One of the reasons why people go to Penang is to see its world-famous murals. Last November 2018, I walked around the streets of Georgetown to see these murals in person. These murals are painted by different artists & are scattered throughout the small streets of the city. Most of these murals are found along Lebuh Armenian (Armenian St).
Let me share to you some photos of the murals I came across during my walkathon around Georgetown.
In case you missed it, I spent 36 hours in Penang last November before I flew to Singapore for Its The Ship 2018. Check out my Penang journey here.
Property
Location: Victoria St (Lebuh Victoria)
Little Children On A Bicycle
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Boy On A Motorbike
Location: Ah Quee St (Lebuh Ah Quee)
Little Boy With Pet Dinosaur
Location: Ah Quee St (Lebuh Ah Quee)
Children On A Swing
Location: An Alley Off Chulia St (Lebuh Chulia)
Basketball Game
Location: An Alley Off Chulia St (Lebuh Chulia)
Cat In Blue Window
Location: Cannon St (Lebuh Cannon)
Skippy Comes To Penang
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Indian Boatman
Location: Stewart Lane (Lorong Stewart)
Rickshaw Vendor
Location: An alley Off Armenian St
Two Men Pushing A Door
Location: An alley Off Armenian St
Wo Ai Nee Chinese Malay Indian
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Teach You Hokkien
LKLocation: An Alley Off Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Lion Break-dancing Out Of Wall
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Old Soy Milk Stall
Location: An Alley Chulia St (Lebuh Chulia)
I Can Help Catch Rats
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
I Want Pau
Location: Armenian St (Lebuh Armenian)
Those are the murals I saw during my walkathon. I still missed a few notable ones but I believe I already saw a lot. There are hundreds of these murals around Georgetown; it would take around a day to finish all of them.
Have you been to Penang before? Have you seen a mural not in the photos above? Which mural is this & where is it located? Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about Penang in general? Feel free send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Also, please help me in promoting my social media channels –Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Thank you for checking out this post. Don’t forget to read my Penang walkathon blog! Until the next post. ✌️
Happy new year everyone! I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday break. I went home to my hometown & spent the festive season with my family & relatives. It’s also the reason why I’ve been very quiet the past weeks. I’m very happy to be back! I have a long list of stories, tips & content to post. I can’t wait to share all of them with you!
Let’s get down to business. Today, I will bring you to Penang, Malaysia. Last November 2018, I got to explore Penang. I was supposed to stay for a few days but I had to cut short my trip to 36 hours for another exciting engagement in Singapore. I will talk about that experience in an upcoming post. Back to Penang, I spent most of my time around the island’s capital – Georgetown. This colorful & multicultural capital became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Georgetown is like a living museum; the buildings & shop houses have retained their historic form through the years.
I will make this post somewhat informal & basically share my itinerary by date & time. Check out the turnout of events in Penang below.
Day 1 – Hello Penang!
22:00 – I arrived at Penang International Airport from Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines. Flight was delayed for an hour due to bad weather at the airport vicinity. I got some cash from the ATM & booked a Grab ride to my hostel.
23:00 – I arrived at The Frame Guesthouse in Georgetown & checked in to my room. I went to the nearest convenience center & grabbed something to eat & drink. I had freshened up & went to bed.
07:00 – I woke up & immediately took a shower. I went downstairs to avail the hostel’s free breakfast. I had some toast, fresh fruits & a glass of milk. I went to reception & asked for advice on what to do for the day.
08:00 – I left the hostel & walked to Komtar Bus Terminal. I took Bus 203 or 204 to Ayer Itam. The fare costs RM2 per person & takes about 30 minutes. It is the bus line’s last stop so the driver will advise you to get off the bus. The temple is only a short walk up the hill.
09:00 – I arrived at Kek Lok Si Temple. The Buddhist temple was built way back in the late 19th century. This temple played a big role in building Penang’s religious heritage.
I went around the different temple buildings & pagodas. The complex has millions of Buddha images & hundreds of physical statues. I also took the inclined lift up to the giant Buddha. It took me 2.5 hours to go around the whole temple complex.
11:30 – I went down to Ayer Itam & had lunch. I went to the small hawker center & bought curry mee for lunch. After lunch, I walked around the different shops in the area. I was a bit tired so I booked a Grab car back to the hostel.
12:30 – I arrived back to The Frame Guesthouse & decided to rest for a while.
