George Town
A typical feature of Malaysian colonial cities is the padang, which is an open playing field surrounded by public buildings. George Town’s padang stretches west from Fort Cornwallis to the Town Hall and City Hall, two of Penang’s grandest Edwardian buildings, both of which have fine porticoes.
The field is often used for events today and has a good food court on its southeastern corner.
0.52 MILES
The most photographed building in George Town, this magnificent 38-room, 220-window mansion was built in the 1880s and rescued from ruin in the 1990s…
9.8 MILES
At 23 sq km, this is Malaysia's smallest national park, but it's beach-fringed forests are home to silvered leaf monkeys, flying lemurs, leopard cats and…
7.95 MILES
Facing a beautiful white-sand beach on the 101 bus route, this beautifully landscaped oasis preserves 500 species of tropical flora, spread across 200…
0.22 MILES
Lovingly restored, this ostentatious, mint-green structure was one of the most stunning private residences in George Town. Every door, wall and archway is…
4.98 MILES
Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple is a colourful explosion of statues, pagodas and pavilions, cascading down a hillside in Air Itam, around 8km from the…
0.55 MILES
The most spectacular clanhouse in George Town, Khoo Kongsi is an explosion of colour. Intricate ceramic mosaics of immortals, carp and dragons dance…
0.3 MILES
Dedicated to Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy, this temple is the liveliest place of worship in George Town. The current temple was built in the early 19th…
5.12 MILES
Bordering one of Penang's two virgin rainforest reserves, the spine of this fantastic addition to the Penang Hill experience is a finely crafted 1.6km…
0.08 MILES
Housed in an exquisitely restored three-storey shophouse mansion, this interesting museum is dedicated to a former resident, itinerant barber-turned…
0.09 MILES
Captain Francis Light first built a wooden fort here in 1786, establishing the free port where trade would, he hoped, be lured from Britain’s Dutch rivals…
0.09 MILES
The Town Hall, completed in 1880, has a beautiful restored ballroom that is a regular venue for temporary exhibitions and shows. The Town Hall’s Hokkien…
0.1 MILES
Built in 1903, this Edwardian baroque building facing the Padang houses the Penang Island City Council.
0.11 MILES
On the southern side of the Padang is this neoclassical building dating back to the 19th century.
6. Queen Victoria Memorial Clocktower
0.14 MILES
The scallop-topped clocktower at the northern end of Lr Pantai was erected in 1902 by local millionaire Cheah Chen Eok to mark Queen Victoria's diamond…
0.14 MILES
Housed in Dewan Sri Pinang, the island’s first multipurpose hall, this small and rather tired gallery includes a permanent collection of contemporary…
0.2 MILES
This impressive 1903 building, with rows of columns holding up balconies and shaded exterior corridors, is Malaysia's oldest high court. Outside is a…