West Malaysia loop ride

Mention the word Penang and most people in Malaysia and Singapore will think about the delicious cuisine that can be found on that island that is known around the world as “The Pearl of the Orient”. George Town, the historic and current capital of Penang, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2008 alongside Melaka. That is pretty cool!

Penang (Pulau Pinang in Malay) is the name of a state situated in the north eastern coast of the West Malaysia peninsular.  In fact, the state comprises of the main Penang island and part of the mainland adjacent to Kedah and north of Perak. Historically, the piece of land (including the island) belonged to the Sultan of Kedah. However, because Kedah was constantly attacked by their neighbour in the north (Siam), the Sultan made a deal with the British for protection and handed over the island and a part of the mainland as the exchange. Interesting!!!

Access to the island was traditionally via ferry from Butterworth on the mainland. Today, the island can be accessed via the iconic 13.5 kilometer long Penang Bridge. This is one of the longest bridges in Asia and was completed in 1985 to much fanfare. On this ride, I am determined to relive my youth by going on the ferry to Penang island…and coming back to the mainland via the beautiful Penang Bridge!

The Penang island is very close to my heart as I lived there for several years as a child. I can still remember all the houses I’ve been in (and there were many) as a child. I remember the food stalls, the supermarkets, the long drives, and the many other activities that my parents did with me and my brother at that time. So going back to the island is rather special for me.

I remember so much about my life in Penang…and one of the things that really stood out for me was the long drives that we used to take around the island. So this trip, I planned for a round the island ride…with many possible stops for further exploration along the way.

The round island ride will start with a visit to the highest peak on the island, Bukit Bendera (or Penang Hill). Going up this hill early in the morning sets the tone for the day. The route will take us south west from there to the lower left tip of the island, then up north, hopefully affording an opportunity to get to the Muka Head Lighthouse, followed by a ride east along the rocky Batu Feringgi coast to the north eastern tip of the island, then down south and back up to the centre of Penang. There are many fantastic places along the way to stop and savour the cuisine of Penang as well.

I can’t wait!!!