Penang- More than just White Sands

Penang, an island state situated in north-west Malaysia is an immensely popular vacation destination in Malaysian. Penang’s history can be traced to the 15^th century when it began life as a remote backwater, inhabited by a small community of Malays and Southern Indian merchants. Penang’s emerged on the global scene, when it was discovered by Francis Light, an agent for the British East India Company in 1786. Light arrived on the northeast part of Penang and soon went about establishing the settlement of Georgetown, which he named after King George III.
Georgetown was Britain’s most prominent outpost in Malaya and it attracted hordes of European, Arab, Indian, Chinese and Malay traders who settled down here. This multi-ethnic and multi-cultural character of Penang continues to endure until today.

Prominent attractions in Penang include:-

Penang Hill

The  summit of Bukit Bendera(Penang Hill) can be accessed via a path that lies within the Penang Botanic Gardens but this walk can take up to two to three hours. An easier way to get to this summit is to ride the air-conditioned funicular, which transports visitors to the top of the hill in just five minutes. Once at the top, visitors can savor the awe-inspiring views of the city of Georgetown, surrounded by lofty hills and sparkling seas. Cafes and stores located at the summit offer visitors a chance to take a breather and relax as they relish the views.

The Penang Botanic Gardens

The Penang Botanical Gardens extend over thirty verdant acres.  Popularly referred to as ‘the Waterfall Gardens’, after the stream that tumbles down from Penang Hill, the gardens are a favorite haunt of the city’s morning walkers and joggers. The botanical gardens host various attractions like an orchid house, a palm house, a cactus garden, a bromeliad house and several native trees, plants and shrubs. The gardens are also home to a large population of long-tailed macaque monkeys, birds and insects. Visitors are cautioned not to feed the monkeys as they to get aggravated and bite. A path from within the garden leads to the top of Penang Hill.

Batu Ferringhi Night Market

Penang’s famous white-sand Batu Ferringhi beach hosts a wide variety of resorts and offers a multitude of water sporting activities. However, this gorgeous beachfront also hosts lively night market populated by numerous vendors who offer products like t-shirts, DVDs, accessories, toys, souvenirs and a various other knick-knacks favored by tourists. The night market at Batu Ferringhi is a cacophony of sights, sounds and tastes in the fashion of most south-east Asian markets and is great fun to visit.

Kek Lok Si Temple

The Kek Lok Si Temple also known as the ‘Temple of Supreme Bliss’ is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia. The temple dates back to 1893 when it was constructed on the terraces of Penang Hill.  Star attractions at the temple include the seven-storey tall Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas and the 90ft (30 m) tall statue of Kuan Yin (the Chinese Goddess of Mercy) which was added to the complex in 2003. 

 

 

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (the Blue Mansion)

Cheong Fatt Tze was Chinese tycoon who built a huge empire in Southeast Asia in the late 19^th Century.  He arrived in Penang in 1890, and went on to build, the magnificent ‘Blue Mansion’ to accommodate his large family which included eight wives.

This well preserved mansion which is built according to traditional Feng Shui principles and is a fine example of Chinese architecture (the Hakka-Teochew style) is equipped with 38 rooms built around five airy courtyards. Decorative trimmings of the mansion include much stained glass, carved moldings and doors and seven elaborate staircases.

The Khoo Kongsi Clan House

Amongst the many heritage buildings of Georgetown, is a magnificent structure, the Khoo Kongsi clan house. This impressive edifice which was built in 1920 after the original structure was destroyed by a fire in 1906, displays distinct Indo-Malay influences. The walls, pillars and roof of the imposing structure are adorned with intricate carvings created by master craftsmen from China. The temple serves as a locale for many Chinese opera performances during the seventh lunar month.

Penang’s Little India

Penang’s historic Little India district is located along Georgetown’s streets like Lebuh Queen, Lebuh Chulia and Jalan Pasar (Market Street). Indian immigrants arrived in Penang during the early 19^th century. They were made up of agricultural laborers, spice traders and money lenders. These immigrants hailed from various Indian communities like, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Malyalees and Tamils.  Penang’s Little India is an exotic, colorful enclave populated by Indian restaurants and  sari and jewelry stores.
The area also  has its midst Penang’s oldest Hindu temple, the Sri Mariamman Temple, built in 1833, by a group of Southern Indians called Chettiars.  Penang’s Chinatown is located close by and is also worth a visit.

Gurney Drive

Gurney Drive known as ‘Persiaran Gurney’ is Penang’s most famous food street.  Located on the city’s waterfront, Gurney Drive is named after Sir Henry Gurney, a Malayan High Commissioner, who was assassinated during the period of Emergency in Malaysia in the early 1950s.

Gurney Drive hosts several restaurants and hawker stalls which serve delicious, native Penang eats like Penang Laksa, Fried Oyster, Wantan Mee, Penang Rojak, ABC( Ais Kacang) which must be sampled on any visit to Penang.

The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery

The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery situated in Georgetown. The museum is hosts several galleries which catalogue the rich history and diverse culture of Penang. The extensive permanent collection at the museum features photographs, paintings, costumes, antiques, maps, historical documents, Chinese furniture, embroidery samples and more. The Penang Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the museum and today hosts the works of local artists which appear alongside older works created by William Daniels and Captain Robert Smith.

The above listed attractions are but a few of the many attractions that this vibrant and vivacious Malaysian destination has to offer and invites you to discover.