Discover Penang on foot

Those who wish to discover old world charm and cultural diversity unique to Penang should not miss out on four thematic guided heritage trails come July 9. The tours are the George Town Shophopuse Trail, Sun Yat Sen Heritage Trail in Penang, The Living Museum — Sharing Our Stories and Cemetery Tour.

George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) acting general manager Lim Chooi Ping said the trails were among the events to be held in conjunction with the George Town Festival 2011. “Through these trails, participants will be able to walk through and experience the captivating history of George Town,” she told a press conference at the George Town World Heritage Office on Lebuh Acheh on Saturday.

Heritage walkabout: (from left) Yoong, Chooi Ping Ho, GTWHI communication officer Lim Chung Wei and The Living Museum curator Kuah Li Feng with one of the flyers on the tour

Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) will conduct the Sun Yat Sen trail and Cemetery Tour while GTWHI will conduct the The Living Museum - Sharing Our Stories trail. The George Town Shophouse Trail will be handled by the Penang Tourist Guide Association (PTGA). PHT manager Ho Sheau Fung said focus of the Sun Yat Sen trail would be on Sun’s movements in Penang and how he managed to gain support from the locals during his revolutionary career.

“Participants will be taken to 15 sites which are closely associated with either Sun or his followers during Sun’s four-month stay here.” It will be held from 9.30am to 11am and 3.30pm to 5pm. Ho said the 45-minute Cemetery Tour would be conducted at the Protestant cemetery on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah from 2pm to 2.45pm and 3pm to 3.45pm.

PTGA immediate past president Yoong Sun Yen said the 90-minute George Town Shophouse Trail (8.30am to 10am and 10.30am to noon) revisits the golden age of Penang’s past when it was one of the richest centre of trade and commerce. Those interested in The Living Museum — Sharing Our Stories will have six choices of places to visit which include a traditional chettiar house, an old bicycle shop and a shoe shop. This 90-minute tour will be held from 10.30am to noon and 3.30pm to 5pm.

All the tours are priced at RM10 per person and limited to 20 people except for the Living Museum trail which is limited to 15 persons. Those who wish to participate in the tours have to contact the respective organisations by July 6. PHT can be contacted at 04-2642631 and the PTGA at 04-2614461. For the Living Museum Tours, call GTWHI’s Hwang at 014-3423011.

-thestar online.