PENANG -- area code (60-4)

Penang Island, with its UNESCO World Heritage treasure trove of George Town, the gold sand beaches of Batu Ferringhi, and the nearby town of Butterworth on the mainland, has everything that gay and lesbian travelers love: exquisite food including Nyonya Baba indigenous fusion cuisine; architectural treasures including the stupendous colonial mansions of Asia's formerly rich and famous tycoons; sun and fun on tropical beaches; shady hikes through botanical spice gardens and jungle forests; multi-ethnic neighborhoods that are safe and welcoming places to explore on foot, bike, or pedi-cab; fascinating shrines, temples and mosques built over generations by the port's prosperous merchants and fortune-seekers from as far away as Arabia and Armenia; shops, malls and museums filled with beautiful bargains; and more than a bit of gay scene and nightlife for holiday fun and frolic.

All this, yet Penang is so quiet, so cheap, so uncrowded, so easy to access, so friendly, and so rich in cultural treasures that you'll wonder why its not on every tourist's map of must-see cities in Asia.

The population of Penang is over 1.5 million (that's about 60,000 Utopians).

• Penang Gay Scene Updates message forum
• Men in Penang message forum

The updated and expanded 2nd Edition of the Utopia Guide to Malaysia surveys the gay and lesbian scene in 17 cities. Listings include gay scene maps, organizations, bars, discos, spas, accommodations, restaurants, and more. A special section highlights venues that are especially welcoming for women. Click here to order

Click here for Penang hotels and accommodations.

• Bagan Lounge (mixed)
  Bagan, 18 Jln Bagan Jermal, 226-4977. The lounge at the Bagan dining and entertainment complex is Penang's closest brush with fabulousness yet, thanks to the owner of Thirty Two (see listing below under Restaurants). Live jazzpop band featuring soulful Malay trans-diva, Roz. One wall has a gigantic framed mirror, elsewhere are framed portraits of yachts and toreadors, chic Thai silkworm cocoon lamps, overstuffed lounge chairs, and an op-art grill of fairy lights hung under a conservatory canopy. The crowd is trendy 30-somethings who arrive after 10pm when the band kicks in. Bar and pool room. Excellent service from ambisextrous staffers.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "A little overated. Chic deco, but the music is really too loud - made worse when the band plays. Food is just average. It needs better definition / more distinctive taste and flavor. Not worth the price paid." -- Monroe, Mar 23, 2010

• Beach Blanket Babylon (mixed)
  The Garage, Upper Penang Rd (opp the E&O Hotel). Same owner as Bagan and Thirty Two at the Mansion. Swanky design (yes, with his trademark giant mirror) on two levels. Good snacks and desserts. Gents Night every Sun with special pricing on standard pouring brands beers.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "The lobby bar in G Hotel at Gurney Dr is definitely the place to be for Happy Hour. Staff are very PLU-friendly and it's easy to spot other PLU professionals - locals and hotel guests. Live music by a DJ." -- Monroe, Feb 15, 2010

  "I've been to the Sunset Bar at Batu Ferangi a few times over the last few days. No evidence of gay people there." -- Trevelly, Jan 26, 2010

  "SUNSET BISTROBAR IN BATU FERINGHI IS BECOMING POPULAR WITH LOCAL PENANG GAYS. SITUATED AT THE BACK OF BABA GUEST HOUSE NEAR PARK ROYAL HOTEL. CHEAP DRINKS BEFORE 11PM. ALSO FOOD AVAILABLE." -- bidstonfish, Jan 1, 2010

  "New gay pub open: Color pub and lounge. Area: Royal Hotel. No cover charge. Got ah kua (trans) shows." -- xtatus, May 30, 2009

Click here for Penang fitness centers for men.

Click here for Penang massage and spas.

BUKIT MERTAJAM
• The garden on the hill inside Taman Bukit Indah (beside St. Annes). A nice place to meet at night.
• Taman Hwa Seng (just opposite Wonderful Mini Market beside Jln Rozhan, around the Alma, Bukit Mertajam area). There is a river beside a playground. You can find the Taman signboard beside the road. Go to the playground to look for the same species, mostly after 8pm. You may find young PLU sitting alone. If you click, just walk down to the quiet river bank.

