Lonely Planet Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang Read online

  ABicycle There are plenty of places that rent bicycles in George Town, although few of them have robust enough bikes for long-distance pedalling around the island (which is hilly).

  ATrishaw Bicycle rickshaws are a fun, if touristy, way to negotiate George Town’s backstreets and cost between RM20 and RM40 per hour depending on your negotiating skills. As with taxis, it’s important to agree on the fare before departure.

  USEFUL RAPID PENANG BUS SERVICES

  Destination Route No Pickup

  Batu Ferringhi 101 Pengkalan Weld, Lebuh Chulia, KOMTAR

  Penang International Airport, Teluk Kumbar 401 Pengkalan Weld, Lebuh Chulia

  Persiaran Gurney 101, 103 Pengkalan Weld, KOMTAR

  Penang Hill 204 Pengkalan Weld, Lebuh Chulia, KOMTAR

  Sungai Nibong Bus Station 401, 303 Pengkalan Weld, Lebuh Chulia, KOMTAR

  Teluk Bahang 101 Pengkalan Weld

  Need to Know

  A Area Code 04

  ALocation Penang is 370km northwest of Kuala Lumpur

  APenang Global Tourism The visitor centre of the state tourism agency is the best all-round place to go for maps, brochures and local information.

  History

  Little is known of Penang’s early history. Chinese seafarers were aware of the island, which they called Betelnut Island, as far back as the 15th century, but it appears to have been uninhabited. It wasn’t until the early 1700s that colonists arrived from Sumatra and established settlements at Batu Uban and the area now covered by southern George Town. The island came under the control of the sultan of Kedah, but in 1771 the sultan signed the first agreement with the British East India Company, handing them trading rights in exchange for military assistance against Siam (present-day Thailand).

  Fifteen years later Captain Francis Light, on behalf of the East India Company, took possession of Penang, which was formally signed over in 1791. Light renamed it Prince of Wales Island, as the acquisition date fell on the prince’s birthday. Light permitted new arrivals to claim as much land as they could clear and this, together with a duty-free port and an atmosphere of liberal tolerance, quickly attracted settlers from all over Asia. By the turn of the 18th century, Penang was home to over 10,000 people.

  In 1800, a slice of the peninsula opposite Penang Island, today known as Seberang Perai, was ceded to the British by the sultan of Kedah. It was named Province Wellesley after Richard Wellesley, then Governor of Madras and Governor General of Bengal.

  Penang briefly became the capital of the Straits Settlements (which included Melaka and Singapore) in 1826, until it was superseded by the more-thriving Singapore. By the middle of the 19th century, Penang had become a major player in the Chinese opium trade, which provided more than half of the colony’s revenue. It was a dangerous, rough-edged place, notorious for its brothels and gambling dens, all run by Chinese secret societies.

  There was little action in Penang during WWI, but WWII was a different story. When it became evident that the Japanese would attack, Penang’s Europeans were immediately evacuated, leaving behind a largely defenceless population. Japan took over the island on 19 December 1941, only 12 days after the attack on Pearl Harbour in the US. The following 3½ years were the darkest of Penang’s history.

  Things were not the same after the war. The local impression of the invincibility of the British had been irrevocably tainted and the end of British imperialism seemed imminent. The Straits Settlements were dissolved in 1946; Penang became a state of the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and one of independent Malaysia’s 13 states in 1963.

  With its free-port status withdrawn in 1969, Penang went through several years of decline and high unemployment. Over the next 20 years, the island was able to build itself up as one of the largest electronics manufacturing centres of Asia and is now sometimes dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of the East’.

  Today, Penang is the only state in Malaysia that has elected an ethnic Chinese chief minister since independence, something that has caused relations with the Malay-led federal government to be, at times, less than accommodating. In June 2016, Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng was charged with two counts of corruption, a turn of events that is widely seen as politically motivated.

