Upon the acquisition of the area by the British East India Company in 1800, the river was known in Thai as plai (ปลาย), which meant "the end", as it formed the border between British Province Wellesley and the Siamese vassal state of Kedah; the Perai River thus marked the southernmost limit of Siamese influence.

[5] At the height of a tin-mining boom in the Malay Peninsula, a nascent rail line was built between Perai and the neighbouring state of Perak in the 1890s.

[5][6] Perai then became a transportation hub, where tin imported from Perak was loaded onto vessels to be shipped to George Town.

[10] Cargo and container facilities were built in both Perai and neighbouring Butterworth, substantially boosting the economy of the area.

The suburb is located at the river's southern bank, bordering Butterworth to the north, and spans an area of 5.2 km2 (2.0 sq mi).

The major local companies within the area include Malayan Sugar, Ann Joo Resources, Southern Steel, Harvik Rubber and Soon Soon Oilmills.

[7][9] Perai's industries are among the major contributors to the dry-bulk volume in the town's port facilities, which also handle shipments of coal and scrap metal.

Rapid Penang buses 701, 703, 709 and 801 serve the residents of Perai, connecting the town with Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and Nibong Tebal.

[15][16] In addition, Rapid Penang operates Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST) bus services towards Bayan Lepas on Penang Island, catering mainly to industrial workers, as well as an interstate bus service to the town of Sungai Petani in the neighbouring state of Kedah.

The mall also contains the Sunway Carnival Convention Centre, one of the major venues in Seberang Perai for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

[39] The mall will feature the first ice-skating rink in northern Malaysia, a 38-lane bowling alley and GSC Cinemas' largest cineplex.