On our recent trip to Penang we went up the Hill in the funicular. We were amused that our tickets said “domestic child” while the girls were called “foreign adults” – we had presented our identity cards; locals pay far less than tourists. It is a quick, smooth ride up to 800m. The views over the city and the strait from the top is spectacular, particularly on a clearish day. We took a walk and stopped off at several bungalows, which date back to the early 20th century when British colonials escaped the heat by going up to the hill station. We also took a path through the dense jungle, where beautiful butterflies and other insects abound. We ended up at the aging Bellevue Hotel where we enjoyed club sandwiches and lime juice. Then it was back down the hill and into Georgetown where we explored one of the clan jetties and had a delicious meal. Penang didn’t disappoint.

Last weekend we drove up to Penang and stayed one night in an hotel in Georgetown. The bridge you drive over to get from the mainland to the island is impressive. We drove straight into the middle of this old town, found the hotel parking and, leaving the car with bags still in the boot (we were not able to check in till 3pm), we set off on foot to explore. Georgetown (named after the then Prince George) is a maze of winding streets and beautiful buildings, jetties and temples, some restored and others crumbling. Every corner reveals yet more enticing views of little shops, small restaurants and milling people. Like all the other parts of Malaysia we’ve seen so far, it is marred by rubbish lying in heaps and stinky drains. Yet this does not detract too much from the beauty and interest of this old fishing and trading settlement. The temples, mosques and churches are magnificent and remind one of the religious diversity of this part of the world. It was also extremely hot! We took a break with a fresh lime juice in a café in Armenian Street but finally the heat got too much and we made our way back to the hotel with its welcome air conditioning. Later in the evening we ventured out again and, after a drink at the magnificent Eastern and Oriental Hotel, we made our way down to the clan jetties, where people still live in little wooden houses on stilts over the sea. Next morning we drove along the coast road. It had been our intention to look for a place to swim but whenever we got a glimpse of the water, we could see the rubbish bobbing around. We’ll definitely be going back to Penang, not to swim, but explore some more. Some of our photos are on our Pinterest board at http://www.pinterest.com/debrajburnett/penang/