Aboard the Ferry to George Town

Far from the hustle and bustle of modern city life, the old-town charm of George Town, the historic capital of Penang in Malaysia, is a breath of fresh air. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its colonial architecture and street art culture.

First off, I boarded a ferry ride from Butterworth to George Town. Rather than sitting in the ferry’s air-conditioned lounge, I stood on the deck, taking in the scenic sea views and letting the breeze rustle my hair.

The twenty-minute ferry ride gave a glimpse into the daily lives of locals commuting between the mainland and the island.

As George Town’s cityscape drew near, I got ready for the day's adventure.

My exploration started with a walk to the Esplanade, a seafront city square. It was here that Captain Francis Light, the founder of George Town, first landed in 1786.

A nearby landmark is the Cenotaph, a war memorial constructed in 1929 in remembrance of the Allied soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the First World War.

What followed was a visit to Fort Cornwallis, a bastion fort built by the British East India Company in 1786. The largest fort in Malaysia, it’s named after Lord Cornwallis, the then Governor-General of India. While Cornwallis himself didn't have any direct involvement in Malaysia, the fort’s name serves as a historic link between British colonial rule in India and Malaysia.

A statue of the explorer Francis Light welcomed. Unlike other Britishers, he spoke Malay and wore the local dress, earning the admiration of the residents of Penang. Light Street, where the fort is situated, is also named after him.

A row of vintage cannons adorned the fort. The irony is that Fort Cornwallis never engaged in combat and its role was more administrative than defensive.

Seri Rambai, the largest of them, regally overlooked the sea; the massive cannon was cast in 1603 by the Dutch as a gift to the Sultan of Johor. 268 years later, it fell into British hands. What’s more, the cannon was also considered a fertility symbol owing to its phallic shape.

One of the fort’s highlights is this chapel, established in 1799 as the first Anglican church in Penang. Although modest in size, it holds great historic significance.

I went from tourist to temporary inmate while spending some time sitting inside a prison cell in the fort.

The Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower stood outside the fort. It was constructed in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Interestingly, the clock tower stands slightly tilted due to Japanese bombing raids in World War II.

Bright red trishaws were waiting to whisk tourists away, but I chose to take a walking tour at my own pace.

The streets were lined with colonial-era houses, their colourful exteriors a blast from the past.

The 19th-century municipal buildings, including the Penang High Court and the Town Hall, harked back to the British era.

I made my way to the historic St. George’s Church. Built in 1816, it’s the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia. Adjacent to the church is a memorial pavilion erected in 1886 to honour Captain Francis Light.

My visit coincided with Palm Sunday, and a bilingual English-Mandarin service was in progress.

The church grounds feature a mahogany tree that was planted in 1885, from a seedling brought from India. An inscription revealed that this particular tree survived the bombings of 1941 when six bombs were dropped by the Japanese in this location.

A bicentennial Cross had been installed on the 200th anniversary of the church’s consecration in 2019. The cross was crafted from the wood of the Mahogany tree.

Kapitan Keling Mosque, the first and largest mosque built in Penang, is just a few minutes away from the church. It was built in 1801 by the East India Company’s troops to serve the growing community of Indian Muslim settlers in Penang. The design reflects a blend of Islamic and Indian Mughal architectural styles.

A female volunteer offered a complimentary guided tour of the mosque, sharing its history.

Right opposite the mosque is Nasi Kandar Imigresen, a humble 75-year-old stall renowned for serving the best and authentic nasi kandar in Penang. Despite its modest size, this hawker stall has over a thousand reviews on Google.

Nasi kandar is a popular Malaysian dish which originated in Penang. The dish was introduced to Malaysia 70 years ago by Muslim immigrants from India, who used to carry heavy baskets filled with homemade dishes and rice through the streets. The name originates from vendors balancing poles on their shoulders, supporting massive containers of rice, with nasi meaning rice and kandar meaning balance.

Located on the same Pitt Street as the mosque is the Kong Hock Keong, the oldest Buddhist temple built in Penang, dating back to 1728. The Chinese community, which makes up around 45% of Penang’s population, is made up of both Christians and Buddhists. 

What’s striking is that this single street is home to the state’s oldest Anglican Church, mosque, and Buddhist temple, reflecting Malaysia’s religious diversity.

Vendors were selling an assortment of exquisitely crafted articles as temple offerings.

After that, I headed to the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, which was established in 1888.

It was heartening to witness the diversity in the church. With the sermon in English and the choir singing in Tagalog, the Mass drew people from different ethnic backgrounds. The vernacular hymns, though unfamiliar to me, were deeply moving.

After the service, the priest for the day, Father Desmond, struck up an engaging conversation and told that weekly worship is held separately in over five languages.

