PEOPLE
The
people of Penang come from mainly three groups ? Malay, Chinese and Indian.
Chinese have a tremendous presence in this island ? in some ways more than
the Malays.
CLIMATE
Penang
has an equatorial climate with fairly uniform temperatures throughout the
year, ranging from 22C to 32C. Humidity is high at 85-95% and the annual
rainfall is approximately 200-250mm, distributed evenly throughout the
year.
ACCOMMODATION
Penang
has a wide range of accommodation to suit different tastes and budgets.
The
Georgetown area offers varied accommodation, from no-frills travellers?
hostels (YMCA, Golden Plaza Hostel) to business class hotels (Shangri-la
Hotel, Sunway Hotel).
Backpackers can stay in one of the many places around Chulia Street and Love Lane for less than RM30 per night. Rooms are spartan and bathrooms and toilets are shared.
Besides
Georgetown, business class hotels are also located near the Bayan Lepas
Industrial area, such as Hotel Equatorial.
On
the higher end, the tourist belt of Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and
Teluk Bahang is lined with resort hotels of international standard (Penang
Mutiara Beach Resort, Penang Parkroyal, Rasa Sayang Resort). There are
also holiday apartments for families or larger groups.
SHOPPING
The
diversity in Penang becomes quite evident while shopping here. The mixture
of modern complexes, colonial shop-houses and open-air markets makes shopping
an adventure on this culturally rich island. Departmental stores open from
10am to 10pm daily while most shops in shopping complexes open from 10am
to 9pm or 10pm.
Penang Road is the best shopping street in Georgetown. Start at the Komtar, where dozens of small and large shops sell everything from clothes, shoes and electronics to everyday goods. Opposite Komtar is a collection of small shops good for pewters, jewellery, basketware and other handicrafts. Other shopping malls in Penang include Midlands Park Centre, Bukit Jambul Complex, Island Plaza and Sunshine Square. The Chowrasta Market is also a place worth visiting because of its variety of shops.
For antiques, curios and junk shops, head for Penang Road, Lebuh Pantai, Lorong Kulit and Lebuh Bishop. Jewellary shops can be found at Lebuh Bishop and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling for Indian designs, and Lebuh Campbell and Penang Road for Chinese goldsmiths.
The
pasar malam (night market) is a nice place to soak up the local atmosphere.
Everything from food and household items to clothes and fashion accessories
can be found there at bargain prices
FESTIVALS
All
of the usual festivals are celebrated in Penang, but some are celebrated
with extra special energy. In November and December the annual Pesta Pulau
Pinang, or Penang Island Festival, features various cultural events, parades,
carnivals and all the fun that usually accompanies such occasions.
The
masochistic Hindu festival of Thaipusam is celebrated in Penang as fervently
as it is in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, but without quite the same crowds.
The Nattukotai Temple on Waterfall Road is the main centre in Penang for
the activities.
Chinese
New Year is celebrated with particular gusto in Penang. The Khoo Kongsi
gets done up for the event and dance troupes perform all over the city.
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