Penang Wayfinding System to visit Heritage sites

Having good signage is a must for tourism Malaysia. So the new Wayfinding System in Penang should help travelers find their way around the various historical and heritage sites around Georgetown.

Pointing the way to heritage gems
By Han Kar Kay
Friday April 13, 2012
Photos by Lim Beng Tatt

THE newly-launched Wayfinding system in Penang should provide an innovative approach for tourists during their visit to historical sites along the island’s famous Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling.

The pilot project, an initiative by Think City Sdn Bhd (TCSB) together with George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) and the Penang Municipal Council, is designed to provide information on the 10 heritage sites.

GTWHI acting general manager Lim Chooi Ping said the project that cost RM167,000 kicked off end 2010.

"The first phase saw installations of seven directional signs, four maps, and 12 site panels with descriptive information.

"The 10 sites include Kapitan Keling Mosque, Han Jiang Ancestral Temple, Khoo Kongsi, Yap Kongsi, Logan Memorial, St George’s Church, Goddess of Mercy Temple, High Court, Sri Maha Mariamman and Acheen Street Malay Mosque.

"So far, we have identified other sites such as Weld Quay, Little India and Beach Street for the second phase," she said at GTWHI office in Acheh Street, Penang, on Monday.

TCSB chairman Prof Datuk Dr Anwar Fazal said the signs installed at various historical sites would give directions to tourists in Penang.

American tourist, Carolyn Fowle and Melissa Perham
looking at the newly installed maps found along
Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling.

"We welcome more ideas for improvement in the next phase," he said.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who officiated the event, visited several sites such as Kapitan Keling Mosque, Khoo Kongsi and Yap Kongsi.

He said this was the first initiative based on the "public-private partnership" concept between the state government and other stakeholders.

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Penang Hill ZigZag Canopy Walk

There are many canopy walks in Malaysia, but this Penang Hill version will feature a zigzag canopy walk and rather long too at 1.6km. It will be under construction so will have to wait and see how it will turn out when it is completed. Other canopy walks that I know of include FRIM in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur and Poring Spring in Sabah. There are many others as it is very popular. It started out as a way for botanist and scientist to study the upper habitat of the canopy trees but turn out to be rather popular for tourists and travelers too! If you got a fear of heights, this tree top attraction is not for you!

New attraction on hill
By Christina Chin
Saturday April 14, 2012

WORK on a 200m-long Penang Hill zigzag canopy walk and 1.6km-long educational nature trail will commence early next month.

Access to forest: An artist's impression of the
canopy walk which will be constructed in a zigzag fashion.

The eco-tourism project, estimated to cost over RM3mil, was awarded to local engineering firm Creative Quest Sdn Bhd (CQSB) after the open tender closed on Nov 30, 2010.

CQSB director Harry Cockrell said a project team had been assembled and was waiting to start work.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said work on the project would start once the agreement was inked between the state government and CQSB in "a week or two".

The project will be undertaken in two phases and is expected to be completed in 10 months.

Phase one consists of renovation of buildings and the construction of the nature trail and canopy walk.

The second phase is to complete the nature trail and build the 'heli-pad plateau' rest area, giant swings and remaining rest areas.

Eco-tourism consultant Frederick Walker said the project would leverage on the hill's heritage and the use of green materials for construction.

The 'heli-pad plateau' is located halfway along the nature trail and will be designed with an English-style botanic garden concept. There will be creeks and water features with benches and sitting areas.

"Water will be re-circulated from the hill stream," he told a press conference yesterday.

Other features include solar-powered lighting and interactive informative signage.

He said the existing canopy walk located along Summit Road would be dismantled with the component parts reused.

He said flora indigenous to the hill would be replanted where soil erosion had occurred.

"There is already an existing path so there won't be any massive clearing or tree cutting for the nature trail," he said.

Cockrell said ticket prices had yet to be determined but assured the public that it would be affordable especially for locals.

Lim said out of five companies which attended the site briefing, only CQSB submitted a development proposal.

"Cockrell is a long-term resident on the hill and we are confident that CQSB will deliver an eco-tourism attraction that is of international standards," he said, adding that the project's concession period was 30 years.

