Hello.

This time, we will take you on a trip to another country, but it is a country very close to our home, which is Penang State, Malaysia.

This trip, we followed our friends to travel again as usual ^^"
Nearby, easy, 3 days 2 nights, all inclusive, not exceeding 2,500 baht (living in Hat Yai, no airfare) Focus on sightseeing, beautiful buildings, not eating.

Penang Island (Pulau Pinang) is one of the 13 states that make up the Federation of Malaysia. Wikipedia
Originally, the first Malays called it Pulau Wasatu or the Single Island. Later, it was found on a nautical chart called Pulau Pinang or Betel Nut Island.
Later, the British called it Prince of Wales Island. [Wikipedia]

Penang is a state in Malaysia, with George Town as its capital city. George Town's rich 200-year history has led to its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its well-preserved colonial architecture and unique blend of Middle Eastern and East Asian cultures. [Wikipedia]

**Day 1**

We used the KTS van service from Hat Yai to Penang, departing at 9:30 AM. There are three departures daily: 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 3:30 PM.
For all departures, you must arrive 30 minutes before the departure time so that the shop can prepare the exit permit for you.
The price is 400 baht, but if you buy a round-trip ticket, you get a 50 baht discount, so we paid 750 baht.

KTS Company is located on Nippat Uthit Road 1, also known as Sai 1 by Hat Yai residents. It is a one-way road located opposite the Aloha Hotel.

It takes about 1 hour to reach the Thai-Malaysian border.
This checkpoint is the Sadao checkpoint in Sadao district, Songkhla province, or what we call the outer checkpoint. The exit lane will use the new checkpoint, while the entrance lane will use the old checkpoint next to the new one.
Sadao checkpoint is adjacent to Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Kedah state, or what we call the Padang Besar checkpoint.

***Note*** We went on a Sunday and forgot that it was the day when Malaysian tourists were returning to the country. This caused a lot of traffic and people. We were stuck at the checkpoint for about 2 hours. -.-" So I recommend not traveling on Sundays, or at least allowing plenty of extra time.
The same goes for the way in...on Fridays, there are a lot of Malaysian tourists traveling to Hat Yai. If you can't avoid it, just be patient.

The normal travel time is about 4 hours, but our time is not normal. -.-

***Note again*** For those who travel by van, if the van takes you off the road, into the forest, into the bushes, into the alleys, and through the rice fields and people's houses, don't be alarmed!
Because the van is trying to avoid the Malaysian JPJ police. These people like to stop Thai-registered cars and try to charge us with something. If we don't pay... yes, the police are extortionists.
On the way back, there was an aunt and uncle from Isan who were also on the bus. They were very scared, wondering where they were being taken. We had to tell them that it was normal. We had already experienced it. We took a van to Malaysia and the JPJ stopped us and asked for everyone's passports on the bus. The driver handed over the passports with two banknotes... not enough! They said there were four of them, so they had to add two more banknotes. Then we were allowed to go. -.-"

Traveling across Penang Island from Butterworth town can be done by both road and ferry.
By road, we have to cross the bridge, which Penang Bridge has 2 bridges: the first bridge, which the van took us across, and the second bridge, which has been in operation for 2 years, is considered the longest bridge in Malaysia and the longest in Southeast Asia (24 kilometers).

Upon arriving at Penang Island, the van will drop passengers off at their respective locations as previously informed. Please note that the driver may not be familiar with all accommodation options. Therefore, it is recommended to have a map of your accommodation ready.

My friend and I stayed at different accommodations because my friend had already booked a room at Tune Hotel. I wanted to stay at a hostel, so I chose Siok Hostel. It's a female dormitory with 8 beds. I stayed for 2 nights and it cost 64.55 ringgit. Breakfast was included, and I had to pay a 50 ringgit deposit for the blanket and towel. The location was pretty good, it was in Georgetown and not far from Komtar building.

After we parted ways and went to our respective accommodations, we met up with a friend halfway, which happened to be on an overpass.

On the way to the meeting point, I admired the city all the way.

When we are all ready, we will go to the Komtar building (Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak), the tallest building there. There is a bus terminal (Komtar Bus Terminal) to take the bus to Gurney Drive.

We will wait for the bus at Lane 1. The bus fare for a round trip to Gurney Plaza is 1.40 Ringgit.

We came to see the dry sea at Gurney Drive -.-" and came to the famous night market. In addition, there are also shopping malls in this area.

On the way back, wait for the bus at the same stop and take it back to Komtar, which is near Prangin Mall.

After that, we parted ways with our friends and each went back to our accommodation. My accommodation is located on this route:

The atmosphere is not very deserted, there are many tourists. But sometimes it's quiet.

***Day 2***

Today we're going to check out Georgetown and its street art. Let me tell you, the murals are scattered all over the city, even hidden in nooks and crannies. We'll be using a map and a bit of guesswork to find them.

Our starting point is next to our accommodation, which is Leith St. We walked along the street.

The first street art I found here is made of iron bars. There are many of them, in many different styles.

As we approached the intersection, we saw The Blue Mansion. However, it was not yet open for visitors, and there was an entrance fee. The interior also serves as accommodation.
To avoid wasting time, we continued walking, intending to return later. However, we ended up getting caught up in other attractions.

