BUTTERWORTH AND PENANG
Penang is mostly considered an island,
but the state actually has two parts – the
island or Pulau Penang and the mainland
centred on Butterworth. Passengers on
the ETS need to alight at Bukit Mertajam,
catch another train to Butterworth and
then the ferry to Penang Island. In 2008,
parts of George Town on the island were
inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage
List (a joint site together with Melaka)
and tourism has since thrived. George
Town is a warren of streets, heritage
buildings, and alleyways that are best
seen on a leisurely trishaw ride. Fort
Cornwallis, Little India, Acheen Street,
Weld Quay, and various Penang clan
houses are within the historic enclave.
SUNGAI PETANI
Rice fields north of Penang to the Thai
border add colour to the landscape
- verdant green during the growing
phase and golden yellow just prior to
harvesting. Sungai Petani is a large city
visible from the first fairway. Additional
recreational facilities here include a pool,
gym, horse riding, and archery as well
as a water theme park. A river cruise
along the mangrove-lined Merbok River is
another activity to consider.KANGAR
In the far northwest of the peninsula,
Malaysia’s smallest state of Perlis is
situated just to the south of the border
of Thailand. The train stops at the royal
town of Arau, located just a short drive
from the capital, Kangar. Arau is a small
town with several distinctive buildings
in the town centre including the Royal
Palace (Istana Arau) situated opposite the
large Royal Mosque. In Kangar, the former
State Mosque of Masjid Syed Alwi is
located near the city centre. Built in 1910,
it has a striking large black dome. The
train continues on from Arau to Padang
Besar, where immigration procedures for
Thailand and Thai-operated trains on to
Hat Yai await.where the Cinta Sayang Resort and
adjoining golf club make for a pleasant
retreat with the peak of Gunung Jerai