Penang Hotels
Penang Information
Nightlife
Discos, pubs, spas, bars, lounges, yuppie hangouts, cultural shows or just enjoying the clear starry night; Penang may be a lovely island in the sun but it is even brighter and livelier after dark. The island seems to come alive with the setting of the sun, and islanders and tourists alike party the night through to welcome the dawning of another spectacularly beautiful day in this tropical paradise in the sun. For resort-style nightlife Batu Ferringhi is the place to head with bars, cafes and clubs to suit all tastes. Many holidaymakers choose to enjoy a sundowner cocktail by the beach to kick off a relaxed evening. Georgetown offers more local nightlife where a night consists of flitting between the food stalls and relaxing in the tea houses.
Upper Penang Road - this northern portion of this historical road is now a brand new entertainment circle, akin to Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. Upmarket restaurants, karaoke joints, bars, discotheques, pubs, and vogue boutique shops have sprouted over the precinct, offering visitors a wild night out in Penang. Most are housed in heritage buildings restored to provide a funky edge to Penangs entertainment scene.
Eating out
Most of Penang's hotels offer a range of international cuisine, with the big luxury hotels of Batu Ferringhi often offering more than one restaurant. There are also food stalls and more permanent restaurants in and around the beach area. Georgetown is home to more authentic street stalls and restaurants that cater for the taste buds of the locals rather than holidaymakers. The Esplanade Hawker Centre on the waterfront is one of the best places to sample traditional hawker food cooked right in front of your eyes.
Penang has some excellent food, including the superb Nonya cuisine, a lovely blend of Chinese and Malay found all around Penang in local food courts, restaurants and hotels. Try some local cuisine, Malay Nasi Goreng (Spicy Fried Rice) Beef Redang (an originally Indonesian dry curry) tasty Satay (charcoal chicken on a stick with peanut sauce) Very filling is Murtabak, a kind of spicy minced meat pancake or the lighter version - Rotis (rice pancakes similar to Indian Paratha and served with chicken curry (savoury version) or, with incredibly fattening condensed milk sweet version).
Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indian and Muslim, Thai and Indonesian food can be found all round Penang, especially in Georgetown in food courts around the shopping malls like Komtar (not expensive) and local restaurants. Tasty western food is also readily available at reasonable prices.
Beaches in Penang
Penang is a resort island with beaches spread right around much of its fringes. The most popular beaches are in the north in and around the resort of Batu Ferringhi. You can either just soak up the rays on the beach or engage in the range of watersports, with everything from boat trips through to jet skiing and windsurfing. Quieter beaches are available in the south of the island - there are day trips from Batu Ferringhi or you can hire a car and head south in search of your own beach escape.
Batu Ferringhi - Batu Ferringhi has come a long way from its roots as a port for Portuguese traders from India in the 14th century. The stretch of beach is now a well-developed recreational spot teeming with resorts, restaurants and stalls that specially cater to a European tourist market. The beach itself is a clean spot that attracts a huge crowd of beach-bums on weekends. Batu Ferringhis atmosphere and feel can be likened to Pattong Beach in Phuket, minus the pole dancers of course! Theres a wide range of accommodation available that will suit even the most stringent budgets. Food is never a problem as international and local restaurants have sprouted all over the beach.
At night, the entire road along the beach is transformed into a hive of activity as traders set up stalls and proclaim the area as a night market. During this time, visitors can see the wide variety of goods on sale from trinkets to T-shirts and even taste local culinary delicacies like Assam Laksa
Teluk Bahang - the scenic beach of Teluk Bahang is serene and shady. Offering a peaceful environment and breezy wind, Teluk Bahang is perfect for a weekend retreat minus the large crowd of near-by Batu Ferringhi. Those who crave isolated beaches should go to Teluk Duyung, Monkey Beach, Pantai Kerachut or Pantai Mas, all beached that are only accessible via trails through the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve in Teluk Bahang.
