It was a sleepy town, quiet and unassuming in the days of old. Then a Scotsman came and changed its course in history. James Scott developed this little place across Pulau Jerejak based on speculation about a naval base there, naming it after himself. A friend of Captain Francis Light he became the most powerful entrepreneur in Penang. However, plans fell through, Scott lost his fortune and his business partner David Brown took over in the early 1800’s. Brown added his own special touch and much of the development of Jamestown thereon is credited to Brown.
Today Jamestown is Bayan Lepas.
The story behind Bayan Lepas…aka Jamestown
“Bayan Lepas” literally means “escaped parakeet”. Urban legend says the name was coined by a wealthy Sumateran in the late 19th Century whose pet parakeet flew away.
After Brown took over the land in Jamestown, he developed the commercial crops sector. His leadership brought growth and development and his generosity eventually brought about Penang’s famous Snake Temple. Brown also built Gelugor House on which land currently sits Universiti Sains Malaysia.
What’s in store for Bayan Lepas?
Bayan Lepas is far from the madding crowd of Georgetown. Sitting on the fringes of busy Penang, it lies in the Southwest corner as an oasis of serenity and residential tranquility.
Situated between two bridges connecting to mainland Malaysia, with an international airport close by and with the city a few minutes drive away, Bayan Lepas is upcoming and exciting and is THE place to watch in Penang today.
Getting around from Bayan Lepas
