One thing’s for sure, when you think of Malaysia, it’s not just our rich culture that stands out, but also our top-tier food that never fails to impress! Just recently, National Geographic has listed 8 islands across Southeast Asia and to no surprise, Malaysia’s Penang island has once again top the charts.
Penang is the 2nd best island to visit in Southeast Asia
Securing the second spot on the list, right after Kok Chang, Thailand, Penang was listed as one of the best islands to visit in Southeast Asia. And our unique selling point? The food of course.
Image credits: Canva
In the article, it wrote:
“As far as Southeast Asian culinary escapes go, it doesn’t get much better than Penang, connected by two bridges to Malaysia’s west coast.”
Known for its famous night markets and delectable plates of char kuey teow, Penang is definitely an island worth visiting if your goal is to taste a piece of what Asia offers.
Image credits: Canva
Neighboring countries mentioned
Other than that, the list also mentioned other islands in our neighboring countries which includes:
- Cat Ba, Vietnam – Best for adrenaline junkies. Expect limestone karst cliffs, deep-water soloing (bouldering without ropes over deep water), hiking Ngu Lam Peak, and paddling a kayak through bioluminescent plankton.
- Komodo, Indonesia – Best for wildlife lovers. Keep yours on the look out for Komodo dragons in the wild, as well as the crab-eating macaque, the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo and the Timor python. However, due to overcrowding, visitors are required to have a licensed guide and make advanced bookings.
- Panay, Philippines – Best for festival-goers. Visitors can catch a glimpse into both the past and future of Filipino festival traditions. Expect a riot of tribal dances, feather headdresses and Catholic pageantry that originated in the 13th century.
Image credits: Tripzilla
- Isla Verde, Philippines – Best for scuba diving. The waters here are among the world’s most biodiverse, home to 1,700 fish species and 300 coral species. Catch rarely seen species like golden lyretail anthia fish, green sea turtles and yellow-striped Moorish idols.
- Java, Indonesia – Best for temple lovers. Borobudur Temple is the world’s largest and greatest Buddhist monument, ringed by friezes based on the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures. Less than 30 miles away are the 240 Hindu temples that make up Prambanan Archaeological Park. Looming above its centre are three temples dedicated to the deities Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, on which detailed carvings illustrate the Hindu epic Ramayana.
- Don Khong, Laos – Best for avid cyclers. Scattered with shrines, Khmer ruins, Buddhist temples and bamboo-stilted cottages, visitors can see a green landscape, which offers a much needed trip back to nature. Many guesthouses rent out bicycles, and a paved road runs right around it. Though the loop can be done in a day, you can also choose to embrace the slower pace of life, and enjoy what life has to offer.
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