penang Archives - I Wander

Despite not being a chain hotel, the Eastern and Oriental (E&O) Hotel in Penang needs no introduction. It is to Penang as the Raffles is to Singapore and the Strand is to Yangon. And rightfully so. These 3 hotels were built by the same folks – the Sarkies Brothers – with the E&O actually being the oldest of the three. Part of a larger list of Southeast Asian heritage hotels that also includes Manila Hotel and Sofitel in Hanoi, the E&O as locals call it, brings a colonial touch to the already laidback and historical air of the UNESCO World Heritage town of Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia.

I stayed at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Penang following a short sojourn to Perlis and Alor Setar. As my last visit to Penang was some 6 years back, I wanted to spend some time to check out the new attractions in the old town, particularly the 3D art works that are scattered around the heritage area. The Eastern and Oriental Hotel is located at Lebuh Farquhar and is conveniently in what is considered the “buffer zone” of Georgetown. It’s also a short walk to some of the major sights such as the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion and the colonial-era municipal hall right by the padang.

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As a destination that’s well known for its diversity, the essence of a trip to Southeast Asia for most would probably include a rundown of the well-known ancient ruins, beaches and secluded islands, through natural landscapes and tropical rainforests and generally having a good time in the region’s megacities. A not so prominent (and less popular) theme are its old towns, some of which have been preserved as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are deserving destinations in their own right, and are perfect supplements to those doing long trips across the region. Earlier this year, I had inadvertently completed a small milestone by visiting all the UNESCO World Heritage towns in Southeast Asia. As there are only five, it’s no mean feat. I was not really ticking it off any list. It just happened.

brightly colored buildings such as these in hoi an, are a common sight in all of southeast asia’s unesco towns

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while might notice this habit of mine of ranking stuff regarding Southeast Asia. This one’s no exception. In order of preference (and I’ll explain why), this is how I would rank the 5:

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The Grandeur of Penang’s Eastern and Oriental Hotel

The UNESCO World Heritage Towns of Southeast Asia