Penang Travel Info From dusk to dawn and city lights to beach settings, the accommodation that awaits each visitor to Penang is a sure sign of our gracious hospitality. For the unfussy visitor who is here on a budget, yet keen to experience our local hospitality in its simplest from, the suitably located hotels in George Town, along Chulia Street and Penang Road would be ideal. Widely known as the Pearl of the Orient, Penang is one of Asia's most famous islands. Its natural beauty and exotic heritage have been attracting curious visitors for centuries. Travel guides have referred to it as " . . . a place of mysterious temples and palm-shrouded beaches", while literary giant Somerset Maugham is known to have stayed on the island and spun tales about the romance of the white planter in South-East Asia. Penang or its Malay name of Pulau Pinang is made up of a turtle-shaped island, a total of 285 square kilometers, and a strip of land called Seberang Prai on Peninsular Malaysia about 48 kilometers wide. Since 1985, the island has been joined to the mainland by the Penang Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world. Alternatively, travellers arriving from the mainland can hop onto the ferry and take a 20-minute ride across. There are also international flights that connect directly to the international airport on the island. Introduction Penang is beautiful island on the west coast of Malaysia. It is known as 'the Pearl of the Orient'. Penang is fully decorated with its colorful history, fascinating culture and lovely beaches. Travelers will find trendy restaurants, sidewalk cafes, discotheques, night markets, departmental stores and quaint pre-war shops together with a host of other place to give lively and colorful character. Penang is amazing and has everything you name it, you get it there. Penang has everything; beaches, history, diverse culture, shopping, food etc. Penang is the most culturally diverse Southeast Asia holiday destination of choice today. Combining the best of a modern city with exotic beaches, colorful history, and fascinating cultures, Penang offers true fantasy experience to it's visitor. Geography Penang is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. Penang is located in Malaysia, a beautiful country in Southeast Asia. Its proper name is Pulau Pinang. Penang is known as 'Pearl of the Orient' and 'Prince of Wales island'. Penang Island is around 285 sq km with approx 1 million populations which consists of Chinese 57%, Malays 32% and Indian 7%. Penang Island is linked by Penang Bridge, one of the world's beautiful bridges. It is bounded to the north and east by state of Kedah, to the south by the Straits of Malacca and Sumatra. Shape of Penang resembles a swimming turtle. Georgetown named after king George is the capital of Penang and has population of about 400000. It is noted for its historic buildings, shopping bargains and great food. Georgetown is the seat of government for state. History Penang got it's name from Malay word Pinang which is the areca plant found in the island. In 15th century it was a quite place populated by small Malay communities. Due to its abundance beauty, geography and for lucrative trade, Penang was already in mind of British. Hence in 1786, an agent for British East India Company, Francis Light arrived in Penang to establish British trading outpost. Then he began a settlement after persuading the Sultan of Kedah. He named Georgetown after king George III . In 1832, Penang formed parts of the Straits settlement with Melaka and Singapore. It flourished and grew to a major trading post for a lucrative trade in tea, spices, cloth etc. For more than 100 years, it remained with British colonial rule untill 1957 when it gained independence and became one of the State of Malaysia. Climate Penang has balanced climate, humid and warm throughout the year. Average max temperature is 32C and average min temperature is 23C. Average temperature is 27.70?C. There is no reasonable hot or cold season, although September to November is considered as the wettest month with some heavy showers. How to go by Air Penang International Airport is connected to many countries. Malaysia airlines flies to more than 94 destination worldwide. Beside, many other international airlines also offer flight to Malaysia. By Rail Malayan Railways connect to both Singapore and Bangkok. It takes 7 to 10 hour to reach Kualalumpur from Singapore and it takes about 2 days from Bangkok. Penang lies between two capitals and there is a stop for it. Local transportation Taxies are plenty available. Better pre purchase your taxi so that you will avoid over charging as they are notorious on over charging. Plenty of buses are available to take you happily around the island. Motor bikes can be a risk due to heavy traffic. Hiring a car is best option but you might take some time to get used to the traffic. Place to visit Wat