Tips for Visitors to Penang, Malaysia General Penang is a great place to visit - English is widely spoken; it‟s easy to get around by taxi, car or foot; there is a huge variety of restaurants & shops & the cost of living is reasonable. Weather is hot all year round – either hot & humid or hot & wet, but hotels & most buildings, shopping centres etc are fully air-conditioned. 1. What to bring a) Clothing Lightweight (cotton) clothing is most suitable for the climate & although Malaysia is a Muslim country, dress standards are quite relaxed. In air-conditioned venues, it is sometimes handy to have long sleeve tops. (The cinema here is air-conditioned to about 15˚C so you need warm clothes if you want to go there). Hotels can arrange laundry or there are local laundries that can arrange quick service for a fraction of the price. b) Sunscreen Even on cloudy days, it is easy to get burned. Suncream available locally. c) Mobile phones Bring mobile phones & buy a local SIM card for approx RM10. Prepaid top up cards are available for RM10 to RM50. Recommendation - Charlie Cellular at Gurney Plaza 3rd floor (opposite escalators) for SIM cards & excellent service.
d) Electrical sockets Electric sockets & voltage are same as UK - AS/UK (Great Britain) power plugs for all electric appliances taken to Malaysia. The standard voltage is 240V, 50Hz. e) Laptops Hotels, coffee shops etc all have wifi access so you can use your laptop with ease. f) Medication Medical treatment is generally excellent here but bring any essential medication as not all medicines are available.
g) Toiletries Most products available but if you have a favorite, bring it with you. For ladies, if required, bring tampons. Local choices are limited. h) ATM cards US$1 = 3.5RM (Ringgit Malaysia or ringgit for short). ATM cards can be used at most local bank ATMs. ATM machines are plentiful in and around Penang and usually dispense up to RM 1,500 at a time. There will not be ATM facilities at the sporting arenas 2. Handy Hints a) Contacting home The cheapest method of phoning home is to buy an Digi Chatz or iTalk calling card. RM50 will give you approx 5 hours of talk time. There is an access code to dial which should be charged as a local call by the hotel. The card can also be used with a (local) mobile number. b) Tipping Since most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge plus 5% Government tax, tipping is not expected.
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Security Snatch thefts are a common form of personal theft in Penang. Most snatching thefts target handbags, backpacks and any other hand held package or bag and are carried out by thieves either running past you or riding a motorbike. Bags should be carried securely on the shoulder or in the hand on the side away from the traffic. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking down narrow and sparsely populated roads and lanes. Take care along Gurney Drive. Credit Cards Most hotels and large restaurants, most shops in Malls and department stores accept credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard, American Express and Diners. WARNING! As with most major cities, credit card fraud is common. Take care when using your credit card. Lost/Stolen Credit Cards American Express: Visa Card Phone: Diners Card Phone: Mastercard: Tel 03 2050 0000, Fax: 03 2026 2425 Tel 1 800 80 2997 Tel 03 2161 1055 (office hours), Tel03 2161 2862 (after office hours) Tel: 1 800 804 594
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Toilets Restrooms in Penang shopping complexes and some restaurants do not provide toilet paper so it is recommended that you carry tissues with you at all times.
3. Arriving in Penang If you are arriving in Penang with a group, you will have the option of booking an airport transfer to the hotel in advance. If you are making your own way to the hotel, the only taxis allowed to pick up at the airport are the official airport taxis (white). Buy a ticket from the booth on the arrivals concourse before making your way to the taxi queue. From the airport to City Centre hotels is a fixed fare (RM38). 4. Getting Around The FOBISSEA sporting events do not take place at the school. They are at sports venues around Penang. a) Buses have been arranged from the E&O Hotel, G Hotel & Cititel Penang Hotel to, from and between the sporting venues. The cost is RM100 total for 3 days. Please book in advance at michellegprojects@yahoo.co.uk b) Taxis Ask the hotel receptionist to write down your destination. Most drivers understand English and should know how to get to most malls and big hotels but take a card from the hotel to be sure. Most taxis do not use the meter so negotiate a price prior to setting off. Taxi drivers do not accept credit cards and often may not have small change. One taxi services regularly used by the Expat community is Mr Kong: 012 563 8941 c) Car Hire Car in Malaysia are right hand drive and the road rules broadly follow UK. It is not difficult to drive in Penang but take it easy and watch out for motorbikes (and other vehicles) which may change lane without warning. Special rates have been agreed with Magic Green Car Hire – email sales@magicgreen.com.my quoting “SCIPS”. You will need a driving license, passport and credit card. The car will be delivered to and collected from your hotel.
