Our ship..The Sapphire Princess…cruised into the port on Penang Island. This is an island of Malaysia, (114 square miles/ 295 square kilometres) lying in the Strait of Malacca off the northwest coast of the Malaya peninsular, from which it is separated by a narrow strait whose smallest width is 2.5 miles (4 km). Penang Island is roughly oval in shape.

We were up early because we had a full day of exploring and sightseeing.  Penang might be small, but it has a wealth of history and culture. It is known as the culinary capital of Malaysia. 

We started our day in the UNESCO-listed George Town. It houses Hindu temples, Buddhist pagodas, faded Chinese shop fronts, and crumbling relics of Malaysia’s colonial past, while further afield, you’ll find dense jungle and white-sand beaches in Penang National Park, which is the smallest national park in the world.

Our tour included visiting: Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple, a Buddhist Temple. It is situated on Lorong Burma Road, opposite Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, it is the oldest Siamese temple in the state. The temple features one of the world’s longest reclining Buddha statues as well as several coloured statues and other mythical creatures. The Buddha measures 33 m (108 ft)from end to end. It was incredibly hot and humid in the temple and I have to admit to sitting down in the doorway, catching what ever breeze there was, while John wandered around.

Our next tour stop was the wonderful temple Kek Lok Si.   Situated strategically on a sprawling hill, Kek Lok Si is often called the jewel in the crown of heritage temples in Malaysia, and has been identified as one of the largest and finest temple complexes in Southeast Asia. It is known not only for the beauty of its historic buildings, which attract thousands of tourists every year, but also for being a center for Chinese culture and Buddhist teaching. The scenic view of the hills outside the temple complements the temple’s beautifully designed rooflines which really enhance the facade of the Kek Lok Si Buddhist Monastery.

Our next stop was the Museum….an actual wedding was having their phot-shoot in the museum, what a wonderful occasion for the bride and groom…. Once again after a walk around the heat overtook me and I found myself sitting on a seat enjoying some intellectual conversation with my new found mate !!!!

Feeling a little overwhelmed by not just the heat but also the sheer size and majestic beauty of the temples our tour continues on to Entopia – the Butterfly Sanctuary . It began its journey with David Goh, a young teacher with an interest and passion for butterflies, setting out to establish a tropical butterfly farm as a tourist destination in Penang. In 1986, this self-taught entomologist, founded the tropical world’s first butterfly and insect sanctuary, known as the Penang Butterfly Farm. The sanctuary has more than 15,000 free-flying creatures amid more than 200 species of plants. Entopia doubles as a research and conservation center for butterflies, insects, and their habitats. Both John and I have a passion for butterflies so this was of great interest to us…a truly magnificent Sanctuary. 

Our final visit for the day was too Craft Batik, one of the pioneers of Batik factory’s  on the island. The Batiks produced have became an icon of Malaysia. They produce an array of unique hand-drawn Batik and hand-blockprinted Batik as well as the combination of both, called hand-painted Batik. Motif of flora and fauna are the main subject that have been adopted in the design of hand-drawn Batik, while the hand-blockprinted Batik adopts mostly an abstract design. It was totally fascinating going around the different printing tables and watching how the different styles of printing, hand and block, was done. Then it was, of course, a visit to the shop…it would have been rude not to buy anything….so a couple of purchases were made to take home as gifts for family and friends. 

Penang is certainly a very interesting place to visit. We could quite happily have spent a week there doing the things we did, at a slower pace, and seeing more of the sights. Whilst driving from place to place we caught sight of some gorgeous looking white sand beaches. A really beautiful state of Malaysia. …… Note to self …future holiday destination.