Penang Heat and a Fire-Grilled Lunch

It's day 60 of our 115-day Coral Princess Pacific Cruise and the route brought us to Penang—our final stop in Malaysia. We arrived at 8:00 am to a scorching 35°C day, though a light breeze helped take the edge off the heat.

Penang has long been one of Malaysia’s most important gateways to the world. Established as a British trading outpost more than two centuries ago, it grew into a strategic port where ships, goods, and cultures constantly crossed paths. Its location along major sea routes made it a natural hub for global trade, and that legacy still shows today. Penang remains a key contributor to the Malaysian economy—built on shipping, commerce, and the steady movement of imports and exports through its busy sea port.

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A view of the port as we approached the dock

The crew on the port always work hard to get all the lines connected and tie down the ship, all while the staff in the Navigation Bridge watch from their perch.

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Check out the floating piece of grass that passed by the ship as we approached the dock

Stepping into the port area, you can feel that working-harbour energy immediately—containers, infrastructure, and the sense that this is a place designed to move things. At the same time, parts of the waterfront and older structures look tired. Some buildings appear worn down, and a few are clearly in disrepair—cracked, sagging, and seemingly one storm away from giving up entirely.

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As Jan and I walked off the ship into the terminal, we passed through a large building with narrow walkways—about 30 feet wide—and it was lined with locals trying to sell taxi tours. They were relentless. The “no thanks” didn’t seem to register, and a few even followed us out of the building and down the street. The walkway out of the terminal felt like it went on forever—at least a quarter mile—lined with guys selling their trade the whole way. We kept moving, avoided the lure, and eventually escaped the pressure. As we exited we walked around the waterfront where the City Hall and other administrative buildings were located.

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We found a 7-Eleven, picked up a few things we needed, and then took a stroll around the port area before aiming for the older part of town. Penang has a mix of old and new—historic streets and low-rise shophouses in one direction, and modern high-rise buildings in another.

One thing we noticed as we walked was how many buildings are set back from the roadway with a covered area out front—creating a shaded pedestrian path. In this heat, that kind of design makes a lot of sense. The covered walkways offer relief from the sun and make it easier to keep moving even when the temperature is punishing.

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We tried to make our way toward the older town, but navigation wasn’t as easy as we expected. After a bit of wandering (and a bit of “are we even going the right way?”), we suddenly found ourselves in Little India. It was lively and full of local energy, and we enjoyed strolling through the area. We came across a very large grocery store / hardware store combination—one of those places with a small storefront that opens up into something surprisingly big once you step inside. It felt like the kind of practical, everything-you-need retail that locals rely on.

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We passed a part of the area where Little India was located and it had many stores, restaurants and an outdoor celebration burning incense on the street. The smoke and odor was strong.

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Not long after, we ran into a couple we’d met on the ship—Rick and Marilyn—and decided to find lunch together. We’d heard Penang had several Michelin-rated restaurants, so we looked for something nearby and landed on a place called Firewood.

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When we sat down, they introduced us to their beef selection and told us they’re rated among the 101 best steakhouses in the world. Ironically, we decided not to order steak—but we still ended up with an outstanding meal, all cooked using a fire grill.

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Jan ordered two jumbo prawns that were absolutely succulent and the sauce was excellent and complimented the seafood. I had a crab pasta that was very different from what I expected—rich, flavourful, and memorable. Rick chose grilled halibut, served with a chef special sauce that’s honestly hard to describe (in a good way). Marilyn had a beautiful Wagyu burger—one of those “you won’t find this anywhere else” kinds of burgers.

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The fire grilled cook center was a feature that gave the food so much flavour

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The Jumbo Shrimp was a meal like no other - two jumbo prawns in a very tasty sauce along with their chef's special "cole slaw" which was not like any you would taste anywhere else. It was a special plated surprise for Jan. It was more than an entire lobster meal.

To drink, our sangria was special—decorated with fruit throughout the glass—and the stout beer was fresh and cold. Our waiter delivered everything filled to the brim, doing everything he could not to spill a drop.

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Then came dessert. I had the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve tiramisu. Jan and Marilyn both ordered the lemon posset brûlée with hazelnut nougat, served in a half lemon (as good as it looked). Rick went with the Valrhona chocolate tart with salted caramel.

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And the best part? In the end, we paid less than $100 US per couple for a truly world-class meal.

Look at these four smiling tourists - all ready to devour our desserts - What a surprise !

After lunch, we wandered back to the ship—hot, a little tired, and very happy. It was a less active day than some of our other stops, but having a meal off the ship was a real treat, and Penang gave us a memorable final taste of Malaysia.

We were happy to get back to the port, especially after such a hot day on shore. I managed to get a photo of the pilot leaving our ship as we sailed away towards Singapore.

Tomorrow we have a "day at sea" to rest up for a big port stop in Singapore. We are excited to visit this country and our day will start at 7:30 am as they have given us a scheduled departure time - everyone on the ship has to exit for customs purpose so with close to 2000 passengers, they schedule customs clearance times for everyone.

So on to Singapore where we have a full 13-hour day on shore. Our Pacific adventure is now visiting a world class city and we will be well rested to walk another 20,000 steps or more.

Can't wait for a Singapore Sling on top of the Marina Sands Hotel