Penang has long been known as a leisure beach resort off the Straits of Malacca and also
as the oldest British settlement in Malaysia. The capital, George Town, was once a busy port that traded tea and opium with India and China. Now it’s a vibrant multicultural destination, with old colonial buildings as well as modern high-rises.
More than 20 flights daily connect Kuala Lumpur and Penang; there is also regular service from Bangkok and Singapore.
WHERE TO STAY The Shangri-La Rasa
Sayang Resort & Spa at the Batu Ferringi end of Penang recently underwent a dramatic facelift, and Tourism Malaysia hopes other hotels will follow suit.
The hotel is set on 12 hectares of landscaped gardens. The Rasa Wing features executive
amenities such as butler service and express check-in. The Shangri-La features 14 function
rooms, a par-three golf course, two swimming pools, plus six restaurants and bars.
The luxurious Eastern & Oriental Hotel harks back to British colonial days. Like the better known — and more expensive — Raffles Hotel in Singapore, the property was founded by the Sarkies brothers late in the 19th century. After years of neglect, the hotel was completely refurbished in 2001. All suites have timber floors, bone china, Egyptian cotton bed linen and Persian carpets.
DINING OPTIONS Along Penang’s North Beach is a mansion that holds its own, even against the famed Eastern & Oriental, which is a stone’s throw away. Restored to its former glory, the Leong Yin Kean mansion now houses a restaurant called Thirty Two At The Mansion that can seat 200 people. Dishes range from crispy soft-shell crab in beer batter, to tiger prawns, perch and mussels with crustacean bisque, to mango-crepe pancakes.
Pacific World Malaysia recommends Palace d’India on Jalan Tanjung Tokong which has live
traditional Indian entertainment. Northern Indian cuisine, ranging from dum pukht style
to tandoori, is served on a banana leaves.
The venue can cater for groups of up to 200. INCENTIVE IDEAS The state capital, George Town, is home to one of the largest collections of 19th-century architecture in Southeast Asia. It is a living historic city, with wet markets, bazaars, traditional trades and retail shops, trishaw peddlers and hawkers.
The blue Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is on George Town’s historic Leith Street. It has 38 rooms, five courtyards, seven staircases and 220 windows. It is laid out like a Chinese courtyard mansion and features an eclectic combination of stained glass, shutters, ironwork and decorative ceilings. Rising high above George Town, Penang Hill provides a cool retreat from the sticky heat below. The Swiss-built funicular railway was completed in 1923 and has trundled up and down ever since. A number of roads and walking trails traverse the hill.