word of mouth essentials
George Town’s Ah Quee Street is known for weathered walls and street murals.
Because in order to kayak with chopin . . . You
need Outdoor Technology’s Turtle Shell. The rugged adventurer of wireless (Bluetooth-enabled) speakers, this 12-ounce, bagel-size gadget is waterproof and dropproof, and can be mounted to a kayak or bike for ten hours of music-playing time (outdoortechnology.com; $150).
Macalister Mansion’s Dining Room serves dishes like seared barramundi with truffle-potato mousse.
HErE’s WHaT To do
GeorGe town musts
a row of 1800s-era shophouses turned into a gallery, shops with handwoven textiles, a bar, and restaurants (153-155 Beach St.).
for driNkiNG aNd sHoppiNG China House,
Pack a picnic from La Bohème (42 Jalan Sri Bahari) and go to Taman Negara pulau pinang, a national park of jungle and coconutshaded beaches an hour’s taxi ride away (60-4-881-3530). EssENTiaL: dEsTiNaTioN There are a million amazing places to visit on the other side of the Pacific—we devoted the entire April issue to Asia, after all (for a recap, see condenasttraveler.com/grandtourofasia). But we wanted a place that would feel both relaxing and stimulating . . . cutting-edge and still undiscovered. Requirements: Instagram-ready architecture, interesting hotels, fab food, nightlife, Twitter access. We’ve found it in Malaysia’s island-city of George Town, in the state of Penang. Here, Singaporeans prowl the narrow streets for hawker food that’s rich in Indian, Malay, and Chinese flavors; Kuala Lumpur’s denizens peruse contemporary Malay art in historic Chinese galleries like Galeri Seni Mutiara (118 Lebuh Armenian; 60-4-262-0167); and everyone else is content just lying on the white sand beaches a few blocks from the action in town. Sound ideal? Then do two things. First, book a room at the right-now Macalister Mansion, whose heritage facade belies modern-meets-Deco interiors and flourishes like a swim-up bar (60-4-228-3888; doubles from $224). It even made our Hot List (see page 63). Then check out the overnight itinerary we created at condenasttraveler.com/penang. Hey, it could be the start of our next grand tour.
for a day-Trip
Because this is asia 3.0
George Town