Penang state in Malaysia is located on Penang Island off its north-western coast. Its rich multicultural history makes it an ideal destination for a heritage tour. The influence of Chinese, European and Indian cultures on its past and present is pretty clear. Here is some information on which places tourists may find worth visiting in Penang State.
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Georgetown, the state capital, is a major tourist destination here. Major chunk of historical buildings of this state are located here. Places worth visiting here apart from those in Georgetown include Kek Lok Si (Temple of Supreme Bliss), Snake Temple, War Museum, Fort Cornwallis etc.
In addition to the above buildings of interest, Penang state is host to a number of interesting festivals as well. These festivals are held mainly between October and February every year. Tourists planning their visit here can consider visiting around this time as they would be able to catch a glimpse of culture of this region in this way.
Georgetown is a prominent tourist destination in Penang state as well in whole Malaysia. It is home to a number of historically as well as culturally important buildings, monuments, museums and places of worship. Prominent ones include Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Pinang Peranakan Mansion and Queen Victoria Clock Tower etc.
Queen Victoria Clock Tower was built in 1897 in order to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee commemoration. It is a 60-foot structure built in colonial era style. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and Pinang Peranakan Mansion were mansions of prominent residents of this region and hold a special place in hearts of locals. Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi can be visited to have a glimpse of fine artwork of nineteenth century.
Numerous places of worship were built over two to three hundred years ago and are worth visiting as well. Such places include Wat Chaiyamangalaram Buddhist Temple, Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Kuan Yin Teng Chinese temple and St George’s Church. Most of these were built in nineteenth century. Besides being prominent places of worship, these attract scores of tourists as well.
The founder of Penang, Francis Light, first landed at the site where remains of Fort Cornwallis are found. This fort was built in 1793 and its remains happen to be of immense tourist interest. Kek Lok Si, Temple of Supreme Bliss, is a splendid structure located on road between Georgetown and village Air Itam. Its architecture is a mix of Chinese, Thai and Khmer styles of architecture.
Snake Temple is a prominent temple and was built in 1850 in the memory of a popular Chinese monk, Chor Soo Kong. This temple is situated in Bayan Lepas town in Penang. A snake museum nearby this temple houses snakes of exotic varieties. War Museum located in southeastern Penang was a fortress build by British and later abandoned. When in Penang, make it a point to not miss this immensely beautiful structure.
To understand the culture and become a part of its heritage, one may consider visiting here during local festivals. Festivals like Chinese New Year, Thaipusam (Hindu festival), Vesak (A Buddhist festival), Penang International Dragon Boat Festival, Penang Bon Odori Carnival, The Feast of St. Anne and Nine Emperor Gods vegetarian festival etc offer a glimpse of its rich culture. Check local listings for exact dates.
