By Sandra Scott
My idea of a perfect vacation is a warm, sunny place where I can walk on the beach, go swimming, visit historic sites, learn about the local culture, try something new, do a little shopping, enjoy the local cuisine and — this is an important part - it must be reasonable. I found the perfect place when I went to Penang.
The Malaysian island of Penang is on several lists of places people should visit during their lifetime. It is No. 1 on Forbes' list of budget places to visit, and it is second on CNN's list of "The 17 Best Places to Visit in 2017." It is easy to see why. The island has myriad things to do, from exploring the UNESCO Heritage City of Georgetown to a walking tour through the newly reopened Entopia Butterfly Farm to parasailing over the Straits of Malacca.
One of the fascinating aspects of Penang is its heterogeneous population, which is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion. In 1786 Capt. Francis Light landed on the shore of Penang, making it Britain's first settlement in Southeast Asia. It became a critical link between the East and West along one of the world's busiest trade routes. This year Malaysia is celebrating its 60th anniversary of independence from British colonization. Today the island is about 40 percent Malay, 40 percent Chinese and 10 percent Indian with a variety of other groups making up the rest.
American history buffs will know that British Gen. Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington after the Battle of Yorktown, ending the American Revolution. Cornwallis did not return to England in disgrace for losing one of England's most important colonies. He went on to serve in Asia, specifically Penang, and the fort in Georgetown is named in his honor.
The main city, Georgetown, is a cosmopolitan city with old-world Asian touches. There are gleaming white colonial buildings, Chinese shop houses, high-end stores and street markets. A do-not-miss is the Clan Jetties, a waterfront village on stilts that has been home to the Chinese for generations. There are walking tours, hop-on bus tours and a free city shuttle bus that runs from 6 a.m. to midnight. In the city there is a plethora of museums, imaginative street art, many places of worship and the unusual Blue Mansion. For the best view of Penang take the funicular railway to the top of Penang Hill.
The biggest draw for most foreigners, especially Westerners, is the warm, sunny climate during winter and the beaches, especially those in Batu Ferringhi. The area is lined with many resorts, and in the evening there is a mile-long night market plus smaller ones elsewhere on the island. Penang is known for its excellent hawker stalls - open-air stalls that sell inexpensive Asian food.
Visitors will never be at a loss for things to do. There are the typical beach activities such as swimming, parasailing and banana-boat riding, but there are also other spots of interest. The Penang National Park is great for hiking and birdwatching. Penang was on the Spice Route, so it is not surprising that it is home to the only award-winning Tropical Spice Garden in Southeast Asia with more than 500 tropical plants along its winding trails plus an excellent cafe and gift shop.
Penang is visitor-friendly and has encouraged people to "Make Penang your second home." Language is not a problem because English is a compulsory subject in most Malaysian schools. Americans visiting Malaysia only need a valid passport and may stay up to 90 days. Many airlines fly into Penang, but from the United States one of the least expensive ways is to fly into Bangkok and take a budget airline to Penang. Some of my favorite things are early morning walks on the beach, swimming in the pool, walking through the Spice Garden and swinging on their giant swing. Their cafe is an excellent place to eat, but I love trying different foods at the hawker stalls.
I also love visiting the colorful Buddhist temples and enjoying a massage at the Holiday Inn's new spa where midday, midweek treatments are less expensive. I learned how to make Jingha Masala — the Holiday Inn has a free cooking demonstration each week featuring a different recipes.
In the evening I enjoyed sitting on the balcony of my room with my favorite libation. It was the perfect way to watch the day fade into night.
WHEN YOU GO
For more information check out www.visitpenang.gov.my and www.ihg.com/holidayinnresorts/hotels/us/en/penang.
Sandra Scott is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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