Experience the best of
Penang with Withlocals

"As we are planning to stay in Georgetown, Panang for several days, we really wanted some good advice about what and where to eat locally, rather than stick to the 'safe', overpriced and usually watered down food sold in the main tourist areas. Remy started the tour by double checking our dietary needs, likes and dislikes and then took us on a thorough tour of street food venues. At each he gave a thorough explanation as to why it was a good one and what other dishes we should try if we went back by ourselves, as well as the best way to eat them. It's amazing what a difference it makes to mix certain things together rather than eat separately! Remy also explained about the local history and religions, which helped us to focus on eating the range of delicious dishes he ordered for us. The whole tour was well planned and paced so that we had 'rest' drinks and snacks between larger dishes so that we didn't get uncomfortably full. As well as showing us a range of places to go to for drinks afterwards, and introducing us to staff there, he also pointed venues to avoid for various reasons. By the end of the tour, we had several bags of sweets, snacks and a meal to take with us, to enjoy later once we were hungry again. All were delicious and interesting and we returned today to buy more. The tour definitely fulfilled its purpose for us and it was really enjoyable spending time with such a friendly and passionate local like Remy. We'd thoroughly recommend him as a guide. "

"From the word go, Deffrey was great to communicate with and tailored to our request of wanting to experience a more authentic, rural adventure of Penang Island. We could not have asked for more. The entire day from cycling through villages, rice paddies, monkeys, farms and coast line, exploring the Chinese fishing villages and experiencing local cafe culture, to our hike through Penang National Park to beautiful beaches and back was awesome! Deffrey is a great guy, warm and easy to be around. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Penang!"

"Penang is for sure one of the most fascinating food places in Asia and Lisa will help you to discover and appreciate it to the fullest. We spent 3 hours with her roaming foodie places in atmospheric George Town, from Malay to Indian to Chinese delicacies discussing culture and everyday life in Penang. Thanks for this great evening out Lisa! "

"Remy is simply a cool guy to hang out with, and if my travel companions and I have to pay for the privilege, it's worth it. That's because he's incredibly steeped in the local food culture. We learned a ton about Penang from our three hours with him and really got an insider's look. Thank you, Remy!"

"Very enjoyable tours with Joo Bee. Her local knowledge of places - background, history, customs, etc added so much depth to the tours. Two days of casual walking seeing talking, just like old friends! "

"Great tour with Joo Bee. Met on time. Explained the tour. Was flexible when she understood we weren't just interested in temples. Saw some great street art and some interesting places. Also had excellent snack/lunch at local restaurant (I went back the next day!). Thank you Joo Bee."

"Remy met us on a delightful evening in January. It was our first trip to Penang, and Malaysia, and we were excited to get to grips with one of the street food capitals of the world. Remy is friendly, approachable, and incredibly entrenched in Penang's food scene. Everywhere we walked, he knew exactly what was available, and stallholders and restaurateurs greeted him with familiarity. He was able to treat us to some specific delights that, even though we hail from Melbourne, a city that has a huge food scene, we'd never encountered. We finished the evening at one of the many street food markets in Georgetown, and Remy was kind enough to walk us around the corner to a cocktail bar for some after tour tipple at a place owned by a friend of his. That's what stood out for me, from this tour. Everywhere we went, we were being introduced to Remy's friends, and they were making sure that we got the very best food on offer. Next time we head to Penang, we're going to know exactly where to find the best laksa, char kway teow and chicken satay. If you want to know, give Remy a buzz and he'll take you!"

"Our guide Remy was amazing. He was passionate about Penang and street art. We saw many parts of Georgetown we would not have seen otherwise. He had great recommendations for the remainder of our trip. I wish we had time to take his food tour. "

"We originally booked this tour with another guy who’s a guide on withlocals and then booked our hotel so that we were staying close to the tour start location. Then the guide contacted us to say that the start location was changed and that someone else would be our guide… then 2-3 days before the tour he cancelled on us saying that his team was sick… it made us really mistrust withlocals but then Remy accepted to take over our booking and we wish we’d just booked him to start with - he’s an honest, and highly personable guide who made the effort to make a close connection with us from the outset. He shares all his own experiences of living and working in Georgetown and everywhere we went people knew him so it was easy to trust him quickly. He asked if we wanted to try something in particular but we gave him a blank canvas with no dietary restrictuons which definitely made for the best range of food to try. We tried some amazing food and drinks in places we’ll definitely be going back to visit, and he answered all our questions, providing a highly engaging commentary and fun experience. When we come back to Penang, we’ll definitely be booking a tour with Remy… if you’re thinking about which guide to book, don’t! Book Remy, bring a broad palette, and be open to trying things you might bot be familiar with, and you won’t be disappointed!"

"We thoroughly enjoyed a guided walk tour by Joo Bee. She listened to our wish very well and was flexible about the meeting time and place. We wanted to have a good orientation about the old town Georgetown without putting too much in a walking plan. We had stops for local snacks and cold drinks. She was very knowledgeable and caring. "