Looking for walking tours in Penang, Malaysia? Look no farther than Penang Hidden Gems! Recently, with a couple of weeks in Penang, Malaysia scheduled, and plenty of time on my hands, I started surfing the internet for affordable, interesting tours worth exploring. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a nightmare, with Trip Advisor, GetYourGuide, Viator and various “real locals!” all vying for my attention (and money).
Anyone with a map could see the majority of the typical sightseeing offerings at a fraction of some of the ‘tour’ costs by simply taking a bus or calling a GRAB taxi. Thankfully, a Penang expat told me about Penang Hidden Gems, a small local company specializing in history, heritage and unique stories.
Penang Hidden Gems is run by a group of history enthusiasts, who prefer to highlight lesser-known places, stories, and local cultures that may be at risk of dying out. Since August 2020, the PHG team has been organizing monthly community trails (aka tours), which cover many different topics. From food and coffee, to pirates and clans, these folks do their homework and share their expertise in easy to comprehend yet stimulating 2-hour walking tours. At affordable prices too!
For solo travelers (like myself) finding group tours to join in, in Malaysia, can often be challenging. Many are often 2 people minimal, but 12 pax groups are typically preferred. Unless, of course, you are happy to pay premium price for a ‘private’ tour, it can be frustrating for the average curious sightseer to cover much sightseeing ground.
Penang Hidden Gems walking tours offered me the opportunity to join other history and heritage buffs, stay within my budget, and learn some very cool stuff amongst kindred spirits.
The tour I went on was the Clan Legacies and Revolutionaries Trail, which was a two-hour walking trail ‘tour’ that basically explained how clans came to be and about their political and historic significance. Penang Hidden Gems uses ‘whisperers’, which are earpieces that transmit the guide’s words more clearly despite surrounding background noise or distance between speaker and listener. With about 26 of us on the tour, the whisperers were especially effective.
Our tour began at Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple, then on to Leong San Tong Kho Kongsi and ended at Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang. This part of Georgetown is especially colorful.
The Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple was built in 1845 and was renovated in 2006. Back in the day, the temple was also the headquarters of a Chinese secret society. This temple is the only one in Malaysia that has a `Kuan Kong’ figure on its roof. Kuan Kong is a diety associated with Chinese secret societies.
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi is considered to be the largest and most elaborate clan temple in Malaysia. The famous ‘Khoo Kongsi’ was originally built in 1851 but was apparently struck by lightning and burnt to the ground in 1901. The present building was started in 1902 and was completed in 1906.
Although Khoo Kongsi no longer holds the community ‘power’ and influence it once had, the famous temple cum museum highlights in great detail the history of the Penang’s Khoo Clan, which dates back more than 650 years. Artefacts and old photos are on display, as well as written signboards, offering visitors a fascinating journey through Penang’s clan history.
Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang is dedicated to Sun Yat-sen a Chinese nationalist who established the Republic of China. Sun first brought his family to Penang in 1910, and the Sun Yat Sen Museum building was the location for Sun’s Philomatic (or Philomathic) Union Reading Club (for people who love learning), which he used as a cover for his political party.
Yes indeed, there was a lot of behind the scenes planning and plotting in Penang of yesteryear! And although quite a lot is covered in Penang’s various museums and historical sights signboards, having a story teller like Penang Hidden Gems walk you through it all, can make it easier to understand. And certainly, more fun.
This particular trail/tour will likely not be repeated by the Penang Hidden Gems team, but it may be incorporated into a future trail. I’m only sharing a few highlights for context. You can follow Penang Hidden Gems’ social media or visit their website www.penanghiddengems.com for information on upcoming tours. You won’t be disappointed.
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