Getting About the Island

Before you get here, i suggest you go online and check the hotel room rates. diff hotels offer different rates, and also the rates differ at diff times of the year( peak and off peak)
usually peak would be nov-dec (when we have our school holidays, or this is equivalent to summer holidays here( we have summer all year round, so naming it "Summer holidays" just don't work)

next would be changing enough cash for your holiday (if you plan to stay here long, i suggest you draw just enough for hotel + food and etc for 3 days, then try to locate the nearest bank that you can get some cash from) we have Citibank,HSBC,Standard Chartered and so on(you can google out the location of those banks)
oh ya! you can change money the moment you touch down, i think they have a licensed money changer somewhere in the airport grounds(dont worry, the Penang International Airport is a small airport compared to the likes of SFO(San Francisco Airport) or LAX (Los Angeles Airport)
i am not sure whether the rate is higher there compared to outside, but its definetly safer if you changed your money there.some hotels might have money changers too, so do find out before you fly here.
the "Penang" mentioned in context is "Penang Island" and when you touch down( if assumingly, you fly) you will land in penang island.usually we associate penang with the island and mainland with,well, the rest of Penang that is not the island! hehe.

From the airport, the only mode of transportation would be taxi.No public buses ply that route. Anyway, do look out for taxis with "meters" so that you wont be swindled. And try to bargain with the taxi drivers(if you feel that their fee is to expensive).Tell them that you did not exchange much local currency and that you will be here for a few days only.
tip*(dont hestitate to bargain,it might save you alot)
once your here, other modes of transportation would be,besides taxis; buses, trishaws and ferries.other options would be renting a car(if ur up for adventure)

tip*but i warn you, driving in penang island is not a breeze and is not for the faint hearted. some drivers might be reckless and are somehow or other rushing for time.they can be rude and uncurteos as well, so if you want a relaxing holiday, dont rent a car.(renting a car can be done in the airport grounds itself) depend on where you want to go, different transportation takes you to different places. i suggest you sit on a trishaw if your in town, and normally thrishaws or available near cititel penang hotel. it is relaxing but be warned: it might be time consuming as it is literally a slow bicycle ride.
tip* its better if you ride on a trishaw at night..cos the heat is unberable in the afternoon.

As for buses, i suggest our new few month old buses,
rapid penang
as for their punctuality, i've heard that's it's sticks to its schedule much better compared to the other bus service providers.However, please do not take this for granted.allocate at least 20 minutes incase of unforseen circumstances such as tyre punctures, break downs and the most common of all, bus drivers that takes long breaks whenever they like and thus, cant stick to their schedule.

Going back to renting a car, here's some
contacts that offer this service.You can google up the map anytime. Do try to avoid Green lane/Scotland Road/Gottlieb road. area at 7-9am and 5-7pm cos that's the rush hour and there will be a massive jam there.
If your afraid of getting lost, never fear.Penangnites can be easily approached for directions.As it is a tiny island, many people know the areas in the island quite well, so you dont have to worry bout that!

As for ferries, i suggest you take a ride on it.Esp at night to view the lights from the Penang Bridge,one of the longest bridges in the world,which spans about 13.5 km or 8.4 miles.prefably go about dinner time to about 9 or so.when you reach the other side,or better known as butterworth, there's nothing much there for you to see as most of the places of attractions lies in the island itself.
tip* if you do want to hop onto the ferry,please be on the lookout and avoid wearing jewelleries and carry handbags(for women).make sure you keep your important documents one side and your cash one side because snatch theft is very rampant these days.avoid bringing large sums of cash if possible, and try not to go alone if you are a women.

motorcycles are another mode of transportation, however, its not so popular.if you want to rent a bike(motorcycle) please make sure that you dont put any valuables in the basket(money,visa,passport, important documents) as it can be easily snatched by another motorist.Always be on the alert and try to put important docs in one place, and cash in another.Times are hard and there cud be many desperados around!


That's all i have on the transportation list.