A slice of colonial history: Georgetown and Melaka

  The three Straits Settlements: Georgetown (Penang), Melaka (Malacca), Singapore. Our last three big metropolises. Days of lounging in the sun invigorated us with some much-needed energy for further urban meandering.

  We started with north-most Penang, after sleeping through our bus stop, arriving close to the Thai border and backtracking for 90 km. Along with Melaka, it was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2008. Its colonial district stems from a mix of inhabiting influences and supposedly reminds of Singapore circa 1970s. It's vast, reaching into the narrow streets of sleepy Chinatown and lively Little India. Funny iron-wired plaques and wonderful street art line the streets. Catered to tourists on the one hand, dilapidated in other instances, Georgetown's architecture still evokes authenticity. We even stayed in a beautiful heritage hotel.

Street art

Most picked ribbons: wealth and success

  It's old school charming, but it was Penang's reputation for excellent cuisine that drew us to the city. Two words: hawker food. Prominent all around, from tiny to stadium-sized, food courts and their hawker stalls attract all who have good food, wide selection and cheap prices in mind. We happily participated, ordering small portions to get in as many as possible. We tried it all. Thick asam laksa, a spicy fish stew with a tamarind base. Oysters fried in egg, soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Tender duck noodles. Roti canai, flaky unleavened bread with a curry. Nasi kandar, delicious curries served on steamed rice. Chee cheong fun, a thin rice roll, filled with shrimp and topped with a sweet sesame soy sauce. Satay, juicy skewered grilled meat. Refreshing cendol, a dessert of shaved ice, coconut milk, green noodles and palm sugar (possibly, unbelievably, with red beans, corn, etc.). And of course, let's not forget Indian tandoori chicken, with its mint yoghurt dip. Is your mouth watering yet?

Nasi kandar. Forget the presentation, it's all about the taste

Rambutan fruit

  From Penang, we headed to Melaka, a historical port city with a multicultural heritage. We stepped off the bus, only to be greeted by air saturated with smoke. Sumatra was burning its annual brush-clearing fires, we found out, and the resulting haze was stronger than it's been in years. Just one of the many side effects of the demand for palm oil. But we didn't let it stop us from venturing out into the city. Melaka's colonial core is more up-kept than Georgetown's. In addition to the quaint streets of Chinatown, the wine red buildings of Dutch architecture add to the charming atmosphere. Subtle lighting pulls it all together and accentuates the simple elegance. Cafes line the way, many of the artsy variety. We recommend Baboon Cafe, with its quiet courtyard and some outstanding artwork. 

  The town is calm, but that changes when neighboring Singaporeans visit on the weekends. Just ask the pimped out trishaw drivers and their booming sound systems.

  Our quota for heritage and history fulfilled, we headed to Singapore for the other face of Southeast Asia.   

Vacation from a vacation - Pulau Perhentian Kecil

  Multicultural, multilingual, with a multitude of different faces passing you by on the street. Unlike the melting pot of the States, Malaysia is a mix of distinct ethnicities – Malay, Chinese, Indian, their descendants (like Peranakan) and the descendants of the colonial past - with their own distinct and authentic city enclaves, languages and, of course, religions. This may be one of the main factors why it's hard for me to get a feel for the country, a glimpse into the “national” psyche or mentality. But for now, peace rules in the sandbox and warm hospitality welcomes all guests.

  To me, Malaysia appears a country in progress. Relatively young as a nation, in many ways it's still in transition, playing catch-up with the modernized world while dealing with a developing-country way of thought. Take Kuala Lumpur, the capital. It has architecturally superior buildings, like ex-tallest Petronas Towers, that would constitute a dream of any established architect. It has modern streets filled with modern cars (and citizens that, like in more developed countries, think the simple act of walking to a store unreasonable). The city houses huge corporate offices, renown hotel chains, top restaurants with even better chefs and trendy cafes. After all, huge natural resources of oil guarantee modern world conveniences. Even a more unified national identity is slowly emerging. Just look at the high voter turnout at the most recent elections. On the other hand, you have a neighborhood in the middle of “downtown” where chiefs refuse (yes, it's pretty damn noble) to give in to the enticing development offers and cling to the old way of life and small town feel. Streets and buildings right next to the groomed ones fall into complete disrepair. Open sewers disperse some rotten smells. Service still leaves a lot to be desired, even if it's accompanied by smiles. Homeless make home on the streets (yes, I know, that's almost anywhere), but their stark poverty accentuates the huge (huge!) disparity in wealth distribution. Maybe it seems even more apparent to us since we are coming from largely Buddhist countries where ancestor worship assures elderly care. The gaps are immense and clear to the eye.