  Penang

  1Top Sights

  1Art & Garden by Fuan WongB2

  2Penang National ParkA1

  3Tropical Spice GardenB1

  1Sights

  Ban Po TharC3

  4Botanical GardensD2

  5Entopia by Penang Butterfly FarmB2

  6EscapeB1

  7Holy Name of Jesus Catholic ChurchB4

  8Kek Lok Si TempleC3

  9Pantai Pasir PanjangA5

  10Penang War MuseumC6

  11Sam Poh Footprint TempleC6

  12Suffolk HouseD2

  13The HabitatC2

  5Eating

  BungalowC1

  Cafe Ko Cha Bi Balik PulauB4

  14David Brown'sC2

  15Ferringhi GardenC1

  16Gurney Drive Hawker StallsD2

  17Hai Boey SeafoodB5

  18Jia Siang CafeA5

  Kek Lok Si Temple RestaurantC3

  19KhunthaiB5

  20Restoran K-HaleelB1

  21Sea Pearl Lagoon CafeD1

  Suffolk HouseD2

  TarbushC1

  Terapung Pulau AmanF6

  Tree MonkeyB1

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  22Bora BoraC1

  GravityD2

  3Entertainment

  Hard Rock CafeB1

  7Shopping

  23Gurney PlazaD2

  2Sports & Activities

  24Chi the Spa at Shangri-laC1

  Tropical Spice Garden Cooking CoursesB1

  4Sleeping

  25Audi GuesthouseB5

  26Baba Guest HouseB1

  G Hotel GurneyD2

  G Hotel KelawaiD2

  27Hard Rock HotelB1

  28Homestay Pulau AmanF6

  29Hotel SportfishingB1

  30Lone Pine HotelC1

  LZBC1

  31MalihomB5

  Rasa Sayang ResortC1

  RoomiesC1

  Roomies SuitesC1

  32Sea Princess HotelB1

  Shangri-La Golden Sands ResortC1

  George Town

  Explore

  Combine three distinct and ancient cultures, indigenous and colonial architecture, shake for a few centuries, and garnish with some of the best food in Southeast Asia, and you've got the irresistible urban cocktail that is George Town.

  Alongside the time-worn shophouses of the Unesco World Heritage Zone, you’ll find Chinese temples in Little India and mosques in Chinatown, and Western-style skyscrapers and shopping complexes gleaming high above British Raj–era architecture.

  The eclectic jumble makes this a city that rewards explorers. Get lost in the maze of chaotic streets and narrow lanes, past shrines decorated with strings of paper lanterns and fragrant shops selling Indian spices; or enjoy George Town's burgeoning street-art scene, its modern cafes and fun bars.

  The Best…

  ASight Blue Mansion

  APlace to Eat Lg Baru (New Lane) Hawker Stalls

  APlace to Drink Kopi C

  Top Tip

  There are no specific LGBT bars or clubs in George Town, although Seventy7 ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.facebook.com/Seventy7cafe; 34 Jln Nagore; h7.30pm-1.30am) is certainly gay-friendly. All the GHT properties (www.georgetownheritage.com) are LGBT-friendly too.

