Day 75 – George Town, Malaysia

Today I got my enthusiasm back, and I’m on Cloud Nine once again. Hallelujah!

Viking Sky docked in George Town, the capital of the Malaysian island of Penang, this morning. George Town, the first British settlement in Southeast Asia, served as an important trading post. Today, it is an amazing celebration of culture, where Malays, Indians, and Chinese all share a past here.

Sailing into George Town

George Town contains one of the largest collections of pre-war buildings in Southeast Asia, and its unique cityscape features shops from colonial days, Buddhist and Taoist temples, and Chinese clan houses, among others. According to Wikipedia:

The architecture of Penang reflects the 171 years of British presence on the island, coalescing with local, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and other elements to create a unique and distinctive brand of architecture. Along with Malacca, Penang is an architectural gem of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Unlike Singapore, also a Straits Settlement, where many heritage buildings had to make way for modern skyscrapers and high-rise apartments due to rapid development and acute land scarcity, Penang's architectural heritage has enjoyed a better fate.

George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its “unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.” The designation recognized the Outstanding Universal Value of George Town’s cultural diversity, embodied and embedded in both its living and built heritage.

Although I was apprehensive about going out in the heat and humidity, I did join Tim for the included excursion, “A Snapshot of Georgetown,” described this way:

Explore the melting pot of cultures that have helped create Malaysia’s oldest city. George Town is where East meets West and old meets new, with an intriguing blend of British and Southeast Asian influences. Embark on a scenic tour by motor coach through the city. Your guide will explain how George Town developed as an important trading post during the 18th century. See snapshots of old England at Downing Street—which, as in London, was once a seat of government—and the whitewashed facade of St. George’s Church. Take a guided walk through the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and take time to photograph the whimsical street art. Board your coach for a scenic drive past landmarks such as Kek Lok Si, the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, and the eye-catching State Mosque.

Our tour began with a drive through George Town ‘s historic core, which retains many colonial-era buildings that exemplify European architectural styles. Although many were used for civic or government purposes, commercial buildings also employed this style.

The Interior of Our Motorcoach Was a Bit Over the Top!

Early British Colonial-Era Government and Civic Buildings

Other British Colonial-Era Buildings

We even passed a few Art Deco style structures, which became popular in Penang as in the rest of the world.

I Was Surprised to Find Art Deco Style Buildings Here

I was most interested, however, in seeing and learning about the iconic shophouses that form a large part of George Town’s architectural identity. I was not familiar with the term “shophouse,” which is simply what it sounds like. These narrow, two- or three-story buildings are typically long and deep, with commercial space on the ground floor and living quarters above. Built between the late eighteenth and early twentieth centuries, shophouses often combine Chinese architectural elements with European features. Most of these shophouses still function as they did hundreds of years ago.

Iconic Shophouses of George Town

After our drive through the historic section of George Town, we began our walking tour. We stopped at the beautiful Yap Temple, one of the many Penang clan temples built by the different clan associations in Penang during the mid nineteenth to the early twentieth centuries. Here, our guide explained the symbolism of the many temple elements.

Yap Temple

We saw many ubiquitous trishaws that were introduced to Penang around 1935. Although these carts were the daily mode of transportation before the rise of taxis, scooters, and cars, they now primarily carry tourists on heritage tours.

Lots of Trishaws 

We continued our walking tour, and our guide led us down Armenian Street, known for its rich multicultural offerings, Chinese clan houses, street art, and shophouses that sell all types of goods, including tropical fruits that were new to us. We stopped for a lesson at a shop selling nutmeg. I thought nutmeg was simply a spice and was surprised to learn of the many nutmeg-based products, from pickled slices, oils, syrups, and snacks, to flavored drinks.

Shops, Clan Houses, Religion, and Nutmeg on Armenian Street

Our guide was especially excited to take us to Chew Jetty. Along Weld Quay, there are water villages with rows of wooden houses built above the water on stilts and connected by planked walkways. These are the Clan Jetties of George Town, which became homes to Chinese immigrants who shared common surnames and originated from similar hometowns in China.

Chew Jetty consists of 75 stilt houses, several Chinese temples, and shops, all linked by elevated walkways. Although Chew Jetty has become a tourist attraction, it and the other clan jetties are more than that. They serve as a cultural symbol of Penang’s history and the fusion of traditions. As we walked through Chew Jetty, we were able to observe the way the Chew clan has maintained its heritage while also embracing the modern world.

Houses, Temples, and Shops on Chew Jetty

We ended our walking tour here and reboarded our motorcoach for a drive to see Kek Lok Si Temple, one of the largest and finest Buddhist temple complexes in Southeast Asia. Although we did not have time to climb the many steps to view the temple, we were able to see many of its impressive architectural elements from below.

Kek Lok Si Temple Complex

On both our walking and driving tours, we saw a few examples of George Town’s whimsical street art, for which the city has become famous. There are steel-rod caricatures and playful, interactive murals, all of which tell a unique story of Penang’s rich culture.

Whimsical Street Art

As we drove back to our ship, we caught a fleeting glimpse of the Penang State Mosque, the largest mosque in Penang, completed in the mid-1970s.

Penang State Mosque

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to George Town, and it was a perfect antidote to the way I felt about Singapore. I appreciated how the George Town is attempting to preserve its heritage, and how proud its residents are.

On any cruise, but especially one as long as a World Cruise, one must expect changes to the itinerary. Tonight, we learned that our stop in Zanzibar, Tanzania, has been cancelled due to a recent uptick in cholera infections that caused neighboring Madagascar to tighten its health regulations. Therefore, we will spend an extra day in Mombasa, Kenya, skip Zanzibar, and sail directly to Madagascar. As always, it is important to remain flexible and simply go with the flow.