About Penang

Penang, known as "Pearl of the Orient" to many people, is one of the famous islands in South-East Asia. It is renowned for its culture, food and heritage.

However, this is not all that she has to offer. Minutes away from the busy city center lies another attraction of Penang, her natural beauty. This turtle shaped island offers miles of idyllic beaches with swaying palm trees, and soothing hill for those who seek refuge from the tropical heat.

The capital of Penang, George Town was named after King George III of England. George Town was awarded city status by the royal charter on January 1st 1957. Located in the heart of the city is one of South East Asia’s largest collections of Pre-war buildings. In order to preserve the heritage of Penang, modern structures are built surrounding these pre-war buildings. Some of these structures are built more than 100 years ago. Lots of effort and money has been invested by the state government and private investors to preserve the beauty of these structures. As a reward for the effort, Penang was formally inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 7th July 2008.

Take a stroll down the heritage trail to visit the Muslim mosque, Chinese temple, Indian temple and Christian church. One will be surprised that these buildings are just 5 minutes walk from each other. The closeness of the people from different ethnic group is best reflected by their respect for each other's culture, festival and tradition.

Besides its beauty and history, one should never miss the delicious hawker foods that are offered around the clock during their stay. Penang offers you great food from prestigious restaurants to hawkers' carts by the road side.

The State of Penang or Negeri Pulau Pinang in Malay is made up of Penang Island and Province Wellesley which is on the peninsula. In the year 1985, one of South East Asia's longest bridge was build across the channel to connect the island with the peninsula. The bridge has great impact on the citizens and the development of the island. The bridge eases the transportation of raw materials and finished products to and from the factories located in the industrial free trade zone of Penang.