Penang Attractions
If you are in Penang, you should know what are the important areas to be visited by you. Penang has a lot of tourist attractions and you can move around with or without the help of a guide. Ideally, you can arm yourself with all downloadable stuff from the internet and start on your trip around Penang.
The Colonial George Town is the capital of the Penang state in Malaysia. Built on a history of the British rulers during their days with the East India Company, George Town still has those houses built hundreds of years ago. Though most of them are well preserved and maintained, others are well on the path of decay. George Town is otherwise a relatively calm city with the normal hustle and bustle of city life with all normal amenities available at your disposal.
You may decide to move on to visit the Jade Emperor’s Temple. This temple believed to be built by Chinese settlers and visitors to Penang during the early days, is still revered today. The Jade Emperor is said to have achieved immortal status after a hard penance lasting several thousands of years. The Jade Emperor was empowered with many healing powers and had the capability of accurately predicting the future. The temple built by the Taoist Community is at the foot of the Penang Hill and is very near to the Penang Railway Station. As you enter the Jade Emperor’s Temple, you would be drawn in by the mystical fragrance of the multitude of rare fragrance sticks that are burning every hour.
The Penang Hill is another great attraction in Penang. Essentially, it is a small hill for the tourists and travelers but if you are having an aptitude for trekking, you can trek your way up the hill. There is rail connectivity to the top at regular half hour intervals from the Penang Railway Station. There is also a good hotel on the Penang Hill where you can decide to stay if you wish to.
The Kek Lok Si Temple is considered to be the biggest and the most popular attraction in Penang. Built with a fusion of the Taoist ideals and Chinese rituals, this temple truly represents the popularity of the cultures in those days. Built around 1893 the temple was an awe-inspiring structure and though the pagoda was not present, it drew hordes of devotees from various parts of Malaysia. In 1927, the pagoda was put in place and this added further importance to the temple. The hills on which the Kek Lok Si Temple is built are believed to be the home of old Taoist followers even today.
Come across to the famous Palau Tikus. This is a town where you have the famous statue of the Reclining Buddha. Locals strongly believing and practicing Buddhism believe that when Buddha was aware of approaching death, he took the reclining position. Turning to the right he kept the right hand at an angle to his head to keep his head held above the ground and let his body recline. This way he went into nirvana, facing west. The builder of the Reclining Buddha and the temple was a great Thai monk and he was gifted this land by Queen Victoria.
Finally you can round off your trip with a visit to the Toy Museum located just opposite the Copthorne Orchid Hotel in alan Tanjung Bungah. There are more than 100,000 toys and dolls coming in from various countries around the world to keep your attention glued. This is said to be on of the largest Toy Museums in the world and has already entered the Malaysian book of records.
