Penang Tips

[girlx]

i am going back to penang for a visa run in nov. last time i went i stayed in georgetown and went through NJ Books to get the visa. easy but the place i stayed in was pretty crappy. i was also mercilessly hassles by the men there as a solo female. tips on a better place to stay, maybe with tv so i don't find myself wandering around alone at night? what about other areas than georgetown? anything really interesting to see? i have to waste 2 days waiting for the visa...

[bino]

Hotel Continental would suit you. (Not Grand Continental) They are conveniently located within walking distance of everything on Jalan Penang in Georgetown.

Standard rooms are 80.5 Ringgit If I remember correctly. I've usually stayed in the superior rooms which are 98 Ringgit including ABF.

You can have a look here.

http://www.penang-hotels.com/hotelcontinental/

Send them an email to make a reservation. [email protected].

Hope this helps.

[Welshman]

I was in Penang a few weeks back and a Penang native recommended the Crystal Guesthouse in Chuliah Road. Going from Jalan Penang, you have to go right down past the 7/11 store and you'll see it on the left.

I paid 40 Ringgits a night for a double room with ensuite. I don't think it's been operating long but It was clean and the hosts were very friendly.

You can get a pretty decent breakfast at a restaurant called Jim's Place about half way down Chuliah.

Edited October 22, 2005 by Welshman

[thaiflyer1]

Hotel Continental would suit you. (Not Grand Continental) They are conveniently located within walking distance of everything on Jalan Penang in Georgetown.

Standard rooms are 80.5 Ringgit If I remember correctly. I've usually stayed in the superior rooms which are 98 Ringgit including ABF.

You can have a look here.

http://www.penang-hotels.com/hotelcontinental/

Send them an email to make a reservation. [email protected].

Hope this helps.

I/d second the Continental much better for a female on her own...........unfortunatley you are going to get the "stares" in Penang just try and ignore it. Outside the Continental there is a roundabout if you go over it there are a couple of bars where you should be ok for a quiet drink or snack/meal.

Edit.........its also one of the few hotels in Georgetown with a pool.

Edited October 22, 2005 by thaiflyer1

[girlx]

thanks... i went ahead and reserved the continental. i will be getting a second triple-entry tourist visa, and i have a couple of regular tourist visas in my passport prior to the last one... anyone foresee any problem with that? also does anyone have tips on interesting places to go while i am there? i will probably take the shuttle bus around georgetown and go dvd shopping near the komtar, any other suggestions? food?

[gee-gee]

do you need any docs - bank statement, etc - to get multi-entry tourist visa, thought you could only get them in home country

[Graeme Mounsey]

Hi

I just returned from Penang a week ago

Went with my Thai wife and we also stayed at the Hotel Continental would recommend the superior rooms at 98 Ringit. Large room with big picture window and fantastic sea view. Price includes breakfast not great but edible.

I used a guy who was recommended by a poster on here his name is Manaff or Man works out of a travel agent specialises in visas. Tel. 016 455 4851

He was very helpful and efficient. I phoned him prior to going He called the hotel and came to our room at 10.30 am I gave him my passport and all supporting documents (married to Thai)

he called again the next afternoon as he had said he would and returned to our room at 2.30 afternoon with passport and new 1 year non-immigrant O multiple entry visa Cost was 500 ringits for visa and 50 ringits for his service

It was great as you don't have to do anything and gives you free time for sightseeing or shopping. I would also recommend the services of a rickshaw driver who is stationed outside the hotel. Speaks exellent english name is Rama and he does a 1 hr tour of Georgetown for 30 ringits great way to get around he is a good guy even has mobile phone 016 407 4926

nice English pub across the road called SoHo

also as another poster said over the roundabout are another 2 bars all of these are decent places

Hope you have a nice time and hope all this helps

Graeme

Edited October 23, 2005 by Graeme Mounsey

[The Dude]

The Dude returned from his 4th Penang trip a week ago. The Dude really should have consulted with Ovenman prior as he needed several shovels because he digs Penang in a very large way. Now the Dude knows he can use pedicabs for shovel transport from Komtar Shopping Center to his hotel (Cititel). The Dude pays a little extra to stay at Cititel but he digs staying there with one of his shovels.

