Short Family Trip to Penang

It had been four months since our last ‘getaway’. My husband and I are your typical tired office warriors with small children so we usually take our trips every four to six months depending on how much annual leave we have. 

I used to travel several times a year before kids but now the planning process is more deliberate—we go short, we choose toddler-friendly destinations, and we tend to take budget-friendly trips. Penang made the top of our list for all the reasons above. We both wanted a break.

Why Penang?

It is a safe bet to assume that most people who go to Penang do so for the food. But that wasn’t the reason I wanted to go. A close second yes, but what I really found appealing was Penang’s vibe as a second-tier Southeast Asian city with a rich Chinese (Hokkien and Teochew) cultural influence. In short, I find its streetscapes nostalgic. Rows and rows of pastel-coloured shophouses and a dash of Peranakan architectural accents here and there. Nothing beats the old-timey feeling of taking a stroll through streets like this in Asia.

Singapore has its own “Nanyang style” of Peranakan architecture too. But theirs is more polished, Singapore’s streets are neater and less raw (read: lively).

Why Visit Penang With Toddler?

Why would one bring a 2-year-old on a vacation? For the sole purpose of travel, of course. Traveling with a baby, at least for us, doubles the fun. We get to experience familiar things in a new, wondrous way. Just through her eyes.

About Penang

For the Southeast Asian traveler that is not already familiar with the place, Penang is easy to miss. Like Malacca, the city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll through any neighbourhood in Penang and you are bound to find some interesting facets of Chinese culture, especially in the older parts of town. Hokkien, Teochew influences to be specific. The streets are lined with temples and clan houses with brightly coloured roofs, and traditional Chinese-style shop houses that are still functional as modern-day homes, restaurants, and businesses.

Except for this: Penang also isn’t afraid to show that it is far from perfect. Roads are narrow, traffic is hectic, and pedestrians have no right of way. What it does well, it does well in other ways. Like the friendliness of our Grab drivers. They were all super-helpful to us, sharing local insights, hidden gems for eats and interesting (kid-friendly) spots for us to visit. 

Everything is so cheap too…

Our Grab rides started from about $2.50 USD. Which is why my husband wanted to hail a Grab car even for as short as a 200 meter distance (valid excuse: there are no sidewalks and walking with a stroller is a no-no).

For mainland Chinese travellers, Penang may not be “fresh” or “new” by any means. But as short city breaks in Southeast Asia go, one that focuses on culture and historical depth, at the expense of tourist hotspots or conveniences, Penang is a great choice.

Visa & How To Get There

Visa application was a breeze. I am a Singapore PR so I submitted online (under category of “Long Term Visitor Pass Holder”) and were granted a 6-month multiple entry visa at the cost of $46 USD (SGD ~$60).

We flew Scoot directly from Singapore to Penang. The flight is only an hour. It also cost less than $78 USD (SGD $100) return. We mostly took Grab around Penang. The only time we arranged for a car was during our half-day trip to Penang Hill where we booked a private driver (6 hours for about $78 USD).

4-Day Itinerary in Penang

Husband and I both agreed that our itinerary had to be super chill. This is a no-brainer with a toddler and 3 elderly (my mum in law, husband’s uncle and aunt) in town. Here is how it looked:

Attractions to Visit

Mural Street: 4/5

Definitely a must-see if you are going to Penang for the first time. They have a strong approach to cultural preservation through art (in a way, like how Malacca made the old quarters what it is now). As you can see, Penang is not afraid to use big, bold, contemporary works of art in such a way that it gives the neighbourhood a fresh, youthful feel. For us, it also fit well with that old-timey nostalgic ambience of the streets, like when we discovered the historic central fire station.

Not that it is a good place for pedestrians. The streets are narrow, crowded, and don’t have many working traffic lights. Walking in this neighbourhood is a balancing act of you either dodge cars and buses, or look at everything there is to see.

Chew Jetty: 3/5

A number of waterfront jetties in Penang were built by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. Chew Jetty is the most well-known as it is named after the influential Chew clan. Architecturally, it’s a bunch of stilt houses and wooden walkways, that is it. But the historical significance of this place is what gives it meaning. It is also not particularly scenic so noooo wows there.

