Malaysians and Penangites in particular now have something else to be extremely proud of.
It wasn’t too long ago that Forbes picked George Town in Penang as one of “The 7 Best Places To Retire Around The World”, ranking the city #3 on the list, after Portugal and Ecuador, and before France and Colombia.
In October this year, travel guide book publisher Lonely Planet “branded” George Town the world’s 4th most charismatic city to visit in 2016. “The crucible of an artsy, modern Malaysia,” Lonely Planet writer Brett Atkinson said.
Now, a Los Angeles Times “must-see destinations” listicle has chimed in, picking George Town as one of the “16 destinations that look especially pleasing in 2016”. Yup, believe it!
The post was then shared by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on his Facebook page:
Los Angeles Times also went on to note the UNESCO World Heritage site’s hotel boom, stating that as many as 10 new hotels are slated to open in the coming year.
With luck, this growth will leave intact the city’s most historic architecture and encourage its lively food scene.
The post added that Penang rich history “gives you British echoes, Malay essence, Chinese and Indian commercial traditions, scattered rickshaws, and a stew of religions”. Something that we’re sure Penangites and Malaysians alike can’t deny, and are already proud of.
And don’t just take it from Penangites and Malaysians alone! Penang even caught the attention of South Korean K-Pop idol girl group T-ara members Hyomin and Eunjung’s attention, as they picked the Pearl of the Orient to be their destination for a quick vacay in September this year.
Let’s not forget that just last month, it was announced that 2 airlines (Dragonair and AirAsia) are introducing additional routes from Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City to Penang International Airport. A testament to Penang’s great tourism potential and with more to come, we’re sure.
But nevermind international tourists. We can’t wait to take a break in Penang too and rediscover some of its hidden gems over perhaps one of the upcoming long weekends in 2016. We’ll race you there 😉
Sources: Los Angeles Times, The Star Online, CM Lim Guan Eng’s Facebook page.
