Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

It is, however, easier to move around by public transportation in Penang. The cheapest fare is 80 sen, but bus drivers do not give out small change if you pay more than the required fare. There is a free shuttle bus from KOMTAR that takes you to the ferry terminal, Chinatown, the museum, etc. Local buses operate from the terminal at KOMTAR. Just watch out for the overzealous taxi drivers and trishaw riders!

In Penang, I stayed at the White House Hotel. It's not really a hotel but a guesthouse. It's rather old, maybe from the '60s. The rooms have tiled walls and are sparsely furnished, with furniture that looks older than discarded stuff. Hot/cold water and air-conditioning are activated from the lobby. So, although there is an air-conditioning unit in your room, you can't use it unless you inform the operator and pay for it! The bath is en-suite, but the toilet is shared. All rooms come with fans. Most rooms are doubles, and it's about RM40 per room with air-conditioning. So four people can share a room, and each pays only RM10! It costs less if you choose not to have air-conditioning!

The plus point about this guesthouse is that it is squeaky clean and has a fantastic location, and the staff is lovely. Some of the guests are regulars. There were both Asians and Westerners when I was there. The Westerners were there to escape the bitter cold in their countries and had been staying in the guesthouse for some time.

Although I made no prior booking for both destinations, I actually have friends who could not find accommodation in Penang.

Cross over to Jusco (also known as the Kinta City Shopping Centre), which is slightly out of Ipoh, and the opposite is true. It is vibrant, hip, and happening. The newer shopping malls such as Jusco and Ipoh Parade are also located out of Ipoh, neither in old or new town.

Specialty shops selling traditional delicacies are found in new and old town, and they are only open up to about 5:30pm.

Costing RM10, the tour takes slightly more than 1 hour, and each visitor is presented with a beautiful bookmark of the place. More details can be found at www.cheongfatttzemansion.com

Ipoh was once a land of millionaires. The wealth of the city was made from tin mining, and the Darul Ridzuan Museum showcases the history and development of Ipoh and the mining and forestry industries of Perak. The building is rather old and there is nothing fanciful inside, but I find it rather charming because it is such a welcome change from the usual high-tech ones I see in modern cities. Here there are no buttons to press and no "sights and sounds" gallery. In fact, the building itself is a historical architecture, and you get to see the artifacts as they were displayed in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Entrance is free and the museum opens at 9:30am.

The next thing to look out for is when buying tickets in Ipoh for interstate coaches; avoid touts or agents who hang around the shops that actually sell the tickets. These touts or agents are self-appointed, and they jack up the price of the tickets by a few ringgit.

Some guidebooks and brochures mention the 55th (or whatever) floor of KOMTAR in Penang as offering a panoramic view of the city. Well, when I was there, I asked the receptionist at the building which lift I should use and was immediately whisked to a lift which led to a restaurant which has seen better days. The 'view' cost RM$5 and came with either a bottle of mineral water or a cup of coffee. The glass panes are also rather dirty, so don't waste your time there.

Lastly, a word about the famed Kellie's Castle in Ipoh. There is really nothing spectacular about it. It is set in a rural and secluded area. Although accessible by public transport, it takes more than one hour to get there from Ipoh central. If you must visit this place, just remember to leave before 5:30pm, because the last bus comes around that time, and taxis don't go there (except when taking passengers there).