Visitors may be surprised to see an Indian temple, a Chinese temple, a Muslim mosque and a 100 year old church all standing within close proximity to each other. The island is home to a complete mix of ethnicities. This diversity adds to Penang’s charm and sees old red-tiled roofs of Chinatown next to tall modern office blocks and ‘Little India’ next to hawker food stalls selling traditional Malay cuisine.

The Colonial District: is perhaps one of the main draws in Georgetown as it has sites that date back to the British settlement in 1786. Fort Cornwallis is where Francis Light stepped ashore and a good place to start exploring the colonial district.

Penang Museum: walk visitors through a pictorial history of Penang. There are many old photographs, paintings and also items from the late 1700s to the present. There are also items and articles that recount the nine days of riots between the Chinese secret societies in 1867. The museum is open from 09:00 to 17:00 except on Friday.

Chinatown: is fascinating, not only for its own history and stores, but also because within the district and the immediate surrounding areas, pockets of Malay and Indian communities live.

Little India: is known for the vibrant colours that deck the stalls selling saris, bangles, fabrics and all sorts of Indian trinkets. There are shops that sell spices, Indian restaurants, Indian pharmacies and ayuverdic shops. Temples are squeezed in between shops and at the corners of the main streets in this area. Little India bustles with life and excitement from 12:00 to 22:00.

Bukit Jambul Orchid, Hibiscus and Reptile Garden: is within easy reach of the city. The highlight of a trip here will include witnessing the kissing of a king cobra at the daily snake shows. There are also two tigers, a wide variety of birds and other reptiles at the garden. Cascading waterfalls, Japanese ponds and a large variety of orchids can also be appreciated here.

Penang Hill: was once the exclusive retreat of the British during the hot months of the island. From the top of the hills, on a clear day, the view is quite spectacular and there are several gardens to enjoy the scenery and pleasant weather. To get to the top of the hill visitors have to ride on the small railways cars, a trip of about 30 minutes. There are walking trails, a Hindu temple, a Muslim mosque and flowering nurseries to enjoy at the top.

Kek Lok Si Temple: in Air Hitam is commonly called the “Pagoda” by locals. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and took more than 20 years to complete. As it stands on top of a hill, visitors will have to climb more than 30 metres to reach the temple, but the narrow winding steps are lined with interesting stalls selling all sorts of oddities.