If you had read my previous post (if you haven’t, here it is: Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth – From the Windowseat) then you already know that we had ditched the option of taking the Penang Bridge and had decided to take the more interesting option, the Penang Ferry to cross over to the Penang Island from Butterworth. We don’t get to take a ferry every day like we take buses or cabs so naturally, this sounded more interesting and hence the decision. A five-minute walk from the Butterworth railway station took us to the jetty which is well-connected to the station. No crossing the road business! And oh yes, it’s the cheapest way to reach George Town from Penang as well.

Ferry To George Town, Penang from Butterworth

Both vehicles and people use the ferries to quickly cross-over so they were quite big in size. We decided to walk to the front of the ferry for an uninterrupted view while people who just wanted to reach the other side and were not interested in the view outside took their seats on metal benches lined up on the deck. The vehicles too shared the same area.

Small structures on the horizon slowly grew larger as we slowly floated ahead. We watched other ferries pass by, loaded with people and cars alike, moving ahead at a much slower pace they would have otherwise, had they been on land. I couldn’t help but think how just a small chunk of the solid ground made such a difference, slowed everything down.

The warm breeze ruffled my hair as our ferry drew close to the jetty. The sparkling sea below, red-tiled-roof buildings ahead and green mountains at a distance together made for a beautiful view. The watchtower that stood a little to our right, in George Town stood tall reminding the approaching visitors that despite the tall and modern buildings that have now come – up, this place is still very much historical, with countless stories waiting to be unraveled.

Few pointers

Ferry fare: RM 1.5
Time taken: ~15 minutes
Connectivity: Very well connected to the roads on both sides and rail-head(only Butterworth sides)

**If you are planning to reach in the evening and then catch a ferry, check the timings first.

Do you like taking water-transport? Have you been on any? Tell what do you think, I would love to hear.