Penang Celebrates Malaysia's 50th Anniversary with a Heart-Pumping Boat Race

The scenic island of Penang in Malaysia promises to become festive once again this coming June as the 28th Penang International Dragon Boat Festival kicks off on June 8, 2007. Though held annually, this year’s festival will be extra special as it coincides with Malaysia’s 50th anniversary of independence. The said festival has become a tradition for the people of Penang to welcome tourists to the island, which is known for its pristine beaches and colonial buildings.

Come June 8 to 10, the whole townsfolk of Penang Island will gather once more at the Teluk Bahang Dam to witness the dragon boat race – the main event of the festival – where teams from around the world race through the waters of Penang in traditional, colorful boats to reach the finish line. The Penang International Dragon Boat Festival is a series of races consisting of different categories such as the Penang Closed Race, the Malaysian Race, and the international race.

Twenty-one teams from ten countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, Vietnam, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Brunei, and Germany will compete in the international race category. Under this category, 17 events have been lined up, of which six are new.

Each participating team is led by a coxswain who beats a rhythm on ceremonial drums to urge his group of rowers towards the finish line. To the pulsating beat of the drums, the colorfully painted boats race against each other amidst the cheers of the spectators.

The first dragon boat race in Penang happened in 1956 as part of the celebrations of the municipality of Georgetown’s 100th year anniversary. This however, turned into an international event in 1979 when Singapore and Hong Kong participated in the boat race.

It’s not too late for visitors to Penang to make plans and watch the upcoming boat race.
There are a lot of accommodations nearby that visitors can check out such as the Taiping Golf Resort. This affordable resort hotel in Perak, Malaysia is just 165 km away from Penang via the North-South Highway. For online reservations, visitors can visit: http://www.taipinggolfresort.com.

-Weena Carullo
PR Writer

About Taiping Golf Resort

The Taiping Golf Resort in Perak, Malaysia consists of intertwined havens of luxury hotel and clubhouse equipped with respective facilities and amenities. It is an oasis for ultimate rest and recreation as well as for concluding businesses with a touch of leisure.

For more information about Taiping Golf Resort, visit: http://www.taipinggolfresort.com

Taiping Golf Resort
Jalan Bukit Jana, PO Box 4
34600 Perak, Malaysia

Tel. No.: 6 05 883 6700
Fax No.: 6 05 883 6780
E-mail: reservations@directwithhotels.com

This release was published on openPR.