Penang Hidden Gems

29/05/2026

Someone has to do it 😜✌️

26/05/2026

Our night walk this weekend. And this one is special one. It is selling fast! Let's discover world history hidden in plain sight in our very own esplanade!

Join Penang Hidden Gems for a 90-minute evening walk that uses the buildings, monuments, and stories of the Esplanade to trace Penang's remarkable place at the centre of global trade, diplomacy, and ideas – told not through the eyes of empire, but through the people who actually built this town.

Tickets at: https://penanghiddengems.com/products/an-evening-walk-through-penangs-global-esplanade-with-eugene-quah

21/05/2026

Grab your tickets now penangite… what an offers…

20/05/2026

Join us for My World, My Way and see the world through the eyes of seven remarkable neurodiverse artists.

🗓 Saturday, 16 May | 2:00 PM
📍 The Art Gallery, Penang

19/05/2026

✨ Two Penang Architectural Gems – A Pharmacy and a train station without a railway ✨

If you’ve ever wandered down Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai) and wondered about that elegant white corner building with the old-school charm — that’s the George Town Dispensary, completed in 1923 and designed by the legendary firm Swan & McLaren. Contractor Tang Chong Cheong built it for the very precise sum of $93,661.77 (imagine the audit paperwork).

Look closely along the China Street Ghaut side and you’ll still spot the faded lettering “George Town Chambers” — a quiet little whisper from the days when the upper floors buzzed with offices.

Just a short stroll away stands another grand old character: the clocktower of the former Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) building — today’s Wisma Kastam.

In its heyday, the building had a reputation as "the only railway station without a rail". It wasn’t an actual station but rather more of an administrative building with offices, a ticketing boot, a Railway Restaurant and bar and grill”.

Here’s how it worked:
You’d buy your train ticket at the station, wait for departure time, then stroll to the nearby jetty. A steamer would ferry you across to Prai, where the actual railway waited. A whole vibe.

Although the tower says 1907, the building was only completed in 1909 — and for a while, it was the tallest building in Penang.

📸 Photo Credit: Eugene Quah (16-5-2022)
📚 Source:

1. Marcus Langdon (2015), George Town’s Historic Commercial & Civic Districts. pg. 119
2. Cheah Jin Seng (2013), Penang 500 Early Postcards, p.g 45

19/05/2026

Our June’s Northam Road Cemetery Visit with Zul Harris is out now. link in bio :)

14/05/2026

Taiwan Tourism MY 🇹🇼 Taiwan Travel Fair is BACK in Queensbay Mall! ✈️ 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 + 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 + 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬! Dreaming of Taipei night markets or Alishan sunrises? Don't just dream Taiwan Travel Fair 2026 - Queensbay Mall is here to make it happen! 🥳

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞:
🎁 Win Free Flights: Play games & you might score a round-trip ticket to Taipei!
🤩 Meet the Stars: Catch LizQin美食旅行部落格 (16 May) & Loh Cayee (17 May) sharing secret Taiwan tips.
🏮 Fun DIY & Food: Make your own lanterns and grab a FREE Fenchihu Donut!
🛍️ Booking Freebies: Buy a package & redeem a cute OhBear Laundry Bag or Ice Pack Bag (First come, first served!).
📅 15 – 17 May 2026 (Fri–Sun)
⏰ 11am – 8pm
📍GF, Central Atrium

🔗 For more info, check out: or search their official FB: Taiwan Tourism MY (Must follow ah!)

Tag your travel kakis now! Let’s go settle our Taiwan trip this weekend! 🎒🧋

#槟城旅游展 #台湾旅游展 #免费机票

14/05/2026

No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” — Sir David Attenborough.

To build an inclusive Penang, we must first step into the worlds of those who see it differently. Join us for My World, My Way and see the world through the eyes of seven remarkable neurodiverse artists.

🗓 Saturday, 16 May | 2:00 PM
📍 The Art Gallery, Penang

10/05/2026

Oh yes, this is us! Thank you South China Morning Post for bringing our Northam Road Cemetery tour to your 5.1m viewers ❤️ special thanks to the journalist Ushar Daniele for the coverage.

The cemetery tour in June is out now: https://penanghiddengems.com/products/beyond-the-epitaph-exploring-northam-road-cemetery-with-zul-harris-june-2026

While the state receives millions in conservation funding, it faces challenges in preserving the Protestant cemetery due to its climate.

10/05/2026

𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 🤫
Just meters away from the busy traffic of George Town lies a sanctuary of silence and history.
The Northam Road Cemetery is an Class I Heritage site, characterized by its crumbling masonry and gnarled frangipani trees. It is the oldest European cemetery in Penang, but many locals have never stepped inside.
On this trail, we will discover:
✨ The grave of Captain Francis Light.
✨ The tragic story of Thomas Leonowens.
✨ The distinct divide between the Catholic and Protestant sections.
✨ The connection to the Taiping Rebellion refugees.
Don’t miss this chance to see a different side of Penang.

https://penanghiddengems.com/products/beyond-the-epitaph-exploring-northam-road-cemetery-with-zul-harris-june-2026

09/05/2026

Checking out the new Indian Heritage Gallery & Cultural Centre on Beach Street! 🏛️✨