George Town Travel Guide

George Town, the capital of the island of Penang was established by Capt Francis Light in 1786. Just off the northwest coast of the Malay Peninsula, Penang is the oldest British settlement in Malaysia. It is said that the island was a dank tangle of dense undergrowth and impassable forests and it took a cannon shot of gold coins to motivate hired labourers to start clearing the area! Capt Light named the capital of this new territory after his king, George III of England.

Penang soon grew into a thriving port and trading outpost of the Far East and George Town into one of the most attractive locations in the east. So attractive that Penang's colourful history notwithstanding, it is vibrant, sparkling George Town that draws in tourists by the ferry-full! It's admixture of colonial British and traditional Asian give it an extremely pleasant and interesting personality as two very diverse cultures come together in Anglican churches, Chinese temples, Malay mosques, bustling bazaars and crowded market streets.
George Town's flavour is quintessentially Chinese - old men play mahjong on street corners, trishaws peddle their way madly through narrow alleys, the air is heady with the salty aroma of soy sauce mingling with the sweet smell of incense from temples and stone dragons glare balefully from their vantage positions on gateways.  Kek Lok Si Temple, George Town

Faced with the inexorable march of time, old George Town gave way to modern high rises, government offices and temples dedicated to Mammon. The single-minded pursuit of commerce transformed the old city into a booming commercial centre, the financial heart of Penang. But winds of modernisation notwithstanding, all it needs is a whiff of salt air with underlying hint of curry to evoke images of a different era. The streets of George Town teem with life, particularly after dark and offer a glimpse of the history and culture of this city -  Carnarvon St. Love Lane, Pitt Street or Campbell Street evoke memories of British rule as do the buildings along Beach Street and Light Street.