Attractions in Malaysia

Location

Butterworth is located at the mainland of Penang, Malaysia. It is known as the twin of Georgetown, without the glamorous mask around. Butterworth is linked to Penang Island by the Penang Bridge. Besides accessing Butterworth through Penang Bridge, it is also accessible through ferry rides from the Butterworth Ferry Terminal.

Overview

The mainland, Butterworth is named after William John Butterworth, the Governor of the Straits Settlement dating back from the years in the 80's. It is established in the mid 90's. One of the must visit tourist attractions in Butterworth is the Butterworth Bird Park. The bird park located not far from the ferry terminal. The five acre land of Bird Park is the first bird park ever established in Malaysia. This bird park features as much as over 300 species of birds. The species are not only restricted in Malaysia but there are species of birds from all around the world. The total number of birds available in the bird park is around 3000 of them, including hornbills, emu and pelican, just to name a few. The park is opened daily including weekends and also public holidays, thus, adjusting your itinerary to visit the park would not be a fuss.

Want to explore more of the diversity of cultures in Malaysia? Then the Temple of the Ninth Emperor God should definitely be on the list. The temple is one of the biggest temples in Butterworth. It is commonly known as the Tow Boo Kong Temple by the locals. The temple can be divided into a few sections, namely the front prayer hall, inner courtyard, sacred prayer hall and also the Dou Mu prayer hall. The architecture and sculptures of the temple is breathtaking and attractive. The worship of the Ninth Emperor God is predominant throughout Malaysia and too, other countries such as Singapore and Thailand. The Ninth Emperor God festival is held every year, on the ninth day in the ninth month in the Lunar calendar. During the festival, booths and stalls are set up to sell vegetarian food as this is when the worshippers will go on a vegetarian diet for nine days. There are a number of events that are to be observe during the festival including the ceremony of spear skewing, holy devotees on trance by the spirit of the God and more.

The hotels in Butterworth are just like the hotels in Penang Island. They are all in a wide range, from budget motel to high end hotel. Different packages are offered to tourists as well. A night or two in Butterworth will be best to explore the whole of the mainland.

Transport

The best way to go to Butterworth from Penang International Airport is by car. Rent a car and drive yourself across the Penang Bridge to get to Butterworth. You can take the ferry to get to Butterworth too, with a small charge. In Butterworth itself, you can go around by bus or taxi.