Came to Penang to have a quiet holiday and got bored of being it too quiet? Time to go to the most famous George Town and get entertained. The number of disco clubs and randomly hiding Chinese parlors with extremely cute Asian girls is incredibly high.

Whether you are craving for a cold pint of draft beer and willing to sit by the streets to watch people go by or dreaming of dancing being surrounded by beautiful Chinese girls, your best shot is George Town, it is literally the place to look for everything.

There are very few bars where you have to pay to enter and it usually happens only at weekends, in some of the places you may be asked to prove that you are over 18 years of age but that is only required if you would like to go to a nightclub (where may be some ladies of ‘unusual’ interest). Most of the places offer a very nice and friendly atmosphere with a great choice of drinks and food.

There are plenty of disco clubs where you can dance to the loudest beats of excellent music performed by local as well as foreign DJs. In case if you don’t enjoy loud music and would like to sip you drink in a quiet place or listen to live bands there are quite a few.

The most common and easiest thing to do to relax is to go to any bar, order a drink and the friendliness of local people will inevitably lead to a conversation, this is how most of travellers prefer to spend their evenings in George Town.

Penang truly has something mysteriously beautiful about the night time, as soon as it gets dark and the traffic slowly disappears you instantly begin feeling relaxed even in the middle of town sitting outside the bar with your shiny cocktail.

We all know how pleasant and relaxing we feel after a visit a spa. Penang offers a great variety of spas that specialise in all kinds of procedures aimed to make you feel on the top of the world.

Penang is an excellent place to get the kinds of massage that sometimes we just crave for. This fabulous island can satisfy even those who are looking for something really exotic. To a lot of use Javanese massage sounds exotic enough and the good thing is that you can have it at Penang. Sundanese, Balinese and Thai kinds of massage are also practiced around here and you can expect really decent quality.

If you didn’t know that just one single visit to Penang’s spas can calm your mind as well as make you feel extremely good and charged enough for the following trip, then it is truly time to try it.

Beauty hunters will be impressed with a wide range of rejuvenating procedures that can make your skin literally shine. Enriching your facial skin and lowering the stress levels does make a big difference and any woman who values her appearance should have a couple of visits to local spa.

Excellent relaxing music, brilliant scents and the atmosphere of total peace will definitely make you want to come back. If you have never experienced ultimate feeling of tranquility then you have basically no choice but to go and feel the beauty of the spas that by doing their best will ensure you will say: “Life is good” by the end of the session.

One of the convenient aspects of staying on the small but compact island of Penang is its location to other places offering diverse and interesting day trips and a gateway to further Asian destinations.

Butterworth is a small town on the mainland side of Penang state in Malaysia and is accessible by ferry from Penang. It is a more industrial destination than nearby Georgetown with little of the formers charm; however, it is a main hub for train and bus services which do not go directly to Penang Island.

For a mere 25 ringgits buses leave Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur almost hourly and the stop is located right next to the train station, just ask a representative for directions.
This is the best way to get to KL and the five hour journey is half the time of the less frequent trains. Much of the journey is very beautiful and most of the coaches have AC and show movies for the same reasonable price. Prices can be secured at local vendors at the bus stop but it is worth remembering that most coaches do not offer rest rooms although they do make regular stops on the journey. But do bring your own toilet paper if you need it.

Bangkok is another Butterworth travel destination and it takes about 13 hours by train.

Thai beach destinations also leave from Butterworth on The International Express.

Penang state destinations are also easily found from Butterworth.

Day trips around Penang Island itself can be easily found on the island at hotel and tour operator offices.

One of the convenient aspects of staying on the small but compact island of Penang is its location to other places offering diverse and interesting day trips and a gateway to further Asian destinations.

Butterworth is a small town on the mainland side of Penang state in Malaysia and is accessible by ferry from Penang. It is a more industrial destination than nearby Georgetown with little of the formers charm; however, it is a main hub for train and bus services which do not go directly to Penang Island.

For a mere 25 ringgits buses leave Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur almost hourly and the stop is located right next to the train station, just ask a representative for directions.
This is the best way to get to KL and the five hour journey is half the time of the less frequent trains. Much of the journey is very beautiful and most of the coaches have AC and show movies for the same reasonable price. Prices can be secured at local vendors at the bus stop but it is worth remembering that most coaches do not offer rest rooms although they do make regular stops on the journey. But do bring your own toilet paper if you need it.

Bangkok is another Butterworth travel destination and it takes about 13 hours by train.

Thai beach destinations also leave from Butterworth on The International Express.

Penang state destinations are also easily found from Butterworth.

Day trips around Penang Island itself can be easily found on the island at hotel and tour operator offices.

The locals in Penang speak the national language of Malaysia which is known as Malay.

The majority of people on the island are ethnic Chinese. They speak a version of Hokkien which is known as Penang Hokkien as the name suggests this contains a large number of Malay words and for this reason Minnan speakers from Fujian and Taiwan may have difficulties in communication with locals due to variation in words accents and mores.
Cantonese or Mandarin is also spoken by the ethnic Chinese population here to variying levels of fluency.

When speaking to each other the ethnic Indian population on the island use Tamil and the ethnic Malaysians speak in Malay but a great number of Tamil and Malay Penanganites can converse in Hokkien although cannot write in the language.