  
  BUTTERWORTH

• Ampang Jajar Garden near Permatang Pauh, noon-5pm. Young Malay and Chinese guys.
• Park in Butterworth between the old British Fortress and city hall. After 10pm. At your own risk. Beware hustlers and police decoys.
• Swimming pool in Seberang Jaya, Butterworth. On Sat and Sun, you can see lots of PLUs (all races) hunting in the facilities.

  
  HISTORIC GEORGE TOWN / PENANG ISLAND

• Beaches:
  • Batu Feringhi beach area near the international hotels. The beach at the back of Ship restaurant is very cruisy after 4pm most days. Always good looking guys there. Lots of caucasians.
  • Tanjung Bunga beach, between Paradise Hotel/International School and at the rocks at the end. Especially afternoons and early evenings.

• Penang Youth Park
  Facilities near the shop and area behind shops with tables to play checkers. Afternoons from 2-5pm.
• Shopping Malls:
  • Starbucks at Gurney Plaza.
  • Midlands Park shopping center (formerly called, and still known as, One-Stop), including G/F and 2/F facilities. Sit outside at KFC to catch passersby.

    Comments from Utopians:

    "Those who like cruising should check out the old Sunshine Farlim facilities in the evening. Not to mention that cubicles at the G/F level of QB (next to the previous Padini shop) - full of guys who like putting on some interesting shows!" -- gstar, Apr 20, 2010

• The small trail off the road, just past the Moon Gate as you head towards the Botanical Gardens. Popular with joggers in the daytime. You'll need to walk thru the bushes to discover this place with lot of activity, especially weekends (early morning 6-7am to late night past 11pm) and weekdays (after 5pm till midnight). Lots of joggers and hikers. Beware of decoys. At your own risk (take along a local friend if you can).
• Swimming Pools:
  • Permata swimming pool at Farlim, Air Hitam after 5pm. A nice place to meet others, 4pm onwards.

    Comments from Utopians:

    "Permata pool is still the best place to check out guys especially in the evenings. Met a few fit and good looking ones every time I swim there." -- gstar, Apr 20, 2010

Penang is one of Asia's culinary treasure troves. Chinese, Muslim, Indian, Malay, European, Thai, Indonesian, Burmese, Japanese, Armenian, and Filipino immigrants have all pitched their recipes and ingredients into Penang's melting pot. Nyonya Baba (the Straits Chinese) fused some of the city's earliest flavors into their own unique style that spread up and down peninsular Asia from Phuket to Singapore. Corner coffee shops are still a haven for community life and an oasis of fresh plate meals, local libations and a rainbow of sweets. Street hawkers spread the wealth to hungry passersby. Below please find a sampling from the huge variety of sit-down eateries available, but be sure to graze your way across the city during your daytime explorations!

BATU FERRINGHI

Comments from Utopians:

"SUNSET STRIP BISTROBAR AT THE BACK OF BABA GUEST HOUSE IS A NICE PLACE TO SIT AND CHILL OUT." -- bidstonfish, Dec 10, 2009

BUTTERWORTH

• Penang Nyonya Delights (Peranakan cuisine)
  22 Jln Perai Jaya 2, Bandar Penas, Butterworth (behind Pacific Megamall, near Penang Bridge and not far from Unique 2 sauna), 399-3668. Gay-owned.

