Penang Butterfly Farm
Visitors
to this 0.8-hectare farm will see over 50 species of beautiful
exotic butterflies, frogs, scorpions and other insects. The
farm has over 3000 live butterfly specimens and a mounted insect
display.
Forest Recreation Park
This
100-hectare park has a forestry museum that is built with timber.
Visitors of the park can spend the day exploring, on the many
footpaths, as the park is home to cool refreshing streams and
numerous species of flora and fauna.
Penang Hill
Popular among
tourists and locals alike, Penang Hill is 830m above ground
level. Visitors will enjoy a cool respite from the humid heat
below as they visit the gardens, restaurant and hotel up here.
At dusk, the panoramic view is especially beautiful as Georgetown
begins to light up. To get to the top visitors can use the funicular
rail service, which takes 30 minutes, or walk, which will take
about four hours.
Botanical Gardens
This magnificent
30-hectare garden has existed since 1884. Also known as the
Waterfall Gardens because of the stream that cascades through
from Penang Hill, it houses a diverse range of tropical flora.
Within this garden are the orchid house, palm house, herb garden
and cactus garden.
Kek Lok Si Temple
Located
on top of a hill at Ayer Itam, close to Penang Hill, this temple
is reputed to be the largest and most beautiful temple in South-East
Asia. To get to the top, visitors will have to walk up steps
lined with stalls selling souvenirs, food and other various
items. Here visitors will see the Ban Po Thar (10000 Buddhas
Pagoda), a seven-tier 30m high tower that is said to be of Chinese
(at the bottom), Thai (in the middle) and Burmese (at the top)
design. Visitors will also see a three-storey shrine where a
large image of the Thai Buddha resides. Standing high above
it all is a striking figure of Kwan Yin, the goddess of mercy.
State Mosque
This mosque is
a fine example of elegant modern architecture and can accommodate
up to 5000 worshippers at a time.
Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple
This
colourful temple, with its Thai architecture, houses a 33m long
gold-plated reclining Buddha. Visitors should also visit the
Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple across the street too.
The first Buddhist temple in Penang, its gates are flanked by
two large stone elephants.
Khoo Kongsi Clan House
This
kongsi (clan house) was built in 1898 by master craftsmen from
China. One of the finest kongsis in Penang, with its intricate
carvings, beautiful statues, colourful tiles, richly ornamented
beams and paintings, it is not to be missed.
Kapitan Kling Mosque
It was built in the 19th century by Penang's first Indian Muslim
settlers. Its yellow façade and single minaret reflects
Moorish influence in its architecture.
Fort Cornwallis
One of the oldest sights in Penang, it is where Francis Light
set foot in 1786. Originally built with wood, it was later replaced
with stone. Today, it has an open-air amphitheatre, souvenir
shops and a gallery. While the battlements are still studded
with cannons, the most famous among them is the Dutch cannon
with its chequered past.
Acheen St. Mosque
Built in 1808 by a wealthy Arab trader, this mosque is unusual
because of its minarets which are Egyptian in style, unlike
the minarets of most mosques, which are Moorish-styled.