Lovers' Isle

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Lovers' Isle
Lovers' Isle, Batu Ferringhi, George Town, Penang.jpg
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Lovers' Isle
Lovers' Isle within the State of Penang
Geography
Location Southeast Asia
Coordinates 5°27′58.935″N100°14′8.6562″E / 5.46637083°N 100.235737833°E / 5.46637083; 100.235737833
Adjacent to Malacca Strait
Administration
State Flag of Penang (Malaysia).svg  Penang
Local government Seal of George Town.svg Penang Island City Council
District Southwest Penang Island

Lovers' Isle (Malay : Pulau Asmara) is an islet in Southwest Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia, located off the northern coast of Penang Island. Located off Batu Ferringhi, a suburb of the city of George Town, this uninhabited rocky outcrop was where the first European sailors to reach what is now Penang arrived in the 16th century. [1]

Contents

Etymology

The isle was once named Batu Ferringhi ( English: Portuguese Rock) and has lent its name to the now popular tourist destination of Batu Ferringhi, a suburb of George Town. In the 16th century, Portuguese sailors landed at the rock to obtain fresh water from the nearby streams. [1] At the time, the Malay word Ferringhi , which was in turn derived from the Arabic ferringi, was originally used to denote a person of Portuguese descent.

Urban legend has it that Lovers' Isle was named as such after a couple, each of a different ethnicity, committed suicide at this outcrop. [2] To this day, Lovers' Isle is still visited by couples during low tides.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Batu Ferringhi - A Favorite Place For Beach Lovers". www.penang-vacations.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  2. "Penang: great food, golden beaches and urban style". The Independent. 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2017-08-09.