Penang Nostalgia

George Town is the city I miss the most out of all the places I’ve been to. 

It was just the right city size, in-between the sea and the Malaysian jungle. Not only does Penang attracts many tourists from all around the world, its local population is visibly richer than most cities I’ve been to. You can get a Cantonese breakfast, a Malay lunch, and an Indian dinner on the same day. Walk a few minutes and you reach Little India. Take a few more steps and you will reach a street food hall full of plastic chairs like the ones you find in every South-East Asian streets. Just find another small alley full of graffiti and it will lead you to the other side of the Earth in an instant: Penang is a magical place where you never get bored.

It’s the perfect place to focus on work. You can book an hostel bed for $150 a month, or a mansion for twice that, work in coffee shops or coworking spaces for very little, and eat three rich tasty meals a day outside for a few bucks. Money is not a problem, so you will have plenty of time to find leads or jobs or product ideas. 

When it’s time to take a break, you can go for a hike, a swim, or an art exhibition. There are plenty of bars at night time to meet new people, have a nice chat, or dance your frustrations away.  It isn’t as touristy as places like Bali or Chiang Mai, yet. Move away from the old town and you’ll only have locals to interact with, it’s the right balance between a digital nomad spot and an authentic destination.

I hope to go there again someday, hopefully in a year.