Asians, particularly Singaporeans, who visit Penang, go there mainly to taste its street food. Europeans prefer its beautiful beaches and its old-world cityscape. Some head for the cooler air of Penang Hill.

This 29sq km island, long known as the "Pearl o the Orient", has other attractions in its many small townships such as Pulau Tikus, Jelutong, Air Itam Balik Pulau and the beach resorts of Tanjung Tokong, Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, all of which line the eastern coastal stretch.

'Juhu eng chye' is a popular dish

The capital city, Georgetown, is, in many ways a living museum. It has not changed much since the time, decades ago, when I was a kid romping in it many narrow streets and backlanes. Some old buildings along its main thoroughfare, Penang Road, have been refurbished, but most stand as weathered monuments of the past. This can be an attraction in itself as too many cities destroy their old buildings - and cultural heritage - in their efforts to be gleaming urban showcases of steel and glass.

People who live on the island are known as Penangites and the Chinese there speak a sing-song brand of Hokkien that is a delight to listen to. The pronunciation in this dialect is also different from that spoken in Singapore.

Penang Hokkien also has Malay words included in it. Here's what a Penangite would say when he asks someone to bring a stool for him to sit on: "Tolong (Malay for "please") gia bangku (Malay for "stool") hor wah chay".

When in Georgetown, it is best to hop into a taxi or a trishaw. Taxis are now required by law to charge metered fares but some cabbies still insist on a fixed price for a journey. So, some bargaining is called for.

There are fewer trishaws these days but a tour around the city on this three-wheeler is highly recommended.

A trishaw tour around Georgetown is recommended

Another option is to explore the city on foot. Coffee shops and pushcart hawker stalls are everywhere should the heat and the footwork make you hungry and thirsty. The Penang Road area has a few interesting side streets such as Campbell Street and Chulia Street. Grab a street map from your hotel's reception desk and once in town, you can walk around.

One interesting place along Penang Road is the old Kek Seng coffee shop, famous for its Penang laksa and mee jawa. This eatery is not far from Komtar, the island's landmark shopping mall. You might also want to pay a visit to Chowrasta Market where you will be urged to buy sweetened preserved nutmegs, belachan, prawn paste, chincalok, biscuits and other goodies which this island is famous for.

If you are in Penang Road at night, head for its upper sector where an enclave of pubs and night clubs spring to life. Not far from here is the rebuilt E&O Hotel, nestled right by the sea in Farquhar Street. This historical hotel is as iconic as Singapore's Raffles Hotel. Go have dinner there or just pay a visit. It is worth the effort.

Campbell Street, the Chinatown of Penang, is now a pedestrian mall. Go there for inexpensive shoes, handbags and electrical products. Chulia Street is known for its secondhand bookshops and antique outlets. Many small hotels there cater to backpackers.

At night, roadside hawkers do a roaring business. Singaporean visitors to Penang always ask around for the best char kway teow (fried rice noodles), prawn noodle soup, rojak (a spicy mixed fruit salad), juhu eng chye (cuttle fish with water convulvulus) or Indian nasi kandar.

Pick up a free booklet listing favourite Penang food from your hotel and go explore. As the debate is always raging in Penang over which hawker stall is best for a particular kind of food, I shall make no recommendations.

Still, the visitor should head for the Gurney Drive hawker centre and the stalls in New Lane - both areas operate from the evening into the small hours, especially the latter. New Lane is a small street off McAlister Road.

Campbell Street is now a pedestrian mall where you can get inexpensive bags and shoes.

I would enhance my visit by interacting with the friendly locals and what better conversation opener than to ask them which is their favourite local food.

A ride on a funicular rail car to Penang Hill is a welcome respite from the city's heat. Needless to say, the view of Georgetown and the eastern part of the island is great from this lofty coign of vantage.

The Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam is worth a visit too but not the Snake Temple, whose reptilian denizens have dropped in number over the years.

But if the beach and sun are all you want, check in at one of the many good hotels along the east coast stretch about 20 km from the city. Among the popular names there are the Rasa Sayang, Golden Sands, Lone Pine, Holiday Inn, Casuarina, Bayview Beach and Parc Royal. The area has bustling night markets every day.