Penang Island, Malaysia: Recreation, Sea, Sights

Travel and tourism in exotic countries do not cease to attract residents of large cities. Malaysia is fully capable of meeting all the tourist's needs: there is a wonderful climate, good service and unusual sights. Penang Island is a real pearl of the country: magnificent nature, benevolent people and a gentle sea will make your stay unforgettable and comfortable.

Geography

Malaysia is a small state in the Andaman Sea. It is located on several islands and captures a small mainland part of the Malacca Peninsula. To find the Andaman Sea on the map, you need to rush up from the Indian Ocean, there, among the innumerable bays and seas, and this geographical object is located. Its waters from all sides are washed by the island (Pylau) Penang, which belongs to Malaysia. The island has a length of 25 km and a width of 15 km. The state of Penang is the most developed and inhabited region of the country. The mainland and insular parts of the state are connected by the Pinang Bridge. The territory of the island is a hilly and wooded terrain. The highest point is the mountain with the same name. On the island are two cities and several small settlements. Thanks to the rapidly developing tourism industry, the island is populated every year more and more. According to the latest census on the island, about 750 thousand people live. 41% are Chinese, 40 - Malays, 10 - Indians.

Economy

Penang, Malaysia, from an economic point of view - one of the most prosperous regions of the country. In general, Malaysia is a modern country with highly developed technologies and economy, it belongs to the so-called new industrial countries and is considered one of the richest and dynamically growing countries among developing economies.

Penang (Malaysia) exists mainly due to such industries as tourism and agro-industry. It grows palms, rubber, almost all types of fruits. The island is rich in forest, so the important sector of the economy is the processing and export of timber. If you look at the Andaman Sea on the map, it becomes obvious that another important part of the island's economy is sea fishing. Warm waters are inhabited by a huge amount of fish and seafood, which Penang is famous for. Malaysia is rich in minerals, the country has its own oil, large deposits of gas, iron and tin ores. Travel and tourism in recent years has become a priority in the development of the economy. For the present, the country has not reached the level of development, as, for example, neighboring Indonesia and Thailand, but strives for it. The island is constantly building new hotels and recreation complexes, a magnificent road system has already been created there, special conditions for entrepreneurs and investors are created. All this leads to the fact that the tourist zone in Penang is constantly growing, there are new opportunities for the holiday, which entails a steady increase in the tourist flow and the stable development of the country's economy.

In the late 70-ies here was created the base of electronic industry, which also became the locomotive of the economy of Penang. Today, the island has offices of many large companies, such as Intel, Bosch, Motorola. Several free economic zones operate here , which contributes to the development of various spheres of production. The deep-water port of Penang connects it with more than 200 port cities of the world.

The standard of living on the island is quite high, here you will not find poverty and ruin. A very large percentage of the middle class creates conditions for the improvement of territories and the development of service infrastructure. The island is divided into two administrative units: North-East and South-West Penang.

History

The Andaman Sea region is one of the oldest inhabited corners of the world. Favorable living conditions made these lands a desirable place of residence. Penang (Malaysia) for the first time in written sources is mentioned in the 15th century, in the diary of the Chinese navigator Zheng Ho. He is considered the discoverer of the island, although by this time there already existed a developed culture. Already then, between local residents and Chinese entrepreneurs, active trade relations were established. Residents of the island consider Zheng Ho a local hero, on the island you can see several monuments to him.

In 1592, the island came to the British led by James Lancaster. The name Penang, derived from the name of the local palm tree, was fixed to the island in the 18th century, before that he had many names in the languages of the local inhabitants. In 1786, Francis Light, a British merchant and navigator who worked for the East India Company, in fact, occupied the island. At that time, negotiations were held between Sultan Abdul Mukkaram Shah and the British government about a protectorate over Penang in exchange for military protection against the pretensions of Burma and Siam. The Sultan also demanded of Britain a ransom of 30 thousand Spanish dollars. But the negotiations did not end, the British simply occupied the territory of the island. Light calls the island the name of the Prince of Wales. Sultan made several attempts to return the island, but eventually agreed to a ransom of 6 thousand. Light begins to build the military fort of Cornwallis and lays the first city of Georgetown.

Malaysia in the form of the island of Penang until the beginning of the 20th century remains in the British Empire. For some time the island played a big role as a trading port, but the appearance of the Singapore port changed everything. Penang became less visible, but at the same time he continued to live his life. In 1826, the island entered the colony of Straits Settlements. In 1946, it became part of the Malayan Union, then the State of the Malay Federation, which included its independence in 1957. In 1963, the island entered as part of the state of Penang in the state of Malaysia.

