update
Life in Penang
Spending time on the Malaysian island of Penang has been excellent. It's my second time here (or third time - I honestly can't remember) and after 2 weeks, I still feel it's one of the most livable places on the planet.
Here's my impressions.
First, the main town, George Town, is relatively small, manageable and quiet, yet it has everything you could possibly need to live here for an extended period of time. The island's
famous variety of food is insane and tasty, the coast is always nearby and there are plenty of activities to fill your days.
The population is also diverse. With a mix of ethnic Chinese, Malaysians and Indians making up the majority, 10% of the population also consists of foreigners from countries around the world. English is widely spoken as a result (it was also the main language when Penang was under British rule) and it's very common to see Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English all on the same sign.
Over the past two weeks, we've done the following:
- Walked, walked and walked all over the charming and historic UNESCO designated old town
- Spent a Sunday at the Hin Bus Depot craft, food and music market
- Wandered around looking at the impressive street art George Town is known for
- Visited the clan jetties where people live in homes built over the water, with some of these communities being 130 years old
- Went cafe hopping during some of the hottest days (the temperature does reach 35C / 95F at times) - our favorites have been The Alley, Black Kettle and Wheeler's, all perfect places to cool down
- Took a 40 minute ride to Batu Ferringhi, a small town along the beach, for lunch and a beach walk
- Had an excellent time visiting the Tropical Spice Garden, with its many paths through the gorgeous jungle and it's idyllic swing over the trees
- Stopped by mosques, Hindu temples and Buddhist temples that can be found everywhere
- Eaten at food markets (the Jetty Food Court was great), endless street stalls and all kinds of restaurants (just ate at the wonderful Pinxin Restaurant last night)
Over the next week, we still plan to visit the Penang Hill for views out over the island and the Penang National Park for a day of light hiking through nature.
Of course, the cost of living also helps make this an ideal place to live.
For around $1000 USD per month, you can rent a new, modern 2 bedroom apartment in a high-rise, with sweeping views over the island from your living room. Most of these buildings have a pool - ours is an infinity pool on the roof - and a nice gym as well. It's a great deal.
Getting around is inexpensive, too. You can either walk or take a Grab, the local version of Uber. A ride anywhere in town generally costs 8 - 12 Malaysian ringgit ($1.75 - $2.75 USD). Even our 35 minute Grab ride to Batu Ferringhi only cost 22 MYR ($5).
An excellent meal for 2 people at a proper sit down restaurant - complete with starters and main dishes - tends to cost between 60 MYR - 120 MYR ($13 - $26). If you eat at food stalls and food markets, you can expect to pay even less.
The downsides of life in Penang?
For me, since I love walking so much, it's the lack of sidewalks that makes walking around tricky at times. You have to wander into the road over and over again and dodge large holes, loose cement and drainage canals, so it's a bit stressful. And on the other side of things, there is the heavy traffic that can turn a 3 km drive into a 30 minute journey at times. Finally, the main reason why I wouldn't live here permanently is that it's so far away from most of my family and friends. Long 20+ hour journeys is something I'd love to cut down on!
Overall, it's really hard to beat the value and quality of life that Penang offers though. I'm extremely happy that we came here and will certainly finish off this last week with as many activities and good food as possible.
Then it's off to Baghdad!