The Dude brought his hot chick with him this time to evaluate the seediness of Penang that was rumored to exist on a prior thread. Now, The Dude's hot chick certainly got stared down by numerous gents around town but in no way did The Dude's hot chick get oogled and googled at more in Penang than in BKK. In fact, the Dude's hot chick got oogled at far less than BKK. The Dude and The Dude's hot chick acknowledge a seediness in BKK that is very very very severe as opposed to the low level of seediness exhibited by the Penang brethen. The Dude was majorly impressed with Penang's cleanliness. The Dude's hot chick concurs. So when you go to Penang, bring a porta-shovel cause you're gonna dig the place with it. Aint that right OM?

[thaiflyer1]

do you need any docs - bank statement, etc - to get multi-entry tourist visa, thought you could only get them in home country

Only passport and passport photo required.

Its not a multi entry though its a tourist visa with 1 , 2 or 3 entries...............same same but different.

[thaiflyer1]

thanks... i went ahead and reserved the continental. i will be getting a second triple-entry tourist visa, and i have a couple of regular tourist visas in my passport prior to the last one... anyone foresee any problem with that? also does anyone have tips on interesting places to go while i am there? i will probably take the shuttle bus around georgetown and go dvd shopping near the komtar, any other suggestions? food?

You wont regret the Continental girlx.........remember go over the roundabout and there are a couple of suitable places for a drink.

There has been a thread in the travel forum about things to do in Penang heres the link just incase you missed it...........

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45473&st=0

Regards your visa.......nothings ever certain, cant forsee any problems.........questions might be asked if all your visas are "back to back" ..........but if use an agent they will advise you...........the very least you/ll get a single and told not to go back for a while.

Edited October 23, 2005 by thaiflyer1

[ovenman]

The Dude pays a little extra to stay at Cititel but he digs staying there with one of his shovels.

The Cititel is quite nice. It's a definite step up from the Hotel Continental-calibre lodgings, but the Cititel is also half again as expensive. If one is staying at the Hotel Continental, I would recommend the superior rooms at 98 ringgit (nett) over the standard rooms at 80 ringgit, although a standard room would suffice for a short stay.

So when you go to Penang, bring a porta-shovel cause you're gonna dig the place with it. Aint that right OM?

A porta-shovel for the back of the pedicab is highly recommended.

[lopburi3]

Believe that shovel could be well used to enter the Cititel if they have not improved since it opened. I did consider staying there during first few months of operation when price was same as Hotel Continental but after feeling like I was climbing a mountain (or entering some Thai banks) told myself if they don't care enough to level the entry way I don't need them. It seemed to be made for auto entry rather than the normal pedestrian you find in Georgetown.

[spacebass]

What is the drill for getting a taxi from airport to georgetown or north coast beaches? How much? Thanks

I will be in Continental Hotel 23rd/26th November (with lady) If you

are there then maybe you would like to join us for a drink and maybe a bit of protection?

I have booked airport transfer with Continental is this a good idea?

Edited October 23, 2005 by spacebass

[alaina]

What is the drill for getting a taxi from airport to georgetown or north coast beaches? How much? Thanks

I will be in Continental Hotel 23rd/26th November (with lady) If you

are there then maybe you would like to join us for a drink and maybe a bit of protection?

I have booked airport transfer with Continental is this a good idea?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At the airport you pre-pay and get in the taxi line. I think it is like 28MYR to Georgetown, which is a 45 minute ride. Outside of that, you should look at a map and try to figure the distance (most fares shoud be below 28 MYR...) I ask before getting in the taxi and never had a problem.

They don't have meters but if you have a general idea they can't rip you off too badly. Not like the airport taxi guys who go off the meter for double and tripple the fares here.

[ovenman]

What is the drill for getting a taxi from airport to georgetown or north coast beaches? How much? Thanks

As pearl mentioned, the airport taxis operate on a prepaid system. The fares have gone up in the past year so I believe you'll pay 35 ringgit to town, 60 ringgit or so from the airport to Batu Ferringhi. Georgetown to Batu Ferringhi and vice-versa should be 25 ringgit. Taxis in Malaysia are metered and the drivers are supposed to use the meter but in practice you'll find that none ever do (except in KL it seems).

I have booked airport transfer with Continental is this a good idea?

If the cost is over 35 ringgit, you are over-paying. There's no problem at all catching a taxi from the airport on your own. There is a 24 hour cab stand just to the left of the Hotel Continental as you go out the front door.