Travel and tourism in exotic countries continue to attract residents of big cities. Malaysia is quite capable of satisfying all the needs of a tourist: it has a wonderful climate, good service and unusual sights. Penang Island is a real pearl of the country: magnificent nature, friendly people and gentle sea will make your stay unforgettable and comfortable.
Geography
Malaysia is a small state in the Andaman Sea. It is located on several islands and captures a small mainland of the Malay Peninsula. To find the Andaman Sea on the map, you need to rush up from the Indian Ocean, there, among the countless bays and seas, this geographical feature is located. Its waters wash on all sides the island (pulau) of Penang, which belongs to Malaysia. The island is 25 km long and 15 km wide. The state of Penang is the most developed and populated region of the country. The Penang Bridge connects the mainland and island parts of the state. The territory of the island is a hilly and wooded area. The highest point is the mountain of the same name. The island hosts two cities and several small settlements. Thanks to the booming tourism industry, the island is populated more and more every year. According to the latest census, about 750 thousand people live on the island. 41% are Chinese, 40% Malay, 10% Indian.
Economy
Penang, Malaysia, from an economic point of view - one of the most prosperous regions of the country. In general, Malaysia is a modern country with a highly developed technology and economy, it belongs to the so-called new industrial countries and is considered one of the richest and fastest growing countries among emerging economies.
Penang (Malaysia) exists mainly due to industries such as tourism and agro-industry. Palm trees, rubber, almost all kinds of fruits are grown here. The island is rich in forests, so the processing and export of timber is an important sector of the economy. If you look at the Andaman Sea on the map, it becomes obvious that another important part of the island's economy is the marine industry. The warm waters are populated with a huge amount of fish and seafood for which Penang is famous. Malaysia is rich in minerals, the country has its own oil, large deposits of gas, iron and tin ores. Travel and tourism in recent years has become a priority for economic development. The country has not yet reached the level of development, such as neighboring Indonesia and Thailand,but strives for it. New hotels and recreation complexes are constantly being built on the island, an excellent road system has already been created here, special conditions are being created for entrepreneurs and investors. All this leads to the fact that the tourism area in Penang is constantly growing, new opportunities for vacations appear here, which leads to a steady increase in the tourist flow and stable development of the country's economy.
In the late 70s, an electronics industry base was created here, which also became the locomotive of the Penang economy. Today, the island houses the offices of many large companies such as Intel, Bosch, Motorola. Several free economic zones operate here, which contributes to the development of various areas of production. The Penang Deep Water Port links it with more than 200 port cities around the world.
The standard of living on the island is quite high, here you will not find poverty and devastation. A very large percentage of the middle class creates conditions for the improvement of territories and the development of service infrastructure. The island is divided into two administrative divisions: Northeast and Southwest Penang.
History
The Andaman Sea region is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world. Favorable living conditions made these lands a desirable place of residence. Penang (Malaysia) was first mentioned in written sources in the 15th century, in the diary of the Chinese navigator Zheng Ho. He is considered the discoverer of the island, although by this time there already existed heredeveloped culture. Even then, active trade relations were established between local residents and Chinese entrepreneurs. The inhabitants of the island consider Zheng Ho a local hero, and several monuments to him can be seen on the island.
In 1592, the British arrived on the island, led by James Lancaster. The name Penang, derived from the name of a local palm tree, was assigned to the island in the 18th century, before that it had many names in the languages of the locals. In 1786, Francis Light, a British merchant and navigator working for the East India Company, essentially occupied the island. At this time, negotiations were underway between Sultan Abdullah Mukkarama Shah and the British government for a protectorate over Penang in return for military protection from the claims of Burma and Siam. The Sultan also demanded a ransom of 30,000 Spanish dollars from Britain. But the negotiations ended in nothing, the British simply occupied the territory of the island. Light names the island after the Prince of Wales. The Sultan made several attempts to return the island, but eventually agreed to a ransom of 6,000. Light begins to build the military fort Cornwallis and lays the first city of Georgetown.
Malaysia in the form of the island of Penang until the beginning of the 20th century remains part of the British Empire. For some time, the island played a large role as a trading port, but the appearance of the Singapore Port changed everything. Penang became less visible, but at the same time continued to live its own life. In 1826, the island became part of the Straits Settlements. In 1946, it became part of the Union of Malaya, then a state of the Federation of Malaya, in which it acquiredindependence in 1957. In 1963, the island became part of the state of Penang in the state of Malaysia.