Patronas Twin Towers

Beautiful mosque, a taste of the exotic

Madras Lane

Hot pot.  The food is still cooking when served in a clay pot.

  Anyway, it's definitely different, and, as a Muslim country, so unlike any of the others we've traversed. We flew into the concrete jungle that is Kuala Lumpur for just one night. Aside from Chinatown and the tastiness contained within Madras Lane, we left further exploration for the last days of our trip, since we fly home from KL. After months and thousands of miles of travel and a bit tired by this point, we changed our plans at the last minute and grabbed an overnight bus (Sani Express! simply luxurious, although come prepared for arctic climates, that's how much locals like their AC) to Kuala Besut and a boat to Pulau Perhentian Kecil. After sifting through chalets both on Long Beach and Coral Bay, we hoofed it through the overgrown jungle path to the secluded Mira Beach and its few bungalows. While our hut was probably the least desirable of the bunch, with a huge monitor lizard and a pair of colorful geckos for resident guests, the setting was idyllic. The routine: beach, book, coconut shake, snorkeling, hammock, bed. Rinse, repeat. The ideal cure for a traveler's weariness. 

Almost like a Corona commercial, eh?

  But our main focus of this island getaway was diving. We managed to get a room at Ewan's Cafe (in my opinion, one of the best value places on the island) and signed up for a morning dive at the Temple of the Sea. Nervousness ensued. How do I put this equipment together again? How do I do a backward entry? What's the proper ascending procedure? And, most importantly... what if a shark bites me on the ass? But all questions and doubts went away the minute I hit the water. Like riding a bicycle, right? A jutting rock in the shape of a tower, its tip barely grazing the surface, Temple of the Sea was teeming with coral and sea life. Schools of fish, so intensely yellow in color, appeared with almost 3D effects. Countless varieties circled around us and contoured our movements. Even a few of the rare ones - the pufferfish, the scorpion fish, a bamboo shark and a stingray – put in an appearance. And that quiet underwater. That calm. That wonder of swimming in a huge aquarium, slow-mo. I forgot those moments from before. It was an exhilarating experience, to be repeated in Indonesia.

  Re-energized, we headed to Penang for the famous fusion that is Malaysian cuisine.  

I mastered the art of sleeping in every position

Kayaks, Han La Bay and I'll miss you, Vietnam

  Halong Bay. So called wonder of Vietnam, for foreigners and locals alike. Almost like Cancun, usually wrapped up in a package destination deal. Since we're not fans, we decided to explore on our own. We headed to the Luong Yen bus station and bought a combined bus-ferry ticket first to Haiphong, and then Cat Ba island (240,000 VND). Saved us the hassle of haggling with a shady boat captain for the additional cost of a dollar or two.

  Cat Ba is a typical getaway island, with hotel upon hotel by the so-called promenade. For the first time in Vietnam, we had problems locating a hotel that fit our price-to-standard ratio. We couldn't find good cheap food, either. A bit hindered by spotty weather, we finally hired a bike and drove around the island. We visited the Hospital Cave, where soldiers effectively hid during the war from American bombs. We bought sweet lychee fruit from a roadside sales lady, who was so happy with her final sale of the day that she forcefully handed me another fistful of fruit. We drove up the winding road to the mountain top Cannon Fort, with its spanning views of both sides of the island. And for the final trick, I drove half of the way back. Yes, I'm very proud of myself, as you can tell.

Hospital Cave

Views from Cannon Fort

Cat Ba harbor

  Research showed us that Halong Bay itself is polluted and cluttered with competing junk boats, which in our minds somewhat diminished the experience. So instead, we decided for a view from the ground level, so to speak. Specifically from a sea kayak. Probably the third time I had such a paddle in my very incapable hands. But you live once, and so we swam around Han La Bay, Halong's less crowded but just as pretty neighbor. Our guide led us to sandy beaches and tucked-away lagoons, where neither the wind nor the waves disturbed the quiet calm. And it was calming indeed, at least until we reached the southern parts of Halong Bay itself, which opened up to the actual sea.   Rough waves and strenuous paddling finally forced us back to the anchored boat, where we took turns jumping off from the top deck. For a final touch, the sun made an appearance and dried us off on the way back to the harbor.

Hidden lagoons

  Now, back to Hanoi and our last bun cha and Vietnamese coffee indulgences. We switch countries again, this time for Malaysia.