Pearl of Orient

Penang is an island located off the North West coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This island is known as the ‘Pearl of Orient’.

Penang is known for its magnificent Penang Bridge. Thirteen kilometers long, it is the longest bridge in Malaysia. Here we can see the vast, sea-green ocean when the water was deepest.

The town in Penang is a mixture of the old and new, with huge mansions and quaint little shop houses dating back to the colonial times, as well as multi-storeyed blocks.

The Kek Lok Si temple in Penang is built on an ascending plane, with numerous halls joined together by a series of steps. The crowning glory of this complex is the seven tiered ‘Pagoda of a Thousand Buddhas’. As for the Snake Temple, where poisonous snakes coiled round pillars and potted plants, made drowsy by the burning incense.

Fort Cornwallis is located on the Esplanade. This 200 year-old fort marks the spot where Captain Francis Light, founder of Penang, first landed in 1786. Other interesting places in Penang include the Butterfly Farm, the Khoo ‘Kongsi’, the Botanical Garden and Penang Hill.