PHUKET people are no longer automatically looking north, the way they once did, to Bangkok. Some destinations are hot, others are simply too hot.

What's been happening in the Thai capital has, if anything, boosted interest in trips south and east, which is why Phuket's future as a regional air hub seems assured.

Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are close to Phuket and now Firefly, the local community airline with an updated turbo-prop fleet, already plans to increase its four-times weekly service to Penang to daily from December 1.

If Phuket wants a vision of what the future holds for the island, perhaps Penang is it. Fully developed and yet still an extremely place to relax, Penang is the choice of many for visa runs or weekend breaks from Phuket.

Accommodation at a variety of establishments, from five star hotels to guesthouses, is cheaper than Phuket. It's a Malaysian melting pot that has a great variety of tastes in the kitchen pot, too.

The food in Penang is making waves internationally. Just last month, along came a 'Lonely Planet' list of the world's top 10 iconic meals. Thailand and somtam or padthai failed to make the cut but there at Nomber 8 is Nasi Goreng in Penang.

Now, we always thought Nasi Goreng was an Indonesian creation, which only goes to show how adept Malaysia is at being ''truly Asian.''

''Nasi goreng is available practically anywhere in Malaysia that serves food,'' says Lonely Planet, ''but is best sampled within the wonderfully crowded hawker centers that dot the island of Penang. The diverse Malay, Chinese, Indian and Baba-Nonya cooking styles conspire to give an otherwise humble dish some special flavors.''

We'd have to agree. After being shown the best of the amazing range of food that Penang had to offer, there were only two questions each time we sat down to dine: how tasty would this meal be, and how late would our Thai companion manage to get?

We followed a Penang food trail that mostly centred around George Town, which is richly laden with historic buildings from the island's time under british colonial rule. Among our favorites: Assam Laksa, which is Penang's signature dish, no matter what 'Lonely Planet' might tell you. Roti Canai, served with a dahl or lentil curry, also ranked above No. 8 on our list.

Places to Visit on Penang

Roadhouse Grill, Gurney Resort Hotel Nuts of all kinds are available for diners to munch. Just throw the shells on the floor. Grilled lamb chops are a specialty. There's no drinking beer out of glasses here. They use jam jars.

Kek Lok Si Temple The guan yin statue inside the temple stands 36 metres tall (by comparison Phuket's Big Buddha is 45 metres) and she's surrounded by 16 impressivly tall dragons.

Kedai Makanan Veloo Vilas 22, Lebuh Penang. Near Little India, this restaurant allows you to eat Muslim style, using you right hand only, or with a spoon. Lamb curry and other delicacies make finding it worthwhile.

Antik dan Perabot Antiques and furniture in George Town, often made locally, with ancient irons and mirrors and record players. Difficult to find stuff made easy here.

Church Street Pier Remade into a modern marina, the yachting community now has an inner-city home.

Clan House Jetties Seven families of Chinese descent live on a stilt village over water where tourists can see 19th century homes for traders, fishermen and dock workers connected by walkways. Building over water was originally a way of avoiding paying tax.

Flet Market Lorong Kulin, near the Penang Prison. Want to sell the shirt off your back? This is the place. Second-hand goods and brand new fruit and vegetables are all available at good prices.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion A museum these days to show how Chinese traders married local brides in Baba ceremonies, the mansion offers an indication of how the wealthy traders lived.

Bukit Jambul Country Club If golf is your game, this is a great place to begin exploring the fairways of some of Malaysia's top clubs. Great views towards the 13-kilometre Penang Bridge.

Firefly flies Phuket-Penang on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with return flights departing Penang at 1:15pm on the same days. The flight takes 75 minutes.

The author travelled to Penang as a guest of Tourism Malaysia