From the airport take your hire car across the Penang Bridge, a five mile long miracle of human achievement. Then visit the Temple of Supreme Bliss, the largest Buddhist temple in South East Asia and for a magical night out, join hundreds of other spectators for firefly watching at Sungai Kerian.
There the specific type of mangrove attracts hundreds of the luminous insects for a nightly show. Finally you’ll deserve to relax after touring Penang and you can stretch out on the attractive beaches of the island’s north coast.
Penang Airport Mini Guide
The Pearl of the Orient
Penang is known as the “pearl of the orient”and is a popular tourist destination for visitors from all over the world, it has a rich cultural and architectural heritage, but is still a thriving modern centre. As well as being a final destination for many visitors it is also a popular stopover point for flights from the UK and Europe to other places in the Far East and also to Australia and New Zealand.
Although not a large airport, it was voted “Airport of the Year” in 2009 and has all the usual facilities you would expect from an international airport handling over 4 million passengers a year. It is situated around 10 miles south of Georgetown, the capital of Penang, in the Bayan Lepas area.
Getting Around
There are several major car hire companies renting cars at Penang Airport, hiring a car will give you the freedom to explore the island during your stay however long or short it may be.
Places to Visit Close to the Airport
Although most of the major attractions are situated at the north of the island, the whole island is only 285 km sq, so nowhere is out of reach, but there are two attractions very close to the airport if you're on a tight schedule.
The Snake Temple:
The Snake Temple or the Chor Soo Kong Temple as it is known to the locals is guarded by green Wagler Pitt vipers, but apparently these have been rendered harmless by incense and sacred joss stick smoke so the visitor has nothing to fear!
The War Museum:
The War Museum is dedicated to Penang's experience during World War II. It is housed in a former British fort built during that time, the only one of it's kind in the country, it will give you an insight as to what life was like at that time.
Places not to Miss
Penang Hill:
Take a cable car ride up Penang Hill for breathtaking views at 821m above sea level you will see some of the grandest colonial mansions built by the British settler – these are now mainly restaurants and guest houses, an added bonus is that the air is fresher and cooler than at sea level, making a refreshing change.
Tropical Spice Garden:
The only dedicated spice garden in south east Asia, this oasis of foliage, ferns and pungently scented plants is a must during your stay – and the souvenir shop contain several very different items made from the spices grown there!
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