Remnants of old charcoal kilns found at Siam Village in Kubang Badak are about 100 years old, from approximately the same time as World War I. However, little research has been conducted into promoting the antiquity of remnant charcoal kilns as a representation of the historical inheritance of the Siamese community and their early settlement on Langkawi Island. This paper reveals the great potential of the abandoned charcoal kilns as a tourist site and shows the role of heritage conservation through reviewing the conditions. Following the methodology, firstly, charcoal kilns in Malaysia are investigated in term of their natural, cultural, and social history. Secondly, interviews were conducted to examine empirically the community life of that heritage area and the impacts of the charcoal kiln as tourist product. The segmentation of the narration into preservation means, sustainable activities, and historical knowledge is exemplified by extracting important data for taxonomic derivation of heritage conservation, economic, and community development. Finally, a set of guidelines including conservation approaches is proposed to support sustainable tourism development. The findings from the interviews conclude that the conservation of remnant charcoal kilns is vital for the long-term sustainability of cultural heritage tourism.

Cultural heritage is an extensive body of knowledge that encapsulates the historical and cultural context of a site’s creation and its present actualisation. While existing studies have defined traditional transportation, they have also recognised its importance as both tangible and intangible heritage, leading international organisations to advocate for its preservation. The tangible aspects pertain to the physical artefacts of the transportation vehicles, and intangible aspects refer to the cultural and historical context in which the transportation artefacts were used. In this study, we aim to explore the anthropological aspects of digitally preserving the historical and cultural context of significant transportation in a multi-cultural trading port. Primary sources were gathered through narrative interviews with individuals who have knowledge of the old transportation situations in Weld Quay, a cultural heritage centre from the 19th century. Secondary sources, including relevant and appropriate visual materials, were also analysed to discover information on the transportation situations. The findings of this study were synthesised through photorealistic visualisations of the artefacts’ forms to effectively convey information based on the comparative, textual, and visual data collected. Our research demonstrates the importance of transportation heritage and its potential to raise awareness among Penang communities of their living heritage. Our conclusion highlights the significance of digitally preserving transportation heritage to ensure its preservation for future generations.