Not Bangkok, Bali or Bandung – Penang (Pulau Pinang) is one of my favorite destinations in Southeast Asia because of the ancient, the rich history and culture, the variety of local dishes. Penang is not hustle and bustle like Kuala Lumpur. It is quiet, peaceful with beaches, with charming art of Georgetown but has a deep history, culture and cuisine. Penang is a great destination for those who love both exploring and relaxing. So, what to do in Penang in 1 day (24 hours in Penang, a day in Penang, one day in Penang, Penang in a day). Let’s check it out our Penang one day trip blog (Penang itinerary blog, Penang trip blog) with our suggestion Penang itinerary 1 day (1 day in Penang) on how to spend a pefect day trip in Penang (Penang day trip) to find out the answer!
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If you have the opportunity to travel to Malaysia, besides the bustling of Kuala Lumpur, you should not miss the gentle, beautiful of Penang. A perfect itinerary is that you can visit both cities on a trip to feel the difference. But what if your itinerary doesn’t allow, do you think of experience Penang in one day? It sounds impossible but I will share my experience so you can experience near “fully” Penang in a day.
Now, let’s start the journey of discovery with what to do in Penang in 1 day. To do that, you must get up early first!
What to do in penang in 1 day? — Morning: Breakfast and and ready to explore street art
First go to Lebuh Carnarvon, near Campbell Street Market, the street in the ancient Georgetown. Your Penang itinerary 1 day will start from here. Lebuh Carnarvon is bustling with local shops, bookstores and cafes.
Cuisine at Lebuh Carnavon Street is Malaysian – Chinese dishes. Here, you will definitely find something for your stomach. To start the day, call the signature delicacies of Malaysia such as char kway teow (Malaysian rice noodle stir-fry), or nasi lemak (National dish of Malaysia). Nasi Lemak is a traditional dish of Malaysians including rice cooked with coconut milk served with many dishes such as chicken, fish, eggs, peanuts, fried dried fish… and especially spicy hot samba sauce. Starting a new day with these two dishes ensures that not only will your taste buds be stimulated, but also filled your stomach.
If you are a sweet taste lover, there are a variety of cakes nearby to choose from. You can try egg tart, nyonya kueh (a traditional pastry in Malaysia, colorful). For dessert, let drink teh-tarik, which is Malaysian hot milk tea and kopi panas (coffee). Awesome, you will be energized for the whole day exploring Penang.
After a full breakfast, get your camera ready for a walk around Penang. You can moving by bike or on foot. Start a street exploration tour from the heritage roads such as Lebuh Armenian, Lebuh Muntri, Lebuh Chulia and the surrounding area. Here you will find not only charming colorful houses, temples, mosques, but also admire the wall paintings by Lithunian artist – Ernest Zacharevi and other workarts by the locals.
From those works of art, you also learn about culture and history, such as why the road name is Love Lane. This is a fairly large area and if you want to see all the street art works here, bring a small guide handbook/map from the hotel. Definitely, every hotel has it.
1 day in Penang — Noon: Learn about the history of Penang and enjoy Malaysian coffee
After taking enough virtual living photos with wall paintings, go to the legendary blue mansion of Cheong Fatt Tze – a famous businessman, politician in history. The building combines the ornate architecture of both the East and the West architecture style. Built in the 1880s, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is in the traditional Hakka – Teochew style. The sophistication is reflected in every detail from the windows, stairs, elaborate sculpture corridors and beautiful, classic tiled floors. The striking blue wall is the shimmering and very photogenic spot. This is one of the must visit in Penang.