Month of September and October 2009

The Month of September is a month of celebrations and festivals in Penang

3rd September - Hungry Gost Festival

The festival, which started on Aug 20 and ends this Friday, is celebrated by Chinese the world over. In Malaysia, the Chinese, notably those from the Hokkien community, celebrate this festival in a big way. The 14th day of the seventh lunar month (which this year fell on Sept 2) is especially important as it is widely believed that the gates of hell are opened and the dead are allowed to roam the earth on this day......read more at the star : Hell-bent on pleasing the dead

(more about other Chinese Festivals and Celebrations)

20-21 September - Hari Raya Adilfitri

This is the first day of the month following Ramadan (a month of fasting and abstinence for Muslims). The celebration begins after sunset on the 29th day of Ramadan when Muslims break their daily fast. If the crescent appears, the next day is declared Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

17 October - Deepavali

Deepavali (or Diwali) is the Festival of Lights which celebrated during the 7th month of the Hindu calendar (usually October or November). Hindus adorn their homes with dozens of lights or oil lamps, called vikku, to signify the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. It is celebrated as the day the evil Narakasura was slain by Lord Krishna.

more about Religious Observations in Malaysia HERE

Make coexistence our guiding light

Make coexistence our guiding light - Tuesday September 1, 2009; The Star

THE controversy over relocation of a temple in Shah Alam shows how racial tolerance may have deteriorated since colonial days and how far apart Malaysians have become.

Those who are ever-so-fiercely territorial about their religious space should learn from our forefathers and take a walk around Jalan Kapitan Keling, Lebuh Cannon and Lebuh Armenian area in the heart of George Town.

Jalan Kapitan Keling, which is often referred to by tourists as “Street of Harmony”, is a very good example of religious tolerance and harmony.

Here we have three 19th century places of worship located within 200m of each other – the Masjid Kapitan Keling, the Goddess of Mercy Temple and Sri Mahamariamman Temple, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Malaysia. Along Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Cannon we have the Acheen Street Mosque, flanked by the Yap Kongsi temple and the Khoo Kongsi.

To the people of George Town these places are their pride and their show of religious tolerance is to be greatly admired and applauded.

The coexistence of these religious places of worship, and acceptance and tolerance of the generations of people who have worshipped there since the 19th century, should be the guiding light to Malaysians today.

MY MALAYSIA, George Town.

Heritage Hotels in Penang

• There are many hotels in George Town offering affordable accommodations. Some are modern high-rise while others offer visitors a unique traditional or old Penang experience.



• Search and copare rates of George Town hotels - Hotels in George Town
• Hutton Lodge Experience unique colonial-style living in a restored guesthouse located in the heart of the George Town. At 17, Jalan Hutton, just off Penang Road, it is ideally located within walking distance of George Town's many tourist attractions. Check rates at Budget Hostel and Budget Accommodation page
• Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, 3* This Chinese house with Straits Settlement designs dates back to the 1880s and is a winner of the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award in 2000 for conservation. >> Compare rates for Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion here
• Eastern & Oriental Hotel (E&O), 5* Fondly known as E&O, this grand hotel has a seafront location in the city. The brainchild of the Armenian Sarkies brothers, who were also associated with the Singapore Raffles Hotel, this historic hotel with a colonial flavour dates back to 1885. - Free search and rates comparison HERE

Penang Hill.

Penang Hill is one of the oldest highland resort in Malaysia. At about 830 meters above sea-level, this is the highest point on the island. This first hill station was established in 1800s. Most visitors can hike up or travel by a funicular railway cars which started in 1922.

You can hike up along tracks that start at the ‘Moongate’. There is also a jeep trek near the Botanical Garden.

More on Penang at:

• myPenang
• Penang Food
• Best places to stay in Penang

Latest News on Penang

New RM60mil train system for Penang Hill ready by next July (Saturday August 15, 2009 - The Star)
KUALA LUMPUR: The RM60mil project on a new funicular train system for Penang Hill is expected to be completed by July next year.The new system – which is safer, low on maintenance and cost effective – is able to fetch up to 80 people per trip in about 10 minutes non-stop............more travel news here

Heritage boon for state

Tuesday July 28, 2009 - The Star Publications

Heritage boon for state
MORE tourists are visiting Penang after the listing of George Town as a World Heritage Site in July last year, said state Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang.
He said 6.3 million tourists visited the state last year compared with 5.2 million in 2007.
“The increase in tourist arrivals is encouraging. We hope the figure will touch 10 million tourists annually during the Visit Penang Year 2010-2012,” he said when launching the Art, Craft and Food Fair (ACFF) at Dewan Sri Pinang on Saturday..... more HERE

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• Penang
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• Penang Food
• Where to Eat in Penang