Attractions in Georgetown - The Gem of Penang

If you want to travel to a place in Malaysia where it feels like the time stands still in a world, you must definitely take some time to explore Georgetown. Home to the best of the sights, smells, sounds and taste of Penang, it will not be too much of an exaggeration to say that Georgetown is what Penang is all about. If you are put up at a hotel in Malaysia Penang the likes of Travelodge Georgetown, exploring the area would not be too much hassle for you.

This is a mansion that is renovated to be a boutique hotel and is one of the most popular attractions in Georgetown. Found on the 14th Leith Street, this building was established in the year 1800 and was built by a local merchant. This trader has a rich history that is quite interesting to learn about. Coming to the area as a penniless teenager, this person worked hard and rose to the ranks of being a well respected financial name throughout the east of Asia by the end of the 19th century. Though Georgetown was filled with Anglo Indian architecture and design at the time, this man built his mansion in the traditional Chinese style. The Mansion has about 38 rooms, 7 stairs cases and almost 200 windows. The mansions fell to ruins and were later resurrected to be what it is today.

Situated in the block right in the middle of Georgetown, this house resembles a grand temple and palace that you will usually see in China. The building is the only such house in Georgetown that is a fusion of traditional Chinese, European and Malaysian design. This will be a site you will not miss as you are walking down the street and this is usually the first thing travellers see when they visit the area. Built in the year 1873, this house was owned by an immigrant who came from a village in the south of China.

These jetties are a part of the Penang Heritage trial. There were 7 of these and one was demolished completely in a fire and now only 6 of these remain standing. Each of the Jetty is named after a Chinese Clan. A fun fact you might want to know about this area is that to this day, the people who live at the houses on the jetty is do not pay any tax to the government as they are technically not living on land but are living on the water. You can always take beautiful pictures of the area when you are visiting but try to be mindful and respect people's privacy as, after all, it is their home. The best time to visit the jetty is during the sunset.

This is the largest fort found in Malaysia and was built to look like a star. This structure was supposed to protect the area from the pirates. Established in the year 1786, this fort spreads out for more than 4500 square feet. You can visit this place from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.