George Town is a delight to walk around, with its mix of wide
avenues and narrow alleys lined with a jumble of buildings from
different historical eras. And it’s not only the charming
shophouses and hand-painted tiles that make it so appealing – it’s
the surprise artwork that pops out at you wherever you go. In 2012,
Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created six unique street murals
across the capital. These thoughtful pieces made use of existing
structures – peeling window frames, antique shutter doors – and
often depict young children enjoying the simpler things in life:
riding a bike; hopping onto a school bus. Since then, many other
artists have added their marks to George Town’s walls, and while
they’re not all as evocative as Zacharevic’s original series,
nostalgic street art has become one of Penang’s most distinctive
features. Start your art walk on Armenian Street, where you’ll find
arguably Zacharevic’s most famous Penang piece, Little Children on
a Bicycle, as well as newer pieces by other artists, including Love
Me Like Your Fortune Cat, painted by the art collective ASA.

Penang has only recently been awarded its first duo of coveted
Michelin stars – an overdue recognition for such a vibrant, dynamic
dining scene. Both of the restaurants to have received a star
reflect Penang’s distinctive personality. First, there’s Au
Jardin, a fine-dining institution that offers up fresh
interpretations of European dishes, with chef-patron Kim Hock Su
using top-quality local produce to lend a local flavour to the
classics. Then, there’s Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery, a beloved
family-run restaurant that champions Peranakan cooking. A fusion
cuisine you won’t find anywhere else, Peranakan cookery draws on
traditional Malay, Chinese and Indonesian flavours to deliver
fragrant, spice-laden dishes. At Auntie Gaik Lean’s, you’ll find
some of the most authentic examples of this nuanced fare, all
prepared to chef Auntie Gaik’s secret recipes.

Penang is not all about fine dining, though – far from it. Some
of the best eating in the city can be found at its street-food
stalls, or in bustling, noisy hawker centres. Stand in line for
char kway teow, fried flat rice noodles studded with prawns and
fragranced with charcoal smoke, fresh from the wok. Or join a
snaking queue around a nasi kandar counter loaded with rich, spicy
curries, meats and vegetables, and pile your plate high. Some of
the best places to try multiple famous Penang dishes at once are
the food courts, with each stall offering a different
speciality.

The most immersive way to soak up Penang’s rich history is to
base yourself in one of the state’s many beautiful heritage hotels.
The most famous and most photographed of these is Cheong Fatt
Tze, The Blue Mansion, an incredible example of how history can
be brought thoughtfully into the present. Built in the 1800s, the
mansion-turned-hotel has been meticulously refurbished, its
traditional Chinese-inspired architecture rejuvenated by
craftspeople and conservationists. Whether you stay at the hotel or
book a guided tour, it’s worth learning more about the property,
its ornate details and fascinating backstory. Then, there’s
The
Edison George Town, a colonial mansion reimagined with a light,
modern touch, and the Eastern & Oriental, known locally as the
“E&O”, a timelessly elegant hotel that has been welcoming
guests for 138 years.

Throughout Penang, nestled between hotel blocks and shopping
malls, you’ll find living, breathing reminders of the port town’s
incredible past. Case in point is Khoo Kongsi, a
gated cluster of houses and meeting places designed and built in
the 1850s to support and celebrate the Khoo family clan in Penang.
Step through the gates to find yourself transported to a completely
different world. The establishment is fronted by the ornate Leong
San Tong (Dragon Mountain Hall), a traditional clan temple where
members of the Khoo family once gathered to pay tribute to their
ancestors.

Alongside its thriving urban life, Penang still has pockets of
nature scattered throughout the state, from pristine rainforest to
sunny beaches. The most famous of its beaches, Batu Ferringhi, is a
popular spot for watersports and in the evening is transformed with
food stalls and a buzzing market. Make the 10-minute ferry crossing
over to Pulau Jerejak, a small island just off Penang’s coast, for
a quieter beach day. For superb snorkelling and campsites,
meanwhile, head to Monkey Beach, found in the national park on the
north-west tip of Penang Island. A must-visit is The Habitat, a
permanent rainforest reserve atop Penang Hill, where you can learn
all about the rainforest and its inhabitants, wander the Treetop
Canopy Walk and even camp under the stars.