September 2026

The September Issue Is Out Now! Penang Monthly’s September issue explores the vibrant world of Penang’s pasar malam, highlighting their food, culture, community, traditions, and evolving role in island life.

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A publication of Penang Institute, Penang Monthly is the voice of Penang - an inspiring read for the curious Malaysian, featuring stories about the people, ideas, and issues shaping the state's well-being. Sign up for a free account to enjoy unlimited access to all our articles.

Paris – Source of inspiration for local artists

6 min read

Until Lai Foong Moi paved the yellow-brick road to the art world of Paris in 1953, few in Malaya/Singapore thought it possible for them to traverse such a path.

by Ooi Kok Chuen

A very well-kept secret jungle trail

5 min read

The National Park at Teluk Bahang is a favourite of Penang hikers and tourists alike. Its well-trodden track to Monkey Beach and the lighthouse at Muka Head can...

by Louise Goss-Custard

An avant-garde hotel for Pulau Tikus

4 min read

Michael Hanratty.Situated along the bustling Jalan Kelawai, in the heart of Pulau Tikus, is a futuristically designed building called G Hotel Kelawai. Uni...

by Chang Jia Ying

Putting Pulau Tikus on the Map

15 min read

Affluent. Cosmopolitan. Convenient. These are words that are often used to describe Pulau Tikus, a township in Penang that is pretty much located in the middle of everything. It connects the north of the island to the centre and the south.

by Julia Tan

A heritage trail of nostalgia (and food)

4 min read

Growing up in one place and walking past the same things every day, you tend not to notice the beauty and uniqueness that are there right in front of you. And s...

by Yeoh Siew Hoon

A tribute to Marco Giovanni Battistotti (1966-2015)

3 min read

Marco was without doubt a “hotelier extraordinaire”. His achievements throughout Malaysia make an impressive list. However, it is here in Penang where he will, for many of us, always remain the “face” of G Hotel on Persiaran Gurney.

by Rebecca Duckett-Wilkinson

Highlights of George Town Festival 2015

11 min read

 The Metamorphosis, Android VersionIn France sometime in the near future, as war rages in the background, Gregor wakes up one morning to find that he...

by Jeffrey Hardy Quah

Living Hyphenated

6 min read

Penang Monthly talked to Omar Musa when he was in town for a two-month artist’s residency at Hotel Penaga to chat about identity, belonging and Russell Crowe.

by Julia Tan

Stories from some young Malay minds

4 min read

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, and in the case of Young and Malay: Growing up in Multicultural Malaysia, I couldn’t agree more. The spunk...

by Marco Ferrarese

Malaysia’s troubled state

5 min read

Malaysia is currently in crisis. The ringgit seems to be on an inexorable downhill slide, ethnic tensions have deteriorated from uncomfortable simmer to open fl...

by Meredith Weiss

Meredith Weiss

Medical tourism: A billion-ringgit industry for Penang

6 min read

Medical tourism, or health tourism, is defined as the travel of people to a foreign country for medical treatment. In an estimation by Nikkei Asia, the worldwid...

by Lim Chee Han

Putting them up for the night

5 min read

The record drop in the value of the ringgit is making Malaysia a cheaper destination for foreign tourists. Furthermore, it is encouraging Malaysians to have the...

by Sarah George

Sarah George

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