The Penang music and dance scene is mainly based on the Kristang who are believed to have been a creole Eurasian ethnic group of people with Portuguese and Malaccan decent based in Malaysia and Singapore.

And in Penang, you will find the Kristang music and dance known as branyok which is mistaken for Malay joget which is believed to have developed from branyok.

The adoption of western musical entrustments and musical scales by native (tradional) Malay and Indian orchestras suggests that a strong Portuguese influence “jingkli Nona” is the most popular tune and is regarded as the unofficial “anthem” for the Portuguese Eurasians in Singapore.

Fado, the Portuguese music, is not part of the Kristang culture, since it originated in the 19th century, after most cultural links with Portugal were cut off.
The Kristang culture tends to have more joyful expression than the characteristic melancholic mood of fado.

Malaysia is a land of surprises, a multi-cultural nation with both bustling business districts and tranquil beaches. It is home to thriving gay population which is still emerging after years of remaining underground.

Whether you are looking for Penang-Beach, gay friendly accommodation, like a 5 star hotel, great nightlife or perhaps something a bit more homely, www.wotif.com/penang, is the site you should visit.

When you are traveling through Malaysia, why not pamper yourself and stay in one of Penang Spa Hotels which offer an excellent range of facilities, expert staff and heavenly treatments, just visit the above site. The following are some of the gay friendly you can visit in Penang, G. Hotel, Jerejak Resort & Spa, Sunway Hotel Georgetown, the Bayview Beach Hotel, the Gurney Resort Hotel & Residence and many more.

Another website that will give you all the information you need about fitness and saunas for men or any other related service and activities, is www.utopia-asia.com. It is celebrating 16 years of service to Asia’s gay and lesbian community.

Gay life in Malaysia in general, as in any other Asian countries, is blossoming despite the conservative religion-based discrimination and outdated colonial-era laws.

Former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, was famously removed from office by trumped-up sodomy conviction that was reversed by the Malaysian High Court in 2004.

Malaysia, like many other countries, has a large number of different tribes and therefore there are also many dialects. In Penang people generally speak Malay or Bahasa as it is main official language of Malaysia. People in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei speak Malay as their first or second language, like English and other languages in the world.

Penang has many other different dialects, ranging from Batavian to Keletanese, each dialect has its own way of sounding and a native speaker of the language can usually tell a dialect from another.

Bahasa is the medium or instruction in schools and in universities, although English is taught as a second language and is widely spoken and generally understood.

Many other Asian languages and dialects are also spoken in Penang and in Malaysia in general including Mandarin and other Chinese dialects such as Hokkien, Hakka, and Cantonese. Also Tamil and other Indian dialects, Thai and Japanese.

Malay is an easy language to learn, as far as learning any language goes, it is deceptively simple in its structure, spelling is consistently phonetic and most sounds are pronounced in roughly in English.
For Example:

“If you can’t find it, bring another one”, in Malay is, “Ta jumpa, bawa lain” or literally “not find”, bring another one. That is the way Malay is spoken.

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.

Francis Light established Penang to be the first British trading post in the Far East in 1786. The Sultan of Kedah had been persuaded by Light to concede Pulau Pinang (Island of the Betel Nut) to the British in exchange for military support. Although Light occupied the island, he suspended a promise to aid Kedah until the sultan had surrendered additional territory on the neighbouring mainland coast.

A golden shower
When Light landed where the present Esplanade is today, Pulau Penang was practically unpopulated and covered in thick vegetation. In order to persuade his Sepoy forces to take on the hard work of clearing the area, Light is said to have loaded a cannon with coins of gold and fired it into the surrounding tropical rain forest. It didn’t take long before enough land had been cleared to build a settlement, and soon traders and merchants began arriving on the island.

A safe haven
Much of the appeal of the almost unpopulated island for traders was the fact that Penang was from the onset an open, duty-free port. In contrast to their Dutch rivals in the area, who pushed for trade monopolies and introduced trade duties, the British preferred to ally themselves with regional powers instead of controlling and making a profit from Malaysian trade. Penang’s main importance to the British was that it functioned as a safe stopover for British ships sailing on the far more lucrative China trade route.

