Food, the beach, more food, more stretches of golden sand - that's what the Pearl of the Orient was famous for and - for some - still is.

Penang, comprising a tropical island and mainland Province Wellesley (or Seberang Prai) in the north-west of Peninsular Malaysia, is a former Straits Settlement that still exudes an old world charm in the inner city of George Town. The narrow streets of old George Town are flanked by pre-war houses that feature interesting architectural remnants of the past. The Malay community centred around the Acheen Street mosque and Kapitan Keling Mosque area, thrive in close proximity to the Chinatown areas of Campbell Street, Kimberly Street and Carnarvon Street.

A totally different experience is in store a few streets away where colourful sarees, the smell of exotic spices and loud radio broadcasts of Indian songs characterise the Little India enclave. Apart from heritage, tourism is another strong point of Penang with its hawker food and beaches at Batu Ferringhi among its assets.

The famous Penang laksa, rojak, char koay teow, nasi kandar, pasembur, chendol and muar chee are among the cheap local dishes that attract budget food lovers from far and near to savour them at roadside stalls.

Along the Batu Feringghi tourism belt are hotels, resorts and service apartments that generate a lively atmosphere full of touristy goings-on - ruined only by the filthy sea-water and the chemical stench from Butterworth. The sun and surf on the north of this "idyllic" island is contrasted with the factories at the industrial zone on the south-eastern tip that contribute significantly to the state's revenue and the polluted waters where even the locals will not swim.

Many multinational corporations have their bases there and provide employment opportunities to locals, precipitating the growth of new townships in the suburban areas outside of the state capital. Penang, despite being a small state that is home to a population of only 1.3 million, is an attractive place that offers an interesting blend of the old and a new.