Would you rather live in PENANG or CHIANG MAI? (foreigners, time, areas)
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I've noticed a lot more bad reviews on CM since the crackdown on trashpacker overstayers...mostly sour grapes. The 10-15 days of bad air, is worth it considering how many wankers leave. All it takes is a little rain and the air is totally refreshed. May averages more than five inches, and last May was hotter and drier than normal, but I don't think their were any air hazard days the entire month.
Of the two, I have only been to Penang, so it is hard for me to decide. However, from what I know about CM I would rather choose Georgetown, Penang. Dont get me wrong, CM seems to be a great city I would love to travel to, but it rather seems like a holiday destination and less diverse. Also, I am sure it is harder to make friends with locals there than in Penang.
Georgetown, Penang is truely a unique place compared to many other Malay cities. People are generally very open and do not mind inviting a stranger for food or a drink.
As mentioned before, Islam is not very dominant there and the city definately has a very open and funny vibe..People even compare it to Singapore before it has been cleaned up. The majority of Penang's Muslims live in the villages outside the city, thus, when leaving Georgetown the vibe changes quickly and you see beaches where women are bathing wearing their clothes etc. However, it is still much more open than Langkawi, and much much open more than the East Coast (dont get me wrong, I also love these areas, too, they are just different).
Georgetown is clearly dominated by Chinese, while the second largest group there seem to be Indians.
Of the two, I have only been to Penang, so it is hard for me to decide. However, from what I know about CM I would rather choose Georgetown, Penang. Dont get me wrong, CM seems to be a great city I would love to travel to, but it rather seems like a holiday destination and less diverse. Also, I am sure it is harder to make friends with locals there than in Penang.
Georgetown, Penang is truely a unique place compared to many other Malay cities. People are generally very open and do not mind inviting a stranger for food or a drink.
As mentioned before, Islam is not very dominant there and the city definately has a very open and funny vibe..People even compare it to Singapore before it has been cleaned up. The majority of Penang's Muslims live in the villages outside the city, thus, when leaving Georgetown the vibe changes quickly and you see beaches where women are bathing wearing their clothes etc. However, it is still much more open than Langkawi, and much much open more than the East Coast (dont get me wrong, I also love these areas, too, they are just different).
Georgetown is clearly dominated by Chinese, while the second largest group there seem to be Indians.
Very interesting. I have heard that mini-Singapore reference to Penang a feel times. Plus when I look at the Penang skyline, it appears the city is growing a bit vertical, which is quite interesting.
Speaking of beaches outside of Georgetown where people bath while wearing their clothes. Do you notice the opposite within Georgetown? I can't recall any beaches in Georgetown, so I assume that is a no, but I don't know the city that well overall either though.
Regarding 'making friends with locals'. I have always felt that in Malaysia, in general. Particularly because of the fact that Chinese and Indian ethnics aren't Malay, they seem a bit outsider in some way. Basically they intuitively understand what it feels like to live in a country, have that country be home, but not be fully 100% accepted...which is basically a more-ingrainted long-term expat feel. That in itself is an interesting connection to fitting in with the community in an unusual way.
Very interesting. I have heard that mini-Singapore reference to Penang a feel times. Plus when I look at the Penang skyline, it appears the city is growing a bit vertical, which is quite interesting.
Speaking of beaches outside of Georgetown where people bath while wearing their clothes. Do you notice the opposite within Georgetown? I can't recall any beaches in Georgetown, so I assume that is a no, but I don't know the city that well overall either though.
Regarding 'making friends with locals'. I have always felt that in Malaysia, in general. Particularly because of the fact that Chinese and Indian ethnics aren't Malay, they seem a bit outsider in some way. Basically they intuitively understand what it feels like to live in a country, have that country be home, but not be fully 100% accepted...which is basically a more-ingrainted long-term expat feel. That in itself is an interesting connection to fitting in with the community in an unusual way.
I don't think there are beaches in Georgetown itself. I was rather referring to the general atmosphere on the island. The very open minded atmosphere of a cosmopolitan port city in the Georgetown, dominated by CHinese and Indians, and a rather rural rest of the island, that is mainly dominated by Malays (although this pattern is not uncommon allover West coast Malaysia).
YOur theory of Chinese and Indian ethnics in Malaysia being particularly open towards foreigners due to the fact that they are somehow outsiders themselves, is very interesting, though.I also had that impression in several situations. One thing for sure is that ethnic groups in malaysia hardly mix and that there a lot animosities, esp between ethnic Malays and the other groups (I think much more than in most other countries, even than in South Africa). And this is also prevalent in Georgetown, of course.
A bit unique about Georgetown is that there are so many people taking time for a chat or dinner with foreigner despite the fact that it is a city that is rather overrun with tourists.
For being in the mountains, Chiang Mai isn't cool at all.
Yes but I was talking relative to Penang...the nightly low in January is 14.9 C ( 59F)in CM and 23.3C (74F) in Penang. CM also gets half the yearly rainfall than Penang and has considerably less humidity than Penang.
Penang does have the advantage of English speaking population.
Maybe another interesting question, IF NOT Penang or Chiang Mai...what are some other places that might be similar (in size), that you would more prefer? Also, within the Southeast Asia region...
CEBU always comes up...which might be an interesting comparison. I've also always liked Malacca.
Maybe another interesting question, IF NOT Penang or Chiang Mai...what are some other places that might be similar (in size), that you would more prefer? Also, within the Southeast Asia region...
CEBU always comes up...which might be an interesting comparison. I've also always liked Malacca.
Baguio, Philippines is kind of comparable to Chiang Mai, but Baguio is messier. They're both considered the major mountain towns of their country. It has much cooler temperatures. The average yearly temperature is 19C (66F), and it almost never gets above 27C (81F). It rains A LOT more in Baguio though. I'd avoid it from June to September.
1. English friendly city.
2. Infrastructure is good. Have lots of international school and high quality hospital
3. Job opportunities. Got lots of international company set their factory and base at there especially E&E industry one of the most famous in the work and the salary is quite high too.
4. Food. No doubt Penang is island of good food.
5. Culture and heritage. UNESCO heritage city.
Well I never been to Chiang Mai, Thailand so its hard for me to comment. But in terms of infrastructure, job opportunities and language barriers... Penang definitely win over Chiang Mai because Penang is more international city compared to Chiang Mai. But in terms of relax and slower pace of lifestyle Chiang Mai is better. Temperature is good... at least colder than Penang.
As an aside, I think I've heard of foreigners buying condos in Chiang Mai (as they can't buy anything with land). Malaysia has a program where if you invest up to US$250,000 you get some good rights.
But, what if someone just found something in say Malaysia for something like US$50,000...and they bought it. Does that basically mean that since it isn't the minimum, they might not have legal rights to it? OR does it mean that they own it, but they still have to leave every 90 days, or whatever their nationality determines?
Basically, you wouldn't be allowed to buy one, as a foreigner, under the minimum investment amount....even if you were buying five of them. I used an attorney as my nominee, and bought a SFR in Chiang Mai in 2006. I sold it in 2008. It's one of those "people do it all the time," kind of things, but it is still a gray area. I like having the condo chinot (deed), with my name on it, and I got a "yellow book," which gives me a national ID number, and is great for opening accounts, and prevents one from having to get a letter of residency from Immigration. I'm looking at another condo in Bangkok by a new MRT station. Not in the pricey CBD, but great city views, and the transport will take you anywhere.
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