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 Widely
known as the Pearl of the Orient, Penang is one of Asia’s most
famous islands. Its natural beauty and exotic heritage have been
attracting curious visitors for hundreds of years. Travel guides
have referred to it as “ . . . a place of mysterious temples
and palm-shrouded beaches”, while literary giant Somerset
Maugham is known to have stayed on the island and spun tales
about the romance of the white planter in South-East Asia.
Penang
today is a bustling port, a heritage city and an industrial
base. Perhaps it has more to offer per square mile than any
other place in the world.
Where
else can you find an old church, a chinese temple, an indian
temple, and a muslim mosque within a five-minute walk from one
another? Likewise, tall urban structures stand beside the
red-tiled roofs of Chinatown and “Little India” is just
across the road; while the Malay kampungs lie on the outskirts.
Should
one wish to get away from the busy city, the idyllic beaches and
soothing hills are but minutes away, while the industrial free
trade zone, the “Silicon Valley of the East”, and the
international airport are equally accessible.
Penang
or its Malay name of Pulau
Pinang is made up of a turtle-shaped island, a total of 280
square kilometers, and a strip of land called Seberang Prai on
Peninsular Malaysia about 48 kilometers wide.
Since
1985, the island is joined to the mainland by the Penang Bridge,
one of the longest bridges in the world. Alternatively,
travellers arriving from the mainland can hop onto the ferry and
take a 20-minute ride across. There are also international
flights that connect directly to the international airport on
the island.
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