Thaipusam was a huge event in Penang during my visit. More than a half-million devotees flock to the island during Thaipusam, and for the duration of the festival, Indians appear to be more numerous than the Chinese majority. Women wearing Kanjeevarams in vibrant colors fill the streets, while the deep, resonant sounds of parai percussions permeate the air. Mark Saw, who is a prominent Penangite and owns Eythrope boutique hotel in Penang Hill offers to take me and his friends to Jalan Utama – a major road that runs along the west side George Town – where the festival procession will be traveling.
Saw shows us a section of land being developed as Gurney Bay. This 131-acre waterfront development is modeled on Singapore’s Gardens on the Bay. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. It will feature promenades and retail shops, as well as parks, a hawker centre, and other amenities. This new development, which is set to be completed later this year, will include promenades and retail stores as well as parks and a hawker food center. As slow-moving as this island can seem, it is driven by a powerful and growing economy—and a desire to join the ranks of other established Asian urban hubs.
The car slows as we reach the gridlocked streets, so we get out and join the devotees, many with kavadis—elaborately designed canopies—balanced on their shoulders, hiking toward Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple (better known as Waterfall Hilltop Temple). Thaipusam is an impassioned display of music and dance—and extreme body piercing—but it’s also a gathering that dissolves ethnic boundaries. Chinese Penangites wear Indian clothing to participate spiritually. Volunteers from all backgrounds give out cups of coffee, as well as idli (the popular South Indian rice cakes). In Hinduism, breaking coconuts is seen as a sign of good luck. The air was thick with the aroma of the fruit.
On our way back from the temple we stopped to look at food stands that sold nutmeg beverages, egg samosas and apam banlik, which is a type pancake. I am on my way to a lunch date and I don’t have any space left in my stomach. I still get in line for a stall that sells kuih lapis, an incredibly colorful Malaysian cake. There’s never too much food in Penang.
What to do?
New six-room hotel 88 Armenian Unlike the inimitable, chic design, this resort eschews colonial style for modern conveniences and a sleek look. Cheong Fatt Tze Or The Blue Mansion is the opposite, with its old-world grandeur. Eythrope, A colonial home, which has been updated and is simply furnished, sits in the middle. Watch out for the opening in fall of Soori Penang There are 15 restored shophouses in the historic and highly decorated family compound of Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi. It also has a temple.
What to Do
George Town is home to many artisan studios and stores, including Better Than BlousesModern batik clothing is available at. Nala, dedicated to all types of printed patterns. Hin’s weekend market, in an old bus depot, hosts local musicians, chefs and artisans. Penang Hill is a hill that rises almost 3,000 ft above sea level. It can be accessed by funicular or hiking trail. The views are spectacular. Monkey Beach in Penang National Park is perfect for picnics and kayaking.
Where to Eat
Au Jardin, the pioneering Penang modern approach to food, offers tasting menus that are elevated and feature more than 65 per cent of local ingredients. Kim Hock Su opened the restaurant recently. Teochew Club The restaurant pays homage to Teochew immigrants with retro-styled green lamps, blue formica bench and the traditional mehmoi or night porridge. Like Au Jardin, Gēn takes a locavore approach with fresh, clean flavors that match the bright Scandi-chic dining room and a meticulously curated wine list. Third Culture Dining, located in a mid-century bungalow, combines French techniques with Penang ingredients to create dishes such as duck-liver souffle. Meanwhile, at Lucky HoleWaymann Cheong is a tattooed chef who lures diners into his restaurant with sambal-chile crab style mussels served with flatbread and foie gras ice-cream, all to the beat of hip-hop. For Penang’s famous street food, you can’t beat Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul, a legendary stall that sells the beloved sugar-and-pandan-flavored dessert of the same name. The vibrant Chowrasta Market is just a short walk away, and has been selling favorites from Penang’s diverse cultures since the 19th Century, including roticanai, an Indian-inspired flatbread. If you’re looking for a more traditional, yet formal experience, visit the popular Jawi HouseThe acclaimed Jawi Peranakan chef Wazir Jahankarim and her son Nurilkarim offer a variety of Peranakan food developed by Malay speaking Muslims. Dishes like Malay Nasi Biryani are served. The lauded Ceki The restaurant offers nasi goreng, sambal prawn, and asam pedas, all served in a place where you will have to wait, but it is always worth the wait. The Michelin-starred Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery Does tau yew and nasiulam in an old jewelry shop.