Climate
Peneng's equatorial climate makes it a very comfortable place to live. The average annual temperature on the island is 28 degrees. Water off the coast is kept in the region of 25-30 degrees. The equatorial climate of the island is characterized by pronounced seasonality. The so-called "dry" period lasts from June to September and from December to March. The rainy season is April-May and October-November. However, this division is very conditional, since precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year. Rains in Penang are frequent, but usually they are not long, it often rains at night, and the sun shines during the day. Temperatures are more moderate in mountainous areas, averaging 22 degrees.
The weather in the resort areas of the island is fairly even throughout the year. The temperature fluctuates by no more than 1 degree, the hottest month is May, the average daily temperature is 30 degrees, and there are 8-9 rainy days at this time, which allows you to plan a vacation at sea in May. The length of daylight hours averages 8.5 hours, the least sun can be seen in November, December, when daylight hours are reduced to 7 hours, during the same period the most precipitation falls.
The mild, even climate makes the island attractive for tourism all year round.
Penang is located in a zone of high seismic activity, in Sumatra and Indonesia there are earthquakes, the echo of which reaches the island. However, in the entire history of observations on the island, there were nodestructive aftershocks and tsunamis that would threaten people. Even during the massive 2012 Sumatra earthquake, Penang experienced only a slight wobble. Floods are a more likely cataclysm in the equatorial climate, so in September-December 2014, the largest flood occurred on the island, which caused significant damage to the population. However, the authorities very quickly eliminated all the consequences of the disaster.
People
Penang, Malaysia, is a melting pot of several ethnicities. The Chinese dominate here, unlike the rest of the country. Today, Penang has become a place of settlement for expats (foreign, most often European, specialists), and entire European colonies are being created. Due to such a large ethnic diversity on the island, you can hear a variety of speech. The official language, as in all of Malaysia, is Bahasa Melayu or Malay. Due to the long British past, English is also ubiquitous, the Chinese population is using Chinese with might and main. Also in use are several unique languages: Tamil, Iban, Austronesian dialects. Many of the local languages are still unwritten.
The state religion of Malaysia is Islam, but the Chinese population of Penang more often professes Buddhism, you can also meet representatives of the Anglican and Hindu churches. Deep Buddhist roots are reflected in the worldview of people who are very friendly. There are always a lot of smiling people here, it is almost impossible to face aggression. Although the inhabitants of the islandthey often talk very expressively in raised tones with active gestures, but this is only a reflection of temperament. The island is highly secure, and you rarely hear of violence or robbery, although scams certainly exist, especially in tourist areas.
Attractions
A long history, in which several cultures intertwined, has led to the fact that the island has formed a unique environment in which responses to various traditions have been found. Penang, whose sights are an important part of tourism programs, provides great opportunities for educational excursions.
Penang, which was part of the British Empire for a long time, has retained many features of the colonial culture. The old area of Georgetown from the time of colonization has retained a unique look, combining the features of British classical architecture and Chinese traditional buildings. Here you must definitely find the "blue house", this mansion is one of the ten most outstanding estates in the world. The city center is a UNESCO protected monument. Walking along these streets is a real adventure, it can be done with a guide or on your own, it is possible to take a bicycle and explore all corners of the city.
Penang is not in vain known as the "pearl of the East", it harmoniously combines the features of Indian, Chinese, Malay cultures. Of the most interesting, it is worth mentioning the seven-tiered Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which is located in the Temple of Supreme Bliss, it is the largest temple in Asia. pagoda heightis 30 meters high and can be climbed to explore the surroundings. Of undoubted interest among tourists will be the Temple of Snakes, built in 1850 in honor of a Chinese monk, healer and protector of all living things, including snakes. A lot of snakes live in the temple, the ministers assure that they are devoid of poison, but this is not the main thing, here you can see the historical building and look at the life of the monks. It is also worth seeing the Burmese Buddhist temple, a visit to its rather large area can turn into an exciting quest, there is an elevator, an attraction for donations, and many beautiful corners. The Indian quarter will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of real India, with its brightness, spice, music and temples.
Penang Bridge is another impressive attraction. With a length of over 13 km, it is the longest bridge in Asia and the third longest in the world.
To see the city from above, you can climb Mount Penang, which is 800 meters high.
Kitchen
Penang Island is considered a real Asian gastronomic capital. Here you can taste real Indian, Chinese, Malay, Thai cuisine. Time magazine called the catering of Petang the best in Asia, gastronomic tours are organized here. Since there are a lot of restaurants with authentic Asian dishes, it can be difficult to figure them out without a guide. "Pearl of the East" allows you to taste the dishes of the most outstanding national cuisines of Asia in one place. The natives consider char kway teow, which translates as fried noodles, to be the main dish of their island. But the titledeceptively, so, rice noodles are the only mandatory component of this dish, the chef adds the rest at his discretion, and this can be chicken, shrimp, seafood, fruits, vegetables and, of course, spices and sauces.
Fried rice is another dish that you can try in every restaurant and never find the same. The freshest fish in Penang is also prepared in a thousand different ways, and the result is always excellent. Asam laksa - a spicy fish dish is the signature of the island and is included in the rating of "50 most delicious dishes in the world." There are many versions of laksa, you can spend a whole tour comparing these dishes in different restaurants. The beauty of Penang is that here a variety of dishes are placed close to each other, and sometimes in the same restaurant, and it's all very inexpensive.
Holiday features
The main attraction for tourists is the beaches of Penang. Of course, in terms of their well-groomedness and infrastructure, they are inferior to the beaches of Phuket or Bali. But their beauty is that there are much fewer people here, and you can combine lying on the beach with educational and entertaining tourism. The main beaches are Batu Ferringhi, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Tokong. Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Tokong are located near Georgetown, have a well-developed infrastructure, here you can get various water attractions, eat in a good cafe, rent any equipment. Teluk Bahang is located on the territory of the national park and gives an unforgettable feeling of unity with nature, here, of course, the service is more modest, but it more than pays offnatural beauty and sparseness. Although every year this beach is becoming more civilized and attracts more and more people.
A seaside vacation in May, June and September will not only be a great way to sunbathe, but also get to know the unique culture, cuisine, and get in touch with tropical nature. This is the main specificity of Penang - here you can combine the usual beach holiday with trips to natural parks and sightseeing tours.
How to get there
Getting to Penang is very easy. Air communication between Moscow and Malaysia is well established. You need to fly to the capital Kuala Lampur (a direct flight will take almost 10 hours), and from there you can get to the island by boat or fly by domestic flight. There are also tours to Malaysia with an arrival in Bayan Lepas (this is 15 km from Georgetown), which is connected by direct flights to almost all Asian capitals and many international airports.
Things to do
Penang is the best place for lovers of active and educational recreation, there are a lot of places worth visiting. It is also an excellent place for walking. First of all, you should go to the Waterfall Gardens botanical garden to see a unique collection of tropical plants, as well as some species of exotic birds and animals. The park is very beautiful, waterfalls and tree shadows create a pleasant coolness, so you can go here even on a hot July day.
Pulau Payar Marine Park is another great place to spend time, here you can see the coral reefand its inhabitants, as well as a huge number of inhabitants of the underwater world.
It will be interesting for tourists to visit a tropical fruit farm, where you can drink juice from a freshly picked fruit and see how exotic fruits grow. You can continue walking in the Butterfly Park, which features more than 300 species of tropical butterflies, in the Bird Park with 800 species of birds, in the Forest Museum, in the Penang National Park.
Besides walking, you can devote time to studying the national cuisines of the Asian region, having plenty of fun on a variety of water rides, and spending time shopping in large shopping centers near Georgetown.
Today, Malaysia, where holidays are so inexpensive and varied, is rapidly entering the TOP of the best tropical holiday destinations. Penang strives to offer the best in tourist entertainment. You can devote your free time to excursions around Georgetown on a double-decker bus. You can buy a tour to a real Malay village to see the life of people far from civilization. There, tourists will be shown traditional crafts, rituals and dwellings of the Malay aborigines.
Museum lovers can visit the military museum, which preserves and reconstructs the life of the British defensive units of the 19th century; the Penang Museum, which tells about the history of the island and presents the arts and crafts of the inhabitants of the region, the Suffolk House of Captain Francis Light, an unusual museum of an owl, which contains more than 1000 figurines of owls from a variety of materials.
Where to stay
Tours to Malaysia offer a choice of accommodation withinGeorgetown or in the smaller suburbs. Beach lovers can settle in close proximity to the coast. If you wish, you can hang out on the territory of the butterfly park or even in the national reserve to feel the merger with the pristine tropical nature. However, traditionally tourists prefer to stay within the boundaries of Georgetown, and from there visit different parts of the island. Transport in Penang is very well developed and very inexpensive, and hotels in the city offer the best conditions.
Practical information
Malaysia, where holidays are so attractive, is a visa-free country for Russians. If the trip lasts no more than 30 days, then no visas are required.
Penang is in the UTC+8 time zone, that is, the difference with Moscow is +5 hours.
The national currency of Malaysia is the Malaysian ringgit, other currencies are little used in the country. You can exchange money in banks or numerous exchange offices, where the exchange rate is traditionally more profitable. For exchange, it is most convenient to take US dollars. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere, except for markets and transport, however, be careful, as Malaysia is in a high-risk zone for bank card transactions.
As in all Asian countries, in Penang it is worth observing additional sanitary safety measures and be sure to stock up on medicines and insurance before traveling.
