Clan jetties

If you intend to spend some time exploring George Town, one of the places you shouldn’t miss is the clan jetties. Located along Weld Quay, these wooden piers were built during the 1800s, each one housing the 7 separate clans of Chew,Koay,Lee,Lim,Peng Aun, Tan and Yeoh (not to mention one Mixed Clan jetty) . Each jetty is practically a floating village - you’ve got the houses, sundry shops, and even a jetty hairdresser. And sampans (small boats) for cars.

Admittedly the area is rundown, and trash can be seen floating in the surrounding waters. Nevertheless, the jetties, along with its ageing residents and sleepy air stand as testament to the history of Chinese immigrants in Penang.

Penang Hill

Also known as Bukit Bendera, Penang Hill is the ideal retreat if you're hankering for someplace a little cooler than sea-level city streets.

How to get up to Penang Hill:

-Funicular Railway: Built in the 1920s, this railway is probably the most convenient way of getting to the top station. Unfortunately for everyone coming to the family reunions in April and July 2010, the railway will be closed due to an untimely upgrading project.

Still, despair not. Other means of transport include:

-Hiking/Cycling: Ah, good old exercise. Nothing like it. You can either hike up the jeep track or the Moongate trail, both of which lead from Botanical Gardens up to Penang Hill. There are other tracks too, but most people I know use these two routes. If it's your first time up these trails, or if you'd prefer to cycle, you're better off using the jeep track.

-Jeep**: You need special permission to drive your own vehicle up the jeep track. Alternatively if you're dining at David Brown's the restaurant will send a jeep down to fetch you. Voila!

**Update: Penang Hill residents and hotel operators will be organising a jeep service for the duration of the upgrading project. More details here.

Assuming you finally make your way up to Penang Hill, here’s a few things you can do:

-Dine at David Brown’s, a restaurant set in a lovely colonial house that was recently renovated. Food is moderately tasty, but it’s the combination of good company, a glass of wine (that’s my dad talking!) and seeing the whole of Penang light up at sunset that makes this place special.

-Walk around the area, and check out some of the landmarks that date back to the British colonial era:

-Snap photos of the local residents! But please don't feed them.

Another option for those attending the reunions is an overnight stay at the Penang Turf Club’s cottage on Penang Hill. It’s a lovely stone house maintained very well by a caretaker and her family. It also has a pretty English garden filled with poinsettias and other temperate plants.

In addition, Aunty (the caretaker) can whip up some delicious homecooked food for guests:

However, the cottage can only take a limited number of visitors, all of whom have to be vouched for by a PTC member, so if you’d like to go there please inform us early in advance.

Restaurants in Penang

So maybe your stomach's not equipped to handle street food. Or maybe you'd just like to try something that's not hawker fare. Some of the places listed below have been around since my Yeye's time and needless to say are very, very good. Hence....

AUN QI'S FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS IN PENANG

Mamak (Indian Muslim food) – Hameediyah (164-A Lebuh Campbell)

Nyonya – Mama’s (31-D Abu Siti Lane), Nyonya Breeze (Abu Siti Lane)

Home-style food- Teik Seng (Carnarvon St)

Teochew – Goh Teo Kee-formerly known as Goh Hun Kee (Gurney Drive)

Hokkien- Ang Hoay Lor: Mum says the original Macallum St Ghaut one tastes better than the Jalan Perak branch, and I have to agree with her! (Macallum St Ghaut, Jalan Perak)

Seafood – Tua Pek Kong-famous for crabs! (Tanjung Tokong) , Beach Corner Seafood (beside Parkroyal Hotel at Batu Feringghi)

Dim Sum- Forum (Island Plaza)

Cantonese- Sun Yoon Kee (Cintra St)

Malay – Kafe Alaf Sejahtera (near Penang National Park)

Western – Ferringghi Garden: great for its desserts and lush ambience(Batu Feringghi), David Brown’s (Penang Hill)

Italian – Ecco Café - good for homemade pasta, especially its lemon chicken spaghetti (Chulia-Cintra St junction), Bella Italia -favourite neighborhood pasta place! (Burmah Rd), QE 2 - best pizza in town but pricey (Weld Quay)

Thai – Aroi: highly recommended-green papaya salad (Pulau Tikus)

Japanese-Miraku: highly recommended: avocado prawn sushi (Gurney Hotel), Isaribi Tei: more affordable than Miraku, and just as delicious..also makes wasabe ice-cream if you're interested! (Chow Thye Road)

Vegetarian- Mum's recommendation!!

