Cuti Cuti Malaysia: My First Solo Trip To Penang
This post is like a sequel to my first Cuti Cuti Malaysia post in January 2025 where I went to Kuala Lumpur (KL) for a solo trip. So this time, I am off to another popular traveling, feasting and retiring destination in Malaysia, and that is none other than Penang. Once again, I believe I should promote tourism in my country to readers of this blog!
For this trip, I decided to fly from Singapore Changi Airport again instead of Senai Airport like during the KL trip, because the fares were quite similar, so not much benefits for me to travel all the way to Senai Airport first. With that, I can start my short holiday with the unforgettable Singapore Laksa treat from SATS lounge in Terminal 1. Of course, to save money for lunch, I had more than just one bowl, accompanied with other delicious dishes. After a full lunch, it is time to prepare to board the plane for this foodie adventure!
Finally, after 1.5hrs short flight, I arrived at Malaysia’s food paradise – Penang! I watched on YouTube and found that it was possible to take a public bus from the airport to Komtar (which is a 6 minutes walk from my hotel), so I decided to give it a try and save RM 20 at the same time as compared to taking Grab.
After slightly over an hour bus ride (it was peak hour, so traffic was quite jammed pack at certain areas), I finally reached Komtar and I just walked to hotel to check in. After dropping off my luggage, I dashed out straight for my long-awaited Char Kway Teow! I decided to just find one nearby instead of going to those famous ones to try. After a short search, I decided on Heng Kee Char Kway Teow. It was really good, and it totally satisfied my cravings.
Heng Kee
Mouth-Watering Char Kway Teow
Early in the morning on the second day, I headed to the much-recommended Yong Pin Restaurant (榕槟茶楼) for dim sum. Since I was dining alone, I could not try too many varieties but I think the food was good!
Yong Pin Restaurant
Great Dim Sum
Iron Rod Sculptures
After appreciating the art, I continued exploring. I stopped by Chew Jetty for a quick photoshoot and then made my way to the fire station. On the wall next to it was a very touching mural paying tribute to firefighters. Much respect to them for their contributions to society!
Walking further, I came across Toh Soon Cafe (多春茶室), famous and well-known for its traditional Hainanese coffee. Unsurprisingly, there was a long queue waiting for their coffee and toasted bread. I did not join the queue and continued my journey heading towards the seaside. Along the way, I passed by Gurney Plaza and thankfully or not, it started to rain and pour. I went into Gurney Plaza for some shelter from the rain and a cup of coffee. After quite a while the rain subsided and I continued my walk and finally arrived at the Oceano Symphony restaurant.
Oceano Symphony
The Beach View
There, I enjoyed my meal while chilling at the sea side view, enjoying the slight breeze. Perhaps this is what retirement life should feel like. After a couple of hours of chillax, I returned back to hotel by Grab. To wrap up the night, I walked to Penang Spa House nearby for a massage, the perfect way to end a long day.
Rise and shine on the third day, I tried another highly recommended dim sum place online for breakfast, and that is Tai Tung Restaurant (大東酒楼). Honesty, it was not good. The dim sum cooled down quickly, and once it’s cold, the skin turns sticky and hard. Overall it was quite a disappointing breakfast. Comparatively, I think Yong Pin Restaurant wins hands down.
After breakfast, it started raining and thus decided to I visit the Wonder Food Museum. It showcases a wide variety of Malaysian cuisine from different ethnic groups with some giant replicas of the various food items, while also promoting food sustainability and anti-waste values. I thought it was a pretty interesting exhibition, though it would have been a more interesting and fun experience going with a group of friends to take quirky group photos.
Wonder Food Museum
Various Indian Cuisine
Various Malay Cuisine 
After the museum tour, my taste buds are yearning for more, so the food hunt continues! I cannot possibly come to Penang without having Assam Laksa. I headed to the famous Penang Road Assam Laksa.
Penang Road Assam Laksa
Assam Laksa with Black Coffee
After the satisfying meal, I went back to hunting for more iron rod street art and adorable murals around town. Thereafter, I returned to the hotel to rest.
In the evening, I set off again on another food adventure. This time, I visited Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Kuay & Canteen (莫定標娘惹粿廠) to try some traditional Peranakan desserts. Honestly, the pieces were tiny, and taste good, but not exceptionally great. So if given another chance, I will probably explore other Peranakan eateries.
At night, I gave in to temptation and treated myself to a big bowl of mango shaved ice at a small dessert shop opposite the hotel I reside in. This is really good, with smooth shaven ice and sweet mango slices. It tastes exactly like the shave ice from Taiwan. Definitely a great closure for the day!
Mango Shaved Ice with Green Tea
Time passes quickly and finally it was my last half-day in Penang. As one would have noticed, unlike my previous trips, I did not visit many popular tourist attractions this time – places like The Top, the Heritage Walk, or the Peranakan Museum. The main reason is that I was not very interested in all these places, and the rainy weather deterred me from all the outdoor walks. So this trip naturally turned into a full-on food journey.
On my final morning, I decided to squeeze in as much food as possible into my tummy. First on the my breakfast list was a peanut butter “min jian kueh” (pancake). This stall was not mind-blowing, but decent. Then I headed to Auntie Yao’s Char Koay Kak (fried radish cake). This was amazing: fragrant, full of wok hei, and nicely spicy. Big thumbs up!
Char Koay Kak
After that, I craved some good coffee, so I went to Shantou Coffee, a cafe run by a group of young entrepreneurs. The coffee was excellent, and the toast was crispy and flavorful. However, the kaya, sorry to say, my uncle and aunt’s homemade version still wins hands down.
Standard Breakfast Set
Stuffed to the brim, I returned to the hotel to pack my luggage. With everything ready, I thought: why not squeeze in one last meal before flying back to Singapore? So I wrapped up this Penang trip with a Japanese lunch.
Last Meal in Penang
Thereafter, it is time to return back to Singapore, and back to work again!
Total "Damage" for this solo trip:
Flight + Hotel: SGD 215.05
Food + Cafes + Transport + Massage + Tips + Tax: RM 728.00
(Exchange rate I got for this trip is SGD 1 : MYR 3.27; Total expenses is SGD 437.68)
Overall, I spent quite a bit of money on food. Penang, in my opinion, is not really a cheap destination (or perhaps, I do not know where the cheap bargains and value-for-money foods are, as I basically went to all the more touristy places). In addition, as I am not well planned for this trip, I will think that Penang is not a top choice for retirement for myself. Do not get me wrong. Penang is a nice place and the locals are friendly, but probably it is a little boring for me. I think I prefer a little mix of glitz and glamor as well in daily life, and thus I probably rank KL a little higher. On the whole, Johor will definitely be my top choice still, as I know where to find the great food at great prices, and I am familiar with the place. However, I am pleased to be able to embark on this solo trip, to know my country better. Looking forward to more "Cuti-Cuti Malaysia" adventures in time to come! In addition, for this whole trip, I actually walked about 60K steps! Sincerely hoping that this can help to keep the fats gained from the marvelous food during this trip at bay. Barista FIRE, here I come!
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