Categories
All Malaysia Info

Penang Shopping – An Ultimate Guide to Shopping in Penang

Penang is renowned as the island of duty-free shopping and during seasonal days, the Shopaholics from around the world gather here to fill their bags with the best things in the markets. Though now Langkawi has somehow taken over this status, but yet Penang has not stopped alluring Shopaholics. Penang Shopping is the most exciting activity for tourists as well as for locals, due to its expensive and branded shops and local and affordable markets. Penang has been able to cater to the needs of people from all classes and all age groups.

You shall find here shopping malls, night markets and street markets as well as antique shops, selling trendy and cultural stuff. You shall be able to buy complete gamut of products in Penang very easily. During the Penang shopping festival in August, which is conducted annually across the nation, Penang becomes of the major shopping hubs, as locals and tourists both head towards this city to take advantage of the amazing offers and discounts.

A Short Guide to Best Penang Shopping

As there are a number of shopping places in Penang, ranging from malls, shops in the street and night markets, then where you should go first and what to buy is the point to ponder upon. Therefore, to assist you in making a wise decision, we have discussed in details about the various places where you can for Penang Shopping and make the most of  your time and money. Read on to know about them:

Shopping Malls in Penang

Penang is one of the popular islands of Malaysia and being a significant part of Malaysia, it follows the culture of having lavish shopping malls within. No matter what you want to buy, you shall get each and everything from their malls. The famous malls for shopping in Penang are Gurney Plaza on Gurney Drive, Sunway Carnival mall in Seberang Perai, Queensbay Mall, which is overlooking the beautiful crystal clear water in Bayan Lepas and the 1st Avenue Mall, which is next to KOMTAR in George Town.

All these Penang Shopping Malls have stocked similar collection of well-known brands of clothing, shoes, bags and etc. as well as have same chains of food and beverage stores. However, this does not give rise to contempt, but rather makes it easier for everyone to find everything in one place.

You shall also find boutique malls like the Straits Quay Mall in Tanjung Tokong, which has gained great popularity with its one-off stores, i.e. Sugar where you shall see ready to bake measured ingredients for every cake and beautiful baking paraphernalia. At Bran et Dagauet, you shall come across one-off women’s clothing, which are designed by Penangite, Brandon Tan. At the Fresh Desire, you shall be amazed to see food like cupcakes and pastries in the shape of bathing soaps, which is one of its kind in the entire city.

Read More: Best Shopping Malls in Penang

Markets in Penang

Missing out Penang Shopping at the markets is one of the biggest mistakes one could ever make. The famous Chowrasta Bazaar on Jalan Penang is ideal to buy fresh products as well as second hand stuff, all at very affordable prices. You can also eat out at the hawker food stalls. Thieves’ Market is the most popular markets not only because of its name, but also for having old stuff like ancient watches and manual irons of old times.

The weekly night markets are ideal for Penang Shopping and they are continuously in rotation from one neighborhood to another. You can buy local street food here at very reasonable prices as well as local fruits and the seasonal king of fruits. Furthermore, at few stalls, you shall also find household stuff like pots and pans, plastic buckets and scrubbing brushes.

Batu Ferringhi night market is set up daily and is famous for being the biggest in terms of length and breadth.  This market opens at 5:00pm and closes after midnight. This market is ideal for shopping in Penang, especially for tourists to buy sunglasses, knick knacks, clothes, hats and other stuff for playing on the beach like spades and floats etc.

Shopping Street in Penang

Little India is a renowned shopping street in Penang, flooded with vibrant colors and alluring fragrances of flowers, food and spices from India. Once you step in this market, you shall get the feeling as if you are in India and therefore, this street has been named Little India. The vibrant colors here are popping out from the fabric, jewelries, food, statues, flowers and from various other stuff, which is being sold here. A wide variety of beautiful sarees are found here and every store seems to have a better collection than the previous one. So, be ready to find yourself in the state of extreme confusion. Everything from food to clothing is totally Indian, depicting its culture.

Places to Buy Souvenirs and Gifts in Penang

When its time to go back to your home, it is mandatory to shop something for people waiting for you in your respective city or country. It’s a custom followed in every region. Apart from shopping in Penang for yourself, you also need to find out where to get the best souvenirs and gifts. At the Perfect Gift Green Lane you can buy flower bouquets, teddy bears, chocolate boxes, hampers and various  items for different events. At China Joes in Georgetown, you shall get a variety of antiques and accessories, followed by eclectic souvenirs, special teas and coffees, books and various other stuff for your home.