14:00 – I left the hostel & started my walkathon around Georgetown. I walked around Love Lane & saw some interesting murals.
14:15 – I went to Pinang Peranakan Mansion. Also known as the Mansion of the Babas & Nyonyas, this mansion was once owned by the rich Chinese who migrated to Penang. The Chinese family adopted to the local Malaysian & colonial British cultures & still managed to create a unique lifestyle & customs. This way of life left a big collection of antiques which are on display in the mansion. The mansion has a RM20 entrance fee per person. They also offer English tours (takes about an hour) around the house daily. I joined the 14:30 tour.
15:30 – I left Pinang Peranakan Mansion & continued my walkathon to Penang Town Hall & The Esplanade. This public open space by the sea is a popular recreation area for the locals. People go here for leisure walks & relaxation. I planned to visit the nearby Fort Cornawallis but the fort was closed to the public on that specific day.
16:00 – I went to Padang Kota Lama, a hawker center beside Fort Cornwallis, to try the famous mee sotong goreng. This sweet & spicy noodles are only sold by Hameed Pata Special Mee. I waited in line for a few minutes before it was finally my turn to buy. The regular plate costs RM5 & the big plate costs RM7. You can choose from the goreng (fried noodles) or the rebus (boiled noodles). I also tried the coconut shake in the nearby stall for RM4.
16:45 – I resumed my walkathon around Georgetown. This time, I went back to Lebuh Chulia & continued to Lebuh Armenian to check out the famous Penang murals. I went around the main & small streets to see as many murals as I can. Luckily, there were only few tourists checking out the murals.
17:30 – I went back to the hostel to rest before heading out for dinner.
19:30 – 2 hours after, I went out to have dinner with a Filipino I met in the mansion tour. We ate in a local restaurant along Lebuh Chulia. I had wan tan mee (Malaysian wonton noodles), char koay teow (stir-fried noodles) & hot teh tarik (hot milk tea) for dinner. Yes, I was that hungry.
20:30 – We went to this local liquor store named Antarabangsa Enterprise to have drinks. This shop is located along Lorong Stewart (Stewart Lane). Every day, the store staff sets up tables & chairs in the street for their customers. We stayed for a while here & met interesting people from Penang (locals), Iran & Norway. It was a fun night exchanging stories about anything under the sun.
23:45 – After a few bottles & hours of drinking, I headed back to my hostel to rest. I took a shower & went to bed.
Day 3 – Goodbye Penang!
06:00 – I woke up & fixed my stuff. I took a shower & got ready for check out.
07:15 – I booked a Grab car & went to Penang International Airport for my international flight to Singapore.
07:45 – I arrived at the airport & went straight to check in. I had breakfast at KFC after check in then I headed to the boarding gate.
09:30 – Boarding for Singapore commenced.
10:05 – My Scoot flight to Singapore departed Penang International Airport on time.
This pretty much is all about my quick stop at Penang. I wish I stayed longer but I guess I made the most out of that 36-hour stay. I know I missed a lot of interesting places like Batu Ferringhi, Clan Jetties, Penang Hill & the Blue Mansion. That gives me another reason to go back in visit Penang in the future.
Have you been to Penang? Where else did you go that you find very interesting & unique? Feel free to share these places in the comments below. I’ll check ’em out when I fly back to Penang. You can also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Watch out for the next post about Penang. You’ll surely love it! Ciao. ✌️
Hey, you! I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday with your families & friends. 2019 is just a few hours away. Another year will soon pass. Before we go into 2019, join me as I look back on how another year of travels went by.
Let me share with you where my friends & I went to this year. It was a fun & memorable year exploring with friends!
sapporo🇯🇵
Last February, Shane & I went to Sapporo for a week. We flew in to Tokyo & took another domestic flight to Sapporo. We explored Sapporo city on our 2nd day – walked around historic buildings & structures plus tried the famous Genghis Khan meat for late lunch. We tried the world-famous Hokkaido king crab in Nijo Market on our 3rd day, then went to explore the port city of Otaru in the afternoon.
Shane & I went skiing on our 4th day. We took a beginner’s ski course in the morning & skied on a downhill slope in the afternoon. It was tiring but a fun experience. We enjoyed it & we plan to do it again on our next winter trip. We chose to relax on our 5th day & tried a traditional Japanese onsen on a snowy day. At first, it was weird walking around naked but hey, everyone’s naked so there’s nothing to worry. We flew to Tokyo on our 6th day & do some last minute pasalubong shopping before flying back to Manila on our last day.
