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OK, the foodie in me simply couldn't let this conversation go without comment, so please indulge me
Panang Curry has nothing to do with Penang. Penang is a state in Malaysia. Panang Curry is a dish from Thailand (whole other country), whose name has been shortened from Phanaeng.
Nonya is a cuisine born from Peranakan Culture = the Malay and Chinese people who intermarried ages ago in Malaysia. Their cuisine then became a mix of Malay and Chinese cuisines, NOT Portuguese.
As far as where to go, I usually pick a place based on food (what else?). Both KL and Penang have fantastic food. KL has everything, including Indian-Malay dishes, which is fantastic. Penang has a stronger Nonya influence in their cuisine simply because they have a lot more Peranakan folks concentrated in that area. They can be very spicy though, so you may not like it if you don't like hot spicy dishes.
The Laksa dish that another poster mentioned is a soupy spicy dish, the color of the soup is deadly red from all the chilies, so be warned. Try Char Kwee Tiau instead, a stir fry flat noodles with soy sauce base and lots of mix seafood. Also try their Chicken Rice, which is chicken cooked in aromatic broth with spices (ginger, etc), and the broth is then used to cook the rice that accompanies the chicken. Singapore would claim it as their national dish but Malaysians do it better.
If you like historical places, definitely don't miss Melacca, another state in Malaysia. You may want to bring back some ceramic tiles with peranakan design as souvenir. They're beautiful.
Great post graceC.. Thanks for the clarification about Phanaeng Curry and tip on what to buy in Melacca
Beijing is great. Three days is probably on the low side of perfect. You can cram a TON of stuff in, but you'll be still left with some wants.
Forbidden city/Tianmen Square is a good half a day. Great Wall is half to a full day. I can not emphasize this enough, go to Mutianyu, not Badaling.
Temple of Heaven and the entire park are amazing, especially for people watching. Traffic is tragic, smog is awful, but it's just an amazing city. Great setup now with the 72Hrs visa free.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
This is how I think of it (in BROAD generalizations):
Penang = party
Melaka = quiet charm
Penang has resorts, B&B's and small inns
Melaka has B&B's and small inns
Penang has a beach
Melaka has a river
Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Penang = 3-5 days. Lots to do, decent public transit to a broad region, close to airport with many good deals on regional flghts. Hisory / exposure to Many cultures, Traffic
Melaka = 1 - 3 days, mostly walking, not near much else. Early history / Muslim centric / minimal traffic an public transit
Thanks Mike... Interesting read.. I'll be drinking my tea solo
I've travelled to many places and have learned that a polite but firm no thank you goes a long way. They see it in your eyes that they won't get what they want.. I learned the hard way trust me!
You can't go wrong with either Malaka or Penang. I think we liked Melaka a more, the river running through town is damn charming and it is a bit more compact although Penang does have a solid bus system.
Another suggestion if you want to mix things up and enjoy the outdoors is go to Taman Negara. Find a place in that town right across the river and enjoy a few days of great hiking on the really nice trails they've got running through the jungle. I think cheapest way is to go through Jerantut but not sure. Bring some leech socks
You can't go wrong with either Malaka or Penang. I think we liked Melaka a more, the river running through town is damn charming and it is a bit more compact although Penang does have a solid bus system.
Another suggestion if you want to mix things up and enjoy the outdoors is go to Taman Negara. Find a place in that town right across the river and enjoy a few days of great hiking on the really nice trails they've got running through the jungle. I think cheapest way is to go through Jerantut but not sure. Bring some leech socks
Thanks Lieqiang.. I'd love to see both but I've made a tough decision and going with K.L for 3 days followed by 3 days in Malaka (including some trips to surrounding environs).. Leech socks hmmmm lol will have to google search that.
My G/F and I just returned from two weeks in that area (visited Singapore, Malaysia, Phuket, and Myanmar). I personally think a day or two is enough for Kuala Lumpur. I actually think there is more to do and see in Singapore. In Malaysia, we also went to Malaka, George Town and Langkawi. My personal favorite was Langkawi, but Malaka was a very close second.
My G/F and I just returned from two weeks in that area (visited Singapore, Malaysia, Phuket, and Myanmar). I personally think a day or two is enough for Kuala Lumpur. I actually think there is more to do and see in Singapore. In Malaysia, we also went to Malaka, George Town and Langkawi. My personal favorite was Langkawi, but Malaka was a very close second.
I stayed in Langkawi when I visited Penang. I enjoyed it but it wasn't as awesome as I thought it would've been. Never made it to Malaka unfortunately. Penang, Langkawi & Kadah were the places I went to. I still can't get over how absolutely cheap the food was over there.
#1: World’s tallest twin towers – Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur
#2: Heritage trails and hawker food – George Town, Penang
#3: Mystery, myth, legend – Langkawi, Kedah
#4: Drop off to an underwater universe – Sipadan Island, Sabah
#5: Wreck diving – Redang Island, Terengganu
Malaysia is a beautiful vacation destination that has many places that one must have to visit in their lifetime. So if you are planning to explore anywhere then Malaysia will be the best choice.
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