Sungai Nibong is a residential
neighbourhood
A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural are ...
near the eastern coast of
Penang Island
Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
in Malaysia, about south of the centre of
George Town,
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
's capital city. The neighbourhood, within the
Northeast Penang Island and
Southwest Penang Island District
The Southwest Penang Island District ( ms, Daerah Barat Daya Pulau Pinang) is a district within the Malaysian state of Penang. The district covers the southwestern half of Penang Island and borders the Northeast Penang Island District to the eas ...
, was named after the rivers flowing through the area.
Sungai Nibong is best known as the site of the annual Penang Island Festival, more popularly called Pesta Pulau Pinang''
' in
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
.
The area is also home to the main interstate bus terminal for
Penang Island
Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, which is used by travelers commuting into and out of the island city from various parts of
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
and
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
.
Etymology
Sungai Nibong was named after two rivers that pass through the area – Sungai Nibong Kecil and Sungai Nibong Besar.
Sungai Nibong Kecil - panoramio.jpg, Sungai Nibong Kecil, a minor river which has been canalised
Sungai Nibong Night Market - panoramio.jpg, The Penang Island Festival site
cmglee_Penang_Sungai_Nibong_bus_terminal.jpg, Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal
Transportation
Rapid Penang
Rapid Penang (styled as ''rapidPenang'') is a public bus brand in the Penang, State of Penang, Malaysia. Formed as a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia in 2007, to date it is the main public transport operator within Penang; its bus network serves ...
bus routes 102, 303, 304, 305, 308, 401 and AT (Airport Transit) include stops along
Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, which runs through the heart of the neighbourhood. These routes link Sungai Nibong with
George Town to the north and other southerly destinations on
Penang Island
Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, including the
Penang International Airport
Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.[Bayan Baru
Bayan Baru is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, adjacent to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone.
The township was created in the 1970s following the establishment of the zone. Si ...]
and
Bayan Lepas
Bayan Lepas is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island. Founded in the 19th century, Bayan Lepas has various industries. History
Bayan Le ...
. Sungai Nibong is also served by Rapid Penang's Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT) Sungai Dua route, a free-of-charge transit service which connects the neighbourhood with
Sungai Dua,
Queensbay Mall
Queensbay Mall is the largest shopping mall in Penang, Malaysia. Located in Bayan Lepas, the building was completed in early July 2006 and was opened to the public in December 2006. The mall covers a gross built-up area of and contains over 400 ...
and
Bukit Jambul
Bukit Jambul is a residential neighbourhood within the Northeast Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia. Located southwest of the centre of George Town, Penang, George Town, the capital city of Penang, Bukit Jambul is also adjacent to the indust ...
.
In addition, the Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal, opened in 2005, serves as the main interstate bus terminal on Penang Island.
Bus passengers from various parts of
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
and southern
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
wishing to travel to Penang Island typically arrive at the bus terminal, while those travelling out of the island could board the various interstate buses at the terminal. The facility is currently managed by the
Penang Island City Council
The City Council of Penang Island is the council that administers the city of Pulau Pinang, which includes the entirety of Penang Island, Malaysia. The city council, which has jurisdiction over an area of , falls under the purview of the Penang ...
and was last upgraded in 2016.
Education
The neighbourhood is served by three primary schools and a high school.
Primary schools
*
SRJK (C) Kwang Hwa
* SRJK (C) Shih Chung Cawangan
* SRK Sungai Nibong
High school
* SMK Sungai Nibong
Leisure
Sungai Nibong is well known for its festival site, which hosts the yearly Penang Island Festival (
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
: ''Pesta Pulau Pinang'').
An open public space, the site is transformed every December into a mishmash of amusement parks, local cultural performances and bargain stalls. The festival, which had its origins in
George Town, has been regularly held at Sungai Nibong since 1974.
References
{{Penang
Neighbourhoods in George Town, Penang