My high school friends & I went on a weekend trip to Hong Kong last March. We left for Hong Kong on a Friday late afternoon & arrived back in Manila Sunday night. It was a quick 48-hour trip but we managed to visit a number of interesting places. Jericho & I explored went to Victoria Peak, Quarry Bay Monster Building, Nan Lian Garden & Kowloon Pier while our friends went to Hong Kong Disneyland. We met them in Mong Kok for dinner & went shopping together.
The following day, the whole group went to mass at St Teresa’s Church in Kowloon Tong in the morning. We all went to Ngong Ping via the cable car in the afternoon & went last-minute shopping at Citygate Outlets. We headed back to our accommodation to pick up our bags & went straight to the airport for our flight back to Manila.
Maanne, a friend who is now based in Vancouver, went home for a few weeks & asked us to join her visit Nacpan Beach in El Nido. I’ve been to El Nido & Nacpan Beach a number of times. It was Maanne’s 1st time in Nacpan. We spent a whole day at the beach area. The weather didn’t cooperate so we found ourselves having a good time (having lunch + free drinks / shots) at Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach. Our stay in El Nido & Nacpan was mostly spent in our hostels, Mad Monkey & Outpost Beach Hostel due to rainy weather.
After spending 2 days & 2 nights in El Nido, we headed down south to the small coastal village of Port Barton. I’ve been to this place in 2017 & had the best times so I decided to bring my friends to this paradise. We spent another 48 hours here, went island hopping, relaxed on the village beach & had great times with old & new friends.
My colleague & friend, Shiela, & I went to Siargao for 4 full days last July. We booked our tickets a few months back before I left for the airport for my Sapporo trip. Another friend in the name of Geof (from Siquijor 2017 trip) was also on the island with friends. We met up on our 1st day for dinner & decided to go together for crazy party nights & inland tours. We took the Sugba Lagoon & Magpupungko Rock Pool tour together & met a new set of friends. This marked the birth of the Siargao Squad. Half of the group left the island on our 3rd day while we took the Sohoton Cove & Tri Island Tour.
Shiela & I also had crazy nights with our roommates at Bravo Beach Resort & our ex-colleague Vanessa. This trip was all about exploring the island in the morning & drinking / partying at night – typical Siargao getaway. I look forward to flying back to Siargao to do the same time.
Last August, I flew to Sydney with my N9 buddies, Shane (from Sapporo trip) & Leng. It was my first trip outside Asia (finally lol). We took the free walking tours & explored Sydney by foot. The weather was not too hot & not too cold (well for me) so it was perfect for walking. My friends & I also went to see Bondi Beach & Coogee Beach, 2 of the many suburban beaches of Sydney.
We took a wine-tasting day trip to the mountains of Hunter Valley. We went to 3 wineries, tried different kinds of wine & had lunch at a fancy country club. We drowned ourselves with free wine that same day. We took another day trip to Blue Mountains National Park in Katoomba. The place is about 2 hours by train from Sydney. We walked around the peaceful rainforest of Jamison Valley plus enjoyed the thrilling rides of Scenic World. It was a perfect day out with the nature. Check the N9 in Staya Series blog list below.
I left my friends in Sydney & flew to Brisbane to spend a weekend with my relatives & cousins. My uncle, aunt & cousins took me around the city. We went to the koala sanctuary, had lunch at Mount Coot-tha overlooking Brisbane CBD, walked around South Bank, rode the Brisbane Wheel & drove around the central business district. They also took me to Gold Coast to see the famous beach, to go up Gold Coast’s highest view deck & to have lunch in a revolving restaurant.
My high school friends & I went on a quick weekend getaway to Bohol last September. We flew in Saturday morning, went straight to the countryside tour. We saw both the chocolate hills & the tarsiers on our first few hours on the island. We decided to skip the Loboc River Cruise & went to Bohol Bee Farm to have lunch. We passed by a few more places before heading to our booked accommodation near Alona Beach. On our 2nd day, we chased dolphins, swam with the turtles & snorkelled in Balicasag Island. We flew back to Manila the morning of the 3rd day. The trip was just right for a small island like Bohol.