At Sentuhan in Tanjung Tokong you shall find all handmade products like natural soaps, paintings, local crafts, clothing, and accessories. Some beautiful packaging is also sold here, so that you can wrap the stuff and present as a gift item. Material Collection at Queensbay Mall is also another perfect place to shop for dresses, tees, scarves, chopsticks for first time user, one-off handbags, modern wooden ornaments, silicon kitchenware, eco-friendly Chinese New Year ang pau packets and also some exclusive stationary stuff. Other places where you can go for Penang Shopping to get souvenirs and gift items are Bon Ton The Shop, 14 Living Story, SJ, Threef and various others.

Money Changers in Penang

The industry of money changers in Penang is well ruled by the Indian Muslim and Chettiar communities. The people of these communities provide the best exchange rates to banks. You shall find many of them, working from the Central Business District of George Town, specifically beside the Pitt Street and Beach Street. Their outlets are also found in the main shopping malls of Penang like at Queensbay Malls, 1st Avenue Mall, Komtar and Gurney Plaza and Queensbay Mall. The famous money changers in Penang are M Mohamed Kassim Forex, International Mega Forex and various others. So, before shopping in Penang, get your currency exchanged.

Shopping Tips

Bargaining is the key to buy the best stuff at the best price in Penang. When you are at some stalls or independent shops, give your best to haggle for the least possible price. You can lower down the price of any stuff without proper bargaining and knowledge. If you think that the price could have been more bargained then no need to buy from there, look around at other shops.

We hope that this short Penang shopping guide will assist you in making the most of your time and money. Your shopping experience in Penang will be of great value, if you follow this guide. While Shopping is one of the recommended activity in Penang, you might be interested in knowing best things to do in Penang to make most of your trip.


Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Heritage, Rediscovered

Visiting Malaysia is like stepping back in time. Everywhere you look, there will be something which either reminds its inhabitants of the past. It could be an old building, a shop which has been open for generations, a spot where traditional performances were held and so on.

Aside from locations, there are also people who still practice old trades such as making furniture by hand, transporting fares by trishaw and even smithies who fashion buckets and other tools from iron and wood at their forges.

1

This is what I discovered, or rather, rediscovered when visiting Penang. It has been ages since I set foot on Penang island and there is much more to it now than ever when it comes to art, culture and heritage. I personally feel that Penang is now a hub for art in Malaysia.

Heritage here is also preserved in museums and galleries. They dot the main city of George Town and many of them have cafes attached to them which look just as unique as the galleries. One such cafe/gallery is China House.

2

The cafe’s walls are adorned with vintage paraphernalia while the art gallery upstairs displays paintings, pottery and sculptures by various local artists. They also have booths within the cafe selling hand-made fashion accessories.

3

Moving back outside, the weathered walls of colonial-era buildings are given some character with art installations and paintings such as this this:

I also noticed that there’s a strong Chinese influence in Penang in terms of culture. There’s a multitude of Chinese clan houses you can find, many of which are open to visitors for more information on each house and some even allow photography.

Over on the coast of George Town is the Clan Jetties Floating Village, a complete village on stilts above water where the Chinese clans used to live in the 19th century. Coming as immigrants then, they established clans to survive in a new environment.

If you’re visiting Penang for the first time, make sure to bring your walking shoes because that’s how Penang is best explored. You won’t discover much if you ride around in a car all day. The real experience is in the hidden gems tucked away in the most unexpected corners of the island. Penang maintains its old world charm and is a cozy destination to wind down or enjoy art and music and most of all, food! But that is a story for another time.

About the Author

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Penang to be totally Psy-ched

Penang to be totally Psy-ched

K-pop sensation to perform at state BN open house

GEORGE TOWN: K-pop sensation Psy is all set to celebrate Chinese New Year in Penang at the most happening open house in the country – the state Barisan Nasional open house.

Psy replied to a tweet from a fan @ matthew maXxi welcoming him to Malaysia, saying: “seems like it’s #TRUE! ^^” (emoticon used to express happiness, alternative for smiley face).