The Blue Mansion, also known as Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, was built in the 1880s by Chinese craftsmen who traveled from mainland China specifically to construct this mansion.
In 2000, the mansion received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Conservation Award, being selected as an "Outstanding Project" among countries in the Asia-Pacific region for its restoration efforts that aimed to preserve the artistic style and decoration as closely as possible to the original.

When we reached the intersection, we turned right and continued walking until we arrived at Love Lane, a popular tourist destination.

On the right is St. Xavier's Institution, an all-boys school, which is likely the all-boys school in the story Nang Ai.

On the left is the Cathedral of the Assumption Church.

Walking into Love Lane, I'll be honest, I was just wandering around. I didn't even know what was in the alley. Hahahaha

Until we came across a bicycle rental shop... This is what we've been looking for.

The rental fee is 15 ringgit per car. We rented it until 4 pm. If it is longer, there will be another price.
And if you rent it overtime until 9 pm, there will be an additional 5 ringgit.

After that, I cycled around looking for murals on the walls. I got lost sometimes, but I also found my way sometimes. There was no plan at all, haha.

Until I came across Masjid Kapitan Keling

The search for the painting continues.

And then we entered the alley opposite Yap Temple until we finally found the painting!

The text you provided is already in English. Therefore, no translation is required.

I kept scrolling through images until I was tired and thirsty. Finally, I ended up at the nearest cafe at that time, which was China House.

This is what I saw along the way.

From the outside, this shop looks like it only has one small room, but inside it stretches all the way to the back, it's huge and it looks like they've opened up a second floor too.
There are tons of menu items, and the cakes are plentiful. Everything looks high quality, and the coffee beans are ordered from a famous shop in Singapore.
But my friend and I just ordered one drink each because the prices were a bit steep. After a while, the staff brought out two pieces of cake and told us they were for us to try! We double-checked that it was free... and it was! We got free cake, haha!

After finishing our meal, we continued to Fort Cornwallis. We cycled straight to the end of the road.

On the way, I came across these two images. They were in the parking lot.

Follow the road until you reach the roundabout, then head towards the clock tower. Fort Cornwallis will be on your right.

This fort has two entrances and charges an entrance fee of 20 ringgit per foreigner, which we think is expensive. From what we can see from the outside, it doesn't seem like there's much to see. We'll just take pictures from outside!

Next to Fort Cornwallis is City Hall and Town Hall. The buildings are really beautiful.

From City Hall, it also passes St. George's Anglican Church.

We stopped for food around here and wandered around until we found Street Art and Pinang Peranakan Mansion.

The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a historical mansion that once belonged to Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, a 19th-century mining tycoon and leader of the Hai San secret society. The mansion boasts intricate Chinese wood carvings on its doors and windows, 120-year-old English floor tiles, and Scottish cast ironwork.
The mansion was later acquired by a Penang tycoon (Chung Keng Kwee) from the descendants of the original owner. It has been refurbished to recreate the old-world charm of the Chinese community in Penang's Straits Settlements. The interior is adorned with over 1,000 antique and collectible items.
The building is a unique blend of architectural styles, with several sections showcasing distinct Chinese architectural elements.

We met with Aon, a young woman from Hat Yai who is studying in Penang and working part-time here. She explained the history of this mansion to us.

https://www.facebook.com/winya059/videos/vb.651067...

This place has been selected as a recommended tourist attraction by TripAdvisor.
The entrance fee is RM21.20 per person.

This two-story mansion with numerous rooms is also a popular spot for pre-wedding photoshoots. On the day we visited, we saw around four couples.

This section is for storing ancestral tablets.

This room houses a collection of Baba Nyonya clothing, jewelry, and wedding attire.

Kitchen

Second floor

After this, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm just going to wing it!

Then I returned the bike to Love Lane.

***Day 3***

Before we parted ways, we had a little time to sightsee, so we took a bus to Kek Lok Si Temple, also known as the Temple of Supreme Bliss. It is said to be the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia and one of the most famous temples in Penang.

This is a Mahayana and traditional Buddhist temple that blends Chinese rituals and houses a collection of diverse architecture. Construction of the temple began in 1890. The temple itself comprises several large halls for assembly and prayer. It features statues of various bodhisattvas and Chinese deities, with intricate and often brightly painted woodwork. [Google]

The temple is located on a mountain, so it's tiring to walk up and down. I'm so tired!

At this point, we take a tram ride up for 3 ringgit per ride.

Do you see the Comtar building?

To enter the Pagoda side, you need to pay an entrance fee of 2 ringgit.

After leaving the temple around two in the afternoon, I took a leisurely drive around the city to kill time until I was satisfied. Then, I parted ways with my friend at Tune Hotel. I waited for the van to pick me up and take me back to Hat Yai at the hotel, while my friend took the bus to the airport to return to Bangkok.

The way back to Hat Yai was very fast because there weren't many people at the checkpoint... If I have time, I will go back to visit other places in Penang again.

Thank you for following and for the previous reviews. Where will you go next? We'll be waiting to see.

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