Both planned trips in November got cancelled so I booked a last-minute trip to Malaysia. My initial plan was to spend 3 days in Penang & another 3 days in Kuala Lumpur but I had to cut short my trip for another last-minute invite. This 36-hour Penang stopover was the only ‘trip’ of the year when I was alone.
I flew in to Penang via Kuala Lumpur on the 1st day, explored Kok Lek Si & Georgetown (plus the murals) on the 2nd day & left for Singapore on the 3rd day. I stayed in a very cool shop-turned-guesthouse property called The Frame Guesthouse. I haven’t posted about my Penang trip, but watch out for the article soon.
As mentioned above, I had to cut my Malaysia trip for another trip in Singapore. I flew into Singapore a day before the event. I headed my hostel near Haji Ln & Arab St & met up with my friend Lord who is now based there. We first had late lunch in a Japanese restaurant at Bugis Junction Mall then headed to ATLAS Singapore to have afternoon drinks.
I sneaked in a quick trip to Marina Bay Sands & Gardens By The Bay before heading over to Zouk Singapore for the pre-sailing party of Its The Ship 2018. Check out how I managed to spend by 24 hours in Singapore. It was a quick one, but hey, I’ve been to a lot of places in such a short span of time.
Its The Ship 2018 was the main reason why I had to cut short my Penang / Kuala Lumpur planned trip & why I flew to Singapore on the 3rd day. Lord, my friend based in Singapore, invited me to join him in this party cruise. Thank you, Lord! Double meaning, I know. LOL.
This yearly 4 days / 3 nights cruise trip to Phuket (from Singapore) & back is Asia’s largest festival at sea. This year, the cruise turned into a massive party boat with international DJs over 3 stages. The cruise also had scheduled fun activities with the artists, plus an international buffet (which runs almost 24/7). This was my 1st cruise experience & will definitely be not the last.
I haven’t posted anything yet about my Its The Ship 2018 experience. Make sure to wait for that post next month.
Blog:To Follow
Cancelled Trips 🇨🇳🇲🇳🇯🇵
I know I have a long list of trips that pushed through this year, but I also had 2 international trips that didn’t push through. First is the 10-day trip to Beijing, China & Mongolia. My friend & I booked tickets to Beijing for less than ₱1,800 each & planned to go to Ulanbaatar by land. Unfortunately, we had to forego of this trip due to visa restraints. Apparently, the Chinese consulate does not grant double entry visas to first time applicants. We need this type of visa because we planned to go back to Beijing to catch our flight back to Manila.
Another cancelled trip was another set of flights to Japan. I was supposed to fly to Tokyo & Nagoya with my high school friends (from Hong Kong & Bohol trips) but I had to cancel. I had to attend an important family event that falls in the middle of that supposed to be 11-day trip. These China, Mongolia & Japan trips might have been cancelled, but I know I’ll visit these places soon. I’m still thankful most of my planned trips pushed through.
This pretty much sums up my year full of travels with friends. It was a year of many firsts – first winter trip, first out-of-Asia trip, first cruise experience & the list goes on. It was a year full of unforgettable experiences & memorable laughs. I may not have a clear plan on what’s in store for 2019 but I am positive it will be another year full of travels. Thank you very much for joining me. Happy new year & cheers to more fun travels in 2019!
It’s December & it’s winter time. It only means one thing – it’s one of the best times to visit Sapporo, Japan. Random snowfalls, extremely cold temperature, longer nights & powdery snow sums up winter in this area of Japan. The Hokkaido snow season is one of the most visited season of the region. The Sapporo Snow Festival, which happens to be the biggest festival in the city, also happens every winter – normally in the 1st or 2nd week of February.
Early this year, my friend & I flew to Sapporo for 6 days to experience what it’s like in Hokkaido during winter. We went to different places & tried a lot of activities. We first walked around Sapporo for our 1st few days, then we went to the nearby port city of Otaru. We also went to Sapporo Teine Ski Resort to try skiing & Hoheikyo Onsen to try a Japanese onsen during winter. It was a trip of many firsts; it was a trip for the books. Believe it or not, Shane & I only spent less than ₱45,000 all in – including return flights from Manila & hostel accommodations. We definitely had a winter trip of a lifetime!
Aside from experiencing winter in Sapporo, we also went there for the food. Our goal was to try as many unique eats as we can. Shane, who is a certified foodie, & I kind of splurged on food during our trip. Let me share with you these 7 eats we had which you should not miss when in Sapporo.
