Penang

Set up in 1860, this clanhouse is also known as Kew Leong Tong, which means Hall of Nine Dragons. — Lonely Planet

Once a granite quarry, Penang's Botanical Gardens were founded in 1884 by Charles Curtis, a tireless British plant lover who collected the original specimens and became the first curator. — Lonely Planet

Staggered on hillside terraces overlooking Air Itam, around 8km from the centre of George Town, Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple is a visual delight. — Lonely Planet

Once at the top, you'll find a viewing deck, a mosque, a temple, a food court, souvenir stands, an eclectic owl museum and other curiosities. — Time Out

You can discover some 500 species of tropical flora and fauna during a wander around Tropical Spice Garden's three winding trails. — Fodor's

The Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple is probably the most famous Hindu temple in Penang. — Time Out

The site is teeming with history to learn from and experience so this is a definite must for anyone with an interest in history. — Time Out

There’s dark room that will give you an inkling of now almost forgotten film processing procedure, an interactive camera obscura and pin-hole camera rooms and a large format camera room. — Time Out

At 23 sq km, this is Malaysia's smallest national park, but it's beach-fringed forests are home to silvered leaf monkeys, flying lemurs, leopard cats and abundant bird, amphibian and reptile species. — Lonely Planet

This beautifully decorated and maintained clanhouse, belonging to the Penang Teochew Association, dates back to 1870. — Lonely Planet

Sri Mariamman was built in 1883 and is George Town’s oldest Hindu house of worship. — Lonely Planet

Situated on the banks of the Air Itam river, around 5km west of George Town’s centre, it’s a grand building with sweeping verandahs, a massive ballroom and a breezy colonial plantation feel. — Lonely Planet

Expansions in the 1900s topped the mosque with stunning domes and turrets, adding extensions and new roofs. — Frommer's

Opened in 1986, this is the first tropical butterfly farm ever built in the tropical world. — Time Out

About 8km south of Teluk Bahang is this 10-hectare hillside farm, which cultivates more than 250 types of tropical and subtropical fruit trees, native and hybrid. — Lonely Planet

Situated on 20 acres of land, high on a hill in Batu Maung, this museum is an old war fortress that was first built by the British in the 1930s and a majority of it is still intact. — Time Out

Housed in a delicately restored museum, visitors will get to browse from over 1,000 pieces of Peranakan (Straits Chinese) memorabilia, antiques and artefacts. — Time Out

Located on Church Street (naturally), this former church was granted the status of a cathedral in 1955. — Time Out