UNESCO

A fascinating fusion of eastern and western influences, Penang is Malaysia’s most tourist-visited destination. The island manages to embrace modernity while retaining its colonial traditions; due to its well-preserved heritage buildings Penang’s capital, Georgetown, has been accorded a listing as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

Although Georgetown’s landscape is dominated by Chinese storefronts – most in need of a good paint job – there are also swanky shopping complexes, refurbished Chinese manors, rowdy pubs and artsy boutiques, cafés and studios. The city is a mainstay on the Malaysian tourist scene yet it is also a popular expat enclave; besides that, the food here– a hotchpotch of Indian curry and Chinese noodles – is for many the best in Malaysia.