Penang - Pearl of the orient

Penang is one of Malaysia's major tourist destinations. Not for nothing! It has much to offer to travelers.

Getting there and away

Penang is easy accessible for cyclists. You can fly in at Penang International Airport and you can cycle to Butterworth. Here are three different roads described to come and go to Butterworth, where you will get a ferry to Penang.

• Penang to Pangkor (through Kulim-Selama-Taiping)
• Penang to Thailand (via Alor Setar)
• Penang to Hat Yai (via Betong)
• Penang to Pangkor with Johan, 8 years old

There is a daily train to Thailand (Bangkok through Hat Yai). The new opened Penang Bus station next to the jeti offers buses to almost everywhere in Malaysia including destinations as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Bahru, Malacca and Hat Yai.

Teluk Bahang, Penang National Park, a must visit in Penang

There are two ferries a day to Langkawi which take about 4 hours leaving at 8.15am (via Pulau Payar) and 8.30am. The ferries from Langkawi leave at 2.30pm (via P. Payar) and 5.15pm. Ticket is RM 60 one way (RM 115 two ways).

Things to see

Georgetown is part of the UNESCO heritage with the old Armenian Quarter as its main center. Here you find some of the oldest and most beautiful temples and residences showing Penang's welfare through the years.

Here is more about Penang Heritage City

Of course there are some fine beaches like Batu Ferringhi. In the north west of Penang you will find Teluk Bahang, a nature reserve with some fine beaches too.

Cycling around the island is possible, you can find fine trails in the hills too. Penang has many active and enthusiast cyclist.

Among things to see are:

• Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas
• Thaipusam
• Mooncake in Penang
• Cheng Kon Sze Penang
• Nine Emperor Gods temple, Tow Boo Kong Temple in Butterworth
• Burmese Temple
• Cooking Class in the Tropical Spice Garden
• Teluk Bahang

Accommodation

Since long the Penang beaches are famous, with Vatu Ferringhi as its most famous. It is here where you find one of the oldest hotels in Penang: the Lone Pine Hotel but there are many other hotels.

Here is the main hotels in Penang page. But as Penang has many hotels, I wrote a few more pages about hotels in more specific areas in Penang.

• Batu Ferringhi
• Gurney Drive
• Georgetown Hotels
• Bayan Lepas

Penang is probably the best place to explore the famous Malaysian cuisine. There is an endless amount of food courts to explore. Dishes are endless in variation and the quality is always great. In case you have the desire to learn to cook yourself, Nazlina's cooking class in the Tropical Spice Garden is unique in Malaysia.

More about other accommodation and food in Malaysia

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