Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 1 & 2: Kuala Lumpur to Penang

You are at - Jotaro's Blog /AhPek Biker-Footsteps /Malaysia-Thailand/Penang-Hat Yai 2025/ D1&2: Kuala Lumpur-Penang | Go to D3/D4/D5

AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 1 & 2: Kuala Lumpur to Penang

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 1 & 2: 1st & 2nd August (Friday & Saturday)

Small Group (Road Trip) Tour of George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and Hat Yai, Thailand.

Day 1 - Kuala Lumpur to George Town (Penang Island):
Kuala Lumpur>North South Expressway>Penang>Penang 2nd Bridge>Penang Island>George Town>Tanjung Bungah.

This is page 1 of a 4-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.

< Morocco 2025 | Go to Other Days | D3: Penang-Hat Yai >

Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Morocco:

1. Driving & Traffic Directions!

Driving in Malaysia and Driving in Thailand is right-hand drive, and driving is on the left side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads. A valid international driving licence is required for both countries. Those with a driving licence from ASEAN countries can drive in both countries, subject to conditions. Short-term car insurance is also required.
Malaysians driving their car into Thailand will require a temporary import permit. This form can be obtained at several highway-side shops around Changlun. At the Thailand Immigration/Customs side, passengers will have to alight and go through the pedestrian lanes, while the driver drives through a different lane to have the form processed. There is no need for the passengers to alight when leaving Thailand. A copy of the approved form will be returned to the driver. This COPY HAS TO BE RETURNED to the Thai Immigration/Customs; otherwise, one is considered to have imported a car to Thailand. On the subsequent entry into Thailand, one may have to pay a hefty fine!

We did the car import permit and comprehensive Thai car insurance at Mini Travel 1982, which has a large car-parking, duty-free shop and a food court. They also help fill in tourist entry forms and sell Thai DTAC Happy Tourist phone SIM cards.
Speed limits in Malaysia:
Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
Do adhere to these limits, as speed detection cameras are along the expressways. Install the Waze App, and run it while driving, as it highlights if one drives above the speed limit, and will warn of impending speed traps.

Speed limits in Thailand:

Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
60 km/h within urban areas, 100 km/h outside urban areas, including expressways, and 120 km/h on highways. Do adhere to these limits, as often police are monitoring with radars; our driver-guide was careful about this.

2. Immigration & Customs Requirements

Those from ASEAN countries (except Myanmar) can enter member countries without a visa for periods between 14 to 30 days. Click here for Malaysian visa requirements for other countries. Click here for Thai visa requirements for other countries.

3. Getting to and around Malaysia.

Both Malaysia and Thailand are well served by many international airlines. Click here for airlines serving Malaysia, and click here for airlines serving Thailand.

Highway and local roads in Malaysia are excellent, and while those in Thailand are good. Many expressways in Malaysia are tolled, while Thailand only have tolled roads in some cities.

Petrol is cheaper in Malaysia, with RON95 at RM2.05 (USD0.48) per litre. While in Thailand RON95 costs more than double at THB32.55 (USD1.01) per litre. So, do fill up just before crossing the border into Thailand.

4. Places & Things of Interest

Enroute were several places of interest, some of which we visited and others we did not for lack of time (Note: click on GPS coordinates for a directional map to respective places):
a. George Town (UNESCO Heritage Site) (GPS: 5.41409, 100.32852).

b. Streets & Alleys of George Town (GPS: 5.41700, 100.33797).
c. Street Art of George Town (GPS: 5.41555, 100.33726).

d. Penang 2nd Bridge (Viewpoint GPS: 5.29199, 100.29358).

e. Gurney Bay Park (GPS: 5.43262, 100.31882).

f. Penang Esplanade Walkway (GPS: 5.42206, 100.342301).

g. Fort Cornwallis (GPS: 5.42041, 100.34454).

5. Food

Day 1:

a. Late Lunch

Penang Char Koay Teow at Perak Road Night Char Koay Teow (GPS: 5.39922, 100.31502).

b. Tea

Kong Thng/Kacang Tumbuk (Peanut Candy) at Ang Seng Heong (GPS: 5.39985, 100.31475).

c. Tea 2

Take-away Chinese Nasi Lemak from Chioo Nasi Lemak（大路后阿珠椰浆饭) (GPS: 5.39911, 100.31504).

d. Dinner

Green Tomyam Noodles at Michelin Bib Ghee Lian (義蓮鱼头米粉) (GPS: 5.42292, 100.34071) stall located at the Medan Renong Food Court (GPS: 5.42277, 100.34073).

Day 2:

a. Breakfast

Take-away Indian Curry Puff from Batu Lancang Food Court (GPS: 5.38963, 100.30598).

b. Lunch

Asian Fusion and Dim Sum at Four Hands (GPS: 5.41760, 100.32918).

c. Tea
Penang Hokkien Mee and Lor Bak at Genki Canteen (元气食堂) (GPS: 5.39301, 100.29996).

d. Dinner

Hot Pot Steamboat at Haidilao Hot Pot (GPS: 5.43489, 100.31068) stall located in the Gurney Paragon (GPS: 5.43573, 100.31118).

6. Accommodations

Two nights at a relative's place in Tanjung Bungah, Penang Island, Penang.

7. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.