  HISTORIC GEORGE TOWN / PENANG ISLAND

• Bagan (see listing under Bars & Clubs)
• Eastern and Oriental Hotel
  10 Farquhar St. Enjoy a classic high tea on Sun afternoon at one of Asia's grandest old British-colonial hotels. Perfect finger sandwiches (salmon, beef and cucumber), proper scones with clotted cream and fig jam, cakes and tarts. Would you care for more, sir? No skimping here. Bring your guidebook to Penang (and your iPod stocked with songs by onetime guest Noel Coward) and spend a proper afternoon at leisure.
• Kedai Makanar Song River (Song River Café)
  In the middle of Gurney Drive. This seaside hawker center is crowded with diners in the evening - always a good sign. Here you will find a dozen kiosks under one roof, dishing up excellent local food including char koay teow, otak-otak, fried oysters and satay sticks.
• kissA Koyotei
  148 Jln Hutton, 226-6272. The aliens from Planet Japan have landed in Penang. Orange Christmas trees and "gothic-loli" (gothic Lolita) waitresses in OTT lacey French maid outfits. Now serving Penangites a Hello Kitti combo of "Japanese cuisine, espresso, liquor, and sweets." Yaranaika?
• Northam Beach Café
  Near Gurny Drive. Reported to have gay customers week nights after 7pm. Good food, clean facilities.
• Nyonya Baba Cuisine (Peranakan cuisine)
  44 Nagore Rd, 227-8035. Famous locally for its authentic nyonya baba ethnic dishes. The owner cooks with the freshest ingredients at hand and her Auntie helps with service to the four big round tables in the front room of this classic old Penang home. They'll be happy to recommend favorites from the menu, but be sure to try the "Capitan chicken curry" with its surprising crunchy texture from fried shallots and otak-otak banana-leaf steamed savory seafood soufflé.
• Opera (Asian fusion)
  3-E Upper Penang Rd (opp Momo and the Garage complex), reservations: 263-2893. Super stylish restaurant in the trendy nightlife area attracts a hip, urban crowd (a beauty queen and a gay Malasian pop singer were both dining the night we were here). The black and silver interior glows with theatrical lighting touches in the evenings. Shop on 2/F sells Asian home decor.
• Perut Rumah (Peranakan cuisine)
  17 Jln Kelawei, 227-9917. In a restored 100-year-old mansion not far from Gurney. Gay-owned and specializing in nyonya baba specialties, all prepared the old fashioned way. Items do run out as nothing is made in mass quatitities. Some dishes are begun the night before while others take several days to complete. 70 dishes to select from including Kari Kapitan (chicken curry), otak-otak (seafood soufflé), perut ikan (fish maw stewed in tamarind juice), roti baba (fried pork sandwich) and bee koh moy (black glutinous rice with coconut milk). Open 11am-10:30pm.

  Thirty Two at the Mansion 32 Jln Sultan Ahmad Shah, 262-2232. This casual fine dining and bar environment is a completely modern surprise considering the gorgeous heritage mansion exterior. Don't expect anything stuffy. It's all contemporary, upbeat, and very, very over the rainbow thanks to the verve and style of the owner (see Bagan Lounge listing under Bars & Clubs). The food is fabulous, from the foie gras to the beautifully textured crab laksa. The staff are friendly and elegant. There's the trademark humongous mirror in the bathroom foyer. The ocean laps just beyond the terrace and there's outdoor seating for cooler weather. The main dining room has a live jazz combo in the evenings and the gallery dining area is inventively mirrored for more viewing pleasure (yourself or the other tables).

  Comments from Utopians:

  "SIRE Restaurant near the Esplanade was a pleasant surprise. Service was superb, food tasty and the ambience eclectic. The back portion of the restaurant is a museum that exhibits and amazing collection of furniture, paintings, antiques and clothes from the Peranakan dynasty. A little expensive, but worth a visit. KOPI CINE - part of the Straits Collection on 55 Stewart Lane - is a must stop for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just drinks. Amazing interiors, recreated to look like it did in the pre-war era. Desserts are just yum. Pet friendly restaurant. Incredible collection of tea." -- Monroe, Mar 23, 2010

Click here for Penang saunas for men.

• Diversity Shoppe
  33-1-80 Prangin Mall, Jln Dr. Lim Chwee Leong, email. Men's and women's clothing, accessories (retail and wholesale), plus PLU gifts and souvenirs)! Utopia Member Discount