Hawker Food - Dessert

Aside from savoury dishes, desserts are sold by hawkers in Penang as well. Most of these desserts will usually contain gula melaka (palm sugar), santan (coconut milk) and/or daun pandan (screwpine leaf) juice. These staple ingredients give the desserts a uniquely tropical flavour and also -in the case of santan and gula melaka- create extra tummy fat if eaten excessively.

Without further ado, here is my list of top Penang hawker desserts:

Teochew Chendol – “Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol/Ais Kacang” stall outside Joo Hooi Café (475 Penang Road)

This is a version of cendol that has sago in it (Malacca's Donald and Lily's stall)

Ais kacang – “Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol/Ais Kacang” stall outside Joo Hooi Café (475 Penang Road), Lorong Selamat

Nyonya kuih – Pulau Tikus Market

Bee koh moy – Mama’s (31-D Abu Siti Lane) **I know Mama's is technically a restaurant, but it does serve the thickest, creamiest bee koh moy I've ever eaten!

Gandum – Pulau Tikus market

Bubur Cha-cha- Padang Brown (Jalan Perak-Anson food junction)

Tau hua – Hillside food centre (Tanjung Bungah, opposite Copthorne Orchid Hotel)

Putu Mayam – Pulau Tikus market (at night), Queen St

Hawker Food - Savoury

This is what Penang is famous for. I can’t do justice to it, but I hope that this list can help you decide where to go. And please email me if you’d like to help add some more places/photos to the list. Thanks!

So. Generally, Gurney Drive in the evenings has most of the hawker food listed down here. Either head over to Anjung Gurney hawker centre (a massive gathering of hawker stalls in front of McDonalds’ near the roundabout leading from Phor Tay School), or go to Song River Café (65 Persiaran Gurney). Other hawker centres include New World Park, Batu Feringghi at night, Padang Brown’s Jalan Perak-Jalan Anson food junction and Pulau Tikus Market at night.

Pulau Tikus Market hawker centre at night

I also recommend buying this book, Rasa Rasa Penang: A Visitor-friendly Guide to Its Food, as it gives you a much more detailed list of places to eat, divided by zones and complete with addresses, opening times and cost. It also contains a good introduction to Penang hawker food. Plus it’s affordable-RM 28 (approx USD 7.00). Can be purchased at local bookstores. Alternatively you can visit the Rasa Rasa website, which has a useful search engine that helps you track down food according to location and food category.

Thanks to my mum and dad for their input in creating this list!

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AUN QI'S BASIC LIST OF HAWKER EATERIES (SAVOURY)

*Note: Where possible I have linked the name of the stall to an online review, so you can check out some photos of the food for yourself. Enjoy!

Assam Laksa – Air Itam (beside Air Itam Market)

Siamese/Lemak Laksa - Balik Pulau (Lam Kong Coffeeshop, 67 Main Road) **Don't forget to order their fresh nutmeg juice too!

Lam Kong Coffeeshop Laksa and Nutmeg Juice

Char Koay Teow – Anson Road, Song River Cafe

Char Koay Kak- Pulau Tikus market

Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee)–Pulau Tikus Market

Curry mee – Air Itam, Pulau Tikus (opposite PCGHS on Jalan Gottlieb)

White curry mee-Hot Bowl Nyonya Delights (16-A Abu Siti Lane)

Chicken porridge – Two sisters’ stall in front of Sun Yoke Kee Restaurant (Cintra St)

Nasi lemak (Chinese-style) – Shophouse in front of Pulau Tikus market, facing Cantonment Road

Nasi lemak (Malay-style) – Ali’s nasi lemak daun pisang @ Sri Weld Food Court (19 Beach St)

Ark thooi mee suah (Duck leg noodles) -Sungai Pinang hawker junction (in front of Honda and opposite Kia car service centres)

Wan thun mee – Sai Lam Coffeeshop (Chulia St/Carnarvon St junction)

**Note: This is not the Sai Lam coffeeshop wan thun mee! It's actually my mum's, but it's the only photo of wan thun mee that I have right now.

