Is There Any Red-Light District in Penang?

The short answer is Yes and No, back to the 50s, there are Red Light District in Penang, but nowadays, everything has changed with the digital age. People can easily book escorts, prostitutes or even B2B (body-to-body) massages through the internet. The shift to online platforms has transformed how such services are accessed, making it more discreet and accessible compared to the past when such activities were concentrated in physical locations like Cintra Street.

The Evolution of Cintra Street: From Red-Light District to Cultural Hub

Cintra Street, a really narrow lane in the center of George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, located between Chulia Street to the north and Kimberley Street to the south, situated within the city’s vibrant Chinatown.

There is an interesting fact is, the street was named after an event, which occurred in Portuguese, a town named Sintra. However, this was totally not related to Penang, how the street its name?

People believe that, the name reflects the early Eurasian community on Penang Island. In the 19th century, Cintra Street developed a notorious reputation as a red-light district, predominantly featuring Japanese prostitutes.

Post-Malayan independence in 1957, Government had developed Penang’s first low-cost housing project (the People’s Court) in Cintra Street. After that, the once bustling and prosperous red-light district is no longer what it used to be.