The future of travel is built on deep roots and bold new stories. Before WiT Indie begins, dive into Penang’s indie heartbeat through a day of curated experiences by My Indie World — discovering hidden stories and connecting with the indie spirit that shapes the soul of the island.
Start your morning with Joël Lim Du Bois — half Malaysian, half Belgian, and a passionate semiotician who reads the soul of Georgetown through its old shop signs. Through his project Seh Seh Penang, Joël preserves the typography, craftsmanship, and memories that are slowly fading with time.
Seh seh means to go out and explore, to walk the city with curiosity and openness. His walking tour, called Ban Ban Kia (meaning “walk slowly” in Hokkien), invites you to experience Georgetown through a slower, more observant lens.
As Joël puts it,”Perhaps you ban ban — meaning slow slow — and slow down to read all the road signs.”
As you wander the streets together, Joël will guide you beyond the surface of the city’s charming facades, unlocking the deeper meanings hidden in its typography, symbols, and heritage.
Joël shares: “In these ancestral signs, we see a model for an alternative path. They show us that it is possible to have a Penang typography which grows and evolves while still staying connected to its roots. They suggest that we should not break completely with the ways of life of previous generations, but that we can maintain the values which created the opportunities from which we have benefited.”
For Joël, these signs are not just relics of the past — they are living reminders that growth and respect for heritage can, and must, go hand in hand.
As the next generation of travel leaders, what hidden signs will you find, and what values will you carry forward before these living stories fade into the shadows?
Half Malaysian, half Belgian, Joël a semiotician, decodes signs—passing the past to future minds, showing how typography grows and evolves while staying connected to its roots.
Every year at WiT Indie Penang, one question floats around with excitement: “Will there be another durian feast this year?”
This year, the answer is a joyful yes — and you’re in for a treat.
We’re bringing the taste of Balik Pulau into a place that celebrates all things local — Hin Bus Depot, a creative hub where art, community, and indie spirit come together. Once an abandoned bus depot, today it’s a thriving gathering space filled with local makers, pop-up kitchens, weekend markets, and spontaneous conversations — the perfect setting to connect over durian and stories.
And there’s no better time — July is peak season for durians and other tropical fruits, and we’ve been gifted with a rich harvest from the hills of Balik Pulau. Last year, we tasted more than 7 varieties of pesticide-free durians at their farm, all grown with patience, passion, and what they lovingly call “stubborn sunshine.” Everyone had more than one piece (or three… or four) of each variety, and by nightfall, the air was thick with satisfied durian burps….
Expect a curated tasting experience featuring Green Acres’ most prized mid-season thorny gems — from Red Prawn (Ang Hae) to Hor Lor, Capri, and old-tree favourites like Tupai Favourite and Grandpa’s Favourite. Each variety will be served one at a time, paired with stories of their flavour, character, and roots. Alongside the king of fruits, you’ll also get to savour other seasonal treasures — a burst of tropical goodness, lovingly grown and freshly picked.
Green Acres is run by Eric Chong and Kim Wong — corporate-coach-turned-farmers who chose to grow with the land, not against it. With a deep commitment to sustainable farming, they nurture each tree with patience, passion, and what they lovingly call “stubborn sunshine.” They’ll be there to share why they took this path — and how working with nature, not chemicals, has shaped everything they do.
They proudly say: “You’ll never get a sore throat with our durians because they’re planted the organic way, without chemicals.”
Taste the difference yourself — fruits deeply rooted in Balik Pulau’s rich soil and even richer stories.
Enjoy a wholesome tasting of Green Acres’ homegrown organic durians and seasonal fruits, lovingly grown by corporate coach-turned-farmer Eric Chong and Kim Wong — delicious, naturally nutritious, and kind to your body.
After the durian tasting — and maybe a few satisfied durian burps still hanging in the air — it’s time to slow down and wander through COEX@Kilang Besi.
Inside this creative compound, you’ll find Book Island, an independent bookstore founded by Chong Lee Choo.
Here, stories, ideas, and communities come together naturally, housed within a space reimagined by architect Mei Chee Seong.
I still remember a conversation with Lee Choo. She said, “How can a city continue without a bookstore? There are still people who read — and that’s exactly why a city still needs a bookstore or library. Regardless, we are willing to be the ones who keep it alive.”
Lee Choo believes that even if the reading crowd grows smaller, and even if bookstores are no longer seen as “essential” by the modern world, they remain quiet anchors — keeping alive the knowledge, imagination, and cultural connection that a city needs to remain whole.
It’s also part of Mei’s vision — creating a space where creativity, knowledge, and quiet conversations can take root again. It’s a small interlude, but a meaningful one.
You might even sneak in a quick lunch nearby before we head to our next stop at Teluk Bahang.
Our final stop brings us to the heart of Penang’s living craft tradition — the batik workshop of Mr. Quah in Teluk Bahang.
Since 1972, Mr. Quah has been creating traditional Malaysian batik — and when a devastating fire destroyed his factory, he rebuilt it with unshakable passion.
He shares:“After the fire that burned down our factory, we had to come back. It’s our business. It’s our passion.”
More than just an art form, batik, to Mr. Quah, is a reflection of resilience, patience, and love.
As he explains: “Batik is therapeutic. People only appreciate it when they experience the process themselves.” “Young people must appreciate the real process, not imitation. Batik is not just design — it’s the process.”
As much as I was drawn to the beautiful patterns and colours, Mr. Quah quietly shared, “This batch of batik is for a hotel group in Sabah.”
I guess that’s a sign — bringing the travel leaders here feels just right.
During your visit, you’ll have the chance to meet the artisans, hear their stories, and see their work up close — the rhythm of brush, dye, and cloth carrying forward generations of tradition.
And then, you’ll step into the process yourself, bringing color to your own batik masterpiece.
Led by Mr. Quah, witness the creation of his traditional Malaysian cottage batik empire in Penang since 1972, and craft your own batik masterpiece.
Each of these experiences has been handpicked with love — handpicked by the locals to connect you with the spirit of place, people, and purpose. It’s not just about seeing — it’s about feeling, creating, and stepping into stories that might just shape your next chapter.
Whether you join the full day or pick your favorite experience, this is your invitation to be part of something real: the next generation of the indie movement.
Let’s go indie, together.
Wander slowly. Taste boldly. Read deeply. Craft freely. All with one pass.
