Widely known as the Pearl of the Orient, Penang is one of Asia's most famous islands. Its natural beauty and exotic heritage have been attracting curious visitors for hundreds of years. Travel guides have referred to it as " . . . a place of mysterious temples and palm-shrouded beaches", while literary giant Somerset Maugham is known to have stayed on the island and spun tales about the romance of the white planter in South-East Asia. Penang today is a bustling port, a heritage city and an industrial base. Perhaps it has more to offer per square mile than any other place in the world. Where else can you find an old church, a chinese temple, an indian temple, and a muslim mosque within a five-minute walk from one another? Likewise, tall urban structures stand beside the red-tiled roofs of Chinatown and "Little India" is just across the road; while the Malay kampungs lie on the outskirts. Should one wish to get away from the busy city, the idyllic beaches and soothing hills are but minutes away, while the industrial free trade zone, the "Silicon Valley of the East", and the international airport are equally accessible. Penang or its Malay name of Pulau Pinang is made up of a turtle-shaped island, a total of 280 square kilometers, and a strip of land called Seberang Prai on Peninsular Malaysia about 48 kilometers wide. Since 1985, the island is joined to the mainland by the Penang Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world. Alternatively, travelers arriving from the mainland can hop onto the ferry and take a 20-minute ride across. There are also international flights that connect directly to the international airport on the island. | 
