A short walk along the seafront from the hotel, you’ll find star-shaped Fort Cornwallis in a commanding position overlooking the approach to the island in the UNESCO-listed area of Georgetown. Captain Francis Light built the original fort in the late 18th century to protect Penang from pirates and the Sultan of Kedah, and some daunting cannon remain. It was rebuilt for the British military by Indian convicts during the Napoleonic Wars but it turned out to be an administrative headquarters rather than a defensive fortification. A lighthouse was added in 1882, and a climb up its steep steps will reward you with great views of the fort and the coast.