Immigrants
To fuel Penang’s development, the British founder and administrator, Francis Light, decided to let immigrants claim any land they could clear. Within a few decades, more than 10,000 settlers and traders had settled on the island including Malays, Sumatrans, Indians and above all, the Chinese.

Light’s efforts to encourage agriculture on the island were mostly fruitless, but Penang soon developed into a key trading port for tea, spices, china and cloth. Today, the city of Georgetown is a lively metropolitan city where Eastern and Western influences come together to form a unique culture.

The influx of Chinese immigrants to Penang during the 19^th century gave rise to the formation of clans, which are known in Penang and kongsi. These clans functioned as substitute kinship and professional associations for immigrants who had left behind family and friends. A large amount of different kongsi sprung up in Penang, and each association built a hall to serve as the centre of its community.

The Khoo Kongsi is the most famous example of these halls, having been designed with such splendour that it was said to rival the palace of China’s emperor.

Whether by misfortune or because such resemblance was viewed as an offence, the original Khoo Kongsi burnt to the ground almost as soon as it was completed. The present structure was built as a scaled down version of that original, though it is an extraordinarily impressive structure nonetheless. The building features a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of the finest wood, each bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.

Penang is extremely multi-cultural and visitors will find a number of different districts here, each offering different aspects and attracts.

The Colonial District:

This area is perhaps one of the main draws in Georgetown as it has sites that date back to the British settlement in 1786. Fort Cornwallis is where Francis Light stepped ashore and a good place to start exploring the colonial district. Other sites to see in the vicinity are the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, which was donated to honour Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897; City Hall; the Sate Assembly building; Supreme Court; the island’s oldest Anglican church, which was built in 1818; the double-spire Cathedral of the Assumption and the Protestant Cemetery that holds the graves of Captain Francis Light and Thomas Leonowens, the young officer who married the school mistress of the King of Siam.

Chinatown:

This area is fascinating, not only because it has its own individual history and stores, but also because within the district and the immediate surrounding areas, pockets of Malay and Indian communities live. There are several heritage buildings that were once Chinese shop houses. Many of these have had the interiors converted to trendy restaurants while keeping the original exterior façade and maintaining the red tile roofing. Hawkers abound in this area and the market is certainly an experience.

Little India:

Known for the vibrant colours that deck the stalls selling saris, bangles, fabrics and all sorts of Indian trinkets. There are shops that sell spices, Indian restaurants, Indian pharmacies and ayuverdic shops. Temples are squeezed in between shops and at the corners of the main streets in this area. Little India bustles with life and excitement from 12:00 to 22:00.

The weather in Penang is generally sunny and it tends to be hot and humid throughout the year. Temperatures climb higher than in many Asian countries, usually reaching around 30˚C or higher in the daytime. Even at night, the temperature rarely falls below 20˚C. Although it tends to rain throughout the year, rainfall is particularly heavy during the monsoon season, which lasts from November until February.

Many people find travelling in the hot and humid weather taxing, so allow plenty of time to recover after long journeys and carry plenty of water with you. Generally, the best time to visit Penang is from May to September.

However, the heaviest rail tends to occur from May to October on the west coast of Penang and those intent on soaking up the sun on the beach should avoid arriving during this period. However, the monsoon season is the best time to spot some of Penang’s wildlife and this is a pleasant time to wander through the park.

The best time to see some of Penang’s most colourful festivals is during the winter months of November, December and January. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Puasa are all vibrant affairs and celebrated with gusto all around the island

Penang is a real melting pot, where a large number of cultures live side by side. This means that the country celebrates a large number of festivals, with the Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist religious festivals all being observed. Here are some major Penang festivals to look out for.

Many festivals revolve around the lunar calendar, so dates vary slightly from year to year.