d) Trishaw This three-wheeled vehicle is unique to Penang, Melaka and Kota Bahru. A trishaw ride is one of the best ways to enjoy sights of Georgetown. As with taxis, agree on a price before boarding. They can also be hired by the hour (about RM30 per hour). 5. Things to do in Penang Getting around is easy and safe – hop in a taxi but agree a price with the driver. Shopping – there are several large shopping centres around town. These are: Gurney Plaza (Gurney Drive), Prangin Mall (for electronics/Dvds), Queensbay Mall (close to airport), Island Plaza (smaller boutiques). Midland One-stop is a popular choice for computer peripherals. There are also distinct areas such as Little India (downtown). The night markets at Batu Ferringhi normally draw tourists looking for souvenirs. The markets tend to open around 7 or 8 pm and close anywhere between 11 pm - 1 am. They sell all sorts of clothing, DVD's, hand bags, jewellery, wallets, cushion covers, sarongs, luggage, sunglasses, souvenirs, local paintings and much more. They are a very popular tourist attraction and are defiantly worth a look. There are plenty of tailors offering good deals and a quick turnaround service in the tourist area of Batu Ferringhi. A taxi from Georgetown to Batu Ferringhi will cost you between RM25 - RM35. Sam‟s Batik (Penang Road) is a good place to look for silk scarves, shirts etc & presents to take home. Heritage area – there are many Chinese temples, clan houses, old buildings etc in the Heritage area downtown. Take a trishaw from outside the Cititel in Penang Road. Markets – wet (veg, fruit, fish) markets are worth a look round early in the morning (7am to 10.30am). Cinema –the air-conditioned cinemas are clean, safe & good value. 6 EMERGENCY NUMBERS The Nationwide Emergency Number: 999 is the nationwide emergency number. The 24 hrs 999 operating system is manned by Telekom Malaysia. 999 can be dialed through fix-line phone or 112 through mobile phone. Private hospitals in Penang have their own emergency numbers as they each have their own ambulance service. Other Penang Emergency Phone Numbers To access the Penang Emergency Phone Numbers or calling overseas from Malaysia dial 00 + country code + area code + telephone number. However the international dialing code for Malaysia is 60. Other Penang Emergency Phone Numbers are: Police Tourist Police Fire Hospital Ambulance Fire Brigade 191 195 199 999 (02)252-2171 994
PENANG – GENERAL TOURIST INFORMATION Population: approx 1.3 million people comprising the following ethnic groups: Chinese 44%, Malay 40%, Indian 10% and others 6%. Language: The official language is Bahasa (language) Melayu, however, English is also widely spoken as well as many Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka, Hainan & Foochow), Tamil (Indian) and other minority languages. Currency: The local currency is the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), which is divided into 100 Sen. Notes in circulation are RM1, RM2 (although rare), RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100. Some Malaysians habitually refer to ringgit as „dollars‟, the old name for the country‟s currency. Religion: The official religion is Islam (most practice Sunni Islam), but there is freedom of worship. There are numerous Muslim mosques, Christian churches, and Buddhist and Hindu temples. Other minor religions also exist. Climate: Malaysia has a pleasant tropical climate. Temperatures in the Penang area average about 320C during the day and 240C during the night all year long. Air humidity ranges between 60% and 90% all year round. Time difference: GMT +8 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS Mosquitoes: Dengue fever is a mosquito born disease which presents with flu-like symptoms. Multiple infections can be more severe sometimes resulting in death. Dengue fever is endemic in Malaysia. There is no vaccination or prophylactic medication that can be taken to prevent Dengue fever. It is important to maintain personal preventive measures. The dengue mosquito is known to bite during the day, not just at dawn and dusk, like most mosquitoes. Always use insect repellent and if possible wear long sleeves and long pants. Swimming: Swimming in rivers, creeks, freshwater pools and beaches is not recommended in South East Asia due to high levels of pollution and stinging jellyfish. The tourist beaches at Batu Ferringhi, on Penang Island are highly polluted, although you will see locals (and some tourists) swimming there on a regular basis. Food: Food in Malaysia is generally safe to eat as long as it is freshly cooked. Mussels, pippies and oysters are to be avoided because of pollution in local waters where they are farmed. There are numerous western food options available and some are listed here. One things Penang is most famous for is its food! There are few hometown favourites that you may want to try: the Penang asam laksa, Char koey Teow and Curry Noodles. There will be a range of local and western food and drinks available for sale at each of the FOBISSEA games venues. Water: Tap water in Malaysia is generally safe to drink, but old buildings with old pipes can contaminate the water. Heat stress and dehydration is common in Penang because of high ambient temperatures and humidity. It is advised that you consume at least 3 litres of water per day per person is required, twice that if active outdoors.