Penang Hill Corporation is the agent for the state government in the project to be fully financed by the firm.

The canopy walk was closed in 2006 due to a termite problem but reopened in July 2007 after repair work.

It was closed after being partially destroyed by falling trees during a thunderstorm in September 2008. -- Metro

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Cheong Fatt Tze Building aka The Blue Mansion in Penang

Here's an interesting place to visit, the Cheong Fatt Tze Building aka The Blue Mansion in Penang. Look for it when you next visit Georgetown Penang and see what it is all about!

Cheong Fatt Tze building is one of two in Asia featured on Lonely Planet list
By Andrea Filmer and Fong Kee Soon
Saturday October 22, 2011

George Town: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (aka the Blue Mansion) here has been named one of the world's top 10 greatest mansions and grand houses by popular travel guide Lonely Planet.

The grand dwelling, often dubbed the Blue Mansion due to its vivid colour, is one of only two buildings in Asia to make the list.

The other is the Marble Palace mansion in Kolkata, India.

Others that made the list include the Villa d'Este in Italy, England's Castle Howard that provided the backdrop for the television and cinema adaptation of Brideshead Revisted, famed 16th-century Chateau de Chambord in France and the Catherine Palace in Russia.

The United States was the only country with two venues making the list Fallingwater in the woods of Pennsylvania and Beauport House in Massachusetts while Australia and Ireland rounded up the grandest homes list with Werribee Mansion in Melbourne and the 13th-century Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains respectively.

True blue: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang.
The historical structure was also featured as
the title picture for the Lonely Planet list.

The Lonely Planet list was reprinted last Sunday by the Fox News website, which chose the Blue Mansion as its story's main picture.

This latest accreditation follows several other prestigious awards already given to the mansion, including a Unesco “Most Excellent” Heritage Conservation Award in 2000, an Asean Tourism Association Excellence Award for Best Asean Cultural Preservation Effort in 2004 and the Malaysian National Architectural Award For Conservation in 1995.

The mansion was built in the late 19th- century by Cheong Fatt Tze, a self-made wealthy Chinese merchant.

Loh-Lim Lin Lee, who bought and restored the dwelling with husband Laurence Loh in the late 1980s to 1990s, said the mansion received some 2,000 visitors every month. -- The Star Nation

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Balik Pulau Penang Destination Promotion

Balik Pulau Penang, promotion to be a weekend destination spot
Friday September 30, 2011

BALIK Pulau will be promoted as the perfect spot for a weekend getaway and to unwind after a long work week.

Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff said Balik Pulau has progressed from a sleepy hollow to being a bustling town.

"During weekends, many locals take a drive to the district to enjoy the famous food and fruits such as assam laksa, durians, and rambutans.

"Balik Pulau is also becoming a popular for mountain biking. I have seen an increase of such enthusiasts in the area," he told reporters before announcing the upcoming Interaksi Balik Pulau 2011 event.

To be held tomorrow and Sunday (1st and 2nd October 2011), the event is co-organised by Yusmadi’s office, the Fikrah Collective and Penang Municipal Council.

The event will be attended by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. There will also be a poetry recital by national laureate Datuk A. Samad Said.

All set: Mohd Yusmadi (third left) and Penang Municipal councillor and Infrastructure and Transport Committee alternate chairman Ramlah Bee Asiahoo (left) looking at a banner at the Balik Pulau market complex promoting the Interaksi Balik Pulau 2011 event this weekend.

The event will also include a blood donation drive, an arts and craft market, and exhibitions by various government agencies as well as a motorcycle exhibition.

The festival will be held from 9am to 5pm at the Balik Pulau market complex. (Sat, 1st and Sun, 2nd October 2011). -- The Star News

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Cititel Penang

Fast, attentive service
By Putri Zanina

It’s two different worlds inside and outside Cititel Penang, writes Putri Zanina

IT’S just a few steps away from the busy stretch of Penang Road where sidewalk hawkers sell food and newspapers, and honking vehicles fight pedestrians for space. But it’s a different world inside Cititel Penang.

