Travel

Ask the locals and they will tell you that Penang has the best food in the entire country. The fact is that majority of Malaysians wholeheartedly agree with that statement. Penang is blessed with such a great variety of food that it is often said that Penangites don't eat to live but live to eat. Along Gurney Drive are some of the best hawker stalls. These stalls spring up late in the afternoon and stay open to about midnight, during which hundreds, perhaps even thousands of hungry-souls make their way here! Nasi Kandar, Satay, Laksa, Popiah, and Rojak are some of Penang's scrumptious treats that you cannot afford to miss!

St. George's Church

Situated on Lebuh Pitt in Georgetown and built by convict labor in 1818, St George's Church is one of the oldest landmarks in the city of Penang. The entrance of this stately Anglican church is named after a patron saint of England. It features a memorial canopy dedicated to Captain Francis Light. This church, shaded by large, lush green angsana trees is also believed to be the oldest Anglican church in Malaysia.

Fort Cornwallis, Lebuh Light

It is claimed that Captain Francis Light made his historic landing right here in 1786 and decided to build a fort. Originally a wooden stockade, Fort Cornwallis was later replaced by concrete. Today, it is an open-air amphitheater, and a history gallery and souvenir center occupies the interior. The highlight here is the famous 1603 Dutch cannon renamed "Seri Rambai". It was originally presented to the Sultan of Johor by the Dutch but through the years the cannon found its way to Penang after being looted by the Portuguese. Legend has it that if any woman who is barren caresses this cannon, she will be blessed with a wonderful child.

Khoo Kongsi

Perhaps the best known religious building in Georgetown is the Khoo Kongsi (clan-house of the Khoo family), located at the junction of Lebuh Pitt and Lebuh Acheh. This clan-house functions as a temple and assemble hall of the Khoo clan. Resembling an imperial palace, the original building was burnt down in 1894. A scaled down version was later built in 1902 The building features a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams of finest wood bearing the mark of master craftsmen from China.

Found on Pesara King Edward, this is a prominent landmark. Towering 60 feet high, the clock tower was presented to the city by a rich Chinese "towkay" ( boss / millionaire), Cheah Chen Eok, to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

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