Chew Jetty
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  • AngusPhua
    Singapore, Singapore133 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Different Vibes
    The jetty was an interesting place - it was homely yet vibrant at the same time. There are some eateries around for those who want some local food; and many small stalls that sell knick-knacks and snacks. It was a pretty small place and not crowded when we went at about 10am. Takes only about 15-20 minutes to cover the whole place if you are not going into the shops or the temples. Good place to come to feel the different vibes of a place stuck in time.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 November 2023
  • LaraBton
    85 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved this
    A real sense of history. Have just read Eng's books and enjoyed reliving the bustling commercial times. A few shops and places to take away food. I hope he area is properly preserved. There were tourists - mainly from a large cruise ship. Fantastic view of the harbour and at low tide wading birds.
    Visited November 2023
    Written 2 December 2023
  • jolinpl
    546 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best extraordinary wanton noodles here
    At the entrance of the jetty is a coffee shop that had the most friendly coffee shop owner selling drinks . The wanton noodles were very unique and delicious . They sell out by 1130 am . Then you come to a temple and then a long jetty with both sides selling souvenirs and drinks and food . You reach to the end of the jetty about 80 m away and see the sea and the boats . Overall the best thing here is the wanton noodles - a must try .
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 9 December 2023
  • Leonhkny
    Hong Kong, China21,615 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Major tourist attraction in Penang
    Among all the water villages in George Town, Chew Jetty is the most popular and touristy. A stroll along the boardwalk and view of sunset has become a standard tourist itinerary. It is still a pleasant place to explore with lots of souvenir shops and stores catering to foreigners.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 January 2024
  • MrMrsHappyR
    Liverpool, United Kingdom1,458 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice enough area
    Pleasant enough place, a bit smaller than we thought it would be, but unique to visit. Lots of little shops open from 10am. A few restaurants open later in the day. At the end of the jetty there are some nice views of Penang Bay. Before the entrance there is a beautiful temple area
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 February 2024
  • Peter T
    Ambarvale, Australia59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Step Back In Time on The Chew Jetty.
    A cultural event to experience the Clan Jetty in Penang. The bustle and views from the Jetty is something worth experiencing. If you’re fortunate you may catch a glimpse of how the residents actually live by discreetly peeking inside their residences as you walk past. The area is very photogenic and you’ll get some wonderful content shots.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 June 2024
  • Angela P
    London, United Kingdom115 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Chew Jetty Review - What to See ad Do
    When in Penang, a visit to Chew Jetty should be included on your itinerary. It's a small area beside the river where a mixture of residential houses and small shopfronts coexist side by side. A visit won't take much time out of your schedule, and it's good to get a glimpse of the history of the water dwellers who have lived on this jetty and several nearby jetties for centuries. You can read more on my website, including how to reach Chew Jetty and what you can see and do once you are there.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 July 2024
  • Abovetheclouds
    2,242 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Average. Now filled with mainly tourist shops selling junk.
    I didn't really like this at all. Very different from the photographs. It was nice to see the colourful cluster of houses perch above the sea shores by stilts and some Chinese temples. You also get nice views. Other than that, there were mainly cheap tourist shops selling junk and the usual eateries. I did what most people were doing, simply walked to the end of the pier and then back again. I stopped to see a few small temples along the way.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 27 August 2024
  • Ken (haileythegolden)
    Edmonton, Canada3,435 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very interesting and good bargains
    We had a great time exploring the jettie. Lots of little shops for shopping with good prices. The shop owners will negotiate prices. Nice seeing the boats and nice walk along the pier
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 September 2024
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lisa s
New York City, NY47 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Of all the jetties to see "Chew Jetty" is the best one, with the most explanation of the Klan Jetty's. Stroll on the old wooden planks and notice where the tide is..high or low? How does this effect their lives here?
This jetty also has good food, gift shops and even a tiny theater "Folklore by the Sea"(at this time it is closed because of the virus). Theses jetties are truly "Living Museums" with an actual neighborhood and community vibe. We stopped at "49 Snow" to cool off with the one of the natural homemade fruit ices. This neat little shop is clean and comfortable. The owners family has been on the jetty for over 130 years.

We also bought a homemade tee shirt at one of the cute little up beat shops, which again the owners family had made a living fishing the jetty in the past. Another little old lady was selling note books for a few cents outside her home. Non of these people were pushy or looked greedy...they are just the next generation that cannot fish, yet still have to survive on the jetty some how....this is the only place they know as "home sweet home."
We really enjoyed our conversations with these living legends. There is also some nice Street Art Murals, a temple (at the end), and some historic boats.
It takes about 1 hr or so to explore the whole jetty if you take your time and do both sides and have a snack and shop along the way.
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

keefos
Melksham, UK35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We visited Chew Jetty as part of a tour with our own personal driver Vejay.
He had some interesting information about Chew Jetty and managed to steer us away from the more touristy parts. it gives you more of an insight into how the locals live!
Interestingly, he pointed out (air conditioned) accommodation on the jetty, that can be rented.
As well as the Jetty the other area of Georgetown we took in were:- Chinatown markets, a small walking tour (various temples), chocolate museum, Penang Hill, a look around the Eastern & Oriental Hotel (like Raffles) & anywhere else that we wanted to visit, or took our interest.
Unfortunately the temperature beat us, so we still have more to see.

