Is Penang Safe For Tourists?

Generally speaking, Malaysia is a safe country to visit but what about Penang in Malaysia? Penang is an island in Malaysia where the capital city is George Town. George Town is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So is Penang safe for tourists?

Penang is safe and it does attract tourists all over the world. Unfortunately, nowhere is perfect and there are incidents of pickpocketing and robbery. The numbers are low but like anywhere else in the world you do need to use common sense and not make yourself attractive to criminals.

In this post, we will go through is Penang safe to visit. Let’s get started!

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Is Penang Safe For Tourists

Penang is a safe place to visit but it is a popular tourist destination in Malaysia as a result there are incidents of petty crime such as pickpocketing and robbery. The petty crime numbers are low but you do need to use common sense and not make yourself attractive to be targeted.

Is Penang Worth Visiting?

Yes, Penang is worth visiting especially if you enjoy the local food. As well as exploring Penang, in particular, George Town which is full of historic buildings and beautiful natural scenery. George Town is a Unesco World Heritage site.

If you are interested in visiting Penang here is a list of things to do in Penang Malaysia.

Is Penang Expensive?

Penang is not cheap compared to other places around Malaysia or Southeast Asia. It is a popular place for tourists to visit and is able to cater to all budgets within reason but you can budget on accommodation, transport, and food. Each of these costs can be reduced if you stay in an inexpensive hotel, use grab, and eat modestly.

Are Penang People Friendly?

Yes, the Malaysian people are very friendly. The locals from Penang are relaxed open and happy to help. They get a lot of visitors each year but they still welcome tourists warmly.

Do People In Penang Speak English?

The official of Malaysia is Malaysian but English is effectively a second language in Malaysia. As a result, English is widely spoken in restaurants, bars, shops, banks, and public buildings in tourist areas in Penang. There should be no problem communicating with the locals in Penang.

When Should I Go To Penang?

Penang is a good place to visit all year round but the best time to visit is from November to January as the weather is just at the right temperature to go sightseeing.

Tips To Still Safe In Penang

Generally speaking, Malaysia is a safe place to visit and so is Penang. But because Penang is a popular tourist destination there will be a higher risk of being pickpocketed or scammed.

These tips can help to improve your safety in Penang, these are our tips.

Do Not Show Off Any Expensive Stuff

Pickpockets and thieves are watching tourists to see who is worth targeting. A tourist that is wearing an expensive watch, jewelry, expensive phone, and so on is worth targeting as opposed to a tourist that has no visible watch or fancy phone.

It is always safer to make sure to keep your expensive items like watches and phones out of sight as this will reduce the chance that you will be the target.

Choose A Good Hotel

It is always a safer option to stay in a good hotel so that you will have peace of mind that your things will be safe in your hotel room. And also make sure it has a working hotel safe.

Also, do not forget to make a photocopy of your passport and to bring a copy of your passport around with you. With your passport safely locked in your hotel.

Especially important when you are enjoying the nightlife in bars and clubs.

Most Malaysians Are Religious

Islam is the main religion in Malaysia. Around 65% of the Malaysian population are Muslims and they welcome visitors from other countries. You don’t need to worry about safety during your trip to Malaysia because the local people will make you feel at home. You do need to use common sense and show respect.

Avoid Walking Alone At Night

At night criminals can blend in with tourists very easily or appear as helpful locals. It is important to avoid walking alone at night. If you want to visit bars or clubs, just bring your wallet and no cards and keep them in your front pocket. The same as for your phone.

USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES

Book Accommodation

Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.

Booking Flight

Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.

Booking Transportation & Things To Do

Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.

Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.

Wrapping Up

Finally, Penang is safe and it attracts tourists from all over the world. Unfortunately, nowhere is perfect and there are incidents of pickpocketing and scams. The numbers are low but like anywhere else in the world you do need to use common sense and not make yourself attractive to criminals.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on the is Penang safe for tourists has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if you go.