Pulau Tikus is the name of a district on the north-west part of George Town. Pulau Tikus proper starts near the junction between Jalan Burma and Jalan Edgecumbe and ends just before the Bagan Jermal junction. Jalan Burma (Burmah Road) forms the main artery through Pulau Tikus district. The very heart of Pulau Tikus centres on the Jalan Cantonment - Jalan Burma junction.
So far there is no full agreement on how Pulau Tikus got its name. It means "rat island", and is the same name as a rocky outcrop off the north coast of Penang, which ironically is not within sight of Pulau Tikus district. Either it was named after Pulau Tikus, the island, or it was so named because of some rodent infestation here. Whichever it was, nobody lived to tell.
The Burmese and Eurasians were the earliest settlers in Pulau Tikus. The Burmese had formed a settlement here in the early 19th century, and their presence remained until the early part of the 20th century. At that time, there was a Burmese village here called Kampong Ava - probably named after the town of Ava (today Inwa) in Myanmar. When the British administrators created the main road here, they named it Burmah Road. Off shoots of Burmah Road were also named after places in Burma. Hence we now have road names that are of Burmese origin including Burmah, Irrawaddi, Mandalay, Moulmein, Salween, Tavoy and Thaton.
Today, the Burmese presence in Pulau Tikus is best represented by the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple at Burmah Lane (Lorong Burma). It has been around since the beginning of the 19th century. The oldest part of the temple, the stupa, dates back to 1805.
The Eurasians were another early group to settle in Pulau Tikus. They are of mixed parentage, between the Portuguese and the Thais, and are Roman Catholics. The people of Portuguese descent had had no peace to practise their faith since the Dutch arrive in Malacca in 1641. Religious persecution drove them out of Malacca. They settled in various Malay states as well as in Phuket, which at that time was called Ujung Salang (corrupted in English to Junk Ceylon), an island claimed by the Kingdom of Kedah but ruled by Siam. By the late 18th century, the Eurasians were on the run again, this time due to a decree by the increasingly demented king of Siam, Phraya Taksin @ Phya Tak, who ordered all Christians in Siam to be massacred. The Eurasians fled to Kuala Kedah, and from there, they made their way to Penang.
The first Eurasian arrivals in Penang settled in town in the area bordered by Church Street, Bishop Street, Pitt Street and China Street, in rather rudimental housing, before moving with their church, the Church of Assumption (so named because they arrived in Penang on the day of the Catholic Feast of the Assumption), to the Farquhar Street area, settling along Argus Lane.
There were still remnants of Eurasian community in Phuket going into the 19th century, until the Phya Tak Massacre of 1810 forced another group to Penang. Pulau Tikus had become an attractive location to settle down. They were parishioners of the Church of Our Lady Free From Sin. They arrived in 1811, headed by Father John Baptist Pasqual. In Pulau Tikus they built their church which the pope later renamed The Immaculate Conception.
As George Town continues to grow, it eventually swallows up the village of Pulau Tikus, making it one of its suburbs. Gone are the Burmese and Eurasian villages. What remains are their temples and churches. A reminder that they were once here is etched in the names of the streets in this area.
To the south of Pulau Tikus, and often regarded as part of the district, is the affluent neighbourhood of Ayer Rajah. It is named after the Ayer Rajah Estate that once belonged to James Scott, who was a partner in business with David Brown, subsequently through intermarriage within the two families. Road names such as Brown Road and Scott Road commemorates these two pioneers.
Apartments & Condominiums in Pulau Tikus
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:
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
Ali's Ferringhi Guest House, from US$9.63
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.
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Dhammikarama Buddhist Temple, Pulau Tikus
Stupa of Wat Chaiyamangkalaram, Pulau Tikus
Do you know ...
There's an islet off the shore in Tanjong Bungah, Penang, also called Pulau Tikus. Though there is no full agreement on the matter, this little island may have given its name to Pulau Tikus district.
Attractions in Pulau Tikus
Church of the Immaculate Conception
Dhammikarama Burmese Temple
Wat Chaiyamangkalaram
Coffee Shops in Pulau Tikus
Bee Hooi
Chang Yen Vegetarian Food
Guan Hiang
Hai Beng
Hup Guan
Hup Kee
Jin Hoe Cafe
Kong Bee Lee
Kristal
Kwai Lock
Loong Heng
Poly Coffee Garden
Stall at Tua Pek Kong Temple
Restoran Mohd Raffe
Seng Lee Cafe
Sin Hup Aun
Sin Hwa
Shopping Centres in Pulau Tikus
Axis Complex
One-Stop Midlands Park Centre
Petrol Stations in Pulau Tikus
There's a Shell petrol station along Jalan Burma next to Midlands One-Stop.
Hospitals in Pulau Tikus
Penang Adventist Hospital
Chinese Temples in Pulau Tikus
Tua Pek Kong Temple
Poh Oo Thong Temple
Jalan Burma, in front of One-Stop Midlands.
College Avenue (Lebuhraya Maktab), a leafy neighborhood in Pulau Tikus with a substantial Eurasian population worshipping at the nearby Church of Immaculate Conception.
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