Walk the old streets of George Town, and eat as you go

What the experience is

George Town, on the island of Penang, was founded in 1786 and was for a century and a half a free port. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Arab, Armenian and European traders settled in it, and each community built in its own way. What survives is a grid of shophouses, with the monuments of the different communities standing among them. UNESCO listed it in 2008, with Malacca, as the historic cities of the Straits of Malacca. The listed area is small, and the way to see it is to walk.

A day’s route might begin at the Khoo Kongsi, the most elaborate of the Hokkien clan halls, which stands in its own square hidden behind the houses. From there the Street of Harmony passes an Anglican church, a Chinese temple, a Hindu temple and a mosque, each built by its community in the early years of the town. The Pinang Peranakan Mansion shows how the Straits Chinese lived. The Blue Mansion, the indigo house of the merchant Cheong Fatt Tze, is shown on guided tours. On the waterfront, the clan jetties are wooden piers lined with houses on stilts, and people still live in them.

On the way are the murals that the Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic painted in 2012, several of them combined with real objects, and the many that followed.

Eating

Penang is often regarded by Malaysians as the country’s capital of food. Dishes commonly recommended are char kway teow, flat rice noodles fried over fierce heat; asam laksa, a sour fish soup with thick noodles; Hokkien prawn noodles; and nasi kandar, rice with a choice of curries. They are sold from stalls in coffee shops and at open-air hawker centres, and a walk through the old town passes many.

When to go

It is hot at any season. Walk early and late in the day, and spend the middle of it indoors. The heaviest rain falls from about September to November.

Good to know

Tour times at the Blue Mansion and opening hours of the clan halls should be checked. Stalls keep their own hours, and many close one day a week. The clan jetties and temples are lived-in and in use, so ask before photographing people.

Why OKYTO recommends it

Few old Asian ports are as complete, and it is an unusually good city for a walker who likes to eat. The Eastern & Oriental Hotel, on the sea front, is a classic place to end the day. The Michelin Guide lists its street food.