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10

Penang Travel & Sightseeing Guide

Filed Under Malaysia

A trip to Penang
Located just off the west coast of Malaysia, and not far from the country’s border with Thailand, Penang attracts visitors throughout the year, who come to enjoy its lovely beaches and unique cultural heritage. Since its days as Britain’s first far eastern trading post, Penang has experienced the influence of both western and Chinese cultures, and this continues to be evident today.

Flights to Penang
Penang Airport is the second-largest in the country, after Kuala Lumpur; regularly-scheduled flights arrive from Bangkok, Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur. It’s located near Georgetown on Penang’s southeast coast. For those arriving in Butterworth, on the mainland side, transfer to the island is available by ferry or across one of the longest bridges in Asia – by bus or car. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Penang try Thomas Cook.

Buses, taxis and trishaws are some of the commonly-used forms of transportation for getting around Penang. Bicycles are an alternative and can be a pleasant and leisurely way of seeing the sights.

Penang

Sightseeing in Penang
Miles of beaches, a long and colourful history, a diverse culture and cuisine and great shopping are all Penang highlights. The island’s capital, Georgetown, is the only settlement of size, and boasts an excellent tourism infrastructure and well as attractive neighbourhoods with fine examples of early colonial architecture.

Fort Cornwallis dates to the late 18th century, and is situated in Georgetown’s centre. Penang Hill, a backdrop to the city, is an interesting place to visit, and a funicular railway will take you to the top. You’ll enjoy lovely views of the city and the sea and also can visit the Hindu temple and the mosque that were built here. Back down in the centre, look for the Khoo Kongsi and Kuan Yin Teng Chinese temples, still very much a part of daily life in Penang.

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
If you’re looking for nightlife, the area between the Cititel and the E&O Hotel is the place to go. You’ll find bars, English pubs, discos and some small eateries. If you’re looking for a place to drink that’s got a bit of atmosphere, try 20 Leith street, where you can enjoy your favourite drink in a 1930s house filled with antique furniture. Alternatively, you might want to check out Penang’s most notorious watering hole - the Hong Kong Bar, which has been in business since 1920, and used to be a hangout for military personnel from Butterworth.

Penang is a leading centre for seafood, with many fine restaurants available. Diners can enjoy inexpensive and tasty dishes served up at food stalls found all over the island, as an alternative. You might want to try the roadside stalls on the Esplanade, Gurney drive or Kimberley street. A favourite dish available most everywhere is laksa - steamed rice vermicelli garnished with finely sliced vegetables, including red chillies and pink ginger buds.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
The best street for shoppers is Jalan Pinang, where you’ll find shops selling such diverse items as clothing, electronic goods, fabric, handicrafts, jewellery and souvenirs. A good market choice is the so-called Thieves’ Market on Lorong Kulit, where vendors offer up antiques and clever fakes, batik paintings and a variety of souvenirs as well. Night markets open up at the main beach areas; the market at Batu Ferringhi is worth checking out to see what’s on offer. Be sure to haggle over prices; it’s expected and part of the fun.

Daytrips
Butterworth is the mainland terminal for the ferry to Penang and is well worth a daytrip. You can visit the beautiful Kew Ong Yah (Ninth Emperor God) temple that presents an impressive architecture along with very neat sculptures and carvings. Malaysia’s largest bird park, located near the city, is home to over 300 species from throughout the planet, some of which are handfed in two gigantic walk-in aviaries.

A further interesting daytrip option from Penang is a tour to Alor Star, the only state capital on Malaysia’s west coast that has a rich Malay culture. A main tourist draw is the Zahir State Mosque, one of the country’s grandest and oldest mosques, while the Alor Star Tower is a modern and prominent landmark of the state of Kedah.

Another notable state capital on the country’s west coast is the city of Ipoh, featuring the fascinating historical Muzium Darul Ridzuan and the aesthetic ancient Mari Amman Temple. A big Ipoh tree can be admired in front of the recently restored railway station. In the surroundings of Ipoh you can explore a ‘haunted’ castle as well as several caverns and cave temples.

Must-see attractions
Situated on Crane Hill in Air Itam, the Kek Lok Si temple is one of Penang’s most famous temples, housing the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda and the statue of the Goddess of Mercy. Georgetown’s Wat Chayamangkalaram contains the planet’s third largest reclining Buddha and a nine-storey pagoda, the highest in Malaysia.

Further important religious sites include Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest and most renowned Hindu temple on the island; the Snake Temple is a refuge for poisonous pit vipers, which are, however, known not to bite; the majestic State Mosque is one of the country’s most stunning mosques, while the Kapitan Kling Mosque is the first of its kind in Penang.

Nature lovers can enjoy various gardens and parks on the island, above all the 30-hectare Botanical Gardens, featuring hundreds of flowery plants and dozens of fern gardens and lily ponds, not to mention the rhesus monkeys. Nearby is Youth Park with a roller-skating rink and a footpath to Penang Hill, while the beautifully landscaped Forest Recreation Park on the northwest coast is home to freshwater pools, rest huts and a forestry museum.

Best time to go
Penang has an equatorial climate, with temperatures of about 30°C by day and 22°C at night, humidity between 70 and 90 per cent, and a total rainfall of around 2,400 mm per year. January and February are usually the driest months, whereas the wettest period is generally from September to November when recurrent thunderstorms can be anticipated. During an equatorial thunderstorm, you can stop thinking about using an umbrella - just stay indoors.

Rainy day suggestions
An appealing option for a wet day is the unique, indigo-blue Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Georgetown, which was built by Chinese master craftsmen in the 1890s and houses collections of rare sculptures, porcelain, carvings, embroideries and other antiques. You can also visit the Penang State Museum, which displays state treasures and unsurpassed historical artefacts such as furniture, costumes and jewellery.

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