according to me, that is.
1. Do your research.
like any other holiday, you should do your research before actually reaching the destination. unless you want to be extra adventurous or you are just in a mode of crazy, i will always advise against not doing your research before a vacation. Penang is an island full of culture and great food, and it's quite easy to figure out a few touristy places along with the half-hidden good hideouts or food places through the internet.
Local tip #1: Hipster coffee shops that you should probably drop by and the foods that you should try: i tried the Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel at Mugshot, along with their homemade yoghurt--all was heaven in this place. my personal favorite cafe and place to chill. Piknik has a small but really quirky menu full of savory waffles. i had the Combo Waffle, which was bacon, salmon and cheese on waffle if i'm not wrong. that was great too! Junk is recommended by our new friends at SooHongry, as the latter cafe recommended the first's very precisely and well-made coffee. SooHongry is a wonderful place to drop by--i never had the chance to try their homemade ice-cream, please try it for me!
Local tip #2: local foods that you should not miss-Penang Road Chendul, Char Koay Teow, Air Itam Assam Laksa. and others that i have forgotten because i ate too much. ask the locals!
2. Choose your hipster backpacker hostel.
because they are CHEAP. and very much clean, has free wi-fi, complete with functional and decent toilets (don't expect too much now) and has nice, comfy beds. basically a list of very decent places for you to crash in if you just do your research. Muntri Street and Chulia Street are usually the ones where foreigners stay at, and those are pretty darn affordable, so look out for those.
Local tip: avoid staying at Love Lane and Lorong Garu (which literally means Scratch/Itch Alley) due to the possibility of dodgy activities happening at night.
Possible problems: since most of these hostels are restored old shophouses, you need to know that the walls are pretty thin and if you speak loud enough, people can hear you from the next room. this is possibly the only problem my friend and i have encountered.
3. There are 538720983 maps.
well okay not THAT many, but there is really more than one map, and you should certainly get your hands on as many maps as possible, compare their accuracy and info, then dump the ones that you don't really like or need. the good one that was given to us by a new friend is the one printed by the government, but that one only covers the touristy area that ranges from Komtar to Esplanade and the jetties (you will know what i mean when you're actually there). take that but also get one with a wider range, and possibly even one of the whole island.
Possible problems: most of the street names are in Malay, so it may be rather difficult for you to remember which street is what name. just keep referring to the map and keep track of certain iconic buildings or signs then you should be fine. if you get lost, ask one of the locals and i'm pretty sure they will be more than glad to direct you around (and even give you extra directions to other awesome places).
4. Travel (very) light.
personal experience. lugging around my rather heavy camera backpack was an awful thing to do. even though it didn't bother me that much at first, walking around on foot made it seem like a chore for me. extra sun and heat did not make it feel any better. carrying a heavy and huge backpack may also serve to be a problem if you're planning to explore via cycling.
Local tip: if you're carrying a sling bag or handbag, just be more aware of your surroundings. Penang may not be as terrorized as Kuala Lumpur with robbery cases or snatch thefts, but it is, after all (sad to say), Malaysia, so just be extra careful with your belongings and don't carry it around carelessly.
5. Take on Penang traffic fearlessly.
traffic in Penang can be quite crazy if you've never experienced Asian traffic before. Penang is well-known for its food, but to Malaysians, Penangites are the most infamous insane drivers and everything traffic-related. from crossing the roads to illegal u-turns to intense parking skills--you name it, they've got it. so go with a brave heart and sharp eyes. always watch out for cars, motorcycles and bicycles!
Local tip #1: crossing the road takes mad skills. the most effective way to cross the road in Penang, is apparently to wave at the incoming car (that is driving at a hesitant speed, not the fast and furious one), smile very cheerily and half-jog past the road as quick as you can. it works. i've seen numerous aunties do it. trust meeeeeee.
Local tip #2: do NOT rent a car in Penang. even locals have trouble keeping up with the traffic here sometimes. the best mode of vehicle is to rent a bicycle, but if you can't cycle (like me. HIGH FIVE), you can try taking the trishaw ride for RM30 an hour. pricey, but worth the cultural points i guess.
Possible problems: buses here do not provide change. so if you don't have a good amount of coins with you, be prepared to pay extra for your bus ticket if you're going to go around to further tourist spots.
6. Bring a friend or two. (or MOAR)
sharing expenses is always great, but in Penang, especially if you're only staying a few days for a short holiday trip, you will need at least one travel buddy. unless you have a bottomless pit for a stomach, sharing foods will become part of your traveling experience. if you think it's gross to share the same plate of food or the same drink/straw/cutlery/WHATEVER, you will need to, unfortunately, get over it. it's either that or not fully experience the Penang food hunt.
Possible problems: be clear of your friends' eating habits or preferences beforehand. if you're an adventurous foodie, make sure your friends are at least on par at your game level! not checking before the trip may result in you ending up with someone like me--a non-enthusiast in food and worse yet, someone who doesn't take spicy food. (which is a big no-no for most Asians, i guess. SORRY NOT SORRY)
7. Talk to the locals.
don't worry, most Penangites who are below 50 or so should be able to speak rather decent English. so even if you can't converse in Hokkien (which is technically, Penang's first language) or Mandarin or Malay, English is still good! just pray that you get lucky and you are able to speak to most locals in English! psst, this is how you get to the locals' favorite spots if you don't have a local friend to bring you around.
Local tip: go explore! don't be afraid to go to obscure and quaint little cafes that seem closed, you never know what will happen, because our experience (me and my travel buddy Kim) is that we just tried to look at a cafe a little closer, wanting to see if they were really closed, the owners told us they forgot to pay the water bill so they had a very limited menu that day, we continued talking to them and spent about 3 hours there just sharing thoughts and them giving us loads of good recommendations and insights!
sooooo, that's that i think. just enjoy yourself as much as possible, and you'll have yourself a great holiday!
No comments:
Post a Comment