New Year’s Day:  January 1st is a public holiday and New Year’s Eve is marked in most cities with sporting events, competitions, exhibitions and cultural performances by Malaysian multi-ethnic groups.

Chinese New Year:  lasts for 15 days and is very colourful, filled with feasting and firework displays. Gather to watch the traditional dragon and lion dances, which take place to the beat of gongs and drums. Penang is the best place to experience Chinese New Year in Malaysia.

Thaipusam:  This festival is celebrated by Hindus on the tenth month of the Hindu calendar. Thaipusam is a day for penance and atonement and during this time devotees to fulfill a vow they have made to Lord Muruga, who is also known as Lord Subramaniam. Devotion is demonstrated by fasting and piercing their bodies with elaborately decorated metal structures decorated with colored paper, fresh fruit and flowers and parading through the streets.

Wesak Day:  Buddhists celebrate this festival in May to remember the birth, enlightenment and ascension of Lord Buddha. The daytime is filled with visits to the temple and merit making, while there are processions of floats and candles in the streets after dark.

Hari Raya Aidil Fitri: Also known as Hari Raya Puasa, this Muslim festival marks the end of fasting throughout the month of Ramadhan, which is the tenth month of the Muslim calendar. The celebrations last for one month and feature bright decorations, feasting and parties

Lantern and Moon Cake Festival:  This festival is celebrated by all Malaysians, who hang colourful lanterns on their houses and eat moon cakes in this celebration of peace and unity.

Hungry Ghost Festival:  According to Chinese tradition the gates of hell are opened during the 15th day of the seventh lunar month to allow the hungry ghosts to wander the Earth in search of food and possibly seek revenge. The Chinese hold a festival at this time to remember their dead ancestors and pay tribute to them, setting aside food for them and burning money so that their relatives can use it in the afterlife

Deepavali: The Festival of Lights, Deepavali is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil, marking the legendary time when Lord Krishna defeated Narkansura. Mainly celebrated by Hindus, people visit the temple during the day and lit candles and oil lamps in the evening. There are colourful parades through the street and much merrymaking

Christmas:  Unlike most Asian countries, Penang celebrates Christmas much like people do in western countries. Houses are decorated with lights and a large Christmas tree, carols are sung and the traditional roast turkey dinner is often eaten to celebrate the birth of Jesus

Penang receives a large number of tourists and the Malay people are used to the different habits of foreigners. Although Malay people tend to be tolerant to cultural differences, it is important to remember that this is a conservative country and you should show respect by trying to follow the established customs.

Clothing:
Avoid showing too much skin when travelling in Malaysia. It is best to wear trousers rather than shorts and keep your shoulders covered. People who wear tight clothing, shorts and strappy tops will often be treated with distain and even refused admittance to certain places such as temples. Be sure to remove your shoes before entering temples or private houses and place them neatly outside the doorway.

Greetings:
Smile when you greet people. The traditional greeting is known as a salam and resembles a handshake with both hands but without making contact. The man will offer both hands, lightly touching his friend’s outstretched hands, and then bringing his hands to his chest, which means “I greet you from my heart”. The visitor should reciprocate the salam, but never shake hands unless someone initiates the gesture and don’t touch people on the head as this is seen as an insult.
Malay men are addressed as Encik, with or without their name afterwards Single Malay women should be called Che and married women Puan.

Eating etiquette:
Avoid eating with your left hand as it is considered unclean. Malays and Indians often eat with their right hand, while Chinese food is eaten with chopsticks. Knives aren’t usually used in Malaysia and a fork and spoon will often be provided. It is considered bad manners to put the fork in your mouth. Instead, use the fork to push food on to the spoon and lift the spoon to your mouth.

Showing Affection:
Sexual relations between people who aren’t married are actually illegal, and this extends to relationships between Lao people and foreigners. Public displays of affection such as kissing and holding hands can be offensive to Lao people, as is greeting them with a hug or kiss on the cheek.

Taboo Subjects:
Be careful not to criticize the Government and members of the Malay royal family. Avoid talking about homosexuality or ethnic relations.