Wandering Georgetown, Penang
Art, Lanterns, and the Quiet Joy of Getting a Little Lost
Hin Market Artwork (Sam Lo) - George Town, Malaysia
There’s a certain kind of magic that wraps itself around you when you let go of the itinerary and give yourself over to wandering. In Georgetown, Penang, that magic lives in the still air of narrow alleyways. In the brilliant reds of temple lanterns hung with quiet reverence. And in the moments when you stop simply because two strangers are gazing at a wall.
It was January in Penang—warm, not blistering, and pulsing with the promise of Chinese New Year. The mornings started slow and golden, the kind of light that makes everything feel a little older, a little richer. Georgetown, with its colonial charm and cultural intersections, is not a place you speed through. It invites a slower rhythm—especially when you’re on foot and open to discovering both what’s expected and what hides in plain sight.
Where Art Meets the Street
Hoola Hoop Basketball Mural (Ernest Zacharevic) - George Town, Malaysia
You can’t walk ten steps in Georgetown without meeting art. It peers at you from crumbling brick, curls across rusted shutters, and hides just out of view until a cluster of people alerts you to its presence. That’s how I found some of my favorite pieces—not the famous ones I’d read about or stopped by during our rickshaw tour the previous night—but the quieter murals. The ones not printed in travel brochures but etched in memory nonetheless.
It always started the same way. I’d notice one or two others standing awkwardly in a narrow lane or by the edge of a rickshaw stand, looking—sometimes down, sometimes up. I’d pause too, curious. And there it would be. A boy in a yellow shirt, standing tippy toes on a wooden chair, kids playing basketball, their iron ring bent on an angle, an elderly street hawker serving soup to a young local boy. These weren’t the “big ticket” artworks, but they had a big impact—sometimes even more so, because they weren’t expecting a crowd.
Originally part of a government initiative, Georgetown’s street art was designed to bring new life to the historic quarter and create a dialogue between the old and the new. What happened instead was something far more personal: the city became a gallery without walls, where locals and visitors alike could interact, reflect, and connect. And that’s the joy of it—it’s interactive, yes, but more than that, it’s intimate and in many ways provides a sense of uniqueness.
Revisiting Favorites
Kids on Bicycle Mural (Ernest Zacharevic) - George Town, Malaysia
The previous evening we’d taken a rickshaw tour around Georgetown. Weaving through traffic and tight turns while local guides introduced us to the city’s most iconic murals. Like many, I fell in love with the “Children on a Bicycle” mural by Ernest Zacharevic—a piece that has become emblematic of Georgetown’s creative resurgence. The line to take a photo was steady, a mix of wide-eyed children and patient adults waiting for their turn to pose beside the two painted kids who look as though they might pedal off any moment.
A few streets away, the “Boy on a Motorbike” drew an equally constant stream of admirers, snapping photos with carefully practiced casualness. But what I appreciated more, the second time around, was the silence between the snapshots. Standing there again without the rush of a tour, I noticed the flaking paint that made the mural even more compelling. The subtlety of expression on the painted child’s face. The way real rust on the bike's frame blended into the artwork.
Taking the time to revisit these favorites changed the experience entirely. It reminded me that sometimes it’s not about seeing everything—it’s about seeing the same thing again, but differently.
Down the Alleyways
Wandering away from the crowds meant slipping into Georgetown’s veins—its narrow alleyways and side streets where art blooms without introduction. One lane, barely wide enough for a scooter, revealed a painted scene of a cat curled in a windowsill. Another, just off Brick Kiln Road, featured a brightly colored mural of birds taking flight. The kaleidoscope of colors standing out amongst the black and dirty white building that stands as its canvas.
Red Lanterns and temples - George Town, Malaysia
There’s no real map for this. Sure, you can find a mural trail online, but the joy is in the discovery. In the turning of corners without knowing what you’ll find. Our return visit to the laneway beside the Central Fire Station provided a break from the crowds and led us down to Victoria Street before stumbling upon the interactive brother and sister on a swing. Another time, we ventured into a store. An eclectic collection of mementos, vintage clothing and antique furniture . The internal walls a gallery of artworks, murals and inspirational quotes. I turned left instead of right and found an image of tourist. Complete with blue hat, red shoes and an old school camera with a bulb flash.