Tanjung Bungah - located closely to Georgetown, Tanjung Bungah is hidden among lush greenery and rocky landscapes. Some claim that the views of the horizon from the beach are simply the best in Penang! Several upmarket hotels cater for your accommodation needs as you enjoy the pristine and serene surroundings. While the beach is popular, it is not as frequently visited as Batu Ferringhi, making this an ideal getaway if you want a degree of seclusion.
Jerejak Island - Pulau Jerejak is a little island off the Penang main island, teeming with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Some of the amazing sights here include tropical trees, lingering lianas and exotic orchids. Birds such as the White-Bellied Sea Eagle hunt for prey in the surrounding waters. For an island that used to house a penal colony, Jerejak truly has some amazing scenery that doesnt befit its history. Pulau Jerejak is quite accessible from Geogetown, and is truly a haven for nature-lovers after virgin sights on an island jungle.
Shopping in Penang
During its heydays as a duty-free island, Penang drew multitudes of people hungry for shopping adventures. Although Langkawi has taken over the duty-free status once held by Penang, the island has not lost its lustre.
From shopping malls to night markets and antique shops to cultural areas, Penang has the whole gamut of commodities for sale. During the annual nationwide shopping festivals in August, Penang becomes a massive hub of commercial excitement as locals and tourists flock to cash in on the shopping boom.
Bargaining is the culture here. When it comes to shops and stalls, do your best to haggle for the best price. Theres no price that cant be lowered down with the proper know-how and bargaining. And if the price doesnt suit you, always look around elsewhere!
Shopping Malls - shopping centres and department stores have shot all over the Penang landscape in recent years to accommodate the constant rush of shoppers. Find the typical range of goods from designer brands to fresh fruits under one roof in any of these malls. Shopping centres open from 10:00 22:00 daily. On certain festive occasions, they may open all the way up to 24:00! The most popular shopping malls include KOMTAR (the tallest building in Penang which can be seen across the island), Gurney Plaza, Island Plaza and Midlands One-Stop Shopping Centre.
Pasar Malam - the Pasar Malam or Night Market is a famous avenue for shoppers in and around Malaysia. Available country-wide, Penangs Pasar Malams take place at different locations on different days throughout the week. For tourists, there is a daily Pasar Malam comprising over 1,000 different stalls along Batu Ferringhi road. Every evening, local traders set up make-shift stalls along the road, lighting up with fluorescent tubes as the night sets in. And every night, Batu Ferringhi comes alive with the noise and din of traders haggling with shoppers a colourful sight.
The Pasar Malam is a popular pastime for locals after dinner, to just stroll around, look and shop as they walk from one end to the other.
Shopping Areas - The city of Georgetown has some designated shopping areas that are popular for specific kinds of items. Visitors will be fascinated by the colourful sights and sounds offered by these areas that are often mini cultural-centres by themselves
Places to go include:
Chinatown - The area around Campbell road is Penangs very own Chinatown this is the place where the first Chinese migrants to Malaysia settled. The old buildings, clan houses and shop lots are very well-preserved, offering visitors a glimpse into the history of Chinese settlers in the early 1800s. For shopping, a lot of Chinese-centric commodities go on sale, such as jade jewellery, Rolex watches, traditional clothes, herbs, medicines to more modern products than include branded electrical products and luggage bags.
Little India - Situated around Lebuh Queen and Lebuh Chulia, Little India is just right next door to its neighbour Chinatown. For an Indian cultural shopping experience, Little India will amaze you with its Indian sights, sounds and smells. The shops and stalls that line the streets stock everything Indian from silk garments (sarees) to stainless steel Tiffin carriers and Indian sweets to flower necklaces. The atmosphere is permeated with the din of Bollywood music emanating from record shops and people talking and walking. Just down the street is the Mahamariamman Temple, a historic place of worship for the Indians of Penang.
Jalan Pintal Tali - Antique lovers should take note Jalan Pintai Ali or Rope Street stocks a large variety of antiques such as porcelain, chains, coins, glass, ceiling lamps and antique clocks. Prices are negotiable, so dont give up till youve got the price you wanted. On a side note, no one can bring out of the country any antiques under the law without permission from the export Director General of Museums, Malaysia. However, antiques brought in and declared at customs are allowed.
