The island of Penang in Northwest Malaysia is nicknamed the Pearl of the Orient. It has the sandy beaches one would expect from an island in Southeast Asia, but, uniquely, most tourists venture there for the capital city of Georgetown. During my time on the island, I went to Penang Hill, a tourist trap in which you ride a cable car to the top of the hill, look at the view, and avoid the many souvenir vendors, and explored Kek Lok Si, the largest Buddhist Temple in Malaysia.
The very pretty ceiling. 
The entirety of the walls were covered in these tiny gold Buddhas. 
Temple temple temple. 
A tall pagoda. 
Standing in the temple garden. 
The view atop Penang Hill.
While the temple was interesting, the best part of Penang was wandering the streets of Georgetown (and the Chinatown and Little India within) looking for eclectic cafes, falafel stands, and the huge collection of street art throughout the city. Georgetown’s colonial British buildings are interspersed with old Chinese shophouses and colorful mosques. Below are the photos I took exploring this relaxed little city I never expected to find in Malaysia.
😀