Psy’s tweet was uploaded at 6.07am on Feb 2 although it could not be as certained where he tweeted from. The tweet has since been retweeted 1,055 times as at 7pm Malaysian time yesterday.

@matthewmaXxi had tweeted “Welcome to malaysiaa @psy_oppa celebrating chinese new year here in Malaysia !!!”

Psy is slotted to perform alongside Asian Wave 2012 champion Shila Amzah at the Feb 11 event at the Han Chiang High School field.

Read more at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/2/4/nation/12667779sec=nation.

Categories
All Malaysia Info

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic [PIC]

Mirrors George Town is a street art project by international artist Ernest Zacharevic, commissioned  for George Town Festival 2012.  (25 Photos)

The project consists of several large-scale wall paintings, all located within the core heritage zone of George Town, Penang.

The idea behind the project was to turn the streets of Penang into an open-air gallery that can be admired and experienced as one takes a walk while exploring the heritage enclave. The murals – figure drawings and portraits – celebrates the multiculturalism and diversity of the city’s inhabitants, the living heritage of George Town.

George Town Festival (GTF), as described on the official website “is a month-long celebration of art, music, theatre, dance opera and film to commemorate George Town’s inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage listing on July 7, 2008. Each year since 2009, GTF transforms George Town into an exciting and unique platform for the arts, heritage and culture.”

Below are snapshots of the project Mirrors George Town, photos of which were provided to allMalaysia.info by the Lithuanian artist’s official Website and Facebook.


View as Slideshow

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Penang Road Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Armenian Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Chew Jetty
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Muntri Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Cannon Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Cannon Street
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Artist at work. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic mixes colours to get the right tone. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic’s eight-year-old art student was the inspiration for the mural at Lebuh Muntri.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Balancing act. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The half-done Jalan Muntri mural. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic It’s not just about paint and brushes.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Setting the scene. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Interactive art. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic A curious audience.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic proved to be a hit with the locals. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The Chew Jetty mural mirrors the life of the people living there. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Art imitates life.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic A close up of the Chew Jetty mural. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist poses next to his masterpiece at Chew Jetty at dusk. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist, busy at work.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist’s tools.

View as Thumbnails

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Penang Road Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Armenian Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Chew Jetty Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Muntri Street
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Ah Quee Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Cannon Street
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Cannon Street Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Artist at work. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic mixes colours to get the right tone. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic’s eight-year-old art student was the inspiration for the mural at Lebuh Muntri.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Balancing act. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The half-done Jalan Muntri mural. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic It’s not just about paint and brushes. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Setting the scene.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Interactive art. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic A curious audience. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Zacharevic proved to be a hit with the locals. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The Chew Jetty mural mirrors the life of the people living there.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic Art imitates life. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic A close up of the Chew Jetty mural. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist poses next to his masterpiece at Chew Jetty at dusk. Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist, busy at work.
Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic The artist’s tools.

View as One Page

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Penang Road

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Muntri Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Chew Jetty

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Armenian Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Ah Quee Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Ah Quee Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Ah Quee Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Cannon Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Cannon Street

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Artist at work.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Zacharevic’s eight-year-old art student was the inspiration for the mural at Lebuh Muntri.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Zacharevic mixes colours to get the right tone.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

The Jalan Muntri mural.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

The artist’s tools.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

A close up of the Chew Jetty mural.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Art imitates life.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

The Chew Jetty mural mirrors the life of the people living there.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

The artist, busy at work.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Balancing act.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Setting the scene.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

The artist poses next to his masterpiece at Chew Jetty at dusk.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

A curious audience.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Interactive art.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

Zacharevic proved to be a hit with the locals.

Mirrors George Town by Ernest Zacharevic

It’s not just about paint and brushes.


Map: Mirrors George Town murals


Video: Mirrors, George Town – Armenian Street, 2012


Ernest Zacharevic

Faces of art on the wall

Ernest Zacharevic

Art goes up the wall

George Town, Penang

Witty heritage markers

Mr Five Foot Way

Street humour

Garland making

Penang’s unique crafts

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Penang State Aidilfitri Open House

The Very Honourable Ketua menteri (Cheif Minister) of Penang and the Penang state government invites everyone to the State’s Aidilfitri Open house at Dewan Negeri Sri Penang, George Town from 11am on 17 September 2011.

For more information on the event, please visit: http://www.penang.gov.my