Visiting Penang, Malaysia: Itinerary Ideas

On my recent trip to Penang in July, the durian season was in full blast in Malaysia. Many hawker stalls were selling durians by the roadside. You can choose from the bitter or sweet types of Durians. In fact, there are so many varieties that it is best to get the durian seller to recommend one to you.

A well-known place to get delicious durians is Balik Pulau. To get there, you have to first brave the winding roads up the hill but it is all worth it as the durians there are of good quality. Besides durians, Balik Pulau is also famous for its laksa.

Straits Quay is a relatively new addition to Penang's hangout list. It is a shopping mall with a distinctive feature. It has a marina where you will find private boats parked. Besides that, there is also a Royal Selangor Visitor Centre. If you would like to catch a performance, check out the events listing of the Penang Performing Arts Centre (PAC) before heading here too! Overall, this place is pretty small but if you are on your way to Batu Feringghi, it is worth a stop as there is a flea market during the weekends and a variety of cafes to chill out at.

Batu Feringghi is a well-known spot among tourists for its stretch of sandy beaches. This area is away from the downtown area so if you wish to spend more time on the beach, you should book at least one night's stay at one of the resorts here. Besides watersports or chilling out by the sea, you can visit the night market or relax at Hard Rock Cafe Penang where there is live music on most nights. For those visiting the night market, note that it starts from about 8pm onwards.

Penang may not be a shopping haven like Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore but there are still bargains to be found here. Some of the newer and larger malls include Queensbay Mall and 1st Avenue Mall. At Queensbay, you will find AEON departmental store and many familiar brands like Mango and Forever 21 while 1st Avenue has Parkson as an anchor tenant. Other malls include Prangin Mall, Bukit Jambul and Gurney Plaza, which is conveniently located along Gurney Drive.