The tourists keep coming!
6 min read
Despite being an island, Penang today is fortunately highly accessible. According to the Penang Tourists Survey 2014 prepared by the Sustainable Tourism Researc...
November 2025
This November, Penang Monthly explores language, place and memory. As GTLF returns, we highlight Penang’s multilingual streets and the dialects that keep local history alive.
Is Penang’s tourism on the right track?
15 min read
The messages started flying on social media in early July. The word was that some 4,000 tourists from China were arriving for a company holiday in Penang &ndash...
The swashbuckling municipal president of Penang
5 min read
Civil servant? Soldier? Adventurer? Activist? Surely one could not be all four, and more. But one man indeed was, and left a significant mark on Penang. During...
Giving the people a say – it’s their money after all
5 min read
Sometime in December last year, at a forum on the state and national budget organised by Lee Khai Loon, the state assemblyman for Machang Bubok, I threw out a c...
Festivals in Numbers
5 min read
2015 is the Year of Festivals for Malaysia. The tagline, “Endless Celebrations”, showcases Malaysia as a tourist destination with bountiful and diverse cultures and festivities.
Marina Mahathir: Malaysia is My Colour Movie
11 min read
Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir is the keynote speaker at the fifth George Town Literary Festival (GTLF), which takes place on November 27-29 . On a daily basis, Malaysians look out in the news for her most recent comments on issues that interest and bother the country.
Making Words Perform Art
5 min read
At the George Town Literary Festival 2015, meet this group of people who create imagery and music with words.
Taking Penang Chinese Cuisine Abroad
6 min read
Leong’s journey with food started at a very young age, when he helped sell hokkien mee in Chowrasta Market in the 1970s. He would get up at 7am to push the stall cart from Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah to the market, and helped to sell until 1pm.
Penang Hill at a Glance
3 min read
Penang Hill is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Penang. Bukit Bendera, or Flagstaff Hill in English, is the most developed peak with an elevation of 735m (2,411ft) above sea level.
Calmness Caught in Epic Colours
7 min read
Syed Thajudeen grew up on both sides of the Bay of Bengal. The stories, the sights and the sounds of the region resonate starkly in his paintings.
Christmas in the Mountains of Sarawak
3 min read
In the villages of Ba Kelalan in northern Sarawak, Christmas is a time set aside for reflection, and is dedicated to family and community.
A Hike to the Top via Moongate
5 min read
Every hiker in Penang feels the irresistible urge at some point to climb to the highest point in Penang, and so they embark on one of the many routes leading to the summit of Penang Hill.
Explore column