Soup Curry
Dinner at Rojiura Curry Samurai – our first meal in Sapporo!
Soup curry is a famous dish in Sapporo. A soup curry is a curry with more soup. Quite weird, eh? Yeah. The dish is basically a curry flavored soup with little meat & different kinds of vegetables. There are a number of soup curry chains in Sapporo. The hostel staff recommended that we try Rojiura Curry Samurai. Shane & I went there for our 1st dinner in Sapporo.
Vegetable soup curry for dinner~
I ordered vegetable soup curry & a cup of rice. The soup was tasty, thick & slightly sweet. The vegetables were fresh. It was the perfect meal for a very cold night. An order of soup curry with a bowl of rice costs a little over ¥1,000.
Jingisukan
Jingisukan is Hokkaido’s famous grilled mutton dish. This dish is basically lamb meat grilled on Mongolian helmet-shaped skillet. The lamb fat is placed in the center of the skillet pan, then slides to all the sides where the vegetables are being cooked. The meat will then be grilled / cooked once the pan is hot.
Lamb meat being grilled in a helmet-shaped skillet. Yum!
Meal comes with unlimited draft Sapporo beer only served in this restaurant.
Shane & I went to the famous Sapporo Beer Garden to have unlimited lamb barbecue & drinks. Drink selection includes a draft Sapporo Beer only served in this restaurant. Buffet cost us ¥4,212 each including taxes. For more information about the buffet & restaurant, head over to Sapporo Beer Garden’s website. It was a bit more expensive than a normal lunch meal, but it was worth the try! Everyone should try this when visiting Sapporo.
King Crab & Fresh Seafood
Look at the variety of fresh seafood available at Nijo Market.
More seafood.. Drools!
Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost major island, is famous for its king crab & fresh seafood. Shane & I went to Nijo Market in Sapporo to have brunch. We came across a stall where the man offered us a free taste of the fresh king crab. We then bought 800 grams of Hokkaido king crab (for sharing) for ¥10,000 & had it cooked in the nearby restaurant. Yes, it was that expensive. A kilogram of Hokkaido king crab costs ¥13,000.. We also ordered chirashi sushi bowls & a bottle of soft drink to complete the meal.
Shane & I bought 800 grams of king crab legs & had it cooked in a nearby restaurant! YUUUUUM~
Shane’s meal with the king crab legs. Fresh seafood at its best in Nijo Market!
It was another ‘worth-it’ but expensive meal. The price of king crab in Sapporo is way cheaper than the price in local Japanese restaurants. This meal was one of the highlights of the trip. The crab meat was very fresh & tasty.
Miso Ramen
Hokkaido’s specialty ramen – miso ramen!
A visit to Japan is never complete without having ramen for at least one meal. Each area / region usually have its own ramen flavor. If Fukuoka & Kyushu are famous for their tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen, Hokkaido (especially Northern Hokkaido) is famous for miso ramen. The broth is based on miso paste / seasoning & then served with either pork, chicken, seafood & other add-ons.
Entry to Sapporo Ramen Republic. You’ll definitely have a hard time choosing where to eat.
There are a number of miso ramen shops around Sapporo & Hokkaido. Shane & I went to Sapporo Ramen Republic on the 10th floor of ESTA Complex. Sapporo Ramen Republic has 8 of the top ramen restaurants in Hokkaido. We chose to dine at Misono & tried their miso ramen with pork & grated ginger. The miso broth was different from the other ones I’ve tried, but still very rich in taste. That bowl of ramen cost us ¥700 – ¥800 per bowl. A local advised us there’s another ramen alley somewhere in Susukino – I’ll check that out in my next visit.
Indian Curry & Naan
One of the recommended to-do’s in Hoheikyo Onsen, aside from relaxing in the natural hot spring, is to have a meal in the on-site Indian restaurant. This restaurant is famous for their genuine Indian curry & homemade naan. Shane & I had our late lunch here & ordered their famous curry (forgot if it was pork, lamb or chicken) & naan paired with cold tea & a strawberry yogurt drink. The food was authentic, good & one-of-a-kind. Glad we stopped by the restaurant before leaving the onsen. I am very sorry I forgot how much paid for the meal.
Definitely the best Indian curry & naan I had in Sapporo. So good!
Check out the on-site restaurant’s page for more information.
