Thanks to the many nightclubs and entertainment venues in Penang, it is very lively. Most of the hotels are located in the north of the island in the Batu Ferringhi resort area, where dozens of restaurants, shops, various shops, markets and night markets are open. There are also the most famous sandy beaches of Penang, very popular among tourists. Only a few hotels are located a little further from this resort.
The capital is Georgetown. For Malaysia climate and geography, please check TopPharmacySchools.
Jellyfish interfere with swimming in the coastal zone of Penang, therefore, as an alternative, tourists are offered inexpensive half-day cruises to uninhabited islands with pristine beaches and clear water.
How to get to Penang
You can get to the island both by ferry from the town of Buttervourh, and by land transport. Penang is connected to the mainland by a 13.5 km bridge, which is considered one of the longest in Asia and the third longest in the world. There are also local flights to Penang from Kuala Lumpur (journey time – 50 minutes).
A Brief History of Penang
Once this island belonged to the Sultan of Kedah and was uninhabited until 1786, until the British East India Company decided to establish its trading post here. Since then, Penang has become the first possession of the British in what is now Malaysia. And in the same year, the Englishman Francis Light founded the capital of the island – the city of Georgetown, naming it in honor of the English Emperor George III. The new owners of Penang immediately saw a potential resort in this land, overgrown with tropical jungles of betel nut palms, and a few decades later the Sargsyan brothers opened the first hotels here.
The beaches of Penang
Notable is the golden beach of Ferringhi Beach in Batu, which is located on the northern coast of the island. There are several luxurious hotels, all kinds of water sports and horseback riding.
The most famous beaches are: Teluk Bakhang (“bay of embers”) on the western edge of the island, Tanjung Bungah (“overhanging rocks”) with giant reefs and lush vegetation, and Telun Bakhang with its secluded coves.
In total, the hotel base of Penang is about 25 hotels, 18 of which are five-star. Casuarina Beach, Feringghi Beach, Shangri-La Golden Sands, Park Royal Holiday, Inn Penang Bayview Beach, Penang Parkroyal Resort are especially popular.
Chips for playing mahjong or Chinese personalized seals are considered interesting souvenirs from the island.
- Penang
Shopping and shopping in Penang
For shopping, it is better to go to the capital of the island – the city of Georgetown. The Penang Road area is full of shops selling handicrafts and antiques. Bargain with local street vendors at nearby Leboch Campbell Street. There are also many shops around Rope Walk and Love Lane. In search of antiques, it is better to go around the streets of Jalan-Masjid-Kapitan-Keling, Lebukh-Chulio and Lebukh-Pantay.
Chips for playing mahjong or Chinese personalized seals are considered interesting souvenirs from the island.
Entertainment and attractions in Penang
Excursion Temples of Penang (25-30 USD): Temple of the Snake (and indeed, many of these reptiles, curled up in spirals, lie peacefully on the altar: the local snakes are considered harmless, because they are drugged by the smell of constantly smoking incense), Kek-Lok-Si (“Temple of ten thousand Buddhas”) and Wat Chaiyamangkalaram with the world’s third largest statue of the reclining Buddha (33 m).
Excursions to the butterfly park (3000 butterflies and more than 50 species of other insects), bird park (400 bird species from around the world, orchids, hibiscus and other tropical flowers) and botanical garden, each – 25-30 USD.
Website: http://www.butterfly-insect.com
Other attractions: St. George’s Church in Georgetown, Sri Marimman Temple, famous for its numerous statues of Indian deities, Khu Kongsi house and Mount Penang (830 meters, funicular operates), from where a beautiful panorama of the island opens.
The sights of the capital of the island – the city of Georgetown: Fort Cornwallis, the Little India quarter, the Khu-Kongsi clan temple decorated with carvings and the Masjid-Captain-Kling mosque. Notable is the Penang State Museum, which houses a priceless collection of historical photographs, documents, maps, paintings, antiques and period furniture. Also worth seeing is the Chong Fat Tse Mansion, which features elaborate mosaics of animals from Chinese legends on its roof.
It is interesting to go on a jungle trek in the Teluk Bahang National Reserve.
It is believed that in George Town, on Gurney Drive, you can taste some of the best dishes of traditional Malaysian cuisine. For example, small sate skewers, flat fried char kue tiao noodles and “spring” rolls with popia vegetable filling.
Weather in Penang
As in the rest of Malaysia, Penang does not show seasonal fluctuations in weather. During the year, the temperature here is kept at +23…32°С, water +26…28°С.
The rainy season lasts from May to September, so the best time to visit the island is from October to March.
