When I was planning my trip to Penang, I had only food & street photography on my mind. But when I got there, I realized that there were actually many interesting things to do, especially if you have not been to Penang before, or your last trip was more than ten years ago (like me). Exploring a new place like a tourist may sound cliche and too mainstream, but sometimes that’s the best way to get to know (or even fall in love with) a place within a short span of time.
I did not come across recommendations to this particular museum when I was doing my research on Penang, and it was during one of our street walks that we spotted a sign that pointed us to the Camera Museum. Both the hubby and I love photography and cameras, so we were pretty excited to check it out. So glad we did! (Though I personally felt that RM20 entrance fee per pax is a little steep)
We entered via the back entrance of the Camera Museum and the first thing that met us was the toilet – Don’t you think the toilet roll holder is super cute??! =P
I’m sure you would expect the whole space to be rather arty-farty, and it was. Even the reception area looked like a gallery on its own.
There were some vintage cameras at the reception area for guests to fiddle with, and the husband couldn’t get his hands off them!
The museum had a section displaying all the vintage cameras through its years of development. Such beauties they were! If you are a camera lover as well, you can spend a lot of time there – several of the cameras were still in working condition & available for trying.
Camera Museum
49 Lebuh Muntri
Penang is well-known for its street art & muruls, and one of the things I wanted to do on the trip was to search them out. It was a pity that many of these street murals have already started to wear out and are slowly fading due to the harsh weather conditions. I think in a matter of a year or two, there would not be much left to be captured on camera anymore. :(
The interesting thing about Penang street art is that some of them combine 2D and 3D elements. Love the creativity of the artists!
That blue horn is attached to the yellow hydrant and meant to be used as a prop for this minion street art. So adorable, haha!
This was one of the the more well-known street murals but as you can see, the monster between the boy and the motorcyclist had already worn off.
We obviously didn’t manage to find all the street murals there were. Perhaps if the weather was less merciless, and we had more time on our hand, we would. Trotting the streets in search of them was part of the fun, especially with friendly locals pointing out certain locations to us, “Turn right, there is a wall art there…” etc. The gestures from those kind strangers definitely added a nice touch to our street mural-hunting experience. Here is where you can download a map of the whereabouts of all the street murals in Georgetown.
This was one of the common touristy things to do, but I included it because I enjoyed myself during the tour. Penang has a rich heritage and vintage culture which I love. The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was interesting because it is a beautifully-furnished house with lots of Peranakan influences and details. Our guide was humorous and a fantastic story-teller. He brought us through the life story of Cheong Fatt Tze, how he became such a rich man, etc. I’ve always loved beautiful architecture and interior designs, so that was what fascinated me the most about the mansion. In fact, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is now converted into a guesthouse as well, so tourists to Penang can have a taste of living in a house with an extremely rich heritage and background.
Though restoration works had been done to the mansion, the tiles that we stood on were the same tiles that existed right from the beginning. Apparently, the skill and knowledge of laying such flooring (the designs and patterns were created by piecing different tiles together and not printed on) is already lost, and no one knows how to recreate such designs anymore.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
14 Leith Street
Guided tours only at 11am, 1pm and 3pm everyday.
You really need to make time to visit a night market when you are in Penang. I only had time to visit one during my trip, but it was probably one of the best in town as well, so I was glad. The Farlim Night Market happens every Wednesday and it’s a market where you can find food, clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, books and even fresh produce. Of course, the thing you cannot miss is the street food – You have to try as many as you can!
These were some of the food we had at Farlim Night Market – everything was good!
Shark’s fin – with green chili and vinegar provided, just the way I liked mine!
Cheng Tng dessert – So refreshing and sweet!
Char Koay Kak – Very yummy and fragrant!
Cuttlefish & kang kong – Sweet with a generous serving of cuttlefish.
Farlim Night Market
Medan Angsana 1, Air Itam, Penang 11500
I was really surprised that there was so much nice shopping spots in Georgetown. So many of them have sprung up along the streets, mostly selling vintage items that were so pretty, and casual clothes and souvenirs. What attracted me most was the furnishing and decor of the shops, and even though I didn’t buy many things, I was happy just checking them out one by one . Very therapeutic soul food. Here are some of my favorite finds!
41 Living Story
14 Living Story
Beads Zone
Owl Shop
By the way, when you pass by this shop that sells the ice ball from the 70’s, be sure to buy one and enjoy it sitting on the pavement. That was exactly what we did. Very, very SHIOK for only RM2.
To read my other posts on Penang, please click here.
