Travel Photo: Penang’s Chinese Connection

Penang is one of Malaysia’s top hot spots. A lot of people visit this island city for its great food and its culture. It has a UNESCO world heritage site in Georgetown and has an interesting potpourri of cultures in Hinduism (Little India), Buddhism (Chinatown) and Islam (rest of Penang). This secular environment allows the tourist to sample different cultures, religions, foods and architecture in a very short radius.


It was one such exploration when I came across this very colorful Chinese Buddhist temple within the UNESCO World Heritage site area. My sister and my brother in law are happy models in the background of my photo. Thank you guys! If culture, food and a secular environment is your thing, then head straight to Penang and indulge in the color and smells of Little India, the night markets of Chinatown and the rich markets and architecture of the other part of Malaysia.

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Travel Photo: Penang Door

The UNESCO world heritage site area of Penang’s Georgetown is a treat to the eyes. It is such a rich visual experience to simply amble through its narrow streets that house a lot of culture in them. Some of them are from the colonial times and some even before it. According to me, this heritage area is one of Malaysia’s cultural highlights from the colonial era.


Like I always do, I had planned on losing myself in one of the many streets and I was without a map and without directions, but I knew I was on Lebuh Mantri as there was a signboard that said that. On this street, there are a lot of traditionally done up buildings, In fact, some of these temples are titled heritage buildings and charge a fee to visit. This photo was taken in front of one of those buildings that didn’t charge a fee and it was closed, but I really liked its intricate door and colour scheme. A really ancient type of wooden door, but with lots of design in it. What do you think?

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Georgetown: Enjoy Great Food and Culture in Colonial Times

Penang is Malaysia’s food capital and Georgetown is its colonial hub. Together, they make a combination that very few in the world can match. They allow you to soak in Georgetown’s colonialism and rich history while wetting your palate with some yummylicious Penang food.


Penang is an island located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and Georgetown is its capital and located on one corner of it. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was founded in 1786 as one of the three straits settlements under the British rule. This British influence can be seen almost everywhere in the old town that exists as a UNESCO heritage site today.


Be it Fort Cornwallis, the cobbled paths so reminiscent of Europe, the Queen Victoria clock tower, St. George’s Church, Church of the Assumption, Penang City Hall, Penang Town Hall and many others, one can feel and see the colonialism effect everywhere.


But, this is just one side of Penang. Its cosmopolitan population that includes Chinese, Malaysians and Indians make for one interesting mix. And then add Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism into the mix to form a combo that has the potential to amaze the whole world.


Whether, you are at Jalan Pelang, Lebuah Chulia, Lorong Chulia, Lebuh Pasar, Campbell St, Jalan Muntri, Love Lane or any of the small streets in the heritage zone, you are bound to come across sights that will keep your mind bedazzled for a long while. For starters, you will see many heritage houses and the one that tops the list is the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, which is popularly known as the Rockefeller of the East and JP Morgan of China.


There are many interesting museums too, like the Penang State Museum, but the one that really interested the photographer in me was the Camera Museum that showcased cameras, related accessories and photographs from the yester years.


Then, there is Little India with its loudspeakers, spices, colours and vibrant smells. The Hindu temples, its interesting culture and spicy food are there to appeal to all. The Kapitan Keling Mosque, one of the most prominent mosques of Penang also falls under this zone. Then, there are these beautiful Buddhist temples – Wat Chaiyamangalaram and Dhammikarma Burmese Buddhist temples and the Chinese temples – Hainanese temples and Kuan Yin Teng. It is such an interesting experience to see the culture that is an integral part of these various religions and temples and it is even better if you get to participate in it.


Georgetown is all about its food (especially the street food and the night markets), its easy walks around the heritage zone, its religious sites, its colorful markets, especially on Campbell Street and Little India. In my mind, it is perfect for a 3 to 4 day detour from Langkawi, the Thai border, Kuala Lumpur or the Cameron Highlands.


To get here, you can either fly straight into Penang, take the ferry from Langkawi, take the train from KL and take the efficient road network of Peninsular Malaysia.

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Travel Photo: Colonial Georgetown

Malaysia’s Georgetown is one of those places that doesn’t look Asian, especially in its UNESCO world heritage zone. Instead, it looks more like England with its rich colonial structures, cobbled paths and well maintained historic buildings. After all, it has had such a rich colonial past.


If you were to walk in Georgetown’s UNESCO world heritage site, you will see a HSBC bank in an old colonial building and also the local post office. In fact, its dispensaries and hospitals also make use of the beautiful structures built in the late 19th century. It is quite a sight for the traveler who explores this island town and ends up seeing great sights such as these.

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Durian: The King of South East Asian Fruits

This fruit is native to Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. It is exported the most by Thailand. It is considered obnoxious by some and divine by the others. It is banned in many hotels and public transportation across South East Asia. It’s pungent aroma is what makes this fruit special. It has a hard thorny shell and is succulent yellow (sometimes red) flesh inside. It is seasonal in nature and fruits primarily during the rainy season. It is consumed as a fruit and is a major ingredient in many south east Asian drinks and desserts. This is the Durian, the king of all South East Asian Fruits.


Most of the people do not come even close to tasting this fruit as they find its smell to be a huge turn-off. Even the ones who end up trying it may not necessarily like it. But, the ones who like it absolutely love it and will vouch for its excellent taste and nutritious properties. Well, to start with, this fruit is fairly nutritious with a lot of vitamins and potassium in it. It also has a lot of carbohydrates and raw fats. It is considered a cooling agent too.


The fruit is extremely popular in South East Asia and this can be seen through the many Durian specialty stalls in the major cities across South East Asia. Even better is Singapore’s esplanade, which is designed like a Durian. Personally, I find the smell overpowering, but I like its taste. I prefer the slightly riper version even though they smell stronger. Have you tried the king of south east Asian fruits? What did you think of it?

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