Penang

Delve into Penang’s musical heritage at this new museum, which houses expertly curated exhibitions, an extensive resource centre, and even replicas of a vintage cinema and a radio booth.

This new eco-tourism site on Penang Hill offers a respite from the tropical heat. Choose from various educational walks that cater to different abilities and interests, many of which are guided by award-winning naturalists.

Once the head office of The Star newspaper, this beautiful colonial building is now home to a bookstore, a resource centre, an exhibition space and the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra. Artisanal markets are often held here, too.

After a long day of exploring the streets of George Town, retreat into this serene café, where plants – hanging, potted and in terrariums – provide a soothing ambience. Coffee is brewed from single-origin beans, including the prized Panama Geisha varietal.

Discover fine dining by way of Penang-born, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Beh Weng Chia, who fuses classic French techniques with Asian flavours for an innovative menu.

What started out as a hobby for Malaysian fashion designer Richard Rivalee has now grown into one of the city’s most sought-after eating spots. In Rivalee’s atelier, you’ll find a small café where the man himself dishes up local fare like laksa (spicy noodle soup).

This evocatively named restaurant and bar is set in an atmospheric three-storey shophouse that’s dotted with artworks. The specialty cocktails and live music here make it popular with locals and tourists alike.

This boutique hotel is a shining example of sympathetic restoration, being one of several previously derelict properties that owner Chris Ong brought back to life. Today, the elegant Anglo-Indian mansion houses eight mansion rooms and six family suites.

Situated within a restored 19th-century shophouse at the edge of the core heritage zone, this pocket-sized boutique hotel offers just nine rooms and an art studio-cum-gallery. It has picked up numerous architecture awards since its opening.

This stately Anglo-Chinese mansion once belonged to a Hokkien tycoon, but it has since been restored and equipped with mod cons. The opulent bolthole is also the first Penang property to become a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.