AIRPORT TO CITY
The centre of Penang is 35 minute by car.
BEST HOTELS
1. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa
www.shangri-la.com, Tel: +604 888 8888
Rasa Sayang reopened in 2006 after a US$3 million renovation that saw the original buildings gutted and reformed into a state-of-the-art resort facility. It is now also home to a CHI spa.
2. Eastern & Oriental Hotel
www.e-o-hotel.com, Tel: +604 261 8333
An atmospheric hotel in Penang with manicured lawns and tropical gardens flanking a white colonialstyle mansion.
BEST RESTAURANTS
3. Feringgi Grill
Shangri-La’s Rasa Sanyang Resort & Spa This award-winning fine dining restaurant serves continental cuisine and houses an excellent wine cellar.
4. Hot Wok Cafe
125-D Desa Tanjung, Tel: +604 899 0858
Offers homestyle Baba-Nyonya cooking in a single-storey bungalow. The house specialty is a mean perut ikan (fish intestine with roe and vegetable).
5. Palace d’India
5M/L, Jalan Tanjung Toking, Tel: +604 899 9715
Serves northern Indian cuisine, with Indian cultural performances as well.
BEST CAFES & BARS
6. Farquhar’s Bar
Eastern &Oriental Hotel
A surviving sample of the colonial era with its dark woods and leathers. Serves great pub fare.
7. Upper Penang Road
This street is home to several bistros and bars including Uptown and Babylon, and Slippery Senoritas, a tapas bar.
8. Gurney Plaza
Persiaran Gurney, Tel: +604 2228 222
Al fresco dining from restaurants, cafés and fast-food outlets, such as Breeks, Dome,
Coffee Bean, Starbucks and Nandos.
A FEW HOURS TO KILL
9. The historic core of George Town is best explored on foot or by trishaw. See the living
heritage trail of coffee makers, joss stick makers, Indian goldsmiths, fortune tellers
and tombstone engravers.
10. Penang Hill
A cool retreat accessible by a funicular tram that takes 30 minutes to ascend.
Stop off at David Brown’s Restaurant, which rekindles memories of a bygone era
thanks to its traditional English cuisine.
11. Tropical Spice Garden
Located at Teluk Bahang, this garden houses houses more than 500 varieties of flora.
TIPPING
Appreciated but not compulsory.
SECRETS OF THE JET SET
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
www.cheongfatttzemansion.com, Tel: +604 262 0006
Sleep inside the walls of one of Asia’s most carefully restored heritage homes – the huge
and opulent mansion of 19th-century millionaire, Cheong Fatt Tze.
Sadie Yeoh is destination manager for Pacific World Destination East in Penang and
Langkawi,www.pacificworld.com
Insider's guide to...Penang
BEST HOTELS | BEST RESTAURANTS | BEST CAFES & BARS | A FEW HOURS...
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