Climate

The equatorial climate of Peneng makes it very comfortable for living. The average annual temperature on the island is 28 degrees. The water near the coast is kept in the area of 25-30 degrees. The equatorial climate of the island is characterized by pronounced seasonality. The so-called "dry" period lasts from June to September and from December to March. The rainy season is in April-May and October-November. However, this division is very arbitrary, since the precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the year. Rains in Penang are frequent, but usually they are not swollen, precipitation often occurs at night, and during the day the sun shines. In mountainous areas the temperature is more moderate, on average 22 degrees.

The weather in the resort areas of the island is fairly flat throughout the year. The temperature does not fluctuate by more than 1 degree, the hottest month is May, the average daytime temperature is 30 degrees, and rainy days at this time it is 8-9, which allows you to plan a holiday at sea in May. The average length of the light day is 8.5 hours, the least sun can be seen in November and December, when the light day is reduced to 7 hours, during the same period, the most precipitation falls.

A mild, level climate makes the island attractive for tourism all year round.

Penang is in a zone of high seismic activity, in Sumatra and Indonesia there are earthquakes, echoes of which reach the island. However, throughout the history of observations on the island there were no destructive tremors and tsunamis that would threaten people. Even during the powerful earthquake in Sumatra in 2012, Penang experienced only a slight wiggle. More likely cataclysm in the equatorial climate are floods, so in September-December 2014 the island experienced the largest flooding, which caused significant damage to the population. However, the authorities quickly eliminated all the consequences of the disaster.

People

Penang, Malaysia, is the place of mixing of several ethnic groups. The Chinese dominate here, unlike the rest of the country. Today, Penang has become a place of settlement of expats (foreign, most often European, specialists), whole European colonies are being created. In connection with such a large ethnic diversity on the island you can hear a very different speech. The official language, as in all of Malaysia, is Bahasa Melayu or Malay. In connection with the long British past, English is also widespread everywhere, the Chinese people are using the Chinese language. Also in the course of several unique languages: Tamil, Iban, Austronesian dialects. Many of the local dialects still have no written language.

The state religion of Malaysia is Islam, but the Chinese population of Penang often professes Buddhism, you can also meet representatives of the Anglican and Hindu churches. Deep Buddhist roots have affected the worldview of people who are distinguished by great friendliness. There are always a lot of smiling people here, it's almost impossible to face aggression. Although the inhabitants of the island are often very expressive conversations on high tones with active gesticulation, but this is only a reflection of temperament. The island is highly secure, it is rare to hear about violence or robbery, although fraud, of course, exists, especially in tourist places.

sights

A long history, in which several cultures were interlaced, led to the formation of a unique environment on the island in which the responses of various traditions were found. Penang, whose attractions are an important part of travel programs, provides great opportunities for educational excursions.

Penang, who for a long time was part of the British Empire, retained many features of colonial culture. The old Georgetown district of colonial times has preserved a unique appearance, combining the features of British classical architecture and Chinese traditional buildings. It is necessary to find a "blue house", this mansion is one of the ten most outstanding estates of the world. The city center is a UNESCO-protected monument. Walking along these streets is a real adventure, it can be done with a guide or independently, it is possible to take a bicycle and explore all the corners of the city.

Penang is not for nothing known as "the pearl of the East", it harmoniously combines the features of Indian, Chinese, Malay cultures. From the most interesting it is worth to name the seven-thousand-pagoda of the Ten Thousand Buddhas, which is in the temple of the Supreme Bliss, it is the largest temple in Asia. The height of the pagoda is 30 meters, it can be climbed to explore the surrounding area. Undoubted interest in tourists will cause the Temple of snakes, built in 1850 in honor of the Chinese monk, healer and protector of all living things, including snakes. In the temple there are many snakes, ministers say that they are devoid of poison, but this is not the main thing, here you can see the historical building and look at the life of monks. It is also worth seeing the Burmese Buddhist temple, an examination of its fairly large area can turn into a fascinating quest, there is an elevator, an attraction for donations, and many beautiful corners. The Indian quarter will immerse the atmosphere of this India, with its brightness, spiciness, music and temples.

The Penang Bridge is another impressive landmark. Its length is more than 13 km, it is the longest bridge in Asia and the third - in the world.

To see the city from a height, you can climb the mountain Penang, whose height - 800 m.

Kitchen

Penang Island is considered a true Asian gastronomic capital. Here you can taste real Indian, Chinese, Malay, Thai cuisine. Time Magazine cited Petanga's catering as the best in Asia, gastronomic tours are organized here. Since there are a lot of restaurants with authentic Asian dishes, it is not easy to understand them without a guide. "Pearl of the East" allows one to taste dishes of the most outstanding national cuisine in Asia. The main dish of their island is the aborigines char kway teow, which translates as fried noodles. But the name is deceptive, so rice noodles are the only obligatory component of this dish, the rest of the cook adds at their discretion, and this can be chicken meat, shrimp, seafood, fruits, vegetables and, of course, spices and sauces.