This kind of exploration rewards the curious. The slow walkers. The ones who get distracted by color and texture and sound. It’s the art of being happily side-tracked.
Colonial Bones and Temple Glow
Georgetown’s colonial quarter is another world within the city—a place where the bones of empire still stand, softened now by age and use. We wandered here in the late afternoon, when the light turned golden and the shutters cast striped shadows across the pavement.
The townhouses here aren’t just buildings. They’re stories. Each one seems to whisper something—a memory of silk merchants, of spice traders, of Nyonya families who once swept these tiled corridors and brewed coffee behind ornate wooden doors. The architecture is stately but warm, with arches that frame quiet courtyards and pastel façades that glow under the sun’s attention.
In the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year, this part of the city glowed differently. Temples buzzed with preparation. Red and gold lanterns—some newly hung, others reused from years past—danced gently in the breeze. Their brightness offered a striking contrast to the grey stone and faded paint of the temples themselves, which felt ancient and rooted. I paused often here. Not just to take photos (though I did), but to breathe in the stillness, to feel the energy of a place actively celebrating its traditions.
There was something sacred in it. Not just the religious aspect, but the continuity. The idea that even in a city that celebrates art and modern creativity, these cultural rituals remain not only relevant, but revered.
What I loved most, walking Georgetown, was the freedom. I didn’t feel rushed. I didn’t feel watched. I felt, curiously, both invisible and included. Safe, too—an important note for solo travelers, particularly women. Even after dark, walking the colonial streets lit by yellow lamps and flanked by late-night cafes and curry houses, it felt comfortable.
Georgetown doesn’t demand that you do anything. It simply invites you. To walk. To taste. To turn the corner. To look twice.
Final Thoughts
Georgetown in January feels like stepping into a living storybook. Every turn of the corner is a new page—one that might reveal a mural, a memory, a meal, or a moment that lingers long after you’ve moved on. For solo and small-group travellers who love to blend iconic sights with hidden gems, it’s the perfect destination. The famous murals are beloved for a reason, but the lesser-known ones? They feel like personal discoveries—tucked away and waiting just for you.
Traditional Batik Artwork, Batik Museum - George Town, Malaysia
There’s no need to plan every detail in Georgetown. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. The most memorable parts of my visit were the ones I never saw coming: an unmarked mural tucked down a laneway, the unassuming nod and smile from a local as you pass by them sweeping their tiled porch, the quiet beauty of an unassuming Batik museum and gallery—celebrating an intricate art form quietly fading in the shadow of modern mass production—and the bliss of sinking into the cool tiled floor of a café after a long, sun-warmed wander.
Walk slowly. Turn corners. Follow the lanterns. And maybe—just maybe—pause when you see someone else staring at a wall. You never know what kind of wonder you’ll find painted there.
Practical Tips for Your Georgetown Wandering:
Best Time to Visit: January is excellent—cooler weather and preparations for Chinese New Year bring color and life to every corner.
What to Wear: Light, breathable clothes and comfortable walking shoes. Georgetown is made for exploring on foot.
Where to Stay: Choose a boutique guesthouse in the heritage zone for easy walking access to all major art and food spots.
Getting Around: Your feet, mostly. Use rickshawss or Grab for longer distances.
Don’t Miss:
“Children on a Bicycle” and “Boy on a Motorbike” murals
The lantern-covered temples along Lebuh Armenian and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling
Hidden artworks in narrow alleyways off Lebuh Muntri and Lebuh Ah Quee
A sunset stroll down Beach Street to watch the light play on colonial facades
Safety: Very safe for solo travellers, including women at night. Still, stick to well-lit areas and trust your instincts.
Something out of the ordinary: Don’t miss the Batik Painting Museum tucked along Lebuh Armenian—it’s a quiet gem that offers a fascinating look at Malaysia’s traditional textile art, perfect for a midday pause from the heat.
