The compact old town centre around Jalan Kulim and Jalan Besar has a row of pre-war Chinese shophouses that survived development better than many mainland Penang towns. The buildings follow the standard Straits Settlements formula — a continuous covered walkway (kaki lima) at ground level and residential quarters above — but many retain their original paintwork, timber shutters, and decorative plasterwork. A handful of old coffeeshops still operate on the ground floors, serving kopi and simple Hokkien-style food in the mornings.
The neighbourhood is genuinely lived-in rather than preserved for tourism. Motorbikes park in the five-foot ways, laundry hangs from upper floor windows, and the morning market at the end of Jalan Kulim draws a working crowd of Malay, Chinese, and Indian shoppers. It is not as spectacular as George Town's heritage core, but it has an authenticity that George Town's most touristed streets now lack.