Sightseeing in Penang Malaysia
The Cheung Fatt Zhe Mansion in Georgetown
Sightseeing in Penang is a unlike anywhere else in Asia as the breadth of cultural monuments and places of worship provides a variety that is utterly unique. Most people start their sightseeing tour of Penang in historic Georgetown and this is indeed where most of the colonial buildings of the island can be found. More on Penang attractions.
A great idea for a first stop while sightseeing in Penang is to get a complete vista of the island by scaling imposing Penang Hill. Bukit Bendera stands 821m high and can be reached by bus, taxi or cablecar. The stunning views is a great welcome to the island and with a temple, church and restaurant at the top, not to mention a snake show, there’s plenty to do while in the island’s cooler reaches.
Back in Georgetown there are many sites such as Buddhist pagodas and Victorian monuments which should be explored. Penang attracted merchants from the four corners of the earth with many immigrants making their fortunes here. And these businessmen built huge and impressive homes with the wealth they acquired such as Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Leith Street. This 1896 building was is designed by expert craftsmen by Feng Shui principles for the Nanyang industrialist who wanted the ornate architecture of China recreated in his new home.
Another remnant of Chinese prosperity on the island is Khoo Kongsi neighbourhood and clanhouse,. This Penang sightseeing attractions is where the Khoo community lived and is characterised with tightly regimented terraced houses. Each of the five ‘big clans’ (kongsi) has its own central clanhouse which is decorated in elaborate oriental style and acts as a status symbol for the community.
Oriental workmanship is also on show at the Kek Lok Si Temple, a century-old religious complex outside of the city centre but well worth including whilst sightseeing around Penang. Situated in the small town of Air Itam, it features delicate ornamental gardens with a smattering of intimate temples. The 120ft bronze statue of the god Kuan Yin statue is extremely imposing, as is the seven-tiered Pagoda of 1,000 Buddhas with Chinese, Thai and Burmese architectural motifs found within the same structure.
Kek Lok Temple is very impressive
Penang’s Tropical Spice Garden is a great place for relaxation away from the clamour of central Georgetown. Strolling around on the manicured lawns in bare feet and experiencing all the different intoxicating herbal aromas is a lovely way to unwind after a long day of sightseeing in Penang. And there are plenty of souvenirs that can be picked up here for gifts or perhaps just to enhance your kitchen store cupboard back home. More on Penang day trips.
One landmark in Penang it’s almost obligatory to visit is Fort Cornwallis. This former British battlement was built in the shape of a star and has 10ft walls. Both adults and children will love getting lost in the labyrinth of rooms and cells where pirates were once held captive and prayers before battle were said. There is also a 17th-century Dutch cannon made of bronze called ‘Seri Rambai’ housed in the building which is supposed to have a positive effect regarding the fertility of female Penangites.
And the 60ft Queen Victoria Clock Tower is another demonstration of British presence in Penang. Commissioned to commemorate the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee, there is a metre of tower for every year Victoria reigned over the empire. And despite extensive bombing by Japanese forces during the Second World War, the only real damage is a slight lean the tower has acquired over the years.
As the oldest Anglican church in the whole of Southeast Asia, it’s easy to see why St George’s Church in Jalan Lebuh Farquhar has remained a firm favourite on Penang sightseeing trails. The original structure was built in 1816 by convicts and has remarkably escaped alteration over its lifetime. Enormous Grecian columns dominate the building’s facade while a grand Captain Francis Light memorial stands proudly guarding the church’s entrance. More on Penang religious sites.
A monument to the thousands to emigrated to Malaysia from the South of India can be found on Jalan Bukingham. Kapitan Keling Mosque dates from the 1800s and is adorned with Moghul-esque copper domes. This is an important place on Penang sightseeing tours as it appears markedly at odds with the more Arabian mosques such as the one found in nearby Acheen Street.
