Current Location Penang, Malaysia
Tropical Malaysia the land of amazing people and food.
How does Penang, Malaysia rank? 3.7 out of 5
Penang could be viewed as a bit challenging for people unfamiliar with developing countries. That said it is a wonderful place with smiling faces and extremely good food options. It is also great value for your dollar.
| Housing | Daily Living Costs | Weather | Public Transit and Walkability | Personal Safety | Accessibility (getting there) | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Even hotels are inexpensive enough to be a viable option | daily costs often < $15 and you get amazing value for your ringgit | A little hot sometimes but overall very pleasant. Much better than expected | Outside Kuala Lumpur local walkability and transit is pretty bad | Very nice people, some petty crime but nothing unusual | Many flight options in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Just not a lot of direct flights from the USA | Many people speak English its no problem |
What’s great about Penang, Malaysia?
The food is incredible and having just spent fall in the Netherlands the warm weather is very welcome. The streets are lined with tropical fruit and if its in season be ready for fresh mango, papaya and guava. The weather while a little more humid than my home climate in California or Seattle is not bad at all. The landscape is lush and beautiful and the people seam to always have a smile.
Panang, Malaysia
My stay is actually in Alma which is in the state of Penang. Being away from the tourist areas is great and a reasonably funded retired person can truely live like a king here. 60 min full body massage is $20. Food is incredible and with drink about $5 per meal. Kuala Lumpur is a big city with metros, shopping and all the modern comforts of a big city. UNESCO sites of Georgetown and Malacca will get their own blog entries, but the summery is Malacca was considered a bit nicer than Georgetown. But there are other really wonderful places to visit that are not often considered. Ipoh for example is very nice and worth finding your way there via car, train or bus.
A few issues that add up to some real concerns.
Malaysia is great, but there are some issues for persons looking for the reTraveled way of life. The truth is Malaysia is a great fit for many and it is a location that you should seriously consider to retire and absolutely a great place to visit.
First let’s start with the positives. Great medical care, low cost, good people. If you are in Kuala Lumpur then good transit options.
The temperature
It is hot and the while that is to be expected given its location it has two effects that cause a few problems.
- The heat makes walking and in general being outdoors a real struggle for a non-native 55 year old used to hot days topping out at 82°F/27°C. Most natives do their outdoor exercise in the morning and evening when the temperature is really very pleasant. However by noon it is hot and not just a little bit.
- The role of humidity can not be underestimated. It is humid and even when it is not it is still hot. Humidity does change during the year with there being a dry period (March to September in the east and October to April in the west) that makes it much nicer to be outside, but honestly still oppressively hot.
- Walkabilty is simply not supported and even dangerous. Malaysia is a very car/motorbike centric country and pedestrian traffic is an afterthought at best. This is even true in Kuala Lumpur. This youtube video does an excellent job of explaining the issues with walkability in general.
- Infrastructure. Well the issue is that the lack of infrastructure, specifically around sewage is unpleasant at times. This is less of an issue in places such as Kuala Lumpur and more problematic in Georgetown or Alma. Basically infrastructure in more metropolitan and modern locations is better.
- Water and food. It is not advised to drink from the tap unless there is a maintained filtration system in the domicile. Food safety standards are more lax but generally not an issue. Passing the goodness of the street food is just a crime. That said there were more gastrointestinal issues on my trip to Malaysia than other locations in Europe and Asia.
From the blog
Blog entries for Malaysia
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Malaysia wildlife, flora and food
First, don’t be stupid and try and feed the wildlife! However, for this Californian it was quite something to see monitor lizards and monkeys living…
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Food in Malaysia
Malaysia’s rich culinary landscape reflects its diverse cultural influences, with Malay, Indian, and Chinese cuisines. Georgetown, especially, offers a plethora of delicious, affordable dishes like…
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