Penang is a state on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. George Town is the capital city that is located on the beautiful Penang Island. The island is connected to the mainland by the Penang Bridge and the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge. These are the longest bridge in Malaysia.
Penang has something for everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are a budget traveler or a luxury traveler. Penang is popular for its food. You can enjoy the amazing local food on offer from the vast number of hidden eateries and restaurants dotted around the town. As well as to see the wonderful landmarks around Penang.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Penang Malaysia. Let’s get started!
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Is Penang Worth Visiting?
Penang is worth the trip if only to enjoy the local food. Penang particularly George town is full of historic buildings and beautiful natural scenery. George town is also a Unesco World heritage site.
Things To Do In Penang Malaysia
Penang is located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Penang is famous as a foodies paradise. There are fun things to do in Penang that will keep you busy for a few days.
Here is our list of things to do in Penang Malaysia.
Enjoy The View From Penang Hill
Penang Hill is one of the popular tourist spots in Penang Malaysia. Once you reach the top you can enjoy the amazing views of Penang. To get to the top you can take the Penang Hill Rail Way and enjoy the amazing scenery along the way. Or you can walk up the hill which takes up to 1 to 2 hours.
Once at the top there is more to do than enjoy the views such as visiting the owl museum, animal shows, and more. Also, there are free things to do such as dancing shows, temple visits, and scenic walks.
There are also food courts on top which are cheap and cooked to order.
Enjoy The View Of Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world with a length of 13.5 km. It belongs to a highway that connects Seberang Prai on Malaysia island and Bayan Lepas on Penang Island.
It was first opened in 1985 and today it has become a popular spot to visit for the local people and tourists because the view is fantastic, especially during the sunset.
In addition, you can also stay in nearby hotels so you can access the island easily or you may also rent a car to explore the island.
Visit Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Sri Mahamariamman Temple is located in George Town Penang. It is a big temple that has become one of the most attractive spots to visit in Penang. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Penang that offers beautiful ornaments of Indian culture with many god and goddess statues of Hindus.
You do not need to buy a ticket because it is free of charge. You can take some images as you wish except for the main altar area. If you want to visit this temple, then you can come between 6.30 am up to 12 pm.
Explore Old Kek Lok Si Temple
In addition to the Mahamariamman temple, you can also visit other temples such as the Kek Lok Si temple. It is located in Air Itam Penang and it belongs to the biggest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia.
This temple was first built more than one century ago it is located on a beautiful hill and it adopts the Thai temple style with a combination of Chinese typical ornaments. You can go to this temple by bus from George Town.
Visit Fort Cornwallis
Fort Cornwallis is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Penang Malaysia that you must visit to complete your Penang experience. It was first built in 1786 and it belongs to a fortress that was used to defend the England colony from their enemies.
Nowadays, this fortress is no longer used but it has become a nice tourist attraction to learn about the history of Malaysia during the British colonization.
The entrance fee to Kota Cornwallis for Adults is RM 20 and for Children is RM 10. The Opening Hours are daily from 9 am to 10 pm.
Enjoy The Penang Toy Museum
Usually, when you come to a museum, you will be seeing historical items such as old paintings, old statues, old sculptures, and other ancient items. But, Penang Toy Museum has become a good place to visit if you want to see some unique toy collections from all around the world.
Also, this museum also has become a popular spot for kids who love toys.
Go Shopping At Plaza Gurney
Plaza Gurney is a big shopping center that has a lot of visitors and most of the visitors are the local people. You may visit this plaza while in Penang because there are loads of shops that sell all kinds of things.
You can buy anything you want and you can buy some cheap items or expensive items. In addition, if you want to buy souvenirs, there are plenty of shops that sell souvenirs to tourists.
Visit Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is located in George Town and belongs to a historical legacy of Chinese immigrants that was first built in 1880 by a trader named Cheong Fatt Tze. This house has 39 rooms and it was built according to Feng Shui’s belief.
This great house has a typical blue accent and was bought by a rich entrepreneur from Malaysia to be converted into a tourist attraction because it has a historical value.
Go Shopping At Queensbay Mall
If you still want to explore shopping centers in Penang, then Queensbay Mall will be your other choice to spend your money.
It is also not too far from the airport in Penang and it has become one of the biggest malls in Penang where you can find so many shops and items that you can buy.
If you really like window shopping or if you want to buy some souvenirs, you may visit this mall. You can also find restaurants inside the mall if you really wonder how Malaysian foods taste like.
Relax At Batu Ferringhi Beach
Penang has numerous beaches on the island. You will be hard-pressed to pick the best one. With so many top-class resorts that have decided to open a shop in and around Batu Ferringhi beach, I will go with Batu Ferringhi beach.
It’s got pristine sandy beaches and plenty of water activities to keep you busy. With the added idea of lazing around on a beach with an ice-cold cocktail in hand.
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 a great place to visit especially if you are a foodie or just want to relax by the beach. There are plenty of other things to do in Penang Malaysia from visiting temples to going shopping. All you have to do is to choose the stuff you prefer and start enjoying what Penang has to offer.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Penang Malaysia has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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