Friends from Indonesia and I decided to meet half way this first week of the new year: I came down from Bangkok Thailand and the Kwieciens flew up from Jakarta Indonesia and we met at a resort in Penang Malaysia. I've been to Borneo (island portion of Malaysia) but have never been to mainland Malaysia. Penang is considered mainland even though, technically, it is a small island off the west coast with a number of smaller islands that surround it. When looking on a map, you'll find Penang is not far from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
We were able to take advantage of a bus tour around the island that allowed opportunity to hop on and hop off wherever we felt like spending time. I have come to learn this is often the best way to become familiar with an area, like Penang. It not only allows passengers the chance to see a detailed look at what they find interesting but also gives an overview of the entire region when driving around.
And in this light, what I noticed most about the north end of the island is the diversity between the older rural communities in districts such as
Little India and historic
Georgetown, in contrast to the incredibly clean and modern parts of the city like
Batu Ferringhi and coastal regions in
Tanjung Tokong. In many ways Penang reminded me of Hong Kong -- especially the meandering roads through the hills, the densely populated skyscrapers along the water's edge and beautiful tree-lined boulevards.
