# Initial visit to Penang for future expats



## rodiy2k (Jan 15, 2013)

Greetings

My wife and I are planning on emigrating from California to Penang for early retirement in a few years by way of an MM2H Visa. Although we have done extensive research, we are planning our first initial trip there next year. (We have visited Sabah as tourists).

Anyway, any assistance, comments or suggestions on the following topics would be highly appreciated

The first issue is when to go: We’re aware of the statistical data regarding driest and wettest but also know that the weather is totally impossible to predict and to expect rain any time of year. We would like to visit during a time of year that is not the wettest or driest (statistically speaking anyway). We intentionally want to avoid winter due to high season and Chinese New Year and are looking to avoid being lulled into a fake sense of nicer weather. We also wish to avoid the fall monsoon season as we would like to explore on foot without always being drenched. This seems to leave April through June. Based on our wishes does anyone have any feedback? (We visited Sabah and Singapore in May and it rained a total of three hours in two weeks despite the daily forecasts).

Next topic: Visiting as an expat, not a tourist
Ideally, we would like to avoid a tourist hotel and live as a resident. We’d have two weeks available and were hoping for a short-term rental even if that relegates us to vacation-type rentals. Again, we’re specifically looking for areas where other expats might reside. We are totally unfamiliar with neighborhoods and housing but are open to almost anything although we generally prefer not to be right in the thick of GeorgeTown’s main areas. We love beach areas but would not want to live where there are only tourists. Is this a possibility and if so, can anyone suggest ways to begin inquiring what might be available?

Finally: Living day to day as an expat
The main purpose of this trip would be to attempt a short stint as a resident while learning as much as we can about daily life. Therefore, we would be seeking to send time with expats, preferably couples, that can show us what daily life is about (where and how to shop, how to buy food at wet markets, how to travel to the attractions, non-touristy things to do, how to bank etc). If anyone reading this is interested, please let us know. Or if anyone can suggest other forums, blogs, websites or sources that might get us hooked up with expats willing to help a wannabe expat, that would be excellent

Thanks in advance to everyone


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