Char Hor Fun - Chulia St (at night)

Chee Cheong Fun – Stall at Seow Fong Lye coffeeshop (94C Lorong Macalister)

Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng –113 Cafe (Malay St)

Koay teow th'ng from Kheng Pin Coffeeshop (not the 113 Cafe one, sorry about that!)

Mua Hoo Koay Teow Th'ng (Eel fish ball soup) - Shophouse a few blocks to the right from Ping Hooi coffeeshop (near Carnarvon-Malay Street junction)

Chicken rice – Goh Thew Chik Hainan Chicken Rice (Chulia St), Tho Yuen (Campbell St), Poly Coffee Shop (Burmah Road)

Popiah - Padang Brown’s Jalan Perak-Jalan Anson food junction

Yong Tau Foo- Padang Brown’s Jalan Perak-Jalan Anson food junction

Mee goreng (Indian-style) - Seng Lee Cafe (Bangkok Lane-Burmah Road junction)

Satay (Chinese-style w pork) – Seng Lee Cafe (Bangkok Lane-Burmah Road junction)

**Note: This is not the Seng Lee Cafe satay! It's satay in Malacca actually, but again it's the only photo of satay I have in my library.

Gu Bak Koay Teow (Beef noodles) - Beach St-Chulia St junction’s corner coffeeshop

Loh Bak- Kheng Pin Coffeeshop (Sri Bahari Rd)

Kheng Pin Coffeeshop Loh Bak

Bak Kut Teh - Food Master Bak Kut Teh at Pakma Food Centre (along Jalan Burmah)

Food Master Bak Kut Teh

Next up: Dessert time!

Practical tips #2: Transport in Penang

So, you've found a place to stay. But before you can start zipping around to all those great foodie places you've heard about, you need a car. Or some form of transport, at least. I thus present:

AUN QI'S HANDY GUIDE TO GETTING AROUND PENANG

1. Rent a car or motorbike. Cars can be rented online or at Penang International Airport. Penang-vacations.com has a page on penang car rentals that offers helpful tips and lists various car rental companies' contact details. However, a warning to the uninitiated: Narrow Penang roads + Reckless Penang drivers = Tricky driving conditions. But fear not! Other options await you.

2. Ride the bus. The newest bus network on the block, Rapid Penang takes you to most places on the island. Use their website to check out route details and plan your journey.

3. Cycle. But what with pollution, the notorious driving skills of Penang motorists and lack of cycling lanes, this might not be the best idea ever.

4. Take a trishaw ride around George Town.

***Note: If you're planning to spend a couple of hours exploring the George Town area, make full use of the FREE shuttle bus service provided by Rapid Penang. It's called Central Area Transit (CAT). More details available here.

5. Ride on the historic ferries if you’re going across to the mainland. Alternatively you could drive over the Penang Bridge.

6. And if all else fails…..Hire the over-enthusiastic teenage driver, who’s still holding a P license and has questionable driving ability. J

Practical tips #1: Accommodation in Penang

Ok. Before we get stuck into where all the fun bits of Penang are, you need to make sure you have a place to stay. And although I know most of you have probably sorted this out, I thought I'd just do this for anyone who's coming to Penang for the first time. So here goes!

For the KHOOS:

The Khoo family reunion is being held at Tanjung Bungah Hotel, so it would be the most convenient to book a room there to stay for the reunion weekend. Other accom possibilities include my ahma’s (which has hosted generations of sleepovers!) and other relatives’ homes.

For the KOHS:

My family's and Yeye's houses can hold a lot of people under their seemingly small roofs. Nevertheless, one new place may prove a welcome addition: the apartment. It may not be ready in time for the Khoo reunion, but if everything goes as planned it should definitely be ready for the Koh one!

For both reunions:

The Batu Feringghi resorts are a good place to stay for a night or two if you want to experience some of the beach activities they have on offer (parasailing, jet skiing, banana boating, horse riding etc) and explore the area, which is a short drive away from attractions like the Tropical Spice Garden and the Penang National Park. Book early in advance, though, because rooms fill up fast especially during peak holiday period.

Personally, I like the Lone Pine Hotel because it has these fun hammocks to swing in J: