Penang Island is a small island in the Malacca Strait, just an hour long flight from Kuala Lumpur. Its capital city is George Town, where the colonial cultural heritage embraces the modern development. Penang is known as the food capital of Malaysia. It boasts one of the most delicious and cheap street cuisine influenced by diverse ethnic population of Malay, Chinese and Indians.
There is plenty to explore and things to see in Penang. On the northwest part of the island you can set on a trekking route through the Penang National Park or enjoy sports activities on Batu Ferringhi beach. Take a stroll through the streets of old part of George Town to discover the art street of Penang, where you will find iconic wall paintings showing the local culture. The island is also famous for numerous temples. One of them is Kek Lok Si Temple, translating as the Temple of Ultimate Happiness, and is regarded as the biggest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. Its popular highlights are the Pagoda of ten thousand Buddhas, which encompasses Chinese, Thai and Burmese architectural styles, and a 30m high bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Due to several other historical landmarks George Town is regarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
