Penang Heritage City Of Georgetown

Georgetown is located on the north-east corner of Penang Island and was name after Britain's King George III. It was Captain Francis Light who first founded the city in 1786 after wrested the control of Penang from the Sultanate of Kedah. It was at that time built on a swampy land that had to be cleared of vegetation, leveled and filled. On 1 January 1957, Georgetown became a city by a royal charter granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is the first town in the Federation of Malaya to become a city until Kuala Lumpur was granted city status in 1972. The first Mayor of Georgetown was D.S. Ramanathan. To this day, the Royal Charter is still prominently displayed in the Penang State Museum. The royal charter states that - "The said Municipality of George Town shall on the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty seven and forever thereafter be a city and shall be called and styled the CITY OF GEORGE TOWN instead of the Municipality of George Town and shall thenceforth have all such rank, liberties, privileges and immunities as are incident to a city."

Throughout the years, the heritage city has slowly grown from a small agriculture and farming area to became a high rise metropolitan filled with plenty of opportunity for all. Today with a total population of about 400 000, George Town is a great and lively city by itself. Boast with the tallest building in Penang (KOMTAR) as well as many pre war building, multi ethnic temples and numerous shopping complexes. It is a city with hive of non-stop activities. A unique place like Little India & Chinatown is a place that you wouldn't want to miss especially during Deepavalli and Lunar New Year celebration where many colorful festivals are being held every year.

Others attraction includes Cheong Fatt Tze's Mansion (Leith Street), Pinang Peranakan Mansion (Church Street ), Khoo Kongsi, Kuan Yin Temple, St. George Church (where Francis Light is cremated), Fort Cornwallis (Light Street), Penang Museum and many others. Shoppers will be delighted with shopping galore that is available here. From street peddlers selling all kind of bargain stuff up to huge & beautiful shopping complex such as Prangin Mall and Gurney Plaza that sells branded and designer items, you can rest assure that all your shopping needs will be taken care of. Just walk along the streets of Georgetown and see for yourself why Penang is branded "The Shoppers Paradise". If you are food lovers, Georgetown is definitely the best place to enjoy good & delicious food. You can find many famous Penang food here -  Nasi Lemak, Nasi Kandar, Char Kway Teow, Ais Kachang, Chendol and many more... Do take some time of to visit coffee shop or one of the numerous restaurants to be found in almost every street that suit all tastes. Lovers of fast food and devotees of the burger and fries will not be disappointed. But don't be put off by a lack of flashy advertising or sparkling furniture, some of the most modest establishments offer superb regional food at very minimal prices. While the menu in English might take a little while to find, but the wait will be worth it. Linger over a cup of tea and watch the world go by. Penangites have been doing it for many years. And if this is not enough, proceed to Frank Sweetenham Pier to take a short cruise along the coastline of the island to catch some magnificent view of Penang from a slightly different angle. More on Penang cruise, click here!

When night comes, all the busy activities in the morning will be replace with songs from life band, music’s from pubs, lounge, bars & discothèque that took over to provide a rather calm and relaxing atmosphere from your hectic city life. Some of the famous place includes The Garage & Soho Freehouse (Penang Road), Shamrock Irish Pub (Faquhar Street) and 20th Leight Street Pub Wine Bar & Bistro (20 Leight Street). Accommodation is plenty here. You can choose from a wide selection of budget hotels, mid range hotels or 5 star hotels accommodation. Federal Hotel & Hotel Malaysia at Penang Road are the preferred choice for budget accommodations where as Berjaya Georgetown

Penang & Hotel Grand Continental is for the mid range occupant. For a more luxurious stay, Eastern & Oriental Hotel (Farquhar Street), Gurney Hotel (Gurney Drive) and Traders Hotel (Magazine Road) is the most sought after. A walk in the streets of Georgetown is an experience that should not be missed. All needed is just a little preparation and perspiration which will be rewarded with a multitude of encounters with the history and culture of a vibrant and culturally diverse city.

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