  George Town

  1Top Sights

  1Blue MansionD2

  2Cheah KongsiE4

  3Khoo KongsiE4

  4Pinang Peranakan Mansion & Straits Chinese Jewelry MuseumG3

  1Sights

  5Chew JettyF5

  6Hin Bus Depot Art CentreB5

  7Kids on a BicycleE4

  8Komik AsiaC5

  9Kuan Yin TengF3

  10Lebuh ArmenianE4

  11Penang MuseumE2

  12Protestant CemeteryD1

  13Sr
i Mariamman TempleE4

  14Tech Dome PenangB4

  15Teochew Puppet & Opera HouseE4

  16The Top at KOMTARB4

  17Town HallF2

  18Yap KongsiE4

  5Eating

  Awesome CanteenF5

  19Boey Chong KeeD4

  BTBF4

  20China HouseF4

  21Cozy in the RocketE4

  22Da Shu Xia Seafood HouseF5

  23Fu Er DaiC1

  24Goh Thew ChikD3

  25HameediyahC3

  26Hong Kee Bamboo NoodleD4

  27Jawi HouseE4

  28Joo Hooi CafeC4

  29KebayaE3

  30KirishimaD2

  31Lebuh Presgrave Hawker StallsC6

  32Lg Baru (New Lane) Hawker StallsA4

  33Ming Xiang Tai Pastry DelightsF5

  34Moody CowB3

  35My Nonya FavouritesF3

  36Ocean GreenC1

  37Quay CaféG4

  38Sri Ananda BahwanF3

  39TeksenE3

  40Tho Yuen RestaurantD3

  41Top View Restaurant & LoungeB4

  42Veloo VillasF3

  43Via PreG3

  44Wai KeiD3

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  45Beach Blanket BabylonC1

  46C&J Alabama ShakeF3

  47Café 55E3

  48Constant GardenerG2

  49InchE2

  50Jing-Si Books & CafeG4

  Kopi CF4

  51MétisserC4

  52Micke's PlaceE3

  53Mish MashE2

  54Mugshot CafeE3

  55Odeon Trick Art Cafe & RestaurantC2

  56Seventy7A2

  57Three Sixty Revolving Restaurant & Sky BarE2

  58Vine & SingleF5

  3Entertainment

  59CanteenF5

  7Shopping

  60Batek-LahB3

  61Bon TonE4

  62Campbell St MarketD4

  63Chop KongsiF4

  64Fuan WongE5

  65Gerak BudayaE3

  66Kuala Kangsar MarketC3

  67Little Penang Street MarketD1

  68Moon ShopD1

  69ottokedaiF5

  70Run AmokA6

  71Sam's Batik HouseC3

  72Shop HowardE4

  Sunday Pop-Up MarketB5

  73Tropical Spice Garden In TownF4

  74Unique PenangE3

  2Sports & Activities

  75George Town World Heritage IncorporatedD4

  76Nazlina Spice StationD4

  77Penang Heritage TrustG3

  4Sleeping

  7823 Love LaneE3

  Blue MansionD2

  79Campbell HouseD3

  80Coffee AtelierE3

  81Container HotelF5

  82Eastern & Oriental HotelD1

  83Jawi Peranakan MansionB2

  84Lang HooseE5

  85Le DreamC4

  86Muntri GroveD2

  87Muntri MewsD2

  88Museum HotelB2

  89My Chew JettyF5

  90Noordin MewsC6

  91Penaga HotelC2

  92Ren i TangF3

  93Ryokan MuntriD2

  94Segara NindaD2

  95Seven TerracesE3

  96SinkehD5

  97Siok HostelC3

  98Spices HotelD5

  99The EdisonD2

  100The Rice Miller HotelG4

  101Tido Penang HostelC2

  102Time Capsule HotelD3

  103Tipsy Tiger Party HostelE3

  104You Le YuenE2

  1Sights

  1Inside the Unesco Protected Zone

  oBlue MansionHISTORIC BUILDING

  (Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.thebluemansion.com.my; 14 Lebuh Leith; adult/child RM16/8; htours 11am, 2pm & 3.30pm)

  Now one of Penang's most authentic heritage hotels, the magnificent 38-room, 220-window 'Blue Mansion' was built in the 1880s and rescued from ruin in the 1990s. It blends Eastern and Western designs with louvred windows, art nouveau stained glass and beautiful floor tiles, and is a rare surviving example of the eclectic architectural style preferred by wealthy Straits Chinese.

  Hour-long guided tours (included in the admission fee) provide a glimpse of the interior as well as an insight into traditional Chinese architecture.

  The mansion was commissioned by Cheong Fatt Tze, a Hakka merchant-trader who left China as a penniless teenager and eventually established a vast financial empire throughout east Asia, earning himself the dual sobriquets 'Rockefeller of the East' and the 'Last Mandarin'. Its distinctive (and once-common in George Town) blue-hued exterior is the result of an indigo-based limewash.

  oPinang Peranakan Mansion & Straits Chinese Jewelry MuseumMUSEUM

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.pinangperanakanmansion.com.my; 29 Lebuh Gereja; adult/child RM21.20/10.60; h9.30am-5.30pm)

  This ostentatious, mint-green structure is among the most stunning restored residences in George Town. A self-guided tour reveals that every door, wall and archway is carved and often painted in gold leaf; the grand rooms are furnished with majestic wood furniture with intricate mother-of-pearl inlay; there are displays of charming antiques; and bright-coloured paintings and fascinating black-and-white photos of the family in regal Chinese dress grace the walls.