With gleaming tiled floors in the cool, spacious lobby and a passage lined with a convenience store, café and restaurants for in-house dining, there is much distinguishing this hotel from other cramped and old-looking properties along George Town’s most famous road.

Expect deluxe accommodation and fast, attentive service. The deluxe superior room on the 16th floor is elegant and uncluttered, with a writing cum dressing table, comfy king-sized bed, mini bar, flat screen TV, closet and lounge chairs all cleverly arranged even in some tight corners, giving a sense of chic sensibility.

Even the small bathroom is a perfectly economical use of space. It has a shower stall that’s big enough for two, a long bath and vanity with mirror and sink.

It’s the room colour scheme that truly enchants. Everything matches — from the crispy white bedspread, creamy-white walls to pale yellow curtains and dark brown floor and furniture. The soft lighting that glows along the baseboard lends a zen-like feel.

And the view? On one side is the panoramic view of the north and south sea channels, including the iconic Penang Bridge. And on the other — the concrete jungle that’s a blend of the new and old architecture, including that within the enclave declared as Unesco world heritage sites.

Now, that’s another plus point of the hotel — its location within the perimeter of the heritage enclave.

Just a few minutes’ walk or a ride on a trishaw and you’d enter a time warp that reeks of an era of a charming hybrid of Chinese, Peranakan, Malay, Indian and western culture as well as an ambience of laissez-faire that dates back centuries.

Return to the hotel and you’d be immediately transported to a world of modern conveniences where you’d also want to linger and enjoy its cooling and
calming embrace.

FAST FACTS

HOTEL:
Cititel Penang
66, Jalan Penang, 10000 Penang
Tel: 04-370 1188 Fax: 04-370 2288
Email: resvn@cititelpenang.com
Website: www.cititelpenang.com

GETTING THERE:
The hotel is located within
upper Penang Road in the heart of Unesco-certified heritage enclave of George Town. You can approach the area from Jalan Farquhar, Jalan Lebuh Light or Lebuh Chulia, all about 10 minutes’ away from Penang ferry jetty.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
Its location in the main thoroughfare of George Town, heritage areas in its surroundings and some of Penang’s best eating, shopping and tourist spots.

FIRST IMPRESSION:
Spacious, airy lobby and busy, busy city hotel.

RATING:
Four-star.

ROOMS:
451 rooms from Standard, Superior to Studio and Executive Suite. Superior rooms have recently been spruced up with warm colours and better amenities.

RATES:
Current promotional rate of RM215 nett per room per night in Superior Room includes a breakfast while RM245 nett per room per night throws in breakfast for two in a twin-sharing room. Upgrade to the Pinnacle Room (Executive Floor) costs RM260 nett per person per night to enjoy extra privileges, including the use of the exclusive Pinnacle Lounge with free drinks and snacks at specified hours and free Internet access.

F&B OUTLETS:
Twenty-four-hour Main Street Café for local and international food, Zhonghua Gourmet Restaurant for Chinese food including dim sum, Kirishima Japanese Restaurant and Pinnacle Lounge for Executive Floor guests only.

FACILITIES:
These include wireless Internet access, business centre, jacuzzi pool, health centre with gymnasium, function rooms and pillarless ballroom for up to 500 persons.

OVERALL SERVICE:
Fast and efficient with friendly smiles.

PLACES WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE:
All kinds of eateries including hawker stalls offering famous Penang food. All other Penang Road attractions like bazaars, markets and shopping malls.
Many heritage-listed buildings are within walking distance too, such as Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Kapitan Kling Mosque, Goddess of Mercy Temple and Khoo Kongsi. Love Lane, Stewart Lane and other nooks and crannies within the heritage sites are fascinating to discover on foot, and the hotel makes a good point to start your walk.

Cititel Penang -- NST

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Contemporary Glass Batik Exhibition

Contemporary Glass Batik Exhibition by Bowie and Kimi

Visit the Island Gallery in Penang to view some unique art exhibition. Art with glass!

Glass artists, Bowie and Kimi will showcase their masterpieces. Their unique artwork - "batik painting on glass" has been well acknowledged by the public.

