George Town is a historic and vibrant city on Penang Island off Peninsular Malaysia’s Northwest coast. George Town was the first British colony in all of Southeast Asia, and the historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Full of a world-famous foodie culture, an established street art district, and a high density of immigrant populations, Georgetown is one of the most unique cities in Malaysia. On our recent trip to Penang, Emmett & I based ourselves out of charming George Town for three days at the end of our jaunt around Malaysia. Up until we arrived, it seemed like every other traveler we encountered was saying, “Have you been to Penang yet? You’ve got to go to George Town!” We also ended up falling for the city while we were there, and it quickly became our favorite place in the whole country. To highlight just why George Town is so lovable, I’ve decided to make a list of my favorite things about the city. Hopefully, you will also see just why George Town should be the next stop on your Southeast Asia itinerary.
1. The Famous Street Art
In 2012, the artist Ernest Zacharevic painted a series of murals around George Town. The murals quickly became famous and inspired more street art throughout the city. The piece on the left below, featuring two children on a bicycle (by Zacharevic), is one of the most photographed sights in all of Penang and is featured heavily on local souvenirs. Quite a lot of Penang’s famous street art can be found on Armenian Street and its surroundings, though there seem to be little bits of art around every corner of George Town.
2. Peranakan Architecture
The term “Peranakan” (also called Baba Nonya in Malay) refers to a group of Chinese-descended immigrants known as the “Straits Chinese.” Despite eventually losing their native language, this ethnic group has kept up all other aspects of their culture since arriving on the Malay Peninsula. Peranakan culture can be found all over Malaysia but is perhaps best evidenced in the traditional architecture and food of George Town, Malacca, and Singapore. I am personally quite the fan of the distinctive building style, particularly the rowhouses with their small dog-bone-shaped windows.
Another uniquely Peranakan architectural feature is to include a built-in pedestrian path in the front of local shops and homes. This shaded alley, also called the “five-foot way,” is a god-send when exploring a humid city like George Town on a sunny day.
3. Batik Painting Museum Penang
If you find yourself on George Town’s Armenian Street already digging the street art, you might want to pop into the Batik Painting Museum Penang to continue your art appreciation. Batik is a form of textile dying originating in Indonesia in the 12th century. Batik utilizes the addition and removal of wax during the dying process to create patterns and images. Batik painting, however, is a recent (1950s) interpretation of the batik form, which takes it from clothing to canvas. The Batik Painting Museum of Penang is full of beautiful, intricate paintings that are a delight to experience in person. (Click on either photo to see a larger version.)