  The house belonged to Chung Keng Quee, a 19th-century merchant, clan leader and community pillar as well as being one of the wealthiest Peranakan of that era.

  After visiting the main house, be sure to also check out Chung Keng Kwi Temple, the adjacent ancestral hall and the attached Straits Chinese Jewelry Museum with its dazzling collection of vintage bling and glittery ornamentation.

  Penang MuseumMUSEUM

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %04-263 1942; www.penangmuseum.gov.my; Lebuh Farquhar; RM1; h9am-5pm Sat-Thu)

  Penang's state-run museum includes exhibits on the history, customs and traditions of the island’s various ethnic groups, with photos, videos, documents, costumes, furniture and other well-labelled, engaging displays. Upstairs is the history gallery, with a collection of early-19th-century watercolours by Captain Robert Smith, an engineer with the East India Company, and prints showing landscapes of old Penang.

  Chew JettyAREA

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pengkalan Weld)

  The largest and most intact of the clan jetties, Chew Jetty consists of 75 elevated houses, several Chinese temples, a community hall and lots of tourist facilities, all linked by elevated wooden walkways. It’s a fun place to wander around with docked fishing boats, folk cooking in their homes and kids running around. There is also a homestay option ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %013-438 1217; www.mychewjetty.com; 59A Chew Jetty; r incl breakfast from RM148; aW) here.

  Kuan Yin TengBUDDHIST TEMPLE

  (Temple of the Goddess of Mercy; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jln Masjid Kapital Keling; h24hr)F

  This atmospheric and photogenic temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin – the goddess of mercy, good fortune, peace and fertility. Built in the early 19th century by the first Hokkien and Cantonese settlers in Penang, the temple is popular with the Chinese community, and seems to be forever swathed in smoke from the outside furnaces where worshippers burn paper money, and from the incense sticks waved around inside.

  Protestant CemeteryCEMETERY

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah; h24hr)F

  Under a canopy of magnolia trees you’ll find the graves of Captain Francis Light and many others, including governors, merchants, sailors and Chinese Christians who fled the Boxer Rebellion in China (a movement opposing Western imperialism and evangelism), only to die of fever in Penang. Also here is the tomb of Thomas Leonowens, the young officer who married Anna – the schoolmistress to the King of Siam, made famous by The King and I.

  Sri Mariamman TempleHINDU TEMPLE

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Lebuh Queen; h6am-noon, 4.30-9pm)F

  Sri Mariamman was built in 1883 and is George Town’s oldest Hindu house of worship. For local south Indians, the temple fulfils the purpose of a Chinese clanhouse; it’s a reminder of the motherland
and the community bonds forged within the diaspora. It is a typically south Indian temple, dominated by the gopuram (entrance tower).

  GEORGE TOWN STREET NAMES

  Finding your way around George Town can be slightly complicated since many roads have both a Malay and an English name. While many street signs list both, it can still be confusing. We use primarily the Malay name. Here are the two names of some of the main roads:

  Malay English

  Lebuh Gereja Church St

  Jln Masjid Kapitan Keling Pitt St

  Jln Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah The Esplanade

  Lebuh Pantai Beach St

  Lebuh Pasar Market St

  To make matters worse, Jln Penang may also be referred to as Jln Pinang or as Penang Rd – but there’s also a Penang St, which may also be called Lebuh Pinang! Similarly, Chulia St is Lebuh Chulia but there’s also a Lorong Chulia, and this confuses even the taxi drivers.

  1Outside the Unesco Protected Zone

  Hin Bus Depot Art CentreGALLERY

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; http://hinbusdepot.com/index.html; 31A Jln Gurdwara; hnoon-7pm)F

  The elegant remains of this former bus station have become a vibrant hub for George Town's burgeoning contemporary art scene, hosting exhibitions, events, a regular arts and crafts market every Sunday, and art-house movies and documentaries on Tuesdays. The open-air areas are bedecked with street art.

  Within the grounds there are also a couple of cafes, workshops and the Run Amok ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; http://runamok.my/wordpress; 59A Jln Timah; hnoon-7pm Tue-Sun) gallery.