Penang: A Local View

This is not one particular restaurant, but a whole stretch of restaurants. It is situated in Bukit Tambun and easily assessable from the North-South Highway to Ipoh, a 30-minute drive from Penang Island to Ipoh. Upon reaching Bukit Tambun, you will go through a small road and reach the end of the road. This is where all the restaurants are, like Prawn village and Fish Village.

I've been there numerous times, for birthdays, gatherings, anniversaries, a normal dinner... everything. The seafood is cheap and fresh because the area is near the sea and river. The place will be crowded, especially on the weekends, with locals and foreigners alike. Do try the crabs, prawns, fish, oysters, and seashells. You can order for ten people, and it will cost you just RM 200. That's less than $50, or $5 per person! This is a great bargain and a great place to savour Malaysian food!

Gurney Drive is the main hawker point in Penang and definitely not to be missed. It is on the way from Georgetown to Batu Feringghi Beach. Hawkers will begin to set up the stalls in the evening, and by 7 or 8pm, people will begin to pack this place. The food here is very, very cheap, even by Malaysian standards, and it is wise to order more than one thing. Do try some of Penang’s famous specialties, such as Penang laksa, hokkien mee, and char koay teow. You won't regret it. Since the place is just beside the sea, one should eat and then walk along the shoreline. Admire the night view and feel the night breeze. It's a place where Penang-ites like to spend their time and generally feel safe. Along this road there are still plenty of hawker centers, restaurants, five-star hotels, discos, pubs... places for everyone.