Soft-Serve Ice Cream
Soft-serve lavender ice cream on a cold winter day? No problem!
Another must-try in Sapporo is the soft-serve ice cream. Shane & I tried the ice cream even if it was below 0 & snowing. Flavors & prices vary from one shop to the other. We saw 2 unique flavors only offered in Hokkaido – Lavender & Yubari Melon. Shane went for the mixed chocolate & lavender flavor while I got the lavender only variant. Each cone cost ¥320. I’ll try the Yubari melon flavored ice cream next time!
Check out the available ice cream flavors in this random Otaru shop. Which one will you choose?
Cheese Tarts
Tried Kinotoya Cheese Tarts – THE TARTS WERE SO GOOD!!
Hokkaido is also known for its distinct, rich & tasty dairy products. These dairy products gave birth to the raved baked cheese tarts. The snack first became famous in Sapporo & then became known around Japan & now all over the world. Famous cheese tart shops include Kinotoya, BAKE, Hokkaido, & Pablo. These shops have branched out of Japan & are now present in countries like the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia & many more.
Baked cheese tarts overload!
Shane & I bought cheese tarts from the Sapporo-born shop called Kinotoya in JR Sapporo Station. The tart shell was buttery & tasty while the cheese mousse (filling) was sweet & salty at the same time. A piece of cheese tart costs around ¥200. What I loved about this shop is there was no queue / line to buy the tart unlike other cheese tart shops in Tokyo & Sapporo. Make sure to drop by any cheese tart shop when in Sapporo. It’s the perfect snack to pair with your hot coffee or green tea.
BONUS – Royce’ Chocolates
Do you know that Sapporo-born Royce’ chocolates can be bought everywhere in the city? Yes. Royce’ chocolates are found in local stores & tourist shops around Sapporo. This phenomenon is not present in other Japan cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, etc.) where Royce’ chocolates are only sold in major airports. Prices are almost the same, if not cheaper, in Sapporo. Don’t forget to hoard Royce’ chocolates before leaving Sapporo. There’s also a big chance you’ll find limited edition flavors like the Sakuraberry variant I got last time.
This long list pretty much sums up the major eats we had in Sapporo last February. Have you tried some of them? Planning to fly to Sapporo in the future? Don’t forget to put these 7 treats in your list. You’ll surely enjoy them! Do you still have other Sapporo treats in mind? Feel free to share them in the comments below. You can also send your thoughts & comments via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also connect me via the following social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!
Thanks for joining me in today’s Tuesday Tip! See you in the next one.
Last month, I flew to & stopped at Penang for 36 hours before I continued by journey to Singapore. I arrived the Penang at night time, basically had 2 nights & 1 full day to explore the island. I will talk about my Penang visit in a separate blog post. This post’s focus will be the accommodation I had while in Penang. I stayed in a guesthouse, technically not a hostel, named The Frame Guesthouse. It will be today’s (hostel) guesthouse of the day feature.
Welcome to The Frame Guesthouse Penang!
The 3-storey heritage building used to be a frame maker’s shophouse restored & converted into a tourist accommodation facility. The building only had minimal restoration works. Up to now, you’ll notice the old floor, wall & roof finishes. This makes the guesthouse ambiance really unique & unforgettable. Allow me to share with you below some information about the property plus how my stay went.
Location & Access
The Frame Guesthouse’s location is perfect. It is found in a famous street in the center of Georgetown, in the middle of the backpackers’ district. It is located at 168 Chulia Street (Lebuh Chulia), Georgetown, Penang Island.
The Frame Guesthouse is located along Chulia St in the heart of Georgetown.
The property is very accessible to public transportation with a few bus stops located nearby. It is also walking distance to Love Lane (backpackers’ area), to KOMTAR Bus Terminal (main bus terminal in Georgtown), to the street arts (where Penang is known for) & to almost all museums & tourist attractions in town. The majority of places to visit in town are a few minutes walk from the property.
Penang International Airport is about 1 hour by bus from the property or about 25-30 minutes by Grab, Uber or private car.
Rooms & rates
The Frame Guesthouse Penang caters to all types of travellers. They have private rooms (with & without ensuite) & mixed / female dormitory rooms. All non-smoking rooms include free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, free breakfast & also include bed linens, duvet & bath towels. Dormitory beds also have individual reading lights, power outlet & a locker.