Fried rice is another dish that you can try in every restaurant and never find a similar one. The freshest fish in Penang is also cooked in thousands of different ways, and always produces an excellent result. Asam laksa - an acute fish dish is a brand name of the island and is included in the rating of "50 most delicious dishes of the world". There are a lot of Versions, you can spend a whole tour comparing these dishes in different restaurants. The beauty of Penang is that here a variety of dishes are placed close to each other, and sometimes in one restaurant, and it's all quite inexpensive.

Features of the holiday

The main attraction for tourists is the beaches of Penang. Of course, because of their well-groomed and infrastructure, they are inferior to the beaches of Phuket or Bali. But their charm is that there are much fewer people here, and you can combine lying on the beach with cognitive and entertaining tourism. The main beaches are Batu Ferringhi, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Tokong. Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Tokong are located near Georgetown, have well-developed infrastructure, here you can get various water attractions, eat in a good cafe, rent any equipment. Telug Bakhan is located on the territory of the national park and gives an unforgettable feeling of unity with nature, here, of course, the service is more modest, but this is more than compensated by the beauty of nature and the lack of people. Although every year this beach is more and more civilized and attracts more and more people.

Rest on the sea in May, June and September will not only be an excellent way to sunbathe, but also get acquainted with the unique culture, cuisine, and come into contact with tropical nature. This is the main specificity of Penang - here you can combine the usual beach holidays with trips to nature parks and excursions to attractions.

How to get there

It's easy to get to Penang. The Moscow-Malaysia air service is well established. It is necessary to fly to the capital Kuala Lumpur (direct flight will take almost 10 hours), and from there you can reach the island by boat or fly an internal flight. Also there are tours to Malaysia with the arrival to Bayan Lepas (it is 15 km from Georgetown), which is connected by direct flights with almost all Asian capitals and many international airports.

Things to do

Penang is the best place for lovers of active and cognitive rest, there are a lot of places worth visiting. It is also an excellent place for walking. First of all, you should go to the botanical garden Waterfall Gardens to see a unique collection of tropical plants, here are some kinds of exotic birds and animals. The park is very beautiful, the waterfalls and shadows of the trees create a pleasant coolness, so you can go here even on a hot July day.

Marine park Pulau Payar is another excellent place for pastime, here you can see a coral reef and its inhabitants, as well as a huge number of inhabitants of the underwater world.

It will be interesting for tourists to visit the farm of tropical fruits, here you can drink juice from the freshly ripped fruit and see how the exotic fruits grow. You can continue walking in the butterfly park, which features more than 300 species of tropical butterflies, in the Bird Park with 800 species of birds, in the Forest Museum, in the Penang National Park.

In addition to walks, you can devote time to studying the national cuisines of the Asian region, plenty to ride on a variety of water attractions, spend time shopping in major shopping centers near Georgetown.

Today, Malaysia, a holiday in which it is so inexpensive and diverse, is rapidly entering the top of the best tropical destinations for recreation. Penang is committed to offering the best entertainment for tourists. Free time, you can devote a tour of Georgetown on a double-decker bus. You can buy a tour to a real Malay village to see the life of people far from civilization. There, tourists will be shown the traditional crafts, rituals and dwellings of the Malay aborigines.

Fans of museums can visit the military museum, where the life of the British defensive units of the 19th century was preserved and reconstructed; Museum of Pinang, which tells about the history of the island and presents the art and crafts of the inhabitants of the region, the Suffolk House estate of Captain Francis Light, an unusual museum of an owl, which contains more than 1000 pieces of owls from a variety of materials.

Where to stay

Tours to Malaysia offer a choice of accommodation within Georgetown or in small suburbs. Lovers of the beaches can live in close proximity to the coast. If desired, you can have fun in the territory of the butterfly park or even in the national reserve to feel the merger with the pristine tropical nature. However, traditionally tourists prefer to stay within Georgetown, and from there to visit different points of the island. Transport in Penang is very well developed and is quite inexpensive, and hotels in the city offer the best conditions.

Practical information

Malaysia, a holiday in which it is so attractive, is a country of visa-free visit for Russians. If the trip lasts no more than 30 days, then you do not need to get any visas.

Penang is in the time zone of UTC + 8, that is, the difference with Moscow is +5 hours.

The national currency of Malaysia is Malaysian ringgit, other currencies in the country are used little. You can exchange money in banks or at multiple exchange points, where the rate is traditionally more profitable. For the exchange, it is most convenient to take US dollars. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere, except for markets and transport, but one should beware of caution, since Malaysia is in a zone of high risk for operations with bank cards.

As in all countries of Asia, in Penang, it is necessary to follow additional measures of sanitary security and before the trip must be stocked with medicines and insurance.