#1. George Town
George Town is the colorful, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques. Beyond the old town, George Town is a modern city with skyscrapers and shopping malls. Verdant Penang Hill, with hiking and a funicular railway, overlooks it all.
Lavish estates like Pinang Peranakan and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, built by wealthy Chinese merchants, offer tours. The “Street of Harmony” is home to varied places of worship, including Kapitan Keling mosque, with Mughal-style domes and landscaped grounds. Nearby is Khoo Kongsi, a Chinese clan temple with elaborate carvings. On George Town’s outskirts, Kek Lok Si is a vast, hillside Buddhist temple complex crowned by a 7-story pagoda. The city is also known for its food, and vendors hawk Malay, Indian and Chinese fare at open-air stalls and Western-style food courts.