Public transportation around the city is well organized (by Malaysian standards) with modern low floor aircon buses. Local bus services are Rapid Penang buses 401 (to Georgetown and Weld Quay ferry terminal) and 102 (to Batu Feringghi). These stop at the Sungai Nibong bus station, about 15km south of Georgetown. However, there are buses that go right onto Penang island. Overland, the easiest way to get to Georgetown is via the Butterworth Bus Terminal after arriving at the terminal, one must take the car ferry over to the Weld Quay ferry terminal in the city. Train tickets should be purchased in advance from the ticket booth at the island ferry terminal, the train station, or online (account sign-up needed).Īir Asia connects Penang Airport with several destinations within Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Kuching Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi) as well as Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia (Banda Aceh, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya), Thailand (Bangkok) and Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City). ![]() The ticket counters and waiting area are located under the overpass adjacent to the small market. However, note that it costs RM1.20 for foot passengers coming from Butterworth to Penang.Ī bus and train station awaits upon arrival in Butterworth - from where you can get transport connections to many of the major destinations in peninsular Malaysia. The short ferry ride to Butterworth departing at regular intervals is free. You can even book tickets online now on the homepage of Langkawi online. During the main season they leave at 8:15 am (via Pulau Payar) and 8:30 am, take about 2 hours until Langkawi and cost RM 66.5 per person. Take a note of where these are located as you will no doubt want to see them again rather shortly in order to depart.īoats to Langkawi and Pulau Payar depart from Swettenham Pier (close to Victoria Memorial Clock Tower), about 700m north of Weld Quay. Ferries to and from Butterworth arrive at the Raja Tun Uda terminal on Weld Quay ( Pengkalan Weld) on the east side of the city the bus station is nearby on Victoria Street. Georgetown is Penang's transportation hub. The city truly springs to life in the evenings, when most of the locals would head to the nearby street hawkers to have their meals and sometimes, a couple of drinks. Street markets and hawkers continue to be a part of daily life, and the atmosphere is often likened to that of Singapore back in the 1960s and 1970s. Colonial buildings and places of worship coexist with these shophouses. Today, the city is known for its well-preserved colonial core, with original shophouses dating from the 19th century to the 1930s still surviving, together with their trades of old. If you're waking up early, be sure to look for Chinese Dim Sum stalls as they are only available in the morning. The city has a relaxed pace of life, as restaurants, small shops, and mall shops don't fully open until around noon. ![]() The variety of cultures on display within the heritage area, such as Muslim, Chinese, Indian and European, is unique to Georgetown. Muslim prayer calls can be heard at the required prayer times, and it is not uncommon to see the Chinese locals burning incense for ancestor worship on the sidewalks. Many shops and restaurants are closed during these times and the streets are extremely sleepy and quiet, with little tourist friendly activity going on. Most of the town stops working for the latter half of Saturday, and all of Sunday. Note that with its combination of Chinese and Muslims, Georgetown takes its religious resting days seriously. Modern-day Georgetown is the centre of Penang Island, Malaysia's second largest city - with over 700,000 inhabitants. Founded in 1786 by British trader Francis Light, Georgetown was one of the three Straits Settlements along with Singapore and Malacca.
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