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Romantic getaways in Malaysia

Romantic getaways
Saturday February 12, 2011
By Boey Ping Ping

Love a good holiday? Then break away this Valentine’s Day.

LOVE is in the air. Whether you’re lovebirds, newly weds or long married, rekindle your romance on Valentine’s Day at one of seven unforgettable destinations right here in Malaysia.

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

For the self-indulgent couple: Champagne and strawberries, check. Roses, check. Private villa, check. The crème de la crème of Langkawi’s resorts has all the trappings of an extravagant sojourn; from sipping bubblies onboard a rustic sampan (local boat) at sunset to reclining by the beach gorging on giant, double chocolate-dipped strawberries to being serenaded by musicians at a private seaside dinner. Roses turn up in specially drawn baths, flower trails and a hand-held bouquet for the lucky gal.

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Bukit Genting, Penang - Stars on the menu

Stars on the menu
By Andrea Filmer, Photos by Wan Mohizan Wan Hussein
Tuesday April 21, 2009

Vantage point: A restaurant owner has joined forces with USM's Astronomy Club to build an observatory for amateurs at his hilltop eatery in Bukit Genting, Penang.

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SINCE 2004, the Bukit Genting hilltop in Penang has offered visitors delicious Thai food, a breathtaking view, a fairyland atmosphere with hundreds of lights lit during the night and now, stars have been added to the list.

A new amateur observatory named the Pearl of Orion Observatory was completed on the hilltop this month and at 305m above sea level, it is believed to be the highest observatory in the country.

The observatory was the combined effort of the Bukit Genting Hill Leisure Park and Restaurant and Universiti Science Malaysia’s Astronomy Club.

Interesting topic: Dawson (right) engaged in a discussion on the universe with Jaime and Cameron (left).

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Club committee member Stefan Dawson said restaurant owner Robert Tan had offered to sponsor both the land and funds to build the observatory in February when efforts to secure corporate funding fell through.

“The view of the sky from this location is amazing and we have a clear view in all directions, save a little obstruction in the south due to the contour of the hill.

“The observatory is also built in a completely unique design. Tan and his team came up with the design themselves after visiting some of the other observatories in the state,” Dawson said.

Perfect location: USM Astronomy Club members setting up telescopes at the new observatory.

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And the effect is indeed spectacular.

The 3.0m by 3.7m observatory with a ‘roll-on roll-off’ roof is nestled between two boats-turned-chalets and overlooks the beautiful span of Balik Pulau’s lush greenery.

“Minus the telescopes,” Tan said, “about RM70,000 went into the place. My interest in building it was to help the state’s tourism sector.

“Penang has the sea, hills and the English language skills needed for the tourism industry to flourish, so there is no reason why we should be lagging behind Malacca and Singapore,” said Tan.

According to USM Astronomy Club academic advisor Dr Chong Hon Yew who named the observatory, the sliding roof was the most convenient design for an amateur observatory.

“It is cost effective, easy to use and allows a lot of air circulation so the place does not get too stuffy.

“Having an observatory here is wonderful. The Astronomy Club had several overnight stays on the hill last year but now, we definitely plan to come up more frequently for stargazing and photography.

“We also encourage school students to come or even get in touch with us for monthly astronomy sessions,” Dr Chong said.

Curious kids: The international school students taking turns to look through the telescope.

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Among the first to use the observatory were 17 students from the Tenby International School in Penang who participated in a space camp recently organised by Dawson, who teaches world history at the school.

For students Jaime Gunter and Cameron McGrath, the atmosphere of Bukit Genting added to the hype of their first space camp.

“I’m looking forward to being the first to use the telescopes here.

“I hope we get to see some satellites, because normally, we only get to see them when they’re taking off and not when they’re in the sky,” said Jaime, 15.

Year 8 student Cameron, on the other hand, was anticipating other activities planned for the two-and-a-half day camp.

“We’re going to make water cannons and I want to see how high they can go.

“I also can’t wait for the jungle trek to the (Gertak Sanggul) beach. The hike is going to be winding and it doesn’t follow a straight path so I think it’s going to be really adventurous,” the 13-year-old boy said.

Admission into the observatory is free. -- The Star Metro.

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