Hi, I am a first timer in Malaysia on a 20 day trip, starting 04-July-2008. I need some help with my itinerary- How many days do you think I should spend in Penang and what are the main touristic things to do/see (I am planning to go to KL, Pahang, Tioman, Langkawi, Borneo, and Penang) Can you please recommend if I have selected the best islands/places or would you recommend others? Many thanks Shan

I want to go to Penang Malaysia too.. hope someone can feed us some info.

Hi, I think I'm a bit late to this but hopefully can help. We are quite party going people so with penang being quite muslim we were disappointed in the lack of music bars etc. There is a good night market that runs along Ferringhi (sorry i can't remember the spelling) which you can get lots of bargains. In the middle there is a food court that sells cheap food and beer which was always very full. There are lots of different types of restuarnts running along the main road, but no music/drinking bars. We spent a lot of time in a lovely restaurant opposite our hotel (Golden Sands) but we had strange looks when ordering a 3rd glass of wine!! lol Borneo is fantastic, Kota Kinabalu is a fabulous city that is really Asian which lots of live music and beer bars. Have fun!!

Reclining Buddha temple, Beaches in Penang, The Botanical Gardens (monkey park), Goddess of Mercy (Quan Yin) Temple, Gurney Drive (sea-watch & hawker food), Fort Cornwallis, Butterfly farm, Little India & Kapitan Keling Mosque, The Snake Temple, KOMTAR, Clock Tower, Esplanade and City Hall, The State Museum, St George Church ~ Francis Light Memorial ....These are some of examples in Penang where you can go.

i rem an exciting place called Penang hill and would surely rec you to go there. There is the area around batu firangi that is nice and the area around Gurney. Try to rent a car and explore the place. I really find penang the best of Malaysia.

Way too late for the original poster but may be helpful for others.

Nightlife - head into George Town at upper penang road - nightclubs, bars and cafes.

Gurney Drive for Hawker stalls and shopping malls as well as a few clubs within the hotels.

Currently researching all this but very hard to find out the information needed for What's on Penang all in one place.

where are good health centres in Penang?

Stroll around the UNESCO World Heritage core of Georgetown. The most prominent landmark (and must-see) is the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. However, the neighbourhoods surrounding Jalan Penang (Penang Road) and Lebuh Chulia (Chulia Street) are packed with gorgeous colonial and Chinese heritage buildings as well as wonderfully atmospheric temples and narrow streets.

Check out the Penang Peranakan Mansion, Little India along Lebuh Pasar (Market Street), Khoo Kongsi Clan House, Kuan Yin Temple (Penang’s oldest temple), Teochew Temple, Hainan Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Sri Mariamman Temple and the beautifully restored heritage shophouses of the Straits Collection on Stewart Lane. Another gorgeous stretch of heritage villas can be found along Lorong Bangkok (Bangkok Lane) in the nearby neighbourhood of Pulau Tikus.