Gurney Drive

Gurney Drive, George Town, Penang (19 May 2012)


B. Melayu

Gurney Drive, or Persiaran Gurney, is a seaside promenade in George Town, Penang. It is located along the beachfront that used to be known as North Beach. Gurney Drive is famous throughout Malaysia as the place to go to enjoy the best of Penang food. This seaside promenade was named in honour of Sir Henry Lovell Goldsworthy Gurney, the British High Commissioner who was ambushed and assassinated by guerillas of the Malayan Communist Party on 6 October 1951 near Fraser's Hill in Pahang.

Measured from the junction with Jalan Kelawai/Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah (GPS: 5.428391, 100.320586), Gurney Drive is 2.6 km to Komtar, 9.5 km to the Penang Bridge, 17.5 km to the Second Penang Bridge and 18.8 km to the Penang International Airport.

Gurney Drive sits on reclaimed land created off Teluk Ayer Rajah, the bay that curves between George Town and Tanjong Tokong.

The intention to build a coastal road was already in the plans as early as 1930. The idea was to extend North Beach, as Northam Road (now Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) was called.

The first 510 yards of Gurney Drive was completed in 1934, and at that time, it simply extended the name "North Beach". This section of Gurney Drive was planted with Casuarina trees in 1962, and is a distintive section of the promenade. The road was known as New Coast Road. It was renamed Gurney Drive in 1952, a year after the Communist assassinated British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney, after the original idea to rename Burmah Road to Gurney Road was not carried through.

The wealthy built beach-side bungalows here, many of which are today incorporated into the design of upscale condominiums. At the Pangkor Road end of Gurney Drive was the fabulous mansion of Kapitan China Chung Thye Pin, son of Kapitan China Chung Keng Kwee, occupied today by One Persiaran Gurney condominiums. Gurney Plaza, one of the more upscale malls in Penang, is located at the northern end of Gurney Drive.

Although Gurney Drive is often thought of as having some of the most modern skyscrapers in Penang, it is also where you will find handsome homes belonging to the well-to-do of yesteryears. One of these is the Loke Mansion. Also at Gurney Drive is the St Joseph's Novitiate.

Gurney on YouTube

Map of Gurney Drive, Penang

Residential Properties on and around Gurney Drive

Hotels along Gurney Drive

Food Outlets along Gurney Drive

Sights along Gurney Drive

Shopping Malls along Gurney Drive

Office Buildings along Gurney Drive

Updates on Gurney Drive

1 July, 2019: The Star reports that Boon Siew Group has acquired 22.92 acres of land from Consortium Zenith Construction (CZC) at RM845 per square foot, amounting to RM843.64million.

24 February, 2016
The Penang State Government unveiled an initiative for the development of Gurney Drive. Known as Gurney Wharf, it will be undertaken by Eastern & Oriental Berhad.

28 September, 2013
The MPPP is putting up two speed tables along Gurney Drive to reduce speeding.

26 August, 2013: Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Bhd unveiled the phase two reclamation project for Seri Tanjung Pinang. The project will give a new, greener look to the 1.7 km Gurney Drive. The Star quotes Penang Works, Utility and Transportation Committee Chairman Lim Hock Seng that E&O will reclaim 53 hectares of land in Gurney Drive for the state government for use as recreational land and not for commercial purposes. Of the 53 hectares to be reclaimed, 20.23 hectares will be government reserve land, 21 hectares will be open spaces and buffer area, 6.87 hectares for expressway and 4.85 hectares for amenities, utilities and infrastructure.

The reclamation will allow the widening of the promenade and more lanes to be added to Gurney Drive from three lanes to nine or ten lanes with parking space. A man-made island will also be created off shore, with a new seafront promenade called Gurney Reach.

4 February 2024
Gurney Bay opened to the public.

27 July, 2013:
Parts of Gurney Drive is also made one way, with traffic flowing west to east.

One of the old lamp post from the early 1970s at Gurney Drive. Beyond the fence is the new reclamation for Gurney Wharf. (23 February 2019)


A bend at Gurney Drive looking towards Mansion One and Sri Pangkor condominiums. (23 February 2019)


Promenade at Gurney Drive in front of 8 Gurney. (23 February 2019)

Going to Gurney Drive by Public Transport

Rapid Penang bus 10 and 304 passes through Gurney Drive. Alternatively you can also take the Penang Hop-On Hop-Off Tourist Bus.

Further Reading

List of Waterfront Promenades in Penang and Waterfront Promenades in Malaysia; List of Streets in Penang and Streets in Malaysia

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