Malaysia is famend for its charming combination of landscapes and cultures. Long stays in Malaysia are perfect for these looking for a heat tropical local weather, a low value of residing, and a vibrant assortment of cities, laid-back islands, and funky highland retreats.
Are Long Stays in Malaysia For You?
When it involves Malaysia you’ve gotten a whole lot of selection. Choose from the intense lights and large metropolis vibe of Kuala Lumpur, the historical past of Melaka, the meals scene of Penang, lazy island lifetime of Langkawi or the mountains and funky local weather of the Cameron Highlands.
With inexpensive lodging, trendy facilities, nice public transport and a meals scene to die for, it’s little marvel that lengthy stays in Malaysia are a well-liked selection for gradual travellers. Better but, English is broadly spoken, making Malaysia a straightforward vacation spot to journey and spend time in.
Add the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures and one can find an enchanting mix of structure, historical past, festivals and cuisines.
Why Penang?
During our go to to Malaysia, we had been impressed with each Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, however we selected to spend most of our time in Penang as a result of it has a vigorous digital nomad and expat scene.
We adored historic George Town for its charming photograph alternatives and fusion of Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures. Penang is a well-known foodie vacation spot which additionally made it a lovely selection for lengthy stays in Malaysia.
Penang Malaysia Overview
The Malaysian state of Penang borders Penang Island and a portion of mainland Malaysia. Sitting at its coronary heart is George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage website and the state capital.
George Town is famend for its vibrant road artwork, colonial structure, and unimaginable road meals. In reality, it’s also known as the “meals capital of Malaysia,” mixing Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Western influences into each a part of day by day life.
Though the island has a relaxed ambiance it’s alive with native color, providing lengthy keep guests a mixture of seashores, temples, museums, and evening markets.
Of course, Penang can be residence to the fashionable buying malls, fashionable residence blocks and the hawker centres of Gurney, making it a wonderful selection for lengthy stays in Malaysia.
Long Stays in Penang Malaysia
Penang is a well-liked selection for long-term travellers, digital nomads, and retirees due to its low value of residing, wonderful healthcare, and pleasant expat neighborhood.
Apartments are inexpensive, particularly in areas similar to Gurney Drive, and Batu Ferringhi. English is broadly spoken, making it a user-friendly vacation spot for the English audio system of the world.
The climate is tropical, and whereas there’s a monsoon season, Penang is comparatively sheltered in comparison with different components of Southeast Asia.
With quick web, nice meals, and loads of trendy conveniences, Penang provides a cushty, culturally wealthy base for lengthy stays in Malaysia.
Penang Malaysia Long Stay Information
Penang is an ideal vacation spot for anybody wanting an extended keep in Southeast Asia. The Malaysian vacationer visa offers loads of time to discover different Malaysian locations similar to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Ipoh earlier than making a base in Penang.
With such an thrilling mixture of cultures, historical past, seashores and culinary delights, Penang will appeal you at each flip.
Below is info for lengthy keep journey in Penang Malaysia.
Penang Cost of Living
Penang is a wonderful selection for long-term stays, providing a cushty life-style at an inexpensive value. Although costlier than Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, Penang Malaysia nonetheless provides good worth for cash.
Penang Accommodation
Penang has an in depth number of lodging starting from 5-star luxurious to funds resorts and flats. Popular areas to remain in Penang embody historic George Town, close to the buying malls of Gurney or by the seaside in Batu Ferringhi.
If you like 5-star luxurious resorts, the Eastern & Oriental in George Town, the G Hotel Gurney throughout the Gurney Plaza buying precinct and the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang in beachside Batu Ferringhi are agency favourites.
During our go to to Penang, we selected lodging in three separate places. We stayed in resorts in each George Town and Tanjung Bungah. We additionally settled into an older fashion three-bedroom residence which was steps from the Gurney Plaza Shopping Mall and Gurney Hawker Centre.
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Penang Apartments for Long Stays
For lengthy stays in Penang renting an residence is a wonderful method to have all of the comforts of residence whereas immersing your self within the native tradition.
Penang flats may be booked by means of resort reserving web sites and normally embody electrical energy, water and web within the complete worth.
