Musings on Penang, My Humble Cosmopolis
9 min read
SINCE ITS VERY founding, George Town has seen people of different nationalities, ethnicities and religions come and go mainly for trade and economic purposes. H...
April 2026
Our latest issue explores efforts to preserve and innovate local traditions, support creative industries, and promote sustainable growth in small towns across Malaysia.
Bangsawan: A Cosmopolitan Theatre Birthed in Penang
7 min read
THE ARRIVAL OF the British to Southeast Asia in the 18th century brought significant changes to the political, economic and cultural contours of Malaya. The est...
Seeing the World in a Plate of Mee Goreng
7 min read
MEE GORENG MAMAK is the perfect metaphor for cosmopolitan Penang, the undeniable love child of unfettered multiculturalism. Penang, as an entrepôt, had always b...
Penang2030: Latest Updates
2 min read
MUCH HAS HAPPENED since the launch of the revamped Penang2030 website by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in November last year to reprioritise the vision’s themes...
Heralds of Dawn in the Heart of the City
4 min read
TEN MINUTES BEFORE the break of dawn, Mr. Radhi arrives at the doorstep of Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh to prep for the day. It is a Friday, so he is garbed in a s...
Kompang Jidor: The Rhythm of the Nusantara
6 min read
ALMOST EVERY WEEK in Kampung Parit Madirono, Pontian, Johor, a group of 12 men congregate in a balai raya or a surau. Donning baju Melayu and samping cloth, the...
When Einstein Cruised into Penang
8 min read
THE CRUISE SHIP, Spectrum of the Seas, a behemoth 18-storeys high and a third of a kilometre long, sailed into Penang’s Swettenham Pier on 2 July 2022 guided by...
USM Research to Make Cars Lighter, Cheaper and Cleaner
3 min read
TAKE A DRIVE and notice how electric vehicles have now become a trend, and miniaturised and compact automobiles inhabit the roads. These vehicles are lighter, h...
The Astounding Pitcher Plants of Peninsular Malaysia
6 min read
MALAYSIA IS A wonderland for botanists, naturalists and nature lovers. Blessed with some of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world, the Peninsula itself b...
Why Do Digital Nomads Prefer Penang?
4 min read
Penang is one of the identified DE Rantau hubs, alongside Langkawi, KL and Sabah. Penang Monthly went on nomadlist.com to find out what digital nomads say about their experiences in Penang.
Take the Train and Make the Journey Part of the Adventure
6 min read
THE YEAR IS 1885, and Malaya is under British colonial rule. A symphony of steam locomotives resounds from the bowels of Perak state – the land of tin mining. O...
Reinvigorating the Local Tourism Scene With the World’s Longest Zip Coaster
4 min read
“WHEN LIFE GIVES you lemons, you make lemonade,” Sim offers up the trite expression when talking about the curveball Covid-19 had dealt to the tourism industry....
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