Penang HSBC Building, George Town

The HSBC Building of Penang is an elegant six-storey building built in 1948 in the late Art Deco style at 1 Downing Street, George Town. The design reflects the influence of the Shanghai Art Deco style. The first two floors are rusticated while the four upper floors carry a different façade treatment.

This is the first branch of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank in Malaya. It was established in 1884. It's first permanent building was built in 1906. It had a Neo-Classical style, with a domed tower at the corner of Beach Street and Downing Street, very much similar to the ABN-Amro Bank Building next door. However, this building was destroyed during the Second World War and was replaced by the present structure, which happened to be one of the first buildings to be completed after the war.

Nearby Sights

Stretching your budget in Penang

If you are a prudent traveller, you can spend less than $20 per day in Penang, including your accommodation! Here's some useful tips for budget travellers to Penang, to help you manage your budget and have a great time.

Penang Tour Guides

If you're on a shoestring budget, you can explore Penang using the travel articles in Penang Travel Tips. You may print them out for your own personal non-commercial use. However, nothing compares to having a professional tour guide to show you around. If you need a tour guide, contact me and I'll arrange one for you, according to your schedule and interest. If I happen to be free, I would gladly show you around too. Just write to me at:

Finding Budget Accommodation in Penang

If you're coming to Penang on a budget, you'd be pleased to know that there's quite a number of places in George Town as well as in Batu Ferringhi that offers good clean accommodation without costing you an arm and a let. If I am allowed to be biased, I would recommend Hotel Mingood, which happens to belong to a friend of mine. If it is occupied, there are plenty of other places that cost less than US$12.00 per night. Here are some suggestions:

Hotel Mingood, from US$10.00

Hutton Lodge, from US$8.25

Baba Guesthouse, from US$7.57

E.T. Budget Guesthouse, from US$6.05

YMCA Penang, from US$6.53

Despite the best intentions to provide you information that is as accurate as possible, do be aware that prices may have changed and exchange rates fluctuated since I wrote this. So please personally and carefully screen through the available accommodation before making your booking, to avoid any disappointments.