EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Airlines Cathay Pacific, Menara PSCI, Jl Sultan Ahmed Shah (tel 05/226 0411); Malaysia Airlines, ground floor, KOMTAR, Jl Penang (tel 04/262 0011); Singapore Airlines, Wisma Penang Gardens, Jl Sultan Ahmed Shah (tel 04/226 3201); Thai International, Wisma Central, Jl Macalister (tel 04/226 6000).

American Express Care of Mayflower Tours, 274 Lebuh Victoria (Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm, Sat 8.30am-1pm; tel 04/262 8198). Credit-card- and travellers' cheque-holders can use the office as a poste restante/general delivery address.

Banks and exchange Major banks (Mon-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat 9.30-11.30am) are along Lebuh Pantai, including Standard Chartered and the Hong Kong Bank, but since they charge a hefty commission, the licensed moneychangers on Lebuh Pantai, Lebuh Chulia and Jl Kapitan Kling (daily 8.30am-6pm) are preferable - they charge no commission and the rate is often better.

Bike rental Outlets on Lebuh Chulia rent out motorbikes and pushbikes: RM20 a day for a motorbike (you need a valid driving licence - in practice, you'll rarely be asked to show it); RM8 for a pushbike.

Bookshops United Books Ltd, Jl Penang, has a large selection of English-language books, including travel books. There are several outlets in the KOMTAR Centre, including Popular Books on the second floor. Times Books in the lifestyle department store also has a good selection. In addition, there are a few secondhand bookshops on Lebuh Chulia; the best is HS Sam Bookstore at no. 144 near the junction with Lebuh Queen.

Car rental Avis, at the airport (tel 04/643 9633) and Batu Ferringhi (tel 04/881 1522); Hertz, 38 Lebuh Farquhar (tel 04/263 5914) and at the airport (tel 04/643 0208); National, at the airport (tel 04/643 4205).

Consulates Australia, care of Denis Mark Lee, 1c Lorong Hutton (tel 05/263 3320); Bangladesh, 15 Lebuh Bishop (tel 04/262 1085); Denmark, Standard Chartered Bank Chambers, Lebuh Pantai (tel 04/261 1457); France, care of Jumaboy and Sons, Wisma Rajab, 82 Lebuh Bishop (tel 04/262 9707); Indonesia, 467 Jl Burma (tel 04/227 4686); Japan, 2 Jl Biggs (tel 04/226 8222); Netherlands, c/o Algemene Bank Nederland, 59 Lebuh Pantai (tel 04/261 6471); Norway, Standard Chartered Bank Chambers, Lebuh Pantai (tel 04/262 5333); Sweden, Standard Chartered Bank Chambers, Lebuh Pantai (tel 04/248 5433); Thailand, 1 Jl Tunku Abdul Rahman (tel 04/226 9484); Turkey, no. 1, 1st floor, Nutrajaya shipping, 7 Pengkalan Weld (tel 04/261 5933); UK, Standard Chartered Bank Chambers, Lebuh Pantai (tel 04/262 5333). There is no representation for citizens of the USA, Canada, Ireland or New Zealand - KL has the nearest offices .

Hospitals Adventist Hospital, Jl Burma (tel 04/226 1133) - take blue bus #93, minibus #26, 31, 88 or Transitlink #202, 212; General Hospital, Jl Utama (tel 04/229 3333) - Sri Negara bus #136, 137.

Immigration office Pejabat Imigresen, Lebuh Pantai, on the corner of Lebuh Light (tel 04/261 5122). For on-the-spot visa renewals.

Internet access As well as a few places in the KOMTAR centre, you'll find no shortage of Internet terminals in Lebuh Chulia. The 18 Internet Café (18 Lebuh Cintra (tel 04/264 4902) has the best equipment, but you'll have to pay for a minimum of one hour. STC Net Café (tel 04/264 3378) is friendlier and you can be as brief as you like, but the rates are a little higher.

Pharmacy There are several pharmacies along Jl Penang (10am-6pm).

Police In emergencies dial 999; the police headquarters is on Jl Penang.

Post office The GPO is on Lebuh Downing (Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Sat 8.30am-4pm). The efficient poste restante/general delivery office is here, and parcel-wrapping is available from shops on Lebuh Chulia.

Sport You can play golf at Bukit Jambul Country Club, 2 Jl Bukit Jambul (tel 04/644 2255; green fees RM100, RM150 weekends), or the Penang Turf Club Golf (tel 04/226 6701; green fees RM84); there's racing at the Penang Turf Club, Jl Batu Gantung (tel 04/3226 6701) - see the local paper for fixtures and you can swim at the Pertama Sports Complex, Paya Terubong, near Ayer Atam (9-11am & 4-9pm; RM4).

Telephone services Calls within Penang made from public telephone booths cost a flat rate of 10 sen and can be dialled direct. For international calls you can buy a phone card or use the Telekom office at the GPO on Lebuh Downing, open 24 hours.

Travel agencies Try MSL Travel, Angora Hotel, 202 Jl McAllister, for student and youth travel. There are a large number of other agencies on Lebuh Chulia.