Ayer Itam Market, Penang

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The Ayer Itam Market is one of the most popular markets in Penang. Also written Air Itam Market, it has been around for many decades, from the time that Ayer Itam was just a rural country village. In those early days, farmers bring their fresh vegetables from their farms on the hill slopes to be sold fresh to consumers in the valley below. Since then, the population of Air Itam has multiplied manifold.

Today the Ayer Itam Market is a congested but fun place to do your shopping. It has lots of variety of things on sale, even reptiles such as python (look for it near the junction to Ayer Itam Methodist Church). The market building is located at the junction of Jalan Air Itam and Jalan Pasar.

Ayer Itam Market (4 June 2011)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

As with most markets, Ayer Itam Market has plenty of hawker stalls selling food. The most famous is the Ayer Itam Laksa, located in front of the market building. There are several more laksa stalls at the foot of the hill going up to Kek Lok Si, and they are just as good.