New York Times shows readers how to take in Pearl of the Orient in 36 hours

Penang was named as one of the Top 10 Islands to Visit Before You Die by Yahoo! Travels last year. But with so many things to see and experience here, how best to take it all in? The New York Times, a renowned newspaper and online news portal, has come up with a practical itinerary, “36 Hours in Penang”, which captures the essence and charms of the Pearl of the Orient in a well-plotted two-night stay.

Featured in their weekly travel column 36 Hours, the itinerary makes a great guide for those intending to take in all the island’s attractions in a limited time frame, said State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang. It includes sights like Penang Hill, Esplanade, Fort Cornwallis, Penang State Museum, Armenian Street and Taman Negara Pulau Pinang, along with recommendations for local delicacies.

“It captures our three best features – culture, food and nature. Penang is more than a destination. It’s something special, with a unique living heritage that dates back several hundred years.

On the map: Law showing a printed version of the New York Times feature on Penang (left) and statistics of tourists arrivals

“We have the most temples of any city in the world, and we’re one of only two places where Chingay is still widely performed. On top of that, our food is world-renowned,” Law enthused. Among other accolades, he also pointed out that the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was listed as one of the greatest of its kind, while George Town as a whole, was listed among the top 16 best cities to live and work in Asia. “The annual George Town Festival has been a hit with foreign visitors. We’ve also received much interest for the upcoming Penang World Music Festival 2012,” he added.

On a related matter, Law also showed figures noting an increase in the number of tourist arrivals from Indonesia, Singapore, China, Japan, America, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand and the United Kingdom in 2011 compared to the year before. China saw the biggest rise, with an increase of 48.5%, followed by Japan at 28% and Indonesia at 24.03%.

To read the New York Times feature on Penang, visit http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/travel/36-hours-penang-malaysia.html?ref=travel.

-thestar online.