Chayamangkalaram A Buddhist temple of Thai architecture on a 5-acre site, it houses the world's third largest reclining Buddha which measures 33 metres. Behind the statue are niches where urns containing the ashes of the dead are stored. A nine-storey pagoda approximately 165 feet high and reputed to be the highest such structure in the country is found on the site. There are also statues of gigantic `naga' serpents, mystical creatures that link earth to heaven, from the balustrades at the entrance to the meditation hall. Admission is free. Photography is not permitted within the temple. Sri Mariamman Temple Built in 1883, it is the oldest and most famous Hindu temple in Penang. It contains fascinating scupltured gods and goddesses, amongst them a priceless statue of Lord Subramaniam decorated in gold, diamonds and other precious stones. The temple has a scupltured tower at the entrance and inside it are the symbols of the nine planets. The signs of the zodiac are carved in wood on the ceiling. Admission is free. State mosque Completed in 1980, it stands majestically on a 4.5 hectare site in the Greenlane surburb and is one of the most beautiful mosques in the country. A magnificient chandelier measuring 20 feet by 16 feet adorns the prayer hall which can accommodate 5000 worshipers. From the top of the 170 feet minaret, a panoramic view of Georgetown can be seen. Permission to visit the mosque must be obtained from the State Religious Department. Appropriate dressing is required. Penang State Museum The museum was officially opened on 14 April 1965. In the same year, the art gallery was added to the Museum. The Museum hosts archive and artifacts that are state treasures. Outstanding amongst these are eight of the ten original oil paintings executed by Captain Robert Smith (the remaining two being in a private collection). Other artifacts of note include extensive collections of Baba Nyonya porcelain, furniture, jewellery and costumes that are unsurpassed in their artistic beauty and historical value. Penang bridge The bridge is cable stayed, 13.5 km long, 8.5 km over water, the rest consisting of a viaduct on the island side with a flyover on the mainland. Longest in Asia, reputedly third longest in the world. The island end of the bridge begins near the University at Gelugor and the mainland end at Seberang Jaya. Toll is payable. Visitors not permitted to stop along bridge. KOMTAR KOMTAR is a 65 storey tower atop a 4-storey podium block. Tallest in SE Asia, it houses all government departments, prime commercial space with civic and recreational facilities. KOMTAR is stragetically situated in the heart of the city on a 11 hectare site. Logan Memorial and high court A marble statue stands in the high court compound dedicated to James Richardson Logan, a prominent lawyer and one-time editor of the `Penang Gazette'. Logan devoted his life to serving the public and was a strong advocate of freedom of speech, law and order until his death in 1869. Located in Farquhar Street opposite the Museum. St. George's Church A magnificient edifice built by convicts between 1817 and 1819, it is one of the oldest Anglican churches in Malaya and Singapore. In front of the church stands a monument to Capt. Francis Light. The building has semi-arches, mouldings, doric columns and pillars; the roof which was originally flat is now gable-shaped. Also located next to the Museum. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Built by a Kwangtung businessman, this Chinese mansion of the 18th and 19th century is believed to be one of only three such buildings remaining outside China. The building has ancient tiled roofs, cobbled courtyards, russet brick walls and steel spiral stairways. It contains collections of rare porcelain, sculptures and carvings, tapestries and embroideries, lacquers, bronzes and other antiques. Fort Cornwallis and King Edward Circus Clock Tower Originally a wooden structure, it was rebuilt between 1808 and 1810 by convict labour. Protruding from the fort's rampart are cannons retrieved by the British from pirates who had captured them from the Johore Sultanate. The main cannon 'Seri Rambau' is said to date back to 1613 and, according to local belief, childless women can conceive by placing flowers in its barrel and offering special prayers.The fort is also used as an amphitheatre. The 60 foot clock tower built at the entrance to the the fort was presented to the town by a local millionaire in 1897 in conjunction with Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, each foot signifying one year of her reign. Both structures above are at the Esplanade. Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple Also known as the temple of the Goddess of Mercy, it was built in 1800 by the first Chinese settlers of the Hokkien and Cantonese communities. The temple has been designed in the finest tradition of ancient Chinese architecture. It attracts both ardent pilgrims seeking the assistance of Kuan Yin and tourists. Puppet shows are staged in the temple grounds during the Goddess' birthday celebrations in March and October. Snake Temple The Snake Temple or the Temple of the Azure Cloud, which was built in 1850 on a hillock by the roadside, is dedicated to the diety Char Soo Kong. It is a sanctuary for pit vipers which coil around objects on the altars and other parts of the temple. Although poisonous, these snakes are not known to bite. Devotees refer to them as `officers' of the deity and regard them as `holy and harmless'. Penang Hill A popular rendezvous for the local people and visitors, the hill is 830 metres above sea level. Transport to the summit is by means of a funicular railway which takes 30 minutes. Here the temperature drops to 18 C, a welcome change from the heat below. It offers a panoramic view of Georgetown and the coastal areas of the mainland. Facilities up the hill include a children's playground, teahouse, hotel, hill mosque and an Indian temple. The railway station is located at Air Itam and the services normally operate until late evening. Forest Recreation Park This is a beautifully landscaped park, on the northwest coast. It covers 100 hectares, has several freshwater pools, footpaths, rest huts, and a children's playground. There is a forestry museum which houses exhibits of tropical timbers and their products and preserved insect species. Located at Telok Bahang, 24 km from Georgetown. Admission is free. Botanical Gardens It is the only one in Malaysia and occupies an area of 30 hectares, set in an ideal valley-like area surrounded by forested hills. The garden has a collection of both local and tropical flora and fauna. There are hundreds of trees and flowery plants and dozens of plant houses and nurseries, fern gardens and lily ponds. Attractions also include a replica of the Penang bridge, the library and of course, the rhesus monkeys. In the evening, it is the favourite spot for family picnics and jogging. Located off the Waterfall Road. Youth Park The park is ideal for picnicking, camping, archery and aero-modelling. Hikers can use a foothpath that leads to Penang Hill. The centre piece of the park is a roller-skating rink. Located at Quarry Drive near the Botanical Gardens. Kapitan Kling Mosque This is Penang's first mosque, built around 1800 to replace an old attap structure that had been constructed in 1786 by an Indian Muslim merchant, Cauder Mohideen who was then the `Kling Kapitan' (Indian Muslim Headsman). Its dome shaped and well placed minaret reflects Islamic architecture of Indian influence. It is painted ochre yellow and has a green roof. Dinning in Penang Penang serves the very best in exotic Southeast Asian cuisine while dinning at Penang. Once you taste the cuisine of Penang you will forget everything. From 'Penang Satay Chicken' to 'Penang Rajak', everything is so delicious that you appetite will never die. Satisfy your appetite and indulge in the pleasure of good food while staying in Penang. You will find authentic Prawn Mee, Penang Laksa, Nasi Lemak and many other mouth watering local delicious in the 'Pearl of the Orient' at affordable price with generous servings. Penang international dragon boat festival Dragon boat festival is existed from centuries, founded in China which combines power, speed and endurance of 12 or 20 people, manned by paddlers, steers and a drummer accompanied by thunder of drums and roar of the crowd. Outside of China, Malaysia was the first country to hold dragon boat races. In 1934 dragon boat racing was first introduced as a sporting activity in Penang. In 1956, Penang's first dragon boat racing As held to commerate the Georgetown municipal councils 100th anniversary. 10 years later it was declared as Penang festival. Previously it included local teams from government, public associations and commercial establishments but in 1979, the first Penang International Dragon Boat Festival took place with two team from Singapore and Hong Kong. This festival is supported by the government. Today festival is participated by many countries fighting for the grand prize. It is the biggest and greatest Dragon Boat Festival in Penang and in Malaysia too. Melaka Real Estate - Kuala Lumpur Real Estate - Negeri Sembilan Real Estate - Kelantan Real Estate - Terengganu Real Estate - Tioman Island Real Estate - Johor Real Estate - Kedah Real Estate - Langkawi Island Real Estate - Penang Real Estate - Sabah Real Estate - Shah Alam Real Estate - Selangor Real Estate - Kuching Real Estate - Cameron Highlands Real Estate - Perak Real Estate - Sarawak Real Estate - Kuantan Real Estate - Malacca Real Estate - Pahang Real Estate - Sarawak Real Estate - Kota Bharu Real Estate - Kuala Terengganu Real Estate - Johor Bahru Real Estate - Ipoh Real Estate - Mersing Real Estate - Pulau Pinang Real Estate - Port Dickson Real Estate - Seremban Real Estate