Georgetown, Penang

Georgetown, Penang is all about the street art. With Georgetown being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 the proliferation of street art has exploded. In my humble opinion, I think the tourism department has done an admirable job with promoting it.

We did a free guided walk around Georgetown, then spent a couple of mornings doing a scavenger hunt looking for murals and metal sculptures hidden all around the town. If you would like to check out what we found just follow the link to my Flickr account. It was a hot couple of days, but we found some great coffee shops and corners of Georgetown we never would have visited without doing this treasure hunt. If you are ever here, stop in to the tourist info office on Beach Street. They are very helpful and have great maps.

As well as the art, we happened across several scenes that just spoke to life here. It was a wonderful journey of discovery.

We ventured out one evening and were rewarded with some great scenes, but more impressive was seeing the numbers of locals who come out at sunset to take in the natural show and socialise. The large shorefront promenades were packed with families enjoy the cooler temperatures.

A huge part of the history here is the influence of the Chinese in Penang. It is one of the things that makes Malaysia as a whole so unique. The massive amount of cultural diversity as you travel around the country.

Each Jetty has its own unique character, which tended to be reflected in its signage.

Some of my favourite sights were just normal people going about their days. Truly, it does not matter where in the world people live. They just want to make a living and be safe. Not a lot to ask.

Penang, and Malaysia as a whole has been an incredible experience. If we get an opportunity, it is safe to say, we will be back to Malaysia without hesitation.