Georgetown has always been my favourite place in Malaysia. I’d even go so far as to say it’s one of my favourite places in the world. It has (justly) been designated a “World Heritage” site by UNESCO (in conjunction with Melaka, as “Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca”) and this fact is proudly proclaimed in banners and billboards across the town.
Since the UNESCO listing, there have been reports of landlords evicting tradespeople from shophouses in order to reap increased rents from developers for “boutique” hotel conversions. This is a pity; one of the reasons Georgetown is so appealing as a destination is that it is a living city, not a plastic tourist park. Hopefully the local planning authorities recognise that the basis of Georgetown’s appeal is in its authenticity and will resist developments that lean towards a Ye Olde Straits Settlement Town Experience.
Anyway, checking up on Georgetown’s evolution is a good reason to put another visit in the diary – maybe I’ll pencil it in for 2018.
Georgetown - streetscapes
Shophouses and signage
The beautifully restored Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
The Khoo Kongsi
