Trip to Penang, Malaysia

On our way back from the Ansa Teluk Bahang Resort to Gurney Plaza by Grab, we planned to buy some souvenirs to take back to Shanghai. The Grab driver who picked us up was a Malaysian Chinese man in his fifties. His car was clean, and he chatted with us in somewhat broken Mandarin.

"Why did you choose to visit Penang?" he asked curiously.

"Three of my colleagues recommended Penang," Nuonuo replied. "One German colleague even sold his house in Germany to buy property here for retirement. He thinks Penang is international, has a good environment, and offers a relaxed lifestyle. Two other Chinese colleagues said you can experience being abroad here without language barriers, and the cost of living is affordable."

The driver nodded and then asked somewhat eagerly, "So, what are your impressions of Penang these past few days?"

As a native of Fujian, Penang felt familiar to me. "The day before yesterday, we went to Penang Hill. The seafood fried noodles we had at a Muslim stall in the hilltop market tasted very similar to what I eat at home. What left a deeper impression was the small market at Flagstaff Hill, where we saw people of various religions and ethnicities—Westerners, Chinese, Indian hikers, and Muslim women wearing black headscarves. At the hilltop, there's a vividly colored Hindu temple, a minimalist white-walled mosque with a spire, as well as Buddhist temples like Kek Lok Si and Kuan Yin Temple, along with clan ancestral halls at the foot of the hill. This kind of diversity is rare on other hiking trails."

"You went to Penang Hill? My home is near there too," the driver said. "The largest ethnic groups in Malaysia include Chinese, Indians, and Malays. In the east, there are also indigenous groups like the Ibans, Kadazans, and Dusuns. Each group has different customs—Indians don't eat beef, Muslims don't eat pork, and many Chinese Buddhists also avoid beef. To avoid taboos, the hilltop market mainly sells halal food."

"No wonder we only saw seafood noodles and rice dishes on the hill," Nuonuo added.

The driver smiled. "I'm glad you noticed these things. I believe people of all ethnicities could live harmoniously, but politicians stir up divisions for their own and their groups' interests. Did you enjoy hiking on Penang Hill?"

"We loved the rainforest hiking," I said. "We climbed Flagstaff Hill and visited the Penang National Park. The surroundings are very natural, with towering trees and various animals in the forest—monkeys, large and small squirrels, monitor lizards, as well as millipedes, centipedes, giant carpenter ants... We only learned the names of many of these animals after visiting the Entopia Insectarium."

"I'm really happy you had these unique experiences. Do you have any suggestions for Penang? I can share them with the authorities to improve the experience for visitors," the driver asked sincerely.

"First, crossing the road is too difficult," Nuonuo said. "We often walked for a long time without seeing a zebra crossing, and cars and motorcycles sped by. Another thing is that many people want to go on city walks, but the streets are bare, with no shade from trees. Some five-foot ways could provide shelter, but they’re either occupied by businesses or lined with parked cars, making them impassable."

"These are indeed areas that need improvement," the driver said. "Many roads in Penang were designed for residents with cars. Now that there are more tourists, we really need to consider these issues."

"However, we also noticed that many businesses accept Alipay, which is very convenient for us. Back in China, we hardly use cash anymore, and we worry about credit card fraud when traveling. The food in Penang is also amazing. We ate three meals in a modest temple near the national park—steamed pomfret, grilled stingray, and seafood rice noodles, all of which were delicious!" As we spoke, we asked, "Have you ever visited mainland China?"

"I'm a third-generation Malaysian here. My ancestors came from Tong'an in Xiamen. I haven’t been back yet, but I’ve heard Tong'an has developed even more than Penang. I’ve always wanted to visit. But I’m more interested in history and culture, so if I go back, my first stop would be Nanjing to visit the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall—a friend of mine went and was deeply moved. Other places I’d like to see are Xi’an and Beijing. I also want to ride the high-speed rail. I’ve heard development in China is rapid, and the high-speed trains are smooth and fast. I’d love to take the Beijing-Shanghai line."

"What about your children? Do they want to visit?" we asked.

"They do, but they want to go to Chongqing to see the subway passing through buildings and the winding roads. They use Xiaohongshu and Douyin every day."

As we spoke, the car arrived at Andaman Island, an artificial island under construction, with Gurney Plaza's Raffles ahead. "When I was young, this whole area was a beach. Penang is small and needs land reclamation. I understand businessmen need to do business. Now, development here is rapid. Maybe the next time you visit, it’ll look completely different."

I nodded, remembering a Malay Grab driver we had a few days earlier, around the same age as this driver. He had said, "When I was young, this whole area was a beach. I used to play by the shore. Humans have damaged the environment, and it rains less here now." His tone was slightly melancholic.

I wasn’t sure how to evaluate the perspectives of the two drivers. But staying here these past few days made me experience the rapid development of the Gurney Beach area, which is predominantly Chinese, with thriving high-rises and shopping malls, smooth running paths along the beach, and a complete range of yacht bars at the port. In contrast, Teluk Bahang, with its predominantly Malay indigenous population, remains natural and rustic, with the insectarium, spice garden, low-rise houses, and the national park blending harmoniously. I think maintaining this delicate balance is quite nice.

This probably also answers the question Nuonuo asked me: Do I prefer Gurney Bay or Teluk Bahang?