Whether you’re looking for a beachfront break in Southeast Asia or a flavourful side-trip to enrich your adventures, Penang is a getaway that sure hits the sweet spot. Just a few hours drive from Kuala Lumpur, or a one hour flight from Singapore, the island of Penang is pinned to the Malay Peninsula by some seriously impressive bridges, spanning the Strait of Malacca. One of the bridges includes a 17km stretch over the water! Blending the best of Penang’s allure, I savoured the stirring cuisine and cultural heritage of Georgetown, while basing myself at one of Malaysia’s best beaches. Gracing the northern shores of the island, Batu Ferringhi is Penang's premier beach destination, edged by a vast 7km-long sweep of blonde sand, beloved for its luxury resorts, water sports like jet-skiing and parasailing, and bustling night market.  

I highly recommend you make the Hard Rock Hotel Penang your holiday base. As much as I enjoy an ocean swim, the resort-style hotel is pitch-perfect for languid swimming in its sprawling complex of pools. The child-friendly water park area is a family favourite with water slides and a lazy river, but you won’t be struggling for space in their gorgeous pool – the biggest in northern Malaysia. I loved how the entry point into the free-form pool is like a shallow lagoon with a sandy base, seamlessly transitioning to a deep blue pool, all lusciously bracketed in vibrant tropical gardens and swaying palms.  Underwater music, a swim-up bar and private poolside cabanas accentuate its allure. 

Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Photo / Supplied

Hard Rock Hotel Penang is a perennial hit with families looking for a fun-in-the-sun vacation that blends modern styling, contemporary music, with a winning assortment of upmarket amenities. But whether you’re a loved-up couple seeking a luxury escape or travelling with the kids in tow, Hard Rock Hotel Penang is the complete, all-encompassing package. Boasting 250 rooms and suites, there’s a variety of configurations to choose from, including lagoon deluxe suites, serving up direct access into that dreamy pool from your own sunbed deck. Roxcity Kids Suites are equipped with a separate kid’s area, with books, toys, and Playstation 4.  

If you want to push the boat out, lock-in a stay in a Rock Royalty Seaview Deluxe Suite. Perched on the highest floor, the sense of privacy is accentuated, with glorious birds-eye views across the resort and of the Andaman Sea. Creature comforts are laid on thick including free Wi-Fi, turn down service, Nespresso Pod Machine, VIP Rock Spa bathroom amenities, Bed Sleep Like a Rock bedding, free in-room HD blockbuster movies on demand, complimentary streaming music channels and Bose Sound System. 

Accommodations at the Hard Rock Hotel Penang. Photo / Supplied

My mood-lit suite tingled with X-factor, with so many artful touches. It was only after I’d taken a photograph of my accommodation that I realised the wall art formed a stunningly stylised rendering of Marilyn Monroe. The music-inspired theming permeates the hotel, including the Rock Royalty Lounge, which is the hotel’s club lounge.  A daily gourmet breakfast is served here, along with afternoon tea and best of all – evening canapes and cocktails. Order up a Blue Mirage! It’s the ultimate chill lounge. The memorabilia tours around the resort are hugely popular, with a vast array of cabinets showcasing some legendary stage costumes from a galaxy of music stars, spanning Taylor Swift and Madonna to Elvis and Elton John. It is eye-popping.  

The on-site Hard Rock Café brims with more epic rock memorabilia while also hosting regular live music. I dined here for lunch which was like a temple to holiday comfort food indulgence, with a signature Hurricane cocktail in hand. Don’t miss the spicy shrimps and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, made with buttermilk-marinated fried chicken. Delish! A full buffet breakfast is served in Starz Diner, which pleases all palates. Why not start your day their fabulous nasi goreng with kataifi prawns and pandan chicken?  

Another great dining venue is LENA at Pizzeria, headlined by its smash-hit pizza, but also serving up zesty salads, nachos, spring rolls and popcorn chicken. Throughout the hotel, staff have nailed the art of upbeat, perky hospitality, always going out of their way to ensure you have the holiday of your dreams. Hard Rock Hotel Penang is a class-act. hotel.hardock.com/penang 

LENA at Pizzeria. Photo / Supplied

Sunsets on Batu Ferringhi Beach are particularly special because it is the only populated sandy beach that faces west (northwest to be exact) on Penang Island. Most of the year, the sun sets over the peninsula of Penang National Park. Your best chances of catching an over-the-water sunset are in June, but whatever the time of year, it’s a spectacle to raise a few glasses to.   

Batu Ferringhi Beach. Photo / Mike Yardley

Located just 7 km west of Batu Ferringhi is a nature lover’s paradise and the island’s greatest natural asset: Penang National Park. Teeming with birds and long-tailed macaques, you could easily spend an entire day hiking around the park and all its glorious jungle greens and only run into a handful of people. If you really want to fill your insta-feed with hordes of those long-tailed tearaways, Penang National Park’s Monkey Beach is the go-to – it’s exactly what it says on the tin. 

