Tanjung Tokong

 

Overview

Tanjung Tokong, situated in the northeastern part of Penang Island, used to be a fishing village. Its name is derived from the Tua Pek Tong Temple.

A Chinese fishing settlement was established in Tanjong Tokong by Zhang Li after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. He accidentally landed in Penang while attempting to reach Sumatra. This precedes the arrival of Francis Light by a few decades and is believed to be the earliest Chinese settlement on Penang Island. Before urbanization commenced in the 1970s it used to have pristine waters, stretches of white, sandy beaches and estuarine mangroves with a village vastly made of simple wooden houses.

Property Development

Post urbanization Tanjung Tokong has many modern residential and commercial developments. Commercial properties include Prima Tanjung Business Centre, Wisma Binjul and Precinct 10 (food & beverage complex). Residential properties can be categorized into apartments: Desa Bella, Desa Tanjung, Leisure Bay, Palm & Nipah Court, Seri Taman Tanjung and Tri Pinnacle, condominiums: City Residence, Costa Villa, Grandview, Marinox Sky Villas, The Brezza and The Landmark, and housing estates: Hong Seng Estate, Fettes Park (bungalows, semi-detached houses, apartments and a condominium) and Seri Tanjung Pinang (detached villas, semi-detached & terrace houses, apartments, condominiums and Straits Quay).

Places of Attraction

Ruins of coastal military installations by British to ward off the Japanese invasion during World War II can be seen and include bunkers, pill-boxes and a 3-storey look-out tower. The 500m-long tree-lined Seri Tanjung Pinang Promenade gives a breathtaking panoramic view of George Town. Glass Museum is a privately owned museum-cum-store where visitors observe the different glass ornamentation methods and it also houses the longest (40 feet) glass artwork in Malaysia. Places of Islamic, Chinese, Buddhist, Taoist and Hindu worship that are also local attractions include Masjid Tuan Guru, Chooi Bee Keong Temple, Hong San Si Temple, Heong Sun Si Temple, Ngor Teik Keong Temple, Sri Muneeswarar Temple and, of course, the namesake Tua Pek Tong Temple.

Amenities and Facilities

You can shop to your heart's content at Island Plaza, Tesco Tanjung Pinang and Straits Quay. Just outside the southern edge of Tanjung Tokong is Gurney Plaza. Popular dining out options include Fatty Loh Chicken Rice, Palace d'India Restaurant, Sea Pearl Lagoon Cafe, Seawing Beach Cafe and Viva Local Food Haven.

Other amenities and facilities include shopping malls such as several hotels, Tanjong Tokong village market, petrol stations, beauty parlors, schools (Pelita International School and SJK (C) Hun Bin), police station, post office and Penang Chinese Swimming Club with Olympic-size swimming pool located at the border of Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong. The nearest hospital is the Penang Adventist Hospital.

Accessibility and Transportation

It is accessible via Federal Highway 6, the main beltway around Penang Island, which passes through Tanjong Tokong.