Street art in George Town? We’d read about it here and there beforehand. But we never would have thought it would turn out to be so cool in George Town. The island’s capital Penang is truly worth a visit. We had the feeling that this city was still REAL, not yet overrun by mass tourism. Everything had its place, everything was there because it belonged there. And not because tourists suddenly appeared.
Street Art in George Town
We wanted to take a closer look at George Town and suddenly found ourselves in the middle of a colorful, cozy, and charming little town center. We had read a bit about the street art scene here and there, but never thought it was so cool. So we strolled through the streets with a city map, immersing ourselves in a different world each time. Countless cultures converge here, which is also reflected in the streets.
Mosques, Hindu temples, and Christian places of worship are just a few examples of this city’s vibrant and cultural past. Malays and Indians, Chinese and Eurasians, Armenians and Japanese, English and Germans, Filipinos and Indonesians – all these ethnic groups live together here, peacefully. Street names like Love Lane, Chulia Street, Lorong Stewart, Armenian Street, Lebuh Champbell, and Little India once again demonstrate the city’s cultural diversity.
Different cultures converge here
It’s easy to get lost in the city’s beauty. But we had enough time and wandered into every tiny alley. The ethnic diversity and cultural variety have made George Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Add to that the peaceful coexistence of the people – you could feel this atmosphere everywhere. The narrow streets of the historic center are bustling with activity.
There’s hardly a house that doesn’t house small artisan businesses. Dim sum is steamed in food stalls and spicy curries are cooked over fires. The houses were colorful, and there were cute little shops everywhere to browse. The old facades of the houses would have been renovated long ago elsewhere, but here they exude a very special charm. Oh, somehow we’ve fallen in love with this little corner of the world!
Pentastic meals are also catered for. Throughout the city, you’ll find a wide variety of cuisines, dishes, restaurants, and cafés. Whether it’s street-side food stalls, cool retro cafes, or restaurants—there’s truly something for every taste. Fun fact: downtown, there’s the Cat Café. Here, you can cuddle with adorable cats while enjoying a cup of tea.
Our Street Art Tour through George Town
Our highlight was the city’s street art scene. You can find colorful pictures, paintings, and art installations everywhere in the streets and on the walls. You really have to look for some of them to find them. It was like a little scavenger hunt. We had the map with all the locations of the pictures; now we just had to find them.
In the end, thanks to this scavenger hunt, we saw quite a lot of the area. We highly recommend a walking tour through the city. It’s incredibly fun and on top of that, the city is super relaxed and laid-back. On the Visit Penang website, there is a cool map as a PDF with all the city’s highlights.)
Book tours in Penang
Want a cool tour on the island of Penang? Then browse through the offers from GetYourGuide. Here you’ll find a good selection of different offers.
Travel reading: Georgetown
Want to learn more about the country and its people? Then take a look at the Dumont travel guide. Here you’ll find all the information you need about Malaysia on 432 pages.