8 places in Penang that the locals love - and you would too
Malaysia’s second city hosts attractions from a tropical spice garden and the world’s smallest national park to magnificent heritage buildings, tempting cuisine and stylish speakeasy bars
1. Penang National Park
With only a 1.2-hectare area, the Penang National Park is in no way lacking in diversity of habitats. Here, you’ll find lakes, mangrove plantations, wetlands, coral reefs and even turtle nesting beaches – you can even access some beautiful beaches from the park by boat! For those who fancy the embrace of nature, you’ll love the multiple challenging trekking routes around the vicinity that will reward you with plenty of mesmerising views.
2. Stay in a heritage building
Penang is truly a place that’s steeped in history and heritage, so why don’t you forgo the Shangri-Las, Hard Rocks or Holiday Inns and spend the night in refurbished heritage sites? One that tops the list for us is The Blue Mansion, the first George Town heritage boutique hotel, which celebrates the grandeur of Cheong Fatt Tze, a prolific Chinese businessman and politician of the late 19th century. Other options to consider include The Edison, Hotel Penaga, East Indies Mansion, Yeng Keng Hotel, Noordin Mews, Campbell House, and Seven Terraces.
3. ESCAPE