The palm frond handed out to me during the Mass was remarkably larger than any I’d received at Palm Sunday services in other countries.

Facing the church is St. Paul’s, a Chinese-language Anglican church that traces its origins back to 1886 when services were originally conducted in this neighbourhood.

The church pastor Rev. Philip Ong warmly welcomed me. He took the time to show me around and generously served refreshments from the kitchen.

Father Desmond recommended that I visit the Church of the Assumption, which is the oldest church in Penang and the third oldest in Malaysia.

The founding of George Town paved the way for the establishment of the church. In 1786, Captain Francis Light arrived on Penang Island on August 15, coinciding with the Feast of the Assumption. To commemorate this event, he and his companions built this church.

Within the church campus lies the Penang Roman Catholic Diocese Museum.

The exhibits highlighted the history of the Catholic Church in the ilsand.

Next up was the St. Francis Xavier Church, founded in 1852 and dedicated to the namesake saint who had traveled to Malaysia as part of his mission.

The church was filled with joyful music as I arrived during the Easter choir practice.

I stumbled upon the nearby St. Xavier’s Institution, Malaysia’s oldest Catholic school, established in 1787 and boasting a long list of prominent Malaysian alumni. As a former student of a Xavier institution, I was intrigued to see this.

I saved the best for the last, with my final stop being Armenian Street, the epicenter of George Town, where the city comes alive

The street gets its name from Armenian traders who lived here during the 1800s. Although the Armenian population was relatively small, they played a significant role in shaping Penang to what it is today. They excelled as doctors, stockbrokers, jewellers, hoteliers, and much more, holding considerable influence in this island. At the turn of the century, they left for other lands like Singapore and Europe in search of greener pastures.

Walking through the long and narrow street was a breeze with each turn revealing a surprise.

George Town’s past is preserved in the historic houses along the way. 

It was in this very house that Sun Yat-sen, the Father of China, lived in exile and formed a secret society for his revolutionary activities.

He organized the 1910 Penang Conference, which paved the way for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the end of the 2000-year Chinese imperial rule in 1911. Having known little about him before, my respect for Sun Yat-sen went up after learning more about his legacy

Most establishments in this neck of the woods are named after Armenia, wearing it like a badge of honour. From luxury hotels and café to guesthouses and restaurants, Armenian pride is everywhere. 

This part of the city is famous for its street art, which has become a tourist attraction in itself.

The magnum opus among them being the Kids on a Bicycle street installation by the Lithuanist artist Ernest Zacharevic. This visual became so popular that Air Asia used it on the livery of their planes.

An art collective called Artists for Stray Animals has been raising awareness through their art to draw attention to the plight of stray cats and dogs.

This poignant installation outside a store features a handicapped maneki-neko, a traditional Japanese cat figurine, along with the message ‘Even if handicapped, still love me.’

The good folks of George Town love their feline friends. So much so that they put up this cute warning sign.

As I wandered deeper, I stumbled upon Cheah Kongsi, a stunningly ornate ancestral temple maintained by one of the oldest Hokkien clans, whose members trace their origins back to Fujian in mainland China.

In addition to the Cheah Kongsi, I came across two other notable Hokkien clan temples nearby, each with its own unique history and cultural significance.

I then took a leisurely stroll along the cozy ARmenian Park. And no, that’s not a typo.

At first glance, it may seem like any other park, but it holds a unique distinction of being Malaysia’s first augmented reality park. When you scan the installations in the park using your phone, they come to life. How cool is that?

Midway, I made a pit-stop at Kopi Loewak, a boutique coffee house on Armenian Street. They are best known for their trademark Kopi Luwak, coffee made from coffee beans picked and, ahem, digested by civets in neighbouring Indonesia. It's considered the world’s most exclusive and expensive coffee. The friendly owner, Ms. Cindy, told me that their coffee beans are roasted in-house and hand-brewed to perfection.

Having read about Kopi Luwak in the past, I couldn’t resist giving it a try. With its unique taste and aroma, the specialty coffee was delightful in every sip. Who knew civets had such refined taste?

Just outside the coffee house, a Syrian family had set up a stall displaying an assortment of traditional Middle Eastern pastries and sweets. As we chatted, they told me that the art of making these delights had been passed down through generations of their family.

As I got ready to say adios, I checked out the nearby shops, which were selling a variety of artisanal products such as handcrafted souvenirs, artworks, antiques, and traditional dresses.

When Francis Light founded George Town, little could he have foreseen that the island would become a cherished destination down the centuries, drawing folks from far and wide.

The heritage town had me hooked from the moment I set foot. I simply loved the whole vibe of this island.