go, but the jet lag hits me worse in certain places than others. Malaysia wasn’t too bad, but it still took some time to get used to the time difference! Thanks for reading, Aiva, and have a great day!

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  9. What a great day in Penang! It sounds like you really got to see a little of everything. Plus multiple delicious meals… how can you go wrong with that? Thanks for taking us along on this tour with you.

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    1. Thanks, Diana! Penang was gorgeous, and having a private tour allowed me to see as much of the island as possible. Penang is known for its good food, and I’m glad I got to sample some! I’d go back just for the food 😊

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  10. You got to connect with your native language and culture big time here. That must have made the visit to a new place all the more special. Looks like an interesting place to visit. I’ve had coconut like that in the Caribbean. Good, isn’t it?

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    1. Absolutely! I was surprised that I ended up speaking a lot of Mandarin Chinese while in Malaysia (and in Singapore). All the better to connect more with my heritage and brush up on the language! The fresh coconut was very refreshing and perfect for rehydrating on a hot day!

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  11. Brings back memories. Around fifty years ago a met a traveller in a small Chinese hotel in Georgetown. He now lives in Australia, and am here in Peru. We are still in regular contact after all these years.

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    1. Nice! Always cool to meet and stay in touch with other travelers from around the world. Even more incredible you’ve stayed in touch with him for 50+ years!

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    1. Absolutely! Penang is such a beautiful part of Malaysia. Teh tarik is basically milk tea (but made with condensed milk). It’s usually served hot, and it’s so sweet, creamy, and delicious!

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  13. What? First coconut? It’s a staple in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. It’s great for lowering blood pressure so culturally, we always say “coconut water washes off the heart”. 🙂

    Happy you got to use your mother tongue and pay homage to your family at the Buddhist temple. Also great view from the botanical garden! Thanks for sharing

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    1. I’ve had coconut water/milk before, but never fresh from an actual coconut until Penang! Coconut is yummy and refreshing, very good for rehydrating, too! Malaysia is truly a melting pot of cultures and languages, and I would be speaking more Mandarin Chinese throughout the rest of my trip (including Singapore). Stay tuned!

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