Penang Hill: 4/5

A lot of locals love this and I see why. A funicular train with adorable cabins will take you up to a scenic vantage point overlooking Penang island. My tip would be to go there early, and to buy fast-track tickets so that you can skip the long line. We didn’t do that and had to wait more than 40 minutes under the heat of the sun.

You can only go for the back car at the rear of the train. The view is best for the cars at the back as you have a clear view of the zigzagging climb. Both my husband and I agreed that our daughter really enjoyed the ride. We then visited a nice cafe at the top with a view. The 40-minute wait is sooooo worth it, even if the free-flowing iced tea wasn’t that great.

Peranakan Museum: 5/5

This was the cultural gem of our trip and the highlight. So much so that I bought my daughter a mini Nyonya dress so that I could bring her here for the first time (proud mother here!). The place is a well-maintained Peranakan mansion brimming with culture from the elaborate exterior wood carvings to the porcelain dining sets. You could also spend some time admiring their antique interior design and furnishings.

There is an option to rent a Peranakan costume on site (which includes admission, costume rental, and a small tea set in their cafe), which I did. Well, our verdict is that the tea set taste was nothing special. Overall the experience of being here in this period-piece was magical. I took about a hundred photos of my daughter on the antique furniture and objects.

Fun fact: Penang was also where the original “Little Nyonya” TV series was filmed but the story line of that series was set in Malacca and Singapore. Historically the Peranakan population in Penang developed on its own, independently from the rest of the Nanyang world. This was partly due to the fact that there were more Hokkien seafarers than imperial fleet voyages (Zheng He) here. Peranakan in Penang are discernibly different from those in Malacca and Singapore in their food, dialects, and sartorial style.

Penang Accommodation

OZO Hotel Penang

We stayed in OZO hotel penang for our entire trip. It is roomy, clean, and excellent value for the price! Recommended it. The higher floors give you a nice view of the city below. Location-wise, we found it to be both central and convenient but not so right in the middle of noisy, more crowded tourist areas.

You can book from Booking.com directly.

Penang Food

Three meals that we ordered via Grab food delivery were very disappointing. Ingredients were cheap, and the food itself was just so-so. Overall we didn’t love the street food offerings here as much as we had hoped we would. 

But here are some places we did enjoy (yes we do eat outside at home, promise).

Toh Soon Cafe : 3.5/5

The original one is the “authentic” one, but it was more difficult to get there in a newer location and some of the older family members traveling with us preferred places that are cleaner. Nothing to shout about really. Kopitiam style, standard.

Address: 37, Bishop St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Two Frenchies Cafe Bistro: 4/5

Budget-friendly French bistro with excellent reviews. I had the roasted chicken with cheesy mashed potatoes and I was blown away. You can have good French food in Singapore but rarely at a price point of less than $16 USD (SGD $20) per person.

Address: 36, Lebuh Bishop, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Foo Er Dai Dim Sum: 4/5

We arrived at 9: 30am and had to wait in line for about 15 minutes. Standard dim sum operation with an outdoor seating area. I loved their chee cheong fun. The salted egg yolk buns were not to my liking.

Address: 7, Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Mugshot Cafe: 4/5

Nice coffee and bagels! Plus a nice little surprise: the cafe also sells Moscot eyewear and has their own boutique in-store. Hipster + nostalgic at the same time. It’s also how you get to take a “mugshot” photo with your cute mug.

Address: 302, Chulia St, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Baba Phang Nyonya Cuisine: 4.5/5

Honest to God, I did not think I would like Nyonya food until I had this. Penang’s Nyonya food has stronger Thai influences (sour and spicy) while the Nyonya food in Malacca tends to be sweeter. We both loved the fried chicken here. Husband went back again that night for takeaway.

Address: 6, Jln Perak, George Town, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Trip Summary

Almost every single place we dined at had baby chairs, even the sidewalk stalls. That was a strong impression on me. It is not easy to get around Penang with a stroller though. Most streets are uneven, narrow and often blocked by parked cars. 

All in all, Penang served its purpose for us: it was a quick, budget-friendly, and culturally rich escape that provided the much needed dose of nostalgia, food, and novelty. 

Would we go back? Probably not in the near future. But we are glad we came. If you are after that Southeast Asia city break that has heart, history, and lots of hawker food—Penang might just be the one for you.

When was the last time you went? What did you like (or dislike) about it? Let me know in the comments!