Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Penang is a Malaysian state made up of an island off the northwest coast of the peninsula and a strip of the mainland across the strait. Most visitors focus on Penang Island, home to George Town, a port city founded as a British trading post in 1786 and listed with Melaka as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
Beyond the old town, the island rises to forested hills, with a historic funicular to the top of Penang Hill and the vast Kek Lok Si temple on the slopes below. The north coast has beaches and a national park.
George Town is one of the best-preserved historic trading cities in Southeast Asia. Instead of grand monuments, its appeal lies in the texture of everyday streets: rows of two-story shophouses with tiled five-foot ways, family-run shops selling joss sticks and coffee, and temples of many faiths standing within a few blocks of each other.
Penang is also widely considered one of the great food destinations of Asia. Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Malay, Indian Muslim and Nyonya cooking traditions have mixed here for generations, producing dishes you will struggle to find done as well anywhere else.
Armenian Street, or Lebuh Armenian, is lined with restored shophouses, craft stores and cafes. It is also home to the most famous of George Town's murals, Children on a Bicycle, painted by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic in 2012 with a real bicycle fixed to the wall.
Children on a Bicycle, painted in 2012, is one of George Town's best-known street murals. Photo: Azreey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tucked inside a square off Cannon Street, Khoo Kongsi is the grandest of Penang's clan houses, built by Hokkien families sharing the Khoo surname.
Khoo Kongsi is an ornate clan house built by Hokkien families of the Khoo surname. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Painted a striking indigo blue, the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was built in the late nineteenth century for a wealthy merchant. It blends Chinese courtyard design with European touches such as cast iron and stained glass, and it is now a heritage hotel.
The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, known as the Blue Mansion, was built in the late nineteenth century. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
On Church Street, the green Pinang Peranakan Mansion showcases the lavish world of the Straits Chinese, or Peranakan, community. Rooms are filled with carved and gilded furniture, beadwork, porcelain and jewelry, giving a vivid picture of how wealthy families lived.
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion displays the furniture, jewelry and costume of Straits Chinese families. Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images, but pl…, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Along Weld Quay, the clan jetties are stilt villages built over the water by Chinese immigrant families, each traditionally associated with one clan. Chew Jetty is the largest and most visited, with a boardwalk lined with homes, small shops and shrines.
Chew Jetty is the largest of George Town's clan jetties, stilt villages built over the water. Photo: yeowatzup, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling is nicknamed the Street of Harmony because places of worship for several faiths stand along it: St. George's Church, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple and the Kapitan Keling Mosque, founded by Indian Muslim traders.
The Kapitan Keling Mosque was founded by Indian Muslim traders in the early nineteenth century. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fort Cornwallis stands near the spot where Francis Light landed in 1786. The star-shaped brick fort, rebuilt in the early nineteenth century, holds old cannons and exhibits on the colony's early years.
Fort Cornwallis marks the area where Francis Light landed in 1786 to establish a British trading post. Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images, but pl…, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Rising in tiers above Air Itam, Kek Lok Si is one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in Southeast Asia, begun in the 1890s. Its seven-story pagoda combines Chinese, Thai and Burmese architectural styles, and an inclined lift carries visitors higher up the hill to a giant bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy.
Penang Hill, or Bukit Bendera, has been a cool retreat since colonial times. A funicular railway climbs from the base station at Air Itam through the forest to the summit area, where you will find viewpoints over George Town and the strait, colonial-era bungalows, a mosque and a Hindu temple.
The Penang Hill funicular carries visitors from Air Itam up to cooler forest and viewpoints. Photo: Richard Horvath, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
At the island's northwestern tip near Teluk Bahang, Penang National Park protects rainforest, mangroves and quiet beaches. Trails lead to Monkey Beach, the Muka Head lighthouse and Pantai Kerachut, also known as Turtle Beach, where a turtle conservation center operates.
Penang National Park protects forest, beaches and coastal trails on the island's northwestern tip. Photo: Bonito Coquito, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Batu Ferringhi is Penang's main beach strip, with resorts lining a long stretch of sand and a lively night market selling clothes, souvenirs and snacks along the main road. Watersports operators offer parasailing and jet skis.
Penang's hawker food is the main event. Char kway teow, flat rice noodles stir-fried with prawns, cockles, egg and bean sprouts over high heat, is the island's signature dish.
Look for Nyonya cuisine too, such as kerabu salads, otak-otak and colorful kuih desserts. For something cool, try cendol, shaved ice with green rice-flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar.
Many famous stalls open only for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and some close on certain weekdays, so be flexible.
Popular dishes to try in Penang
The George Town heritage zone is the best base for first-time visitors and food lovers. Restored shophouse hotels and guesthouses put you within walking distance of the clan houses, street art and hawker stalls.
Gurney Drive and the Tanjung Tokong area to the north have modern high-rise hotels and malls, suiting families and travelers who want more space and amenities.
Where to stay in Penang
Penang is hot and humid all year. The driest months are typically from December to February or March, which makes them the most comfortable time for walking and hiking.
Festivals add to any visit. Chinese New Year brings lanterns and celebrations, especially at Kek Lok Si and in the clan houses.
Penang International Airport, in Bayan Lepas in the south of the island, has flights from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and other regional hubs. The drive to George Town takes around half an hour to an hour depending on traffic.
In George Town, walking is the best way to explore the heritage core, and trishaws offer slow tours.
Spend the morning on Armenian Street, Khoo Kongsi and the street art.
Ride the funicular up Penang Hill early, explore the summit and The Habitat, then descend to Kek Lok Si.
Head to Penang National Park for a morning hike to Monkey Beach or Turtle Beach, then relax at Batu Ferringhi and browse the night market before returning to George Town.
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