Penang Island’s legendary food scene is widely regarded as one of the best in Southeast Asia. Historic and bustling George Town may be the heart of the culinary action in Penang, but Batu Ferringhi has plenty to offer even the most discerning foodies. The hotel showcased the full flavour range, from Penang’s mythic offerings fusing Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Peranakan flavours, visitors will also touting top-notch European, Middle Eastern, and North American fare as well. 

If you’re craving street food and cheap eats, join the locals and head to the Batu Ferringhi Night Market for some of the best street food stalls in town. It’s just a short walk from the hotel.  

From Batu Ferringhi, we whistled up a Grab ride (the equivalent of Uber in Southeast Asia) and for just NZ$10, our driver whisked us to the beating heart of George Town. With its UNESCO-protected streets flanked with heritage shophouses, temples, a sizzling dining scene, awesome street art and great shopping, this cultural and religious melting-pot, is one of those places that instantly seduces you. Back in the day, it was a global centre for trade on the Straits of Malacca, established by the British in the late 18th century, and luring traders from China, India, and the Middle East to this hub. The British East India Company took control of Penang, principally to challenge the Dutch who had a virtual stranglehold on the spice trade at the time.  

Colours of George Town. Photo / Supplied

The protected old town is pedestrian-friendly and decidedly more relaxed than the frenzied throng of traffic navigating the streets of the wider city. Make your way to Armenian Street (named after an influx of Armenian traders) and treat yourself to a self-guided walking tour of the old town, ticking off the cherished landmarks at leisure. If you want to cover ground more quickly, there’s no shortage of trishaws eagerly jostling for your attention. But I thoroughly exploring George Town on foot. Over the past 15 years, the buildings and streets of George Town have been used as a vast canvas for wall murals and stencil art structures, creating an open-air street art gallery.  The stencil art consists of over 50 steel-rod sculptures retelling Penang’s quirky history, with their own peculiar wit. I admired one piece that illustrated how early astrologers from South India would use green parakeets to foretell the future.  

The numerous pieces of art dotted around can sometimes appear in the most unexpected of places, but they’re guaranteed to make you stop, smile and appreciate a new perspective to the city. “Kids on a Bicycle” is the runaway favourite wall mural. For an Insta-explosion of colour, head to Jalan Kek Chuan, which is regularly ranked as one of the prettiest streets in the world. The architectural eye candy blends Eastern and Western designs, bathed in cheerful colours, and housing ornately detailed shops. 

Fabulous street art in George Town. Photo / Mike Yardley

Focusing on the old town’s heritage, culture and history, some street artworks are slowly fading away while others offer a radiant splash of colour. Check out the Clan Jetties, to see how the traditional Chinese communities live and work in Penang. Built by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century, traditionally each jetty belonged to one family (clan). Chew Jetty is the most touristy. Neighbouring Tan Jetty offers a more rustic feel with stunning open views at the far end. The wooden buildings built on stilts jut out into the water, bookended with pint-sized temples at either end of each jetty. You can sample local food at the small, family-run restaurants. 

There’s a myriad of landmarks to admire, but two of my favourites? Khoo Kongsi is one of the grandest Chinese clan community centres in Malaysia. The temple, which is the focal point, is a splendidly ornate structure to walk around. I also loved Kapitan Keling Mosque, the largest mosque in George Town, built in the 19th century by Indian Muslim traders.  

Khoo Kongsi Temple, George Town. Photo / Supplied

Penang’s red-hot reputation as a foodie destination is not in doubt. But your Kiwi dollar buys a lot of Malaysian ringgits, guaranteed to deliver plenty of cheap eats. You’ll get plenty of bang for your buck. Char Koay Teow is revered in Penang. Charred and aromatic, the rice noodles are fried in high heat with prawns, cockles, eggs and bean sprouts in a fiery display over a charcoal fire. I also loved Penang Assam Laksa, a sour and spicy noodle dish with a tangy fish broth. My bowl of thick rice noodles brimmed with finely sliced onions, cucumber, pineapple, red chillies, mint and torch ginger buds. For add flavour, order up a spoonful of thick prawn paste. Need a cool down? You can’t beat Cendol. This sweet icy delight consists of green jelly noodles served over shaved ice with kidney beans and slathered in copious amounts of coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. It’s a lifesaver when the heat and humidity hits fever pitch.  

I do have a fetish for funiculars and Penang comes to the party on that score with the Penang Hill Railway. Just west of George Town, the hourly funicular train ride zips you up the 800-metre-high summit of Penang Hill, which is packed with enticements, beyond just the salivating panorama. The sprawling complex on the summit of Penang Hill has been a hilltop resort for over two centuries. British colonists established a retreat here in the late 18th century, seeking respite from the heat and malaria of the lowlands. 

Penang Hill Railway. Photo / Supplied

The earliest British visitors arrived by horse track up until the opening of the funicular 102 years ago. Most development on Penang Hill is strung along a ridge that stretches for several miles, ranging from eateries, a mosque, a colourful Hindu temple to a tropical spice garden and a butterfly farm. But it’s the elevated panorama and hiking trails that really is the cherry on top. For steamy, sensory holiday pleasure, Penang ticks all the boxes for a great getaway.  

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.