KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 ― Penang has been listed among the best places to visit for the “ultimate Asia experience” by CNN Travel, along with 18 other destinations.
The American broadcaster placed the island 14th on its list of 19 destinations, describing it as “a mecca for food and architecture lovers.”
According to the list, which was last updated on June 3, George Town, the island's main city, makes for an ideal home base thanks to a dynamic cityscape that's punctuated by British colonial architecture, Buddhist temples and ornate Chinese manor houses.
“This seaside city is known as one of the world's top food destinations, serving up a delicious mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine,” it reads.
“You’ll crave dishes like Hokkien mee (fried prawn noodles), roti canai (an Indian-influenced flat bread dish with dal or curry) and Penang laksa for years after visiting.”
Other destinations on the list include Bali in Indonesia, Luang Prabang in Laos, Kyoto in Japan, Rajasthan in India, Hong Kong, The Great Wall of China and Xi'an in China and Maldives.
Completing the list are Siem Reap in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Yogyakarta in Indonesia, Chiang Rai in Thailand, Hanoi and Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Bhutan, Kathmandu in Nepal, El Nido in Philippines and Seoul in South Korea.
However, this is not the first time that the island has received recognition for its popularity among holidaymakers.
Earlier this year, Penang was among CNN Travel’s 19 best places to travel for spring 2019, alongside popular holiday destinations such as Greece, Spain, Mexico, Holland, Morocco and Japan.
The island was also one of Insider’s picks for being among this year’s cheapest holiday destinations in the world, alongside Budapest in Hungary, Phuket in Thailand, Slima in Malta, Hoi An in Vietnam and Bali in Indonesia.
Penang was also named second best places to visit after Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2017 by CNN while George Town was named by Forbes as the 10th best budget tourism destination of the year in 2016.