If you decide you want to visit Chew Jetty and the many other interesting places in Penang and further afield, I would definitely recommend using the services of Vejay,
He was friendly, humurous, reliable, informative & interesting. The tour was flexible and we felt under no pressure to go anywhere we didn't want to.
We also used Vejay for our Airport transfers in Penang, with the same level of service.
Contact Vejay: cvejayan@yahoo.com
Whatsapp +60 16-483 6365
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,817 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
To get a full picture of old George Town one should not miss a visit to the clan jetties off Weld Quay (named after a British governor). Actually there are 7 jetties left (Ong, Lim, Chew, Tan, Lee, Yeoh and New Jetty), after the two southernmost (Peng Aun and Koay) were demolished in 2006 to make place for a new housing development. Only 2 years later this wouldn't have been possible anymore, when the jetties like the rest of old George Town were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Of all the jetties the by far most visited is Chew Jetty, which has become quite a touristy place with all its stalls for souvenirs and snacks, also 10 minutes boat rides are offered. Visiting hours are between 9am and 9pm. Smoking is strictly not allowed. Since there are still people living on the jetty, a respectful behaviour is required.

Originally just meant to moor sampans and to load and unload wares, the jetties started to develop into water villages by the end of the 19th century with always a clan occupying one of them. Here it was the Chew, originally from the village Xinglinshe in Fujian province, whose main job was to offer shuttle and cargo service for big ships anchored out at sea. Originally the people here had to fetch water from the Quay. Running water and electricity was provided as of 1957.

There are several temples on the jetty, also a multi-purpose community hall. Well known is the painting on a house wall of a man in a hammock with kids, fish and a cat around him. My main activity at Chew Jetty had been to buy and eat a Durian Puff, which I quite enjoyed: durian cream in the middle of a choux bun.
Written 12 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pcmcgriff
Newark, DE127 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Great place to visit in a day to take picture of houses by the water. Many stores to do souvenir shop. Artist street is a walking distance and you may take a tuk tuk for an easy ride.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

muforguettes
Toulouse, France937 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
A must-see very touristy. The pier is pretty, but very narrow, it is a chain of tourist shops. We went there one morning, we thought we would come back in the evening for a quieter atmosphere. Indeed around 7pm there are almost no more people and the majority of shops are closed.
I recommend however a small shop all to the boys of the pier on the right which makes beautiful pearl bracelets for really cheap.
Don’t hesitate to visit the more residential and quiet nearby jetties.
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Written 21 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Princes of travel
Paris, France6,780 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Chew jetties are part of the area called clan jetties. These are typical houses on stilts, connected to each other by walkways made of planks, themselves on stilts.
Chew jetty happens to be the most famous where one can find shops along the narrow passage between the huts. We find ourselves immersed in Chinatown above the water.
At the very end, you can pay for a boat trip if you feel like it.

Don’t hesitate to explore the other piers along the road, all accessible free of charge. Of unequal length, apart from the fact that the pontoons allow for beautiful photos, there is not much to see and do there. Several temples were built, including one which is more imposing, to the south.

The view of the buildings, in the background of the houses on stilts, gives the whole thing a rather contrasting dimension, between the modern and the traditional. Go there if you have time.

Not very easy to access (you have to walk along a big busy road), ultimately you only realize that you are on stilts when you are far away or at the end of a pontoon. Allow 30 minutes for the visit.
Google
Written 26 September 2023
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youwahlai@SEU338E
Kluang, Malaysia86 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020
A nice place to spend a little time looking around. The wooden houses are unique as they are built above the water. Along the walk, many souvenir shops and also food stalls are available there.
Written 16 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leonhkny
Hong Kong, China21,615 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Among all the water villages in George Town, Chew Jetty is the most popular and touristy. A stroll along the boardwalk and view of sunset has become a standard tourist itinerary. It is still a pleasant place to explore with lots of souvenir shops and stores catering to foreigners.
Written 18 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Haytham Abu Firas
Qatar20,677 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Friends
It’s one of six wooden clan jetties in George Town. It features buildings and are inhabited by members of Penang’s Chinese immigrant community. Ancient Chinese traditions are being kept alive in this community including the ancient Taoist religion.
Written 21 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Big Asian Choice
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia238 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
Of the clan jetties in the area, Chew Jetty was the most tourist friendly. Many stalls along the wooden plank walkway opened their doors to business during my visit and I managed to shop for some local specialties and food. Chew jetty is the longest among all the clan jetties and overlook the Penang Strait. It wasn't crowded and I had a great time taking in the view and cool myself by the sea breeze.
Written 11 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Chew Jetty - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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