Penang
Malaysia, truly Asia
Split between the southernmost peninsula of the Asian continent, and the world’s third largest island, Malaysia is a nation of tremendous biodiversity, rich resources and of course, top tourist destinations. Peninsular Malaya gained independence from British colonialism in 1957, then united with North Borneo and Sarawak in 1963 to form modern Malaysia. Singapore was also briefly part of this union for its first two years, before being kicked out and becoming independent itself in 1965. As of 2024 it has a population of around 34 million, and is similar in area to Poland and Vietnam.
Our family visited Malaysia in 1988 on a holiday from Dubai, and also took in an overnight visit to Singapore. We flew on Singapore Airlines which even back then impressed me as a quality carrier. We spent a week on Penang Island, staying at the luxury Rasa Sayang beach resort, and toured around the island to take in the major attractions of the day. As of 2025 I haven’t returned to Malaysia, except for a couple of brief flight changes at Kuala Lumpur airport on the way to and from the Philippines.
Playing on Batu Feringgi beach at the Rasa Sayang hotel. The sun was so strong that we didn’t end up spending much time out here.
Looking south along Batu Feringgi beach. There were plenty of water sports activities, but unfortunately I was too young and disinterested to take part.
Cooling off by the pool with a Diet Coke. The Rasa Sayang at the time was clearly luxurious, but as far as I can tell during my 2025 re-write, it has significantly upped its game since then, and its purchase by Shangri-La. For one thing, the pools have since been completed rebuilt.
I think the building exterior itself is largely unchanged since the 1980s, with their traditional Malaysian-style roofs.
We were also afforded the use of the neighbouring Golden Sands Hotel grounds and pools, which were much more exciting and complete with a water slide! The first one I’d ever been on, I could have spent all week playing here.
Out and about next, wandering the streets of Penang’s capital and largest city, George Town. This is on Jin Penang, which I was able to figure out as some of the advertised local businesses are still going nearly forty years later.
A highlight of the holiday was a visit to the Snake Temple at Bayan Lepas, in the south of the island near the airport. It dates back to 1805 (the temple, not the airport).
True to expectations, the temple is populated by a variety of snakes, mostly roughly contained on woven lattices such as these. The temple honours a Buddhist monk who took care of snakes, and the story goes that the snakes arrived of their own accord once the temple was completed.
Climbing up a little pagoda in the temple, all the better to view the snakes from.
Malaysia was at one point the world’s largest producer of natural latex, from which rubber products are manufactured. Rubber trees have angled cuts carved into them, down which the latex runs for collection over time at the bottom.
Relaxing back at the Rasa Sayang, and sporting my souvenir batik shirt for the camera.
Created 2001 | Updated 2025
SnapHappyRoss 
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