Backpacking in Penang

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hi, folks,

My great niece and her friend are visiting Malaysia soon and will be going to Penang. So that's a couple of 19 year old young ladies.

Does anyone have any backpacking advice?

They'll be looking for a budget stay with clean being the most important item. Any recommendations, Georgetown or anywhere else.

What's the bus service like between Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi?

Many thanks.

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Hi Scott,
My brother-in-law is on the committee of the YMCA here in Penang, its cheapish & clean, 75RM a night for a twin, with a cafe, line dancing, wifi etc. etc., and Its a place  the parents wouldn't object to unlike some of the hotels on Chulia St. which is the other alternative.
http://www.ymcapg.com/index.php?Cat=hostel
And incidentally the YMCA in KL is right next to the main rail st., good links to the airport and only 90RM a night including breakfast.
A bus to BF, sorry, but I have no knowledge. Regards Rob

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Hi Scott,

You may look at Hutton Lodge for cheap and clean accommodation. Its website www.huttonlodge.com unfortunately, is under upgrading, so you can't get much info for the time being.   Other good alternatives are Air Asia's Tune Hotel on Burma Road (www.tunehotels.com), or Hotel Continental on Upper Penang Road (http://www.hotelcontinental.com.my/).  Avoid Chulia Street as it's a seedy area with weird backpackers hanging around.

Of course, if budget allows, go for E&O, Clove Hall or Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Rapid Penang bus service 101 plies between George Town and Batu Ferringhi at every 15 mins.

Hope this helps.

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Not that I have stayed there but the backpacking scene at Batu Ferringhi looks pretty good. It is centred on the far end of the beach (not the Rasa Sayang end) and there are some pleasant beach bars.
The 101 Rapid Penang bus and the open windowed blue bus run at resonably frequent intervals (around 15 mins) into Gerorgetown and all points between.
The Chulia street haunts have a lot of Thai visa renewal visitors (judging from some posts on other sites about the Thai visa run) some of whom I suspect should if possible be avoided (all Board members and visitors are of course excluded from my gross oversimplification.)
Let's face it by comparison to Thailand, Malaysia is a very safe destination for young ladies. My young adult boys have even been moved to term it as "boring" but that's why I love the place.

I digress but I went to Koh Samaui for a few weeks (lovely place) where I stayed in a small town. The disco drums however kept you awake until 2am. 

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Hi Scott

For travel matters, google tripadvisor Penang or post your enquiries here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g298302-i9174-Penang.html

You or your niece are bound to get sound advice from the members who know Penang well.

Cupert

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Lots of backpackers staying in Chulia St as they are extremely cheap. I noticed some months back as we're driving through, rooms about Rm10-15/night depending if room has fan or AC! Chulia St/Love Lane areas are  backpackers haven as there are cheap cafes and food along the street and just adjacent tp Pg Road. The Rapid Buses run along Chulia St.
According to my friend's daughter who backpacked with her friend (both from UK) they have a special culture and they look after one another, she said they met some in Thailand and were showed the safe places and later met the same people in Japan. I've never backpacked so won't know much 
Hutton Lodge is just off Pg Road and I was there last year to pick up a couple of x-students from HK/China. The place looks decent and clean. For the price they paid there, might as well book at Hope Inn on Kelawei Rd. which is located in a better environment (right behind the Evergreen Hotel. The twin room rates (Hutton's) about RM50-60/night with AC and from the students they said stay away from the 'dorm' rooms if only 2 are travelling.
Saw some 'backpackers-chalet' along the beach - down the side road just after Park Royal hotel. They are right on the beach facing the sea. Also some right across park Royal hotel up some shop lot flats.
Rapid Penang buses the way to go, clean with AC. The BFerringhi-G'town  is one of the main routes, so lots of buses 

BB

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What's the bus service like between Georgetown and Batu Ferringhi?

Rapid Penang bus # 101 goes all the way to Teluk Bahang 3 times per hour.
An alternative would be to rent a Motor Bike, plenty of choice on Chulia street.
If they are going to stay in that area the Red Garden food court is nice, tasty and cheap.
Long ago when I was still backpacking I stayed at the Cathay Hotel. It's in a nice
heritage building across the Red Garden. A couple of months ago a had a look
for old times sake, it looked clean and characterful. I think it's still managed by
the same old guys who were there when I was a guest.

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BB is right.  Good Hope Inn (http://goodhopehotel.com.my/penang/index.html) on Kelawai Road, or in Gurney Drive to be exact is not bad too.   Gurney Drive is a seaside promenade dotted with plenty of eateries, cafes and seafood restaurants, and not to forget Gurney Plaza if your niece loves shopping.  It's also a 10-mins walk to Sleeping Buddha Temple and Burmese Temple on Burma Lane.  However, Kelawai Road is serviced by bus service no. 103 which is not as frequent as 101 (may be at a 30 mins interval).  So, waiting time might be a bit longer unless your niece takes a cab to get around or walks to Burma Road (parallel to Kelawai Road, about 10 mins) to catch the bus 101 instead.

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Hi,
It may not be considered "backpacker priced", but Hotel Mingood--at 90 RM for two, including a nice rooftop breakfast and air-con--is really clean and well-located.  It's on Argyll, a short walk from Penang Rd. and just across from Chulia.  You can book online (it's 90 online, more at the Hotel itself.)  We stayed there when we first arrived and liked it alot.  Best part about it--if your 19-year-olds like Indian food--is Jaya, about a two or three block walk from the hotel....Food is super delicious and very cheap.

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Saw some 'backpackers-chalet' along the beach - down the side road just after Park Royal hotel. They are right on the beach facing the sea. Also some right across park Royal hotel up some shop lot flats.

We had some drinks in what I think is a backpacker's bar (at least it was full of backpackers) right next door to Sunset Bistro in Batu Ferringhi.  Cannot remember the name of it but there's chalets there - this is probably the place BB is referring to?

One evening we were chatting with a couple of Irish backpackers and they had just moved into one of the chalets.  They said they were good and even had some air-conditioning - though it's obviously not the Hilton.  Might be a bit noisy though as there's a very loud mosque opposite Sunset Bistro.  Though if you're backpacking, you can't be too fussy I guess.

Agree with BB, there's a kind of backpackers "community" and they all seem to help each other out.

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Let's face it by comparison to Thailand, Malaysia is a very safe destination for young ladies. My young adult boys have even been moved to term it as "boring" but that's why I love the place.

Yeh tell me about it