Penang Island ( Pearl of the Orient )

Penang island, one of the states in Malaysia. This state located on the north-west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Penang island also name as Pearl of the Orient, is the second smallest state in Malaysia.

Penang is the oldest of the British Strats settlements in Malaysia, predating both Singapore and Melaka. Captain Francis Light, on behalf of the East India Company, acquired possession of the Island from the local sultan in return for protection against enemies. He set foot on the unihabited island in 1786 and established a free port for trading. Soon after, the small town of Georgetown, named after the Prince of Wales, was established. By 1800 Francis Light managed to negotiate a strip of the mainland adjacent to the island and was called Province Wellesly, after the governor of India.

Today, Penang attracts the most tourists with its impressive temples like Kek Lok Si Temple, Kuan Yin Temple & Snake Temple. Georgetown with a lot of old Chinese shops and houses, colonical architecture and mosques also become a strong point to attracts tourists. Other attractions include the beaches of the northern coast like Tanjong Bungah Beach and Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang Hill, Penang Butterfly Farm, Botanical Garden, Fort Cornwallis, Kapitan Kling and etc................[more...]