From its establishment as the first British trading post in the Far
East in 1786, Penang is today a bustling city with a
unique blend of the East and West. This is reflected in its heritage buildings
as well as in the lifestyles, food and customs of the local people.
Place
of Interested
Botanical Garden
The Botanical Gardens offer peace and tranquility amidst lush green surroundings,
tropical plants, and the vibrant colors 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, the garden's first
superintendent. Curtis collected botanical specimens from the surrounding
hills--specimens which have since become significant samples in the world's
major herbaria. The gardens are also well-known for their bold Rhesus
monkeys.
Admission : Free. Opening Hours
: 7 am - 7 pm.
Bukit Mertajam Recreational Park
Located approximately 18 km from Butterworth ferry terminal,
this park covers a wide area of hilly terrain that ascends several hundred
meters above sea level. Its cool hill air encourages a profusion of ferns,
ephiphytes and wild flowers, as well as exotic butterflies, birds and
insects. For the adventurous, there are numerous jungle tracks leading
to the heart of the forest.
Fort Cornwallis
This fort was built on the site of Francis Light's historic
landing in 1786. Originally a wooden stockade, it was replaced by a concrete
structure built by convict labour, in 1804. Today, an open-air amphitheatre,
a history gallery, and a handicraft and souvenir centre occupies the interior.
Fort Cornwallis also houses a famous Dutch cannon that in some way or
another has been associated with virtually every shift in political alliances
on the Peninsula since the early 17th century. The cannon arrived on the
Peninsula in 1606 as a present from the Dutch to the Sultan of Johor.
Only a few years later the Dutch cannon was taken by the Achenese in a
raid on Johor's capital. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the
cannon was sent to by the Achenese to Kuala Selangor in hopes of establishing
an alliance with the Bugis. The cannon's last move, from Kuala Selangor
to Penang, followed the British bombardment on Kuala
Selangor in 1871.
Opening Hours : 8.30
am - 7 pm Admission: RM 1 per person.
Kek Lok Si
Kek Lok Si is reputedly the largest Buddhist temple complex in South-East
Asia. The temple is also widely-known for the beauty of its design, which
incorporates elements of Chinese, Thai, and Burmese architecture. Kek
Lok Si is dominated by the seven-tiered pagoda of Ban Po Thar, which is
dedicated to the Boddhisattva Tsi Tsuang Wang, who declined to enter nirvana
after enlightenment in order that he might assist others along the path.
Khoo Kongsi
The wave of Chinese immigration to Penang during the
nineteenth century gave rise to the formation of clan formations, or kongsi,
which served as surrogate kinship and professional associations for immigrants
who had left behind family and friends. A multitude of kongsi arose in
Penang, and each organization constructed a hall to serve
as the locus of its community.
The Khoo Kongsi is the most famous example of these halls, having been
designed with such magnificence that it was said to rival the palace of
China's emperor. Whether by misfortune or because such a resemblance was
viewed as an offence, the original Khoo Kongsi burnt to the ground almost
as soon as it was completed. The present structure was built as a scaled
down version of that original, though it is an extraordinarily impressive
structure nonetheless. The building features a magnificent hall embellished
with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood,
each bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.
Opening
Hours : 9 am - 5 pm (Monday to Friday), 9 am - 1 pm (Saturdays) Permission
to enter must be obtained from the Kongsi office.
Orchid and Hibiscus Garden
This intimate park at Bukit Jambul includes the Orchid and
Hibiscus Garden and a Reptile Farm. Attractions include an ornamental
Japanese pond, a cacti garden, a pottery corner, a deer park, and cascades.
Penang Bird Park
The Penang Bird Park occupies a generous landscaped
site in Seberang Jaya. Within its beautifully-designed aviaries are over
four hundred species of birds from all over the world. Man-made islands
with cascades, gardens, and ornamental plants abound. The park also contains
a wide variety of orchids and hibiscus plants.
Entrance
Fee : RM 4 (Adults), RM 2 (Children), Open: 10 am - 6 pm (Daily)
Penang Butterfly Farm
Located at Teluk Bahang, the Butterfly Farm has hundreds of
species of butterflies and insects amidst landscaped tropical gardens.
Opens : Daily from 9 am - 5 pm Entrance Fee
: RM4
Penang Hill
The hills of Penang--Western Hill, Tiger Hill,
Strawberry Hill, and others--have long been popular refuges from the heat
of the low-lying city. As the funicular railway proceeds along its half-hour
climb of the hill, a broad panoramic view of Georgetown slowly unfolds.
The view from Flagstaff Hill, at the top of the line, is a lovely way
to watch night descend over the island. The train leaves the station at
Air Itam at 6.30am and at every half an hour. Trainfare Adults: RM3, Children:
RM1.50.
For those who enjoy a vigorous walk or fear a funicular ride, there is
a very good walking track up the hill. It takes about four hours and should
not be undertaken frivolously. The jungle trail begins at the moongate
at Waterfall Road, about 300m from the entrance to the Botanical Gardens.
Penang Museum and Art Gallery
Located at Lebuh Farquhar, the Penang Museum
and Art Gallery houses old photographs, maps, charts and historical relics.
It was built in 1821 and was formerly the Penang Free
School.
Opens : 9 am - 5 pm (Daily) On
Fridays, closed between 12.15 pm - 2.45 pm
St George's Church
Built with convict labor in 1818, this stately Anglican colonial
church is one of the oldest landmarks in the city. The entrance features
a memorial canopy dedicated to Captain Francis Light, who is buried in
the adjoining ceremony.
Sri Mariamman
Temple
This Hindi temple, built in the late nineteenth century, features fascinating
sculptures of gods and goddesses over its entrance and on its facade.
Housed within its ornately decorated interior is a 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.
Opening Hours: Morning
to late evening. Permission to enter must be obtained from temple officials.
Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple
This Buddhist temple of Thai architecture houses a magnificent
gold-plated reclining Buddha that is said to be the third largest in the
world. The niches behind the statue house urns containing the ashes of
devotees.
Admission is free
Getting
To And Around Penang
The island is linked to the mainland by the Penang Bridge,
which at 13.5 km long is the longest bridge in Asia. However, should the
old world charm of traveling in the famous 24-hour ferry service appeal
to you, the service still exists. The ferry leaves from Butterworth and
tickets can be purchased there.
Ferry fare-Adults: 40 sen, Children: 20 sen. For cars below 1200cc the
rate is RM 4; RM 5 for cars 1200cc- 1600cc and cars above 1600cc pay RM
6. A toll of RM 7 is collected at the Penang Bridge from
all cars driving from the mainland.
Penang's
Bayan Lepas International Airport is about 20 km from Georgetown, its
capital. If you wish to travel by train, the Railway Station is on the
mainland, located at Butterworth, Seberang Prai. |
