Every April, Myanmar rings in the New Year with Thingyan, a week-long celebration defined by water fights, music, dancing, and a full reset of the pace of daily life. If you’ve experienced Songkran in Thailand, it’s a familiar scene, with similar traditions echoed across Cambodia and Laos.
Having gone through it last year, a few of us started tossing around ideas for how to use the long holiday this time. At some point, we realized that none of us had ever been to Malaysia. That was all the justification we needed. Not wanting to waste a perfectly good week off, we booked a trip centered around food and exploration and it turned out to be exactly the right call.
We kicked things off in Kuala Lumpur, spending three nights getting our bearings and easing into the rhythm of the trip. KL is undeniably modern, easy to navigate, full of conveniences, and packed with solid dining options. I think there is a higher concentration of western food chains than we have back in the U.S.
Most of our time, unsurprisingly, revolved around food. From late-night street stalls of Jalan Alor to more polished spots, we worked our way through everything we could get our hands on. This was augmented by booking a couple of different tours through a company called “A Chefs Tour”. They operate all over the world and do a fantastic job of getting you off the beaten/tourist path, and to the places locals have been eating for generations. I highly recommend them.
That said, KL felt more like a comfortable hub than a destination that grabs you. It has everything you need, but compared to a place like Bangkok, it didn’t quite have the same energy or chaos that makes you want to keep exploring at all hours. Still, it was a great way to start the trip.
From there, we took a 4 hour train ride up the peninsula to Penang, one of Malaysia’s most economically developed regions, and home to the lovely colonial city, Georgetown. Georgetown has a completely different feel: more character, more texture, and a much stronger sense of place. The streets are filled with colorful heritage buildings, murals tucked into alleyways, and a laid-back energy that makes it easy to settle in.
But the real star is the food. What stood out most was how seamlessly different culinary traditions come together. Malaysian cuisine isn’t just diverse, it’s blended. Chinese, Malay, and Indian influences all show up on the same table, often within the same dish.
One meal might include smoky stir-fried noodles, rich curries, and something completely unfamiliar, all equally dialed in. And the best part? Some of the most memorable meals came from humble hawker stalls rather than formal restaurants. Outside of alcohol, food in Malaysia was very affordable, where getting 2-3 plates in a hawker food court might set you back $10.
Beyond the food, Georgetown has a creative edge that gives it personality. The local arts scene is everywhere and it adds a layer of exploration beyond just eating (even if that remained the main priority).
It’s the kind of place where you can spend hours wandering without a plan and still feel like you’re discovering something
Malaysia ended up being exactly what I hoped for, a destination that had been on my radar for a long time and finally delivered. KL offered comfort and convenience, but Georgetown was the place that stuck with me. Between the food, the atmosphere, and the mix of cultures, it felt more immersive and more memorable.
It wasn’t a high-intensity trip, and that was part of the appeal. Just good friends, great food, and a chance to explore somewhere new at an easy pace. And if there’s one takeaway: if you go to Malaysia, don’t rush through Penang. That’s where the magic is. I definitely plan to head back and hit up the Borneo side of Malaysia as well. Happy adventuring! -Nick
