MALAYSIAlonelyplanet.com PENINSULAR MALAYSIA – WEST COAST •• Butterworth
Motorcycles (RM35) and bicycles (RM15)
can be rented in Pangkor Town and at
main beaches.
BUTTERWORTH
This mainland town is the jumping-off point
for Pulau Penang. The Butterworth–Penang
ferry jetty (RM1.20, every 20 minutes from
5.30am to 12.30am) is conveniently located
next to the train and bus stations. Fares for
the ferry are charged only for the journey from
Butterworth to Georgetown (on Penang);
returning to Butterworth is free.
Buses depart from Butterworth to the fol-
lowing destinations: Johor Bahru (RM49,
12 hours, six daily), KL (RM26, five hours,
hourly), Kota Bharu (RM28, seven hours, two
daily), Kuala Terengganu (RM40, 10 hours,
two daily), Kuantan (RM43, 12 hours, six
daily), Melaka (RM36, 12 hours, two daily) and
Singapore (RM53, nine hours, two daily).
There are four daily trains to KL (from
RM19) from the train station (%323 7962).
Heading north, there are two daily trains to
Hat Yai, Thailand (economy/berth RM19/68);
the afternoon service continues to Bangkok,
arriving at around noon the next day.
PULAU PENANG
Penang, along with Singapore, Hong Kong
and Macau, is arguably one of the most fas-
cinating islands in Asia. No joke; this is the
oldest of the British Straits settlements, pre-
dating both Singapore and Melaka. Look at
the Straits on a map and the geographical
importance of Penang is obvious: this was a
prime stop on the watery road between Asia
and the markets of Europe and the Middle
East. As such, Penang straddles the juncture
of both Asia’s great kingdoms and the colonial
empires that conquered them.
The island’s mixed population, dominated
by the business-savvy Chinese, is the by-
product of Penang’s strategic location. Beyond
Georgetown’s heat and decay are mediocre
beach resorts, such as Batu Ferringhi, and the
sleepy Malay fishing village of Teluk Bahang,
but Penang is more a place for food and cul-
ture than for beaches.
Georgetown
%04 / pop 178,304
Georgetown is a mainstay on the Southeast
Asian backpacker trail, and you’ll have no
problems finding friends here. We highly
recommend leaving the hostel ghettoes and
wandering through the sensory playground
of Georgetown’s backstreets where you’ll
pass fortune tellers, joss smoke, chicken
rice, Chinese opera, coffee roasting over a
fire and the tingly scent of roasting chillies.
Blocks away the serious white buildings of
the Colonial District sit mutely along the
waterfront. Be sure to eat up – the food here
is arguably the best in Malaysia.ORIENTATION
Georgetown is at the northeastern corner
of Pulau Penang. Central Georgetown is
compact and easily navigated on foot. Many
of the town’s oldest mosques, temples and
churches can be found at, and around,
Lebuh Pitt (also called Jln Masjid Kapitan
Keling). Following Jln Penang southwest,
you’ll reach Kompleks Komtar (Kompleks
Tun Abdul Razak), the island’s transport
hub and shopping centre.INFORMATION
Branches of major banks and 24-hour ATMs
are concentrated around Kompleks Komtar
and around Lebuh Pantai and Lebuh Downing.
Almost every guest house has internet access,
and it’s easy to pick up on a wi-fi signal around
town. You can stock up on reading supplies at
the host of second-hand bookshops.
The monthly Penang Tourist Newspaper
(RM3) has comprehensive listings of shops,
tourist attractions and hotel promotions,
as well as detailed pull-out maps. It’s usu-
ally available free from tourist offices and
some hotels.
General Hospital (%229 3333; Jln Residensi) About
2km west of Kompleks Komtar.
Immigration Office (%261 5122; 29A Lebuh Pantai)
Tourism Malaysia (%262 0066; 10 Jln Tun Syed Sheh
Barakbah; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri)DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
While generally a safe place to wander
around, Georgetown has its seamy side.
Travellers have been mugged at Love Lane
and other dimly lit side streets, so take
care around this area if you’re out late.
Motorcycle snatch thieves are also a prob-
lem so keep bags and purses strapped across
your chest. Women get hassled a lot here,
mostly by silent leerers or locals looking for
an easy date; dressing conservatively eases,
but doesn’t erase, the problem.461