Malaysia Penang - Special attractions in the World Cultural Heritage George Town: the Surname Bridge

#100 Ways to Travel

A very special attraction in Penang, Malaysia, the floating houses located on the waterfront of George Town, are the early Chinese immigrants who lived a hard life. In order to save land tax, they built their houses on the sea, and gathered together according to their surnames on the bridge, which was called #SurnameBridge.

The surname bridges are still inhabited today. In their heyday, there were nine bridges in total: Wang, Lin, Zhou, Chen, Li, Yang, and Miscellaneous (Shi) surname bridges. Two others have been demolished, namely the Guo surname bridge and the Ping'an bridge.

The floating settlements of the surname bridges are built with piles supporting the bottom and planks on top. The longest wooden bridge even extends 500 meters into the sea. Walking on the Bridge of Surnames, you can not only enjoy the sea view of Penang, but also experience the life of the people living on the water and try some local snacks.

The old town of George Town is famous for its street murals, which vividly depict the daily lives of locals on the walls, making them ideal for street photography or group photos. The famous murals are all very close to the Surname Bridge, so you can visit them all.

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Post by Moutain | Aug 13, 2024