WELCOME TO PENANG ISLAND

I live on Penang Island since I was a little girl. I love Penang, I have many fond memories here,,, my childhood was spend here
Now let me guide you to a tour of Penang, with you sitting right in front of your computer...relax....and have a cup of tea.

Penang, my hometown is well known to the travellers as the "Pearl of the Orient."
One of the 13 states of Malaysia and is situated on the north-western coast of the peninsular.
It is bounded to the north and east by the State of Kedah, to the south by the State of Perak, and to the westby the Straits of Malacca and Sumatra.Linked by the Penang Bridge,and a 24-hour ferry service, is Penang Island and Seberang Perai, mainland.
The island covers 285 sq. kilometers. The area of Penang is 24km north to south and 14.5km east, whose shape resembles a swimming turtle.

Penang has an equatorial climate which is quite uniform through the year. The climate is warm and humid. The average temperature is 27.7 degree celcius. There are no reconisable hot or cold seasons and the mean annual rainfall of approx. 267cm is evenly distributed throughout the year, though September to November may be considered the wettest months with heavy showers.

The history of modern Penang can be traced back to 1786 when Francis Light managed to persuade the Sultan of Kedah to cede "Pulau Pinang" (island of the Betel nut) to the British East India Company. Light landed at the site of the present Esplanade and according to local legend, fired gold coins into the surrounding jungle to induce his men to clear the area. The island was originally named Prince of Wales Island and the settlement that soon grew up was named Georgetown after King George III. In 1800, the Sultan of Kedah further ceded a strip of land on the mainland across the channel which Light named Province Wellesley, after the then Governor of India. In 1832, Penang formed part of the Straits Settlement with Malacca and Singapore. It flourished and grew to be a major trading post for a lucrative trade in tea, spices, china and cloth. For more than a hundred years, it remained under British Colonial rule until 1957 when it gained independence and became one of the states of the newly formed Federation of Malaya and later Malaysia in 1963.

Penang offers a heady and exotic mix of various sights, cultures, buildings old and new, intoxicating scents and lively sounds within the narrow streets of Georgetown steeped in age-old history. While a conducted tour in air-conditioned comfort might do for some, what better way to absorb all these than to undertake your sight-seeing on foot with the aid of a handy street map.

Now I will take you to a trip round the island...
First we go to the seasides,with famous beaches of Penang--Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi, and Teluk Bahang...offer all the scenic delights of a tropical island paradise. Penang is a resort island in full swing, with an abundance of fine hotels, discotheques, and all night restaurants...the ideal playground for sunworshippers who gain speed as the sun goes down.
It's here by the beach ,that Barrie and I left lots of foot prints and sweet memories which we will always treasured..

And there is another undiscovered side of Penang. Along the northwestern coastline, on the opposite side of the island from Georgetown, lie some of the finest and least known beaches on the island. Sparkling sea, powdery white sand, and sunlight filtering through coconut groves awaits those who are willing to hike the jungle paths that are the beaches' only access. The effort is more than worthwhile.

As fabulous as its beaches are, some of Penang's deeper mysteries should also be experienced. According to local folklore,the famous Kek Lok Si temple, at Air Itam, is reputed to be the most beautiful and largest temple complex in Southeast Asia. Its seven-story pagoda, over 90 feet high, is a harmonious blend of Chinese, Thai, and Burmese architecture and craftsmanship.
The Snake Temple, dedicated to a Buddhist healer-priest, was inhabited by snakes who crawled out of the jungle on the night of the temple's completion. The snakes are still there today.

Kuan Yin Temple is popularly known as the temple of the Goddess of Mercy, it is the oldest temple in Penang. Built in 1800, it is said to have a hidden magical "eye" . The Temple forecourt houses two big iron stoves where devotees burn paper money to help predict the future and grant wishes. They then proceed inside where they light incense and shake joss sticks which reveal the future.

Khoo Kongsi,is my clan house, - a living testimony of fine Chinese architecture featuring ornate carvings and other decorative features. My forefathers who emigrated from South China built it as a clan-house for members of the Khoo family. It was burned down in 1894 and some believed that it was due to its resemblance to the Emperor's palace. A scaled down version was later built in 1902. The building features a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.

