Bayan Lepas Attractions

Bayan Lepas may be a predominantly industrial area, but it also has plenty of noteworthy attractions that are worth your while. The War Museum on top of Bukit Maung gives you a glimpse of the nation’s bloody past with its well-preserved fortress and historical relics.

For a temple with a difference, head on to the Snake Temple at Sungai Kluang, where you can get a chance to take a picture with its slithery residents. Or if your interest is more towards natural history, then a visit to the Penang Aquarium and the Bukit Jambul Orchid & Hibiscus Garden is a must.

Bukit Jambul Orchid & Hibiscus Garden

Encompassing two hectares of beautifully-landscaped gardens, Bukit Jambul Orchid & Hibiscus Garden is home to an astounding variety of flora and fauna, some of which are unique and can be found only in this part of the world. Other than the obvious – orchids, hibiscus and reptiles - the garden also has a cacti collection, a deer park, a pottery shop, a waterfall and an ornamental Japanese pond. You can even take some of the plants home by purchasing them from the garden shop. Its residents include a 20kg albino python, a 100-year-old tortoise, a pair of Bengal tigers, a talking parrot, 6 arapaima gigas, the world's largest tiger orchid and a green anaconda.

Penang Aquarium

Discover a world of marine wonders at the Fisheries Research Institute Aquarium, otherwise known as the Penang Aquarium. Housing a total of 25 fish tanks in its darkened aquarium area, you can catch some pretty exotic species live here such as the moray eel, the lion fish and the giant catfish. Adjacent to the indoor aquarium is an open-air garden housing a koi and carp pond, a turtle pool and some tanks containing invertebrates such as starfish and anemones.

Penang War Museum

The site where the battle against the invading Japanese army was lost, Bukit Batu Maung – located on the southern coast of Penang – is the locale of one of Malaysia’s best known British-built fortresses. Erected in the 1930s, the stronghold is now known as the Penang War Museum; situated on the road to Teluk Kumbar, it is a preserved citadel that was constructed as part of a plan to protect the island from foreign invasion. Read More...

Snake Temple

Also known as ‘Temple of the Azure Cloud’, the Snake Temple was originally built in 1850, in the memory of Chor Soo Kong, a Buddhist monk said to have great healing powers. According to legend, he had provided shelter to a number of snakes during those days, and it is said that the snakes that had entered the temple had stayed and never left as a mark of respect to the monk. One of the oldest temples in the world, devotees come from all over the world to visit the temple every year. Local devotees believe that the snakes residing within the temple had come of their own accord, and even though they look quite docile and are believed to be de-venomed, it is still not advisable to touch them or pick them up on your own. Stepping into the temple is quite a surreal experience you can see several snakes in all shapes, colours and sizes slithering about – definitely not for those with ophidiophobia Read More...