Is Penang Still A Popular Tourist Island ?

Over the last 15 years i have been to Penang 7 times. having stayed in most of the Popular hotels on Batu Ferengi Beach.i had a trip planned for this year but have changed to Thailand. the reason the high cost of hotels and there food and alcohol prices.the high cost of taxis that refuse to put there meters on. its all very well saying you can eat in food malls and buy your drinks from delis to drink in your room. but i am on holiday i didnt travel all that way for this.the small shops and little restaraunts are closing down all over the strip. you can get a 4 star hotel in k/lumpor half the price.transport is easy. so why rip tourist off in Penang. People of Penang please explain why is your island so exspensive?. yes i am Grumphy.

Is Penang Still A Popular Tourist Island ?

';NY Times readers choose Penang as No 2 must-visit destination for 2009';

By CHRISTINA CHIN

Readers of The New York Times have chosen Penang as the second best destination among “44 Places To Go in 2009”.

Dear grumphy, I think the statement above more or less can answer your question.

People of Penang please explain why is your island so exspensive?

Is not the tourist who are get rip off in Penang. Is the whole Penang consumer get rip off in Penang.

I myself also wonder why 3 star Hotel like Vistana can charge 200++ without free breakfast for two. And Yet, most of the time they are fully book.

And regarding taxi with meter. LoL. 28 years of my life, I never saw one taxi with meter and i doubt it will be anytime soon.

However, I have to disagree with you about finding food/drinks in Penang. Food is still reasonably cheap.

Regards

karloon

Is Penang Still A Popular Tourist Island ?

Hi

Why? Its called supply and demand. If the demand is there you can virtually charge what you want.

I can remember staying at the 5* Mutiara for £25 a night inclduing breakfast, transfers and a half day tour!! Ok, Mutiara is now closed, but you would be pushed to get a room at Rasa Sayang Rasa Wing for under £100 a night now!

Although I don%26#39;t think that similar hotels in KL are half the price, they are cheaper, and transport is not better or worse in Penang than in KL, as the taxis there are just as willing to rip tourists off if they can.

So, until the demand drops - which in the world economic climate it has to - the prices will stay comparibly high.

Penang is a lot cheaper than Langakwi!! Now that is a rip off on value for money.

Karloom i said hotels where charging top dollar for there restaraunts. as for American tourist in penang where are they ? i read the N/Y times every day. with the down turn of the economy it was a favourite destination for the Britts they are not there.sorry i never noticed about the metered taxis.just rip off taxi drivers. In k/lumpor they have very good public transport and they have metered taxis. i like Penang and i reckon there is some thing wrong with the government tourist department that does not give penang more help.

Karloon tell me are the people of Penang who rely on tourist making a living i don,t think so Grumphy

grumphy

Im going to penang this year and wouldnt change it for the world.

Eating in hawkers is the real Malaysia not sitting in an air con restaurant.

If you have been to Malaysia 7 times how many times have you left Penang Island and gone to the real Malaysia?

Hope you have a great time in Thailand

You will have a better time in Thailand, I know I do.

';Karloon tell me are the people of Penang who rely on tourist making a living i don,t think so';

Mmm... I didnt said the people of Penang rely on tourist to make a living. I just you post question :';Is Penang Still A Popular Tourist Island ?'; Penang is NOT Bali.

If you go stay at Rasa Sayang Hotel in Batu Ferringhi, they charge the same price to me as to you. If you eat at the Eden%26#39;s Seafood Restaurant next to THE SHIP. I paid the same price as tourist too.

Unless I work in tourism industry, then I believe I might get 20-30% discount.

Price wise, You should enjoy more at Thailand.

Had a call tonight from an Aussie friend who is on holidays in Penang, she said it is so quite with very few tourists. Like me she still loves the place but doesnt wear rose coloured glasses. She commented negatively about the cost of hotels in Batu Ferringhi, the fact that the Hard Rock will definitely NOT be completed this year (thats no surprise). The footpaths are in need of repair and so on.

I am dismayed that the government doesnt allocate funds to upgrading facilities there. Building work still goes on along Batu Ferringhi with many shops and small business having to move out within the next month for more progress !!! but no thought put into something that will entice tourists.

So its goodbye to certain restaurants and other small business that have been there for years and years,probably to be replaced by more apartments.

'; i have been to Penang 7 times. having stayed in most of the Popular hotels on Batu Ferengi Beach';

BF is, as said above, not %26#39;real%26#39; Malaysia or real Penang. It is a resort area and if all you want is a beach and western or hotel food, you should go to Thailand.

If you want to visit the real Penang, stay in Georgetown.

Traders in Georgetown is 43% cheaper then Traders in KL.

You dont get charged any different in the restaurants in the hotels if you work in the industry. In less there is some underhand dealing by a friend, but nothing official.

The only time my husband gets anything cheaper than a tourist might be in the nightmarket and then he sometimes gets charged more although Indian/Malaysian they can now tell living in Uk and think he is made of money (definately not true)

You get cheaper food in Kulim which is his hometown but thats just because of the cost of things on penang for everyone is more expensive.

Dear Rosli,

';I am dismayed that the government doesnt allocate funds to upgrading facilities there. Building work still goes on along Batu Ferringhi with many shops and small business having to move out within the next month for more progress !!! but no thought put into something that will entice tourists.';

My opinion. The federal government won%26#39;t give a damn about Penang in coming 3-4 years. It%26#39;s politic in M%26#39;sia. You vote opposition, government let you rot in Penang.

We had a by-election in M%26#39;sia (eg: a member of parliament had a heart attack and die). The Goverment will willingly throw at least 15 Million for that area. But asking them to allocate 5 million to upgrade public toilet and they will tell you No Budget.

Fact: Our beloved Government paid 6 Million to rent canopy (tent) for 1-2 weeks.

I have to say is, sorry for that. It takes time to change a corrupted government... slowy but soon.