Penang Island is about 100 sq. miles in size, about half the size of the Isle of Man in the UK. It has a large population for it’s size, of approximately 1.6 million people. It boasts a stunning array of architecture, both old and new. George Town, the capital, is a world heritage site and has a preservation order on most of the buildings in the town.
One of the British colonial style buildings in George Town being renovated
The south of the island is very modern, with international airport, advanced manufacturing facilities, high tech offices, and high rise apartments. The south of Penang is considered to be the Silicon Valley of the East, and has a highly skilled workforce.
The high tech southern end of Penang Island
The world heritage area of George Town in the north east of the island, consists of a mixture of dilapidated and renovated buildings. The vast majority of these are Chinese style shop houses. There are also some beautiful examples of churches, temples, mosques, and period buildings from colonial times.
I understand that renovation must take place on some of the buildings, otherwise they would collapse. But I do think the “in need of repair” buildings look better, they have a certain character about them.
Below are some other images of buildings in George Town
