Penang

Pictures by QT Luong

[1 : Overview][2 : Colonial district] [3 : Chinatown streets] [4 : Chinatown temples] [5 : Mansions]
[6 : Little India] [7 : Assembly halls] [All]

Penang Island, or Pulau Pinang, along with Singapore and Hong Kong, is one of the most fascinating islands in Asia. Penang was the oldest (1786) of the British Straits settlements. Penang's main city, Georgetown, was known as the Pearl of the Orient. Penang is Asia condensed. Because of the mix of Chinese, Indian, and Malay influences, Penang is graced with a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in Southeast Asia. The narrow streets of George Town are full of temples and rich assembly halls in all sorts of styles, mosques, opulent historic mansions, and colonial buildings. George Town historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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