Penang: The Month That Mostly Melted Us
After taking it easy for our first two weeks in Penang — meetups, pool time, and generally taking life easy — we suddenly realised we only had two weeks left and had seen… almost nothing. So, we decided it was time to crack on and actually explore before we left the island.
Penang Hill: A funicular train, jungle walks and views
First up was Penang Hill, a cluster of hills over 800 metres above sea level, once used by the British as a cool‑air retreat. They built a funicular railway up the hillside, which now whisks tourists into a jungle playground of cafés, viewpoints, and activities designed to separate you from your money.
We headed to The Habitat, a quiet walkway through the jungle with a canopy bridge. For a glorious ten minutes, we enjoyed nothing but the sounds of nature — birds, insects, the rustle of leaves.
Then came the familiar sound of “I’m hungry.” That rang in our eyes for the remainder of the now not-so-peaceful walk.
Eventually the heat won, and we were back down the hill within a few hours, sweaty and slightly defeated.
George Town: Culture, Chaos & Colour
George Town, Penang’s capital, is home to around 800,000 people and a melting pot of cultures — British colonial history, Chinese heritage, Indian influence, all squeezed into narrow streets lined with shophouses, temples, mosques, and bright splashes of street art.
It’s beautiful… and busy. The traffic is intense, the heat relentless, and the 30‑minute drive from our place felt like a small endurance event. We did manage several visits but each time the heat won once again.
One of those visits was to Komtar Tower, once the tallest building in Southeast Asia at 231m. These days it’s a slightly dated mix of shops, offices, and entertainment floors, but the kids loved the Tech Dome, the mirror maze, and their first ever go‑karting session. Worth the trip just for the smiles.
Penang National Park: Sweat, Sand & “Best Day Ever”
Penang National Park proudly claims to be the smallest national park in the world — a compact chunk of jungle and coastline in the island’s northwest corner.
Alex and I had a boys’ morning out and took the flatter coastal trail to Monkey Beach, avoiding the steep inner route. It was advertised as a 75‑minute walk. Two hours, several snack-stops, and a lot of water later, we arrived with stiff legs and sweaty faces.
But Alex smashed it. He declared it “the best day ever,” which made every step worth it.
We took a five‑minute boat back — the breeze felt like heaven — and I discovered that yes, Alex can sweat. It was brilliant one‑to‑one time.
A Month in Penang: The Good, the Hard & the Honest
And just like that, our month in Penang is over.
There were definite highlights — especially the regular worldschooling meetups. A great crowd, loads of friends for the kids, and actual adult conversation for us. It was for sure, the highlight.
But if we’re honest, we never quite found our groove here. Everything felt like too much of an effort for the simplest of things. It was tiring to just get into a flow. Some days were very challenging on several fronts for all of us.
Travel fatigue is probably creeping in too.
Still, Penang was a much‑needed pause — a place to reset, slow down, and slip back into some kind of routine.
After a train ride down to Kuala Lumpur, spending two nights in the brightly lit concrete jungle, we’re now ready for the final leg of the first half of this adventure – onto a lifelong dream destination – Japan.
