We just had bowls of delicious curry mee—that’s just how it is when in Penang—and it was almost evening when we wended our way back to our hotel. Located right in the midst of George Town, warm lights now illuminate its handsome colonial façade, contrasting beautifully with the electric hues of early twilight. The George Penang, indeed lives up to its name, it really does look gorgeous.

The light was fading fast. We watched from the 14th floor of our spacious balcony, transfixed as rain clouds slowly moved above the waters of the now darkening waters of Penang. We leisurely sipped our coffee, taking a few pictures every now and then as evening fully sets in. This was exactly how we pictured our five-day stay at Penang’s UNESCO World Heritage City of Georgetown.

E&O HOTEL’S FACADE

An hour or so ago, we touched down at the Penang International Airport from Langkawi. Hefting our backpacks with us, we boarded a bus, slowly crawled through the traffic-laden roads of the island, alighted, boarded another, and walked some blocks—eyes glued to our smartphone map.

Exhausted and hungry, we finally arrived at our destination, the Eastern and Oriental Hotel in Georgetown.

I didn’t have any expectations when I booked a flight to Penang in Malaysia. The only reason I scheduled a flight was due to my buddy’s aunt who lives there.

Honestly, I thought Penang was too quiet for my taste. But that was before I found out about George Town.

It’s an 18th century district in Penang, a UNESCO World Heritage certified site, that houses beautiful old shops and houses. Think Vigan City, only instead of only having a single preserved street, it has a whole city filled with it.

It totally blew me away.