The visitor who can speak English to a reasonable level should have no problem being understood here certainly by businessmen and women. Hotel staff have either been taught English at school, picked it up from listening to conversation or watching films or have attended courses provided by their place of employment.

English is the world’s common language so there is every reason for local people to learn it as tourism and trade make up most of the local economy to a large extent. There is of course broken English which most of the under 50 population can speak and of course the international language of gesturing and pointing which although limited is universal and understood everywhere.

Penang is a popular Asian destination and whilst not the cheapest it does offer a good selection of accommodations to suit all budgets and tastes. One of the most popular places to stay is of course the beach and Batu Feringghi which has many beach resorts right on the sands which offer food and nightlife attractions .

Although good value for money more budget locations are located in Georgetown. Here on the famous streets of Chulia and Muntri there are many to choose from. Guest houses which will be familiar to the Asian traveler offer rooms and dormitories some with separate or, the more usual, shared bathrooms. Some will offer only cold water and it is worth trying as a cold water shower becomes more refreshing after you get used to it and as the cold water closes the pores keeps you drier in a hot climate.

There are also reasonable colonial style small hotels in Georgetown and more and more are guest houses and hotels are (at last) offering TV and wifi.

Elsewhere on the island is the functional but very pleasant YMCA in a very old neighborhood it is within convienient distance to the city centre.

For those with a taste for luxury why not stay at Copthorne Orchid Hotel at Tanjung Beach?

A lovely multi story modern hotel offering breathtaking views of the seas and mountains on all sides.

Whichever type of accommodation you choose they all offer friendly and safe lodgings in this interesting and compact destination.

There is much to see and do on the small island of Penang, which has been described by ancient sea traders as the Pearl of The Orient. There are many tour operators on the island which offer English speaking guides or for the more independent take a cab bus or train to sightsee this beautiful island.

The island is very compact so the freely available map is easy to follow as is a trip up Penang Hill scaled by R2 railway so you can see where you want to go.

Temple lovers will enjoy Thee Kong Tua (Jade Emporer’s temple) in Air Itam built by Taoists and recently renovated, for Thee Kong who they believe to be the supreme ruler of Heaven. There is also Chor Soo Kong Temple (Snake Temple) guarded by vipers which have had their venom removed….let’s hope permanently

Lastly there is Key Lok Si Temple (Temple of Supreme Bliss) the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, overlooking Air Itam, it is perhaps the best known temple in the region.

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Chayamangkalaram was built in 1845 by a Buddhist monk. Situated in the old town of Pulau Titus it is 33 meters high and covered in glistening gold.

Nature lovers will enjoy The Butterfly farm which is home to many species of fluttering butterflies as well as scorpions and other fascinating insects.

The Tropical Spice Garden is a great place for an afternoon drink and view over 500 different types of tropical fauna.

Penang National Park (Muka Head) in Pantai Acheh compact but with many eco exhibits including a salt and fresh water lake, as well as a fully functioning lighthouse making it the perfect location for a picnic or a relaxing rest in the tropical sunshine.

Georgetown offers the budget conscious traveler the best selection of accommodation with guesthouses and smaller hotels in abundance. Many of these are on and around Chulia Street,Muntri Street and Love Lane areas. Expect to pay between 15 to 85 Ringit per night.

Georgetown offers accommodation which will be very familiar to the Asian traveler. Fans are more usual than air-conditioning and hot water the exception to the norm especially in cheaper places, however, once you have get used to the cold water you might find it more refreshing and as your pores remain closed making you sweat less in hotter weather.

Television and the viewing of DVDS in the evening are not uncommon as is high speed internet which is often free for one hour or thirty minutes with a nights stay. Many places offer an inclusive breakfast can save you money also as visits to internet cafes and restaurants slowly but surely will eat into your budget.

Bed bugs can be a problem again especially in cheaper places (you get what you pay for this is Asia); however, there are a few tips on how to avoid them. Check the room first and if the proprietor is not prepared to let you see it definitely walk away. General levels of cleanliness are common sense and an independently moody cat sat arrogantly near the desk will not only take care of rats but also the bugs, lice and fleas they transport.

All restaurants in the guest house are good value particularly Indian and Bangladeshi compared to other parts of South East Asia so make the most of those delicious curries!

The nightlife in Penang is a little more sedate and not as girly as Bangkok though there is still enough going on to keep you up till 3am. There are many pubs and clubs in Georgetown offering a lovely cool pint of draft Guinness or a whole host of exotic cocktails including the famous Singapore sling.

There are small drinking stalls where you can dance or people watch as well as the usual Asian discos and inevitable karaoke.

Many hotels on the island have non-resident bars offering an up market colonial feel like the Eastern and Oriental and well worth a visit.

The biggest centre for nightlife is around Slippery Senoritas with live music, though at the weekend there is a 50 Ringit entrance fee and just nearby The Uptown which also has bands.

The Condotel also has a fashionable nightclub with minimum age eighteen.
Ferrighi beach offers many bars and clubs beachside with lots of surf boards and huts which if that is your thing jump in a friendly cab and pay them a visit.

The island has many cinemas which show American films though subject to censorship which can actually be hilarious, however, if your film choice is something you really want to see be warned that Malaysians are not the best behaved cinemagoers. Mobile phones will ring and audible conversations will commence especially in the quieter dramatic moments!