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Penang Food Scene
Penang has a popularity for being considered one of Asia’s high road meals locations. Start the day with a Dim Sum or Chinese noodle soup breakfast. Savour a tasty Char Koay Teow, mouthwatering Nasi Lemak or for a candy deal with strive a refreshingly cool Cendol.
The areas fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Peranakan cuisines may be present in a wide range of character stuffed settings. Pull up a stool at a hawker centre, streetside meals cart or a busy oldtown shophouse restaurant.
Escape the warmth and pattern a spread of Malaysian and International dishes at a meals court docket in your nearest airconditioned shopping center. If upmarket eating is extra your fashion one can find a big selection of International and Malaysian positive eating experiences sitting in your doorstep.
Penang Shopping
If you like buying, Penang has a panoramic number of buying experiences. Shop for beautiful saris and curios in Little India. In George Town one can find a number of boutiques, artwork galleries and handmade jewelry outlets promoting distinctive one-of-a-kind merchandise.
Penang can be residence to an enormous assortment of buying malls. This is the right place to flee the noon warmth, permitting you to buy till you drop in airconditioned consolation.
Two of Penang’s favorite buying malls are Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon. Both home a wonderful assortment of Malaysian and International model shops, meals courts and effectively stocked supermarkets that includes a great vary of grocery favourites from residence.
Penang Transport
Along with buses and taxis, Penang transport choices embody Grab taxi, a experience share firm like Uber.
During our keep in Penang, we used Grab to get round. We like this selection since you get the value of the fare on reserving. We even have our bank card linked to the Grab App which makes for a money free transaction while you arrive at your vacation spot.
Keep in thoughts that Penang site visitors can get busy, particularly throughout peak hours. Make positive to take this into consideration when planning outings or catching a flight from Penang Airport.
Malaysia Visas for Long Stays
The size of keep in Malaysia will rely on the visa entry necessities into Malaysia from your house nation.
Australian vacationers can go to Malaysia with no visa for as much as 90 days. This is a wonderful choice for gradual travellers wanting loads of time to discover this fascinating nation.
A Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) have to be accomplished earlier than arriving in Malaysia. On arrival, the MDAC lets you use the good gates for fast and simple entry into Malaysia.
Click right here for Malaysia visa info on your nation
Malaysian Currency
Malaysian Ringgit
Compared to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, we discovered Malaysia to be extra accepting of bank cards.
Of course, small companies and outlets, eating places and hawker centres will nonetheless need money fee, so it’s best to have some Malaysian Ringgit while you enter the nation. We used Wise Card to maintain foreign money conversion prices to a minimal.
Check right here to study extra about Wise Card and different journey saving specials
Penang Weather
Penang Malaysia has a year-round sizzling, humid climate which is split right into a moist and dry season. Of course, Penang’s tropical local weather may give rise to sudden showers at any time all year long.
The finest time to go to Penang is from December by means of to early February. During this time, you possibly can be part of within the celebrations of the Hindu Festival of Thaipusam and Chinese New Year.
Dry Season – December to February
Average Temperature – 30C to 32C (86F to 90F)
Visiting Penang in the course of the dry season is the very best time to loosen up by the seaside at Batu Ferringhi or uncover the cultural and gastronomic delights of historic George Town.
Wet Season – April to November
Average Temperature – 30C to 32C (86F to 90F)
From May to September anticipate transient however heavy afternoon downpours. Through October and November, the wet climate intensifies growing the chance of flooding in some areas.
Last Words on Long Stays in Malaysia: Penang & Beyond
If you might be contemplating lengthy stays in Malaysia, Penang is a perfect base for gradual journey inside Southeast Asia. In Malaysia we fell in love with the range of cultures and really consider it is among the most vibrant nations we have now ever visited.
During our keep we at all times felt secure and had been impressed that the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures reside harmoniously facet by facet. Penang is a spot the place mosques, temples and church buildings are inside strolling distance to at least one one other, highlighting town’s wealthy cultural heritage.
Add an unimaginable meals scene, and inexpensive residing and you’ll perceive why Penang and Malaysia is such a prized vacation spot in Southeast Asia.
Have you visited Malaysia? What was your favorite Malaysian metropolis? Feel free to remark we might love to listen to from you.
