This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking on these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read the disclaimer for more information.
Malaysia as a whole country is interesting due to its mix of different cultures and religions, but there are few better examples of this than the city of George Town on the island of Penang. Due to its history as an important trading port, people came from many parts of the world to settle here, and those who had the numbers created their own communities within the city itself. These days there are only the two predominant ones of Chinatown and Little India, though there are traces of others if you look close enough.
Chinese immigrants flocked to Penang, and although their “clans” scattered throughout the city, it is Chinatown that really keeps that culture alive.
As budget travellers, we headed straight to Chinatown when we arrived in Penang to seek out some cheap accommodation. We weren’t let down on that part, and we were also pleasantly greeted by a beautiful and interesting area of George Town.
Chinatown is home to busy narrow streets lined with picturesque old buildings, many of which have shops or restaurants on the lower levels. At night, the streets become home to the many hawker stalls that set up to serve cheap and delicious Chinese and Malay cuisine.
One great thing about staying in Chinatown is that I got to wander these amazing streets each day when I went out to explore the city.
In today’s post, I’d like to share some of my photos from George Town’s Chinatown. I’ll definitely be back.
Love Lane in Chinatown
Jalan Muntri at Night – Our street in Chinatown
Hawker Stalls along Lebuh Chulia – Chinatown’s main street
A quiet, narrow street at night in Chinatown
Another view down Love Lane
The main shrine inside the Goddess of Mercy Temple
Candles inside the Goddess of Mercy Temple
A trishaw on Jalan Muntri
Char Kaoy Teow from a hawker stall in Chinatown
Love Lane at night
The lights of a temple sparkle in the night in Chinatown
Another hawker stall along Lebuh Chulia
A typical scene in Chinatown
Looking for more to do in George Town? Here are 10 more things to do in George Town, Penang.
If you’re travelling on a budget in Penang, I recommend staying in Chinatown. There are many excellent budget guest houses here to choose from. I book my guest houses with Agoda.
Nicely done and the photo of the shrine is my favourite
Cheers Michael
Nice pictures! I love visiting Chinatown whenever I get the opportunity. I’ve only been to the ones in NYC and Chicago, I’d love to visit in another country someday too!
Hi Hannah. I love the different Chinatowns in different cities as well. I haven’t been to any in the US. I’m sure they are different again 🙂
[…] only question was what direction I would head in when I stepped out the door of my guest house in Chinatown each morning. On this particular day, my feet took me East, walking along Jalan Muntri past the […]
[…] PluginIt was a pleasant morning in George Town, Penang, as I wandered along a quiet street in Chinatown. Old Chinese buildings lined the street, each one showing signs of age and character; each with its […]
[…] had a huge impact on the city, and they developed their own unique culture known as Baba Nyonya. Chinatown takes up quite a large area of the city and has some absolutely beautiful buildings to check out […]
[…] even the trishaw was lit up. I loved Penang and would love to go back for another visit. View more photos of Chinatown here. var dd_offset_from_content = 40;var dd_top_offset_from_content = 0;var dd_override_start_anchor_id […]