Wat Chayamangkalaram, a Buddhist temple of Thai architecture houses a 33-metre gold-plated reclining Buddha - said to be the third largest in the world. The niches behind the statue house urns containing the ashes of devotees .

Right across the road is the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple, A pair of elephants guard the entrance to this Burmese temple. Within the pagoda grounds is a Boddhi tree and a wishing pond. It is the scene of much festivities during the water festival in April.

Sri Mariamman Temple, was built in 1883, features fascinating sculptures of gods and goddesses over its main entrance and on its facade. Housed within its ornately decorated interior is the priceless statue of Lord Subramaniam embellished with gold, silver, diamonds and emeralds. The statue figures prominently in the annual Thaipusam festival when it is borne on a silver chariot through the city streets to the temple at Jalan Waterfall.

Kapitan Kling Mosque, Named after the Indian Muslim merchant, the "Kapitan Kling" (headman) Caudeer Mohudeen who built it in the early 19th century. It features an ochre yellow facade and dome-shaped minaret reflecting Moorish Islamic influence. Permission to enter must be sought from mosque officials.

St George's Church, Built with convict labour in 1818, it is one of the oldest landmarks in the city. The entrance of this stately Anglican Church named after the patron saint of England, features a memorial canopy dedicated to Captain Francis Light.

On the way to Penang Hill.. you can see our Penang State Mosque,Our State Mosque features elegant modern architecture and took four years to complete. It can accommodate 5,000 worshipppers for congregational prayers and is usually packed on Fridays. Permission to enter must be obtained from the State Religious Department, Lebuh Pantai. Visitors must dress appropriately and romove their shoes before entering.

The famous Penang hills of Penang - Western Hill, Tiger Hill, Strawberry Hill, etc. are popular among visitors and locals who flock to the cool hills at weekends and during holidays. A 30-minute journey by funicular rail takes visitors to summit of Flagstaff Hill of Bukit Bendera which offers panoramic views of Georgetown and the mainland beyond said to be especially beautiful at nightfall. A bird park, souvenir stalls, restaurants and a hotel are also available at the mail recreational area.
There is a good walking track up the hill. It takes 4 hours to reach the top and is recommended only for the more energetic. The jungle trail begins at the 'moongate' at Waterfall Road, approximately 300m from the Botanic Gardens entrance.

The Botanical Gardens offer peace and tranquility amidst lush green surroundings, tropical plants and the vibrant colours of Penang's flora. The 30-hectare garden also features a waterfall. Created in 1884 by the British, it was meant as a tribute to Charles Curtis, its first superintendent who collected botanical specimens from the surrounding hills - specimens which have since become significant samples in the world's major herbariums. The gardens are also well-known for their bold Rhesus monkeys.

Other worthwhile stops are the delightful Penang Bird Park, Fort Cornwallis, the site of Light's first landing, and the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve (crisscrossed with beautiful trails leading to isolated beaches).
A trekthrough the reserve's interior reveals rare flora, monkeys chattering in the trees, sea eagles surveying their prey, and maybe a glimpse of a Hawksbill turtle heading for the sea. Some hotels organize early morning treks through the forest.

Along the way is Penang's Butterfly Farm, the farm spans 0.8 hectares and is home to 3,000 living specimens of over 50 species of colourful butterflies, frogs, scorpions and other insects. It features a lily pond, artificial waterfalls, a rock garden, tunnel and bubbling mud pool. Also included within the farm are a garden enclosure, breeding area, laboratory, exhibition area, souvenir shops and information centre.

If you came to Penang and do not cross the Penang Bridge,, you will missed the splendour of this magnificent bridge. It is a 13.5 km spectacularly beautiful bridge linking Penang to the mainland is the longest in Asia and third longest in the world. It features a 225-metre high middle span which allows 50,000 tonne ships to pass beneath.

After the round island tour , I am sure you are hungry already, let's have some thing to eat,and Penang is a Food Paradise.. with Hawker food at every street corners,, and of course if your budgets can spare you, you can dine at posh restuarants and the prices are very reasonable and down to earth!!

Of course there are many other sights to see only while you are here,,so why don't you make Penang your next holiday destination?? You are always be most welcome here .