My cozy bed for 2 nights!
Dormitory rooms are priced at MYR 35 – MYR 58 per night, depending on configuration. Twin & double rooms without ensuite are at MYR 88 – MYR 92 per room per night while the double room with ensuite is priced at MYR 128 per night. These rates are based on the guesthouse’ website. Try to check out accommodation sites like Agoda & Booking.com for possible discounts & promotions.
Check out this artsy corner of my private room.
I initially booked a 2-night stay in a 4-bedroom mixed dormitory for MYR 88 (₱1,113) via Agoda. I changed my mind last minute & booked a private double room without ensuite 3 days before my stay. I paid around MYR 172 (₱2,175) for 2 nights – that’s MYR 86 (₱1,090) per night. I was satisfied with the space & privacy I had in my room. Wi-Fi was super fast; the room’s view was great & the air conditioning worked well. It was not the cheapest room in Georgetown & in Penang but as they say, you pay more for privacy & comfort.
Why Should You Stay In The Frame Guesthouse
Just like any other tourist accommodation, The Frame Guesthouse offers the following:
24 Hour Reception + Helpful Staff
The guesthouse’ reception is open 24 hours 7 days a week. There is always a person at the front desk anytime of the day. You don’t need to worry if you’re arrive late at night or early in the morning. There will always be someone to welcome you. Their staffs are very friendly & helpful. They even give recommendations on what to do, where to go & what to eat.
The property’s reception area – open for 24 hours 7 days a week.
Free Wi-Fi
The property has free Wi-Fi throughout the guesthouse premises. You won’t have any problem connecting. The connection is fast & reliable.
Free Breakfast
The guesthouse offers simple free breakfast to all its guests. The food includes bread with butter & jam, cereals with milk & fresh fruits. Available drinks include coffee, tea, milk & filtered drinking water. Coffee & tea are also free anytime of the day. Better than nothing!
Breakfast area every morning.
Free Drinking Water + Unlimited Refill
The property has free drinking water & includes unlimited refill for all guests. In a hot & humid place like Penang, this amenity is such a big help. Also, guests don’t need to buy many bottles of mineral water.
Food Storage & Heating Facility
There is a common refrigerator where guests can store their food. Guests can also heat their food in the microwave oven in the common area. A water kettle is also available for those who need hot water.
Spacious common lounge area located at the back of the reception area.
Communal TV & Lounge Areas
The Frame Guesthouse has a spacious television & lounge area at the back of the reception area. The atmosphere may not be very social but you can still meet & talk to fellow guests while enjoying your favorite television show or movie.
Clean Communal Shower & Toilet Areas
All guests staying in double & twin rooms without ensuite & dormitory rooms have access to clean communal shower & toilet areas. Each floor has its designated amenity area. The facilities are clean & well-maintained. They have power hot showers. Body gel & shampoo are found in each shower cubicle.
This is the communal shower & toilet area located in the 2nd floor.
Free Luggage Storage
The guesthouse also provides free luggage storage for guests who are arriving before the check in time & leaving hours after check out.
Designated Smoking Area
All rooms & communal areas are non-smoking areas. The guesthouse has designated smoking area at the back for those who want to have their cigar puffs. This area is open 24 hours 7 days a week.
The smoking area is near the bicycle. It is located in an open area at the rear of the common areas.
Tour Desk Service
The property also offers daily tours & transfers. Feel free to approach the staff in reception area & they’ll discuss with you the details & rates.
This pretty much sums up all the information I can share about The Frame Guesthouse in Georgetown, Penang. The building was beautifully-restored. It’s heritage is still there. The room I got was spacious & really cold. The property’s free wi-fi was fast. The free breakfast was a plus. The people are really nice & helpful. It may not be the cheapest accommodation in the area, but it surely gives you the value you paid for. I didn’t mind spending more for more privacy & comfort. Overall, this guesthouse is great! I wish I booked my private room earlier for a better price.
If you have any questions about the property or you want to book directly with them, feel free to contact them in the details below.
Don’t forget to check out The Frame Guesthouse when looking for a place to stay in Penang!
Have you been to Penang? Which hostel or guesthouses did you book? How was your trip? Are there other unique hostels I should check out soon? Feel free to post your thoughts & suggestions in the comments below. You can also send your suggestions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also connect me via the following social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!
Thank you for your time & see you in the next hostel feature! ✌️