Physical sim cards can be ordered online or purchased upon arrival at international airports OR one can order Malaysian e-sim on line.
Some of us bought DTAC Happy Tourist physical Thai phone SIM cards at the "Mini Travel 1982" travel assistance office at Changlun. We got the 7-Days unlimited data physical sim at RM25.
Others subscribed for the Touch-n-Go e-SIM directly through the Touch-n-Go e-Wallet App in their phone, getting a 7-Day 1-GB plan for RM9. A 15-Day 2-GB plan is available for RM15.

9. Communicating with Locals

Although Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, most Malaysians speak fairly good English; even in smaller towns or villages, locals speak some rudimentary English. One can warm up to locals by conversing in some basic Bahasa Malaysia. Failing which, Google Translate, should one get stuck vocally.

10. Weather

Average day and night temperatures in George Town were 32°C and 26°C, partly cloudy with no rain.

A useful weather forecast site for George Town is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

11. Navigation

Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.

___________________________________________________________________________

PRELUDE

This past April, we made a short holiday trip to Dubai, then onwards to Morocco for a longer stay. We found Dubai to be an exciting place of a mix of old markets and new skyscrapers all rolled into one. And Morocco enchanted us with desert views, gorges and winding roads!

But just three months later, our travelling legs are getting itchy again? We had to go up to Penang for some matters, we will be driving there, so we decided to continue and cross over to Hat Yai for a two-night stay.

___________________________________________________________________________

DAY 1: KUALA LUMPUR-PENANG

Small Group (Road Trip) Tour of George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and Hat Yai, Thailand.

Days 1 & 2 - Kuala Lumpur to George Town (Penang Island):
Kuala Lumpur>North South Expressway>Penang>Penang 2nd Bridge>Penang Island>George Town>Tanjung Bungah.

(Click here for the Penang-Hat Yai Days 1 & 2: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Route Map)

Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first.)

We left Kuala Lumpur in the late morning, and by mid-afternoon, we were crossing the Penang 2nd Bridge over to Penang Island, where we would be staying for two nights.
Our car air-conditioning was giving us some problems, so we drove over to an auto shop in Jelutong to have it fixed.

I LOVE Penang Char Koay Teow, whenever back in Penang, I could often eat up to three plates a day.

AND just nearby was the renowned Perak Road Night Char Koay Teow. It's a roadside push-stall and we sat on chairs next to the stall and ate, holding the plates in our hands.

We ordered two plates with extra prawns at RM12.50 each, very reasonably priced considering the number of prawns included.
Looks yummy, don't they? Look at those huge prawns!

While enjoying our Char Koay Teow, we noticed a long queue forming nearby. What are these people eager to have?
It's Nasi Lemak Bungkus sold by a Chinese man from his motorcycle. His version is Chinese Nasi Lemak Bungkus, and he must be doing roaring business as one can geotag him in Google Maps at Chioo Nasi Lemak.

His Nasi Lemak Bungkus was reasonably priced, too. We took away a Sambal Ikan packet at RM2-00, which came with very good sambal belacan and a piece of Asam Fried Fish.

Across the road was another favourite not to be missed - Kong Thng/Kacang Tumbuk (Peanut Candy) from the Ang Seng Heong shop.

Wow! Just half an hour into George Town and we are already whacking three good foods 😂. Well, that's Penang for you, it's the food capital of the country, if not the world - at almost every corner, one will be able to find good food!

In the evening, we drove downtown to the Medan Renong Food Court to have this tomyam from Michelin Bib Ghee Lian stall.

It's special as it serves Green Tomyam Noodles, which have a unique look and flavour too.

My son never misses this whenever he comes up to Penang.
Hah! Even before reaching Thailand we warming our tummies for Thai Food.

Other than the Green Tomyam Noodles, which comes fish or prawns or a mix, they also sell Fish Noodle Soup and Dry Fish Noodles.

___________________________________________________________________________

DAY 2: AROUND PENANG

Breakfast!

My late mum, Mamatan, makes the best curry puffs, and I am always on the lookout for ones that can match hers!

This one is an Indian-style Curry Puff, my son took away from a hawker at Batu Lancang Food Court. It's a good throwback to school days when we eat this (with red pickled onions) at the stadium while watching sports events.

We lounged around and then drove down to town to meet my son and DIL at Four Hands.

We were there for a taste Asian Fusion taster lunch; i.e. tasting dishes that we would be ordering for a celebration event in a few months. We tried the taster food and gave our feedback, and continued on with dim sum, which they are renowned for too.

We like the place, it's set cosily in a white-washed colonial bungalow with a big dining hall. To the left was an annexe with a glass roof and walls, appropriately called The Glass House.

Here's an interactive Google Street View of Four Hands.

A surprise tea-time get-together with my younger brother and SIL at this cosy place called Genki Canteen, up in Green Lane.

We had Penang favourites like Penang Hokkien Mee, Lor Bak and a fusion Ice-Kacang in a glass.

Hot Pot Steamboat dinner at Haidilao Hot Pot in Gurney Paragon, where met up with DIL family.

Sedap-nya!

(That's "It's Delicious" in Bahasa Malaysia)

(For more photos of Days 1 & 2, Click Here)

This is page 1 of a 4-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.

< Morocco 2025 | Go to Other Days | D3: Penang-Hat Yai >

___________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED BLOGS: