Penang

WALKING TOUR

Georgetown, Penang (4 hours)

The best way to see and learn more of this UNESCO heritage city is through a walking tour with your heritage guide.  Get to know about the setting and design of houses along the narrow streets guided by “feng shui”.  View neoclassical design frontage homes, Chinese clan associations, trading shops and local cottage industry such as making joss stick.  Enjoy a cup of locally brew coffee at an old coffee shop.

Visit Little India, take in the smell of spices and burning incense at Kuan Yin Temple.  Marvel at the colorful roadside stalls selling flowers and local food products.  Make a prayer at the Sri Mahamariaman Temple and visit one of the finest temple in Penang – Khoo Kongsi Temple.  It’s a large Chinese clan house with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture, one of the city’s major historic attractions.  The clan temple has retained its authentic historic setting and is located in Cannon Square in the heart of the oldest part of the city of Georgetown.

Take a trishaw ride along the colorful streets of Georgetown to Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion.  The mansion build by the merchant Cheong Fatt Tze at the end of19th century has 38 rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases & 220 vernacular timber louver windows.  The mansion was originally built with careful attention to the principles of Fengshui.

The distinctive blue color of the mansion is the result of mixing lime with natural blue dye made from the Indigo Plant.  The mansion is currently used as a hotel-cum-museum as part of a restoration project.  The mansion has been featured in various films including the 1993 Oscar-winning French film “indochine” starring Catherine Deneuve, and has also been featured in programs broadcast on various international tv channels (CNN, BCC).

SHORT TOUR

Tour PEN 06 – Georgetown City Tour (3 hours)

Our first stop will be at Fort Cornwallis – the landing point of Sir Francis Light. Proceed to the clan houses built on stilt at the water front, visit the beautiful Khoo Kongsi Temple, take in the smells of spices at Little India before ending the tour with a visit to a Buddhist temple with the 3^rd longest reclining Buddha and a Burmese Temple.

Tour PEN 07 – Round Island Tour (4 hours)

Travel to Teluk Bahang to visit a local batik factory. View how batiks are being made and the many local handicrafts on display. Continue to the famous Penang Butterfly farm and travel to Balik Pulau, a predominantly Malay fishing village. Stop at a local tropical fruit stall to sample some fruits and view the many fruits trees found in the orchards. Most of them are planted with durian trees – king of the local fruits.

Tour PEN 08 – Hill and Temple Tour (4 hours)

The tour will start with a visit to Kek Lok Si, the biggest Chinese temple in South East Asia. You will see the many different deities found in the temple, the beautiful and intricate carvings and the Goddess of Mercy statue overlooking the city. A short drive away is the Penang Hill train station. Take a funicular train ride up to the hilltop and enjoy the panoramic view of Georgetown and Penang Bridge.

Tour PEN 09 – Night Tour of Georgetown (4 hours) 

Start the tour with a trishaw ride along the streets of Georgetown. You will see the contrast of the city between the day and night. Move on to Gurney Drive, the waterfront is a popular place for the locals to watch sunset and watch the evening pass by. Mingle with the crowd and enjoy a sumptuous dinner at the local hawker stalls.