GEORGE TOWN: Penang's Kek Chuan Road has been named one of '40 of the Most Beautiful Streets in the World That Will Stop You in Your Tracks.
Penang and Phuket, Thailand, are the only Southeast Asia countries on the list.
Penang came in 17th after Symi, Greece; Boston, Massachusetts; Cape Town, South Africa; Chefchaouen, Morocco; Águeda, Portugal; Alberobello, Italy; Athens, Greece; Colmar, France; Burano, Italy; Kyoto, Japan; Buenos Aires, Argentina; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Paris, France; Cotswolds, England; and San Francisco, California.
Others on the list included Annecy, France; Phuket, Thailand; Copenhagen, Denmark; Sichuan, China; Istanbul, Turkey; London, England; Brooklyn, New York; Miami, Florida; Milos, Greece; Big Sur, California; Salvador, Brazil; Bergen, Norway; Bamberg, Germany; Campeche, Mexico; San Antonio, Texas; Villefranche-sur-Mer, France; Recife, Brazil; Charleston, South Carolina; Oita, Japan; Québec City, Canada; Bath, England; Cairo, Egypt; and Lisbon, Portugal.
In an article published in www.housebeautiful.com on June 3, it rounded up the most beautiful streets in the world, scattered across the continents, for one to bookmark before their next adventure.
It said some were highly specific, like the most-Instagrammed street in Boston or a rainbow-coloured lane in Paris, while others show concentrated parts of cities where one would be treated to charm at every turn.
It also said that there were pretty passageways where the real draw was the surrounding vista—or towns where streets were essentially made of water.
"Featuring pastel colours galore, unique architectural details, and more than one Unesco World Heritage Site, these 40 places with exquisite streets belong on your travel bucket list," according to the author Elly Leavitt.
The article described George Town, the capital of the Malaysian island Penang, as a Unesco World Heritage Site with lively street art and even more famed street food.
"If it's an architectural eye candy you're after, head to Jalan Kek Chuan to peruse the ornately detailed shops that blend Eastern and Western designs," it added.
Meanwhile, state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin believed this recognition would bring a profound impact on Penang's local economy and the tourism industry as a whole.
"It gives me great pleasure to share with you that our very own local street - Kek Chuan Road, has been accredited as the top 17th of the most beautiful streets in the world.
"Amidst countless breathtaking destinations across the globe, the humble street of our state has emerged as a shining gem, captivating the hearts of visitors from every corner of the world," he added.
Yeoh said Penang could expect an influx of curious travellers, eager to witness the state's very-own Kek Chuan Road in Penang.