In recent years, the state of Penang (Malaysia) is a favorite place for many visitors because of the natural scenery and the interference of many cultures and cuisines. If you have the opportunity to visit Penang, do not miss the following places
George Town
The first place you cannot ignore is George Town which was considered as World Cultural Heritage in 2008 by UNESCO. You can see the flock of pigeons flying freely across the street.
You’ll be excited to walk across small streets to find the most famous Street Art walls in South East Asia and admire the 100-year-old buildings.
Famous paintings such as “Little Boy on a Motorcycle”, “Baby and the Dinosaur” and “Kids on a bicycle” are the places which cannot be ignored for those who are passionate about photography.
George Town
In addition to the paintings with deceptive visual effects in George Town, there are also steel bending pictures. These pictures often tell about ancient customs and culture of the old town.
Pinang Peranakan Mansion
Penang was a British colony and was strictly controlled, so today it still preserved the valuable architectural heritage. One of them is the ancient house of Pinang Peranakan – the house of the Peranakan (the crossbred of the Chinese and indigenous people).
Pinang Peranakan Mansion is the symbolic home for the wealthy, prosperous lifestyle of its owner more than a century ago. If the exterior is quite simple, does not pick up the decorative details, the interior makes visitors go from this surprise to another one.
The floor is covered by high-grade ceramic tiles imported from England – a material that the rich people in Penang used in colonial times. In other spaces such as the living room and the dining room, the decorations bring a sense of East Asia beauty.
The house is filled with stone and porcelain artifacts. Especially it displays the gold objects with guards.
Kek Lok Si Pagoda
Kek Lok Si Pagoda is also a place worth visiting in Penang, also known as “Thousand Buddha Pagoda” with 1,000 statues. It is the largest Buddhist Pagoda in Penang and the largest Buddhist monastery in Southeast Asia, playing an important role in the religious life of the Chinese community in Malaysia.
This majestic temple is always attracting visitors to worship, especially at every Buddhist festival.
Kek Lok Si pagoda
Escape Adventure Land
An adventure destination which cannot be missed when you come to Penang is Escape Adventure Land. Escape is a huge thrilling park where you can try exciting adventure games in addition to bungee jumping, climbing and strolling.
Beaches in Penang
Penang has a long coastline so it owns many beautiful beaches. Here are some wonderful beaches in Penang:
Teluk Kampi Beach
- Teluk Kampi Beach: It is an interesting place for tourists to make a hiking trip. The trails here will be challenging enough and visitors should be fully equipped before the start of the trip. In addition, tourists can relax by swimming or watching the birds. In particular, if you are traveling to Malaysia between February and April, do not miss the chance to see the green turtles laying eggs at Teluk Kampi beach.
- Tanjung Bungah: It is a picturesque suburban beach. In the past, this area is a remote fishing village hidden behind the green mountains. However, thanks to the growing Malaysian tourism, the local government has built a number of facilities as well as refurbishing it to become a popular tourist attraction on Penang Island. Visitors to the beach can also play beach volleyball, beach football or participate in the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival held in June (or July) each year.
- Monkey Beach: It is located on the edge of Penang National Park on the northwest coast. The beach is named after the monkeys that live so many in this area. This is a popular beach on Penang Island for visitors to go camping, fishing and scuba diving. It will be the ideal stop for those who seek tranquility in the trip.
However, there are beaches in luxury hotels and resorts. If you do not stay there, you will still be able to go to this beautiful bathing area. Swimming, enjoying seafood and watching sunset are really memorable experiences during the trip.
Penang bridges
Penang Island is famous for its two bridges of the same name. The first bridge of Penang is 13.5 km long.
The second Penang Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Southeast Asia with 24 km, linking Penang Island with the Malay Peninsula, saving time traveling between islands and the mainland.
This bridge is 250 meters long and the height for boat crossing is 30 meters, making it easy for large vessels to pass easily, making Penang an important transportation and logistics hub.
Penang bridge
Design Village
If you like shopping, you cannot miss Design Village officially opened in November 2016. In here, there are many big fashion brands. This is the largest outlet in Northern Malaysia, with an area of 140,000 m2, open architecture with only one storey with 150 stores selling all kinds of fashion, cosmetics, restaurants, and supermarkets. Remember to control your time if you do not want to miss the last bus.
Komtar building
From the 68th floor of the Komtar building, you can take in panoramic views of Penang Island with the first 13.5km Penang Bridge in the distance.
With a height of 232 meters and a glass walkway, this is definitely not for the people with a faint heart.
The above are some suggestions about interesting destinations in Penang. Have a fun trip!
