Penang in 48 hours. First 21.

Okay, maybe it's not 48 hours. More like 36 crammed into 24.

I was in Penang last month for a friend's wedding, and this is my second solo trip to one of the places that is becoming my favourite place in Malaysia: Penang.

Many of you may know Penang for its street food, and Penangites would defend to their last breath the no.1 status of their char koay teow, cendol, ais kacang, nasi kandar, and loh bak. Most of them will balik kampung, meet up with friends, and indulge in weekends of unabashed gluttony indulgence.

But they are not too far from the truth. Food in Penang is really tasty. You just need to taste it to tell. And compare those to what you can find in KL.

Anyway, I have just about 5-6 hours to do some sightseeing in Penang, having reached the Hentian Sungai Nibong at 3pm despite catching a bus from KL at 9am! Usually it takes only about 4 hours (or 2.5 hours according to a F1 driver). The traffic was really bad as it was the starting of the school holidays.

I reached there, with no preparation and no map. I wasn't even sure where I was on the Penang Island. But the best thing about travelling in Malaysia is that Malaysians are generally helpful. Depending on where you are, it is easy to get directions. I was rather unlucky as Penangites, apparently, do not take public transport. So after a few people pointed me in several different directions, I decided to just wait at the bus stop for the bus to go to Tanjung Bungah. Fortunately, it took only half and hour to get on the no. 102 that will travel to the other side of the Island. The hotel receptionist commented that I was lucky to even get a room. I didn't regret making reservations earlier.

The 102 bus. (http://www.rapidpg.com.my/)

The Komtar building. Georgetown's most recognisable landmark.

The room. I'm a creature of comfort. :)

Copthorne. Nice cosy hotel. (http://www.copthornepenang.com/)

I reached Copthorne only an hour and a half later due to hellish traffic and had half an hour to shower and head to the other end of the coast to attend the wedding. Luckily, the friendly doorman offered to book me a taxi for RM25 to get there. It was about a 15 min drive but taxi fares are generally quite expensive in Penang, which is why locals avoid taking them. I didn't mind paying because one of the things you realise quickly is that you can learn a lot about the city when you talk to taxi drivers. And Mr Bas, the taxi driver, didn't disappoint.

-wedding + a good night's sleep + breakfast in bed (no breakfast with room) + swim (oh.my.god.)-

I love hotels with swimming pools. That's because it's the only time I get to just put on my swimsuit and head down. Driving to a swimming pool kind of kills the joy somewhat. And Copthorne's pool was one of the best I've seen so far. It's not the standard 50m pool that I love, but there's one part of it that is 2m deep. So you can practically dive in when the guards are not looking. And because it's so deep there the kids won't bother you.

Nothing wakes you up more than a light breakfast (cafe on the left) and solid laps in the pool

The hotel also has access to a small beach, which I missed because I was too distracted by the pool. But what more can you ask for? Imagine this: sunrise by the beach, warm coffee plus a cinnamon bun and a swim. Perfect morning.

A view from the bar at the poolside

The beach

And so, the first 21 hours of my stay in Penang has concluded when I checked out at around noon. Another tip for travellers in a rush: ask a Penangite to bring you around. They know the best places to eat and things to see!

That's going to be in part 2.

Glossary for my non-Malaysian readers
1. Char Koay Teow = fried rice noodles (the noodles are flat-ish, like fettucine)
2. Cendol = a dessert with jelly, red beans and sometimes corn in diluted coconut milk
3. Ais kacang = Ice shaving plus red beans, and lots of stuff. Sweet dessert.
4. Nasi kandar = Mixed rice with lots of fried stuff and curry.
5. Loh bak = Marinated minced pork rolled in soybean sheets - deep fried.