Known as ‘the Pearl of the Orient’, the isle of Penang is a hot pot of cultures and religion. A mix of its colonial founders, Chinese, Malay and Indian settlers, Penang has embraced diversity, cultivating a tolerant and liberal society. The famous local food and architecture also profited from the blend. Add beaches, tropical jungles and friendly locals who view the world with a casual eye, and the enduring charm of Penang is hard to ignore.

Botanical Gardens
At the foot of Penang Hill off Waterfall Road are the 30 hectare Botanical Gardens. The only botanic gardens in Malaysia, they are also referred to as Waterfall Gardens and Monkey Gardens thanks to the cheeky long tailed macaque and dusky leafed monkeys that inhabit the reserve. Botanists, kids, lovers and walkers can be found here at any time of the day enjoying the walking trails, herbal garden, sun rookery, lily pond and river. Monkey feeding times in the morning and evenings are also popular.

Georgetown
Georgetown, the capital of Penang, was settled by the British and architecturally has combined its colonial roots with a strong Chinese influence. The city is laid back, easy to get around and is filled with character. A heritage trail will take you around some of the 125 prewar buildings such as Penang Museum and Fort Cornwallis - Penang is home to some of the best preserved colonial architecture in Malaysia. Also on the trail is the Cathedral of Assumption and the Chinese mansion Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion at Leith Street, displaying an architectural style known to only three structures outside of China.

Penang Bridge
The third largest bridge in the world and the largest in Asia, Penang Bridge effectively connects the two parts of Penang state spanning the water dividing Penang island from the mainland. Only completed in 1985, local folklore already has the bridge popular with headless ghosts. It also has the dubious honour of being popular with suicide jumpers. The macabre aside, Penang Bridge is truly one of Malaysia's proudest achievements. Thirteen and a half kilometres long, it takes about ten minutes to cross and offers fantastic views of the Straits of Malacca and the coastline of both the mainland and the island.

Gurney Drive
Just outside of Georgetown proper, Gurney Drive is a stretch of coastline popular with families and lovers as a time-out spot. It is also considered to be the best vantage point from which to contemplate the sunset. The accompanying residential area is one of the most upmarket on Penang, contrasting nicely with the noise and character of the lively night market and the smells wafting from the Penang speciality - hawker stalls. Ten minutes from Gurney Drive towards the beach area is the Hokkien Mee stalls where hokkien mee (prawn noodles for the uneducated) are sold, opposite the Pulau Tikus police station. These tasty noodles are a speciality on the island, and pretty popular for breakfast – be there before 9.30am as stock runs out quick.

Batu Ferringhi
In the 70's this beach town was all the rage for dreamers, dissidents and free spirits. Today development has definitely made its mark, but Batu Ferringhi is the best known, most popular and still a great beach destination to hang out. There are plenty of resorts, restaurants and hawkers stalls to keep you occupied if you get bored of lying in the sun, and the attitude around town remains typically Penang relaxed. Reports suggest that this is also the best nightlife destination on the island.

Hawker Stalls
Penang is famous for it's food and Penangites love to eat. There are two places to enjoy the fare on offer, either at open-air hawker stalls or at what translates into a coffee shop. Both are dotted all over the island and it is probably best to ask the locals for their opinion on which one to frequent - we guarantee that everybody will have a favourite. Malay, Chinese and Indian are all available, but the must try is the Penang speciality the Laksa. Simply noodles in a spicy sour soup garnished with cucumber, lettuce, pineapple and onion, variations on this are now popping up in restaurants all over the world.

Thieves Market
This early evening market is the place to head if you are trying to find that elusive antique. Called the Thieves Market as once that is exactly what it was, today most items have been aquired in a legal manner. Mainly jumbled piles of bric-a-brac, and frankly, quite a lot of junk - rare antiques and excellent finds have been documented and the search is half of the fun. The market can be found at the intersection of Lebuh Acheh and Lebuh Armenia.