Penang Travel Guide: Things to Do, Food and Where to Stay

Penang is the state most people fall for on a first trip to Malaysia. This Penang travel guide covers both the island and its mainland half, Seberang Perai, though most visitors spend their time on Penang Island, where George Town’s heritage core, Penang Hill and the national park are all within an hour of each other. Come hungry: hawker food is the reason many travellers return.

Why visit: a Penang travel guide in brief

George Town was listed by UNESCO in 2008, alongside Melaka, as one of the historic cities of the Straits of Malacca. Its grid of two-storey shophouses, Chinese clan houses, mosques, Hindu temples and Anglican churches reflects two centuries as a British trading port, and people still live and work in the old quarter rather than it being a museum piece.

Beyond the city you get forested hills, a small national park with beach trails, and a coastline that is pleasant, if not Malaysia’s finest for swimming. The state is compact, easy to get around with Grab or Rapid Penang buses, and works well either as a first stop or as a slow week on its own.

The areas of Penang

George Town

The northeast tip of the island holds the heritage zone. Walk Armenian Street, Lebuh Chulia and Love Lane, then follow the murals of Penang Street Art. The indigo walls of Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and the stilt houses of Chew Jetty on Weld Quay are both a short walk from the centre. Our George Town guide covers the city street by street.

Air Itam and the hills

A few kilometres inland, Air Itam is home to Kek Lok Si Temple, a large Buddhist complex climbing a hillside, and to the lower station of the funicular up Penang Hill. At over 800 metres the hilltop is noticeably cooler, with walking trails, viewpoints over the city and a scattering of colonial bungalows.

Batu Ferringhi and the north coast

The coast road runs west from George Town through Tanjung Bungah to Batu Ferringhi, the island’s main resort strip, with beachfront hotels and a night market. Continue to Teluk Bahang for Penang National Park, where trails and boats reach Monkey Beach and the lighthouse at Muka Head.

Balik Pulau and the south

The south of the island around Bayan Lepas is industrial and close to the airport. The hilly west, around Balik Pulau, is rural: durian orchards, nutmeg trees and fishing villages, best explored by car or scooter.

Seberang Perai

The mainland side, centred on Butterworth, is where trains and many buses arrive. Few visitors stay here, but it is the gateway by rail and road.

Food in Penang

Penang’s hawker culture is the state’s biggest draw. Look for char kway teow fried over a fierce flame, Penang asam laksa with its sour fish broth, Hokkien mee (prawn noodle soup), nasi kandar from the Tamil Muslim stalls, and cendol when you need something cold. Evening hawker centres such as Gurney Drive and New Lane let you try several dishes in one sitting.

Many of the best stalls open only for breakfast or close one day a week, so start early and keep a back-up plan.

When to go

December to February usually brings the driest, clearest weather, and July and August are also reasonable. September to November is the wettest stretch, with heavy afternoon storms, though the city stays open and hotels are quieter. Haze from regional fires can spoil views in some years, most often around August and September.

Festivals add colour and crowds. Chinese New Year and Thaipusam are the biggest, when room prices rise and some hawker stalls close for days. Dates move with the lunar calendar, so check before booking.

How long to spend

Three days is the minimum to cover George Town, Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si and a proper food crawl, and our 3-day Penang itinerary lays out a route. Add a fourth or fifth day for the national park, Balik Pulau or simply eating more slowly. If you are deciding between islands, read Penang vs Langkawi first.

For festival dates and official event listings, see Penang Global Tourism’s MyPenang site.