Penang

Introduction

Kek Lok Si Temple

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Penang (Malay: Pulau Pinang) is the second smallest of the 13 states of Malaysia, and George Town on Penang Island is its capital. Penang might refer to the city, the island or the state.

Penang state population has more than 1.5 million, nearly half residing on Penang Island. There are a considerably large population of ethnic Chinese, consisting of over two-fifths of the population - about the same proportion as the ethnic Malay. Expatriates consist of over five per cent of the population in the state due to the large number of multinational companies operating here such as AMD, Bosch, Dell, Hitachi, Intel, Motorola and Osram.

Geography

Penang state consists of two parts, Penang Island and mainland Province Wellesley (Malay: Seberang Perai), connected by ferry from Butterworth across the 3-kilometre-wide North Channel and by the 13.5-kilometre-long Penang Bridge, the longest in Malaysia.

Cities

• George Town

Sights and Activities

• Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
• Khoo Kongsi
• Kek Lok Si Temple
• Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram (Reclining Buddha)
• Night markets
• Penang Hill Furnicular Train
• Botanical Gardens
• Penang Butterfly Farm
• Northern beaches
• Gurney Drive
• Ferringhi Beach
• Fort Cornwallis
• Penang Museum
• Penang War Musuem
• Straits Quay
• Penang Ferry

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

Penang International Airport (PEN) has quite a few international and domestic services. AirAsia flies to/from Hong Kong, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Macau and Singapore. Other airlines serve cities like Taipei, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Langkawi, Medan, Phuket, Jakarta and Bangkok.

By Train

Butterworth station is a terminus on the northern route of the west coast railway line. KTMB operates trains to/from this station, with trains towards Kualu Lumpur and Bangkok.

By Car

By Bus

Several companies offer bus services to George Town from Kuala Lumpur (5-6 hours), Johor Bahru and Singapore (both around 10 hours) and other cities and towns across the Malaysian Peninsula. There are also minivans services to places in southern Thailand with van/ferry combinations possible, even to the Perhentian Islands.

By Boat

Ferries travel between Penang and Butterworth, Langkawi and Medan on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra. It's a relatively short ride to Butterworth, about 2.5 hours to Langkawi and 6 hours to Medan.

Getting Around

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Travellers are spoiled for choice when it comes to food in Penang with plenty of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya, local seafood, street food and good old western favourites.

• Penang Laksa
• Penang Rojak
• Pasembur
• Nasi Kandar
• Char Kuetiau (Fried Flat Noodle)
• Hokkien Mee (Prawn Noodle)
• Yam Rice
• Cendol
• Ice Kacang

Drink

Sleep

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Tourism Website