101 Things To Do
Angsana Teluk Bahang, Penang
Discover culture, heritage and nature beyond your resort
Be captivated by Georgetown’s fascinating architecture and natural landmarks as you explore the rich local culture near Teluk Bahang.
Pay homage to age-old crafts
Georgetown is known for its handful of craftsmen still plying their traditional trades – from rattan-weaving to Nyonya beaded-shoe making, or joss stick-making to Chinese seal engraving.
One rare rattan weaver is Seang Hin Leong Rattan and Bamboo Crafts on Beach Street – a fourth-generation business that has been creating beautiful rattan furniture and handicrafts for decades. Meanwhile, Ng Chai Tiam of Tian Hua Arts & Antique personalises seal engravings using cut-out stone and his trusty magnifying glass at Beach Street. Such Chinese seal engraving stamps were used by business men and calligraphy artists in the old days as a form of a signature.
Walk down Chinese clan jetties
Century-old Clan Jetties, also called The Clan Piers, are located at Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay) near the harbour (Swettenham Pier). These are the ancestral homes of Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya in the 19th century to work and find greener pastures, and there used to be seven of such jetties until one burnt down. The Chinese clans still live in the six remaining floating villages perched on stilts above the water, constructed with a special wood that’s resistant to seawater. Each jetty is named after a Chinese clan; Chew Jetty is the most tourist-friendly with the largest number of stilt-houses and longest walkway.
Visit art galleries and studios
This former bus depot located on Jalan Gurdwara (previously Brick Kiln Road), was constructed in a post-war art deco-style in 1947. In 2014, London-trained Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic decided to use this derelict space for his first solo exhibition.
Today, Hin Bus Depot is a creative hub that houses an art gallery, artist studios, a pottery studio and trendy cafes. A small creative collective manages the place and works with the community to sustain the depot as a space to support and showcase up-and-coming artists. On weekends, a vibrant pop-up market offers visitors a variety of locally made products, delicious bites, and lively music performances.
Explore a national park
Northwest of the island lies Penang National Park – home to about 410 species of flora and 143 species of fauna, including macaques, otters, pangolins, Black Giant squirrels, Lesser mouse-deer, as well as the White-bellied Sea Eagle and White-throated King Fisher. A Turtle Conservation Centre has been established at Pantai Kerachut (Turtle Beach), where two species of turtles – the Olive Ridley Turtle and Green Sea Turtle, regularly lay their eggs. The park is also home to a rare meromictic lake that consists of two separate layers of water with different temperatures and densities – cool fresh water on top and warm seawater below.
Stroll through colourful Little India
The main thoroughfare of Market Street in Little India is a kaleidoscope of small shops selling handmade trinkets, colourful saris, fragrant incense sticks, and aromatic street food such as samosa, tandoori and masala dosa.
Walk through to spot the oldest Hindu shrine in Penang – the Sri Maha Mariamman, a beautiful Southern Hindu temple with a striking gopuram (tower) adorned with colourful gods and goddesses, built in 1833. Also not to be missed is the Nagore Dargha Sheriff – the oldest Indian Muslim shrine in Penang, with green and white arches and domes. Built in the early 1800s, it was dedicated to 13th-century saint Syed Shahul Hamid from Nagore in India.
