When my Thai colleague asked to be taken around Penang, he asked, “How much time we need? Is it ok to do in three days?” I replied, “You can do Penang in as many days as you want!” 

And how not? Penang (or Pulau Pinang in the Malaysian language), is one of Southeast Asia’s hottest travel destinations. An island city-state, you can find enough to do in a long weekend, a week, two weeks, or more. But let’s start with the essentials, for which I recommend at least 3 days.

Where to stay in Penang

For a trip to Penang to cover the essentials, stay in one of the converted heritage shophouses within the UNESCO Heritage City zone in the capital city Georgetown. 

These are historical townhouses in the old port city of Georgetown, where the ground floor is often a shop and the living quarters are upstairs. 

Together with Malacca further south, Georgetown is listed as a UNESCO Heritage City due to the unique Peranakan (aka ‘Baba Nyonya’) Chinese-Malay hybrid culture. It sprang up in the two harbour cities of the Straits of Malacca, which is one of the most important shipping routes in the world – then and now. 

In its heyday, wealth passed through the straits in such abundance, that the manor houses of the richest clan families were lavishly gilded and decorated. Today, many of these shophouses and townhouses have been converted to charming tourist accommodations. They span the range from hostels, all the way up to old world Peranakan manor luxury. Choose whichever suits your budget best, but trust me on this – stay in the old city.

How to get around Penang

Taxis and e-hailing services are readily available in Penang. That said, the Old City of Georgetown is totally walkable. Armed with a water bottle and a sun hat, this is among the best ways to see the town. Browse the quirky shops, cafes, Asian confectionery and antique stores in this area, in between the must-see sights such as the elaborate Khoo Kongsi clan house, the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion, and the Kapitan Keling Mosque.

Link Bike Georgetown

Another option is to cycle. While there are many shops and guest accommodations that offer bicycle rentals, the city has also introduced its own app-based bicycle rental system. 

Simply download the Link Bike app, and follow the instructions to unlock a bike from the bike rack. 

The app’s map shows the location of other bike racks, along with how many available bikes to hire and the vacant bays to return bikes. It is one of the most affordable bike rental options, costing just RM5.00 for one day and RM10.00 for 3 days (about $1 and $2, respectively).

For both walking and cycling, bear in mind that most of Georgetown’s streets are still open to vehicles. The cars are used to sharing the narrow roads with tourists, but be careful nonetheless.

Hop On Hop Off Penang

If you want to venture outside of Georgetown to tour essential attractions in Penang, the easy option is to get a Hop On Hop Off bus ticket with one of its tour options. This way you don’t have to figure out what the attractions are. 

Rapid Penang bus service

Alternatively, if you already know exactly where you want to go, then the public bus service (Rapid Penang) is a much cheaper option. As an indicator: The shuttle tour to Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si temple is RM25 on the Hop On Hop Off. A one-way ticket from Penang Hill to Georgetown is about RM2.00.

What to do in Penang: The Essentials

• Peranakan Culture

You can’t go to Penang and not see the reason why it is a UNESCO Heritage City. Therefore, you have to pick up at least one of the Peranakan Manor Houses and gawk at the beautiful artistry of the time. 

Head on down to the Chew Clan jetty as well, to see the clan village on stilts above the breakers. Browse through the shops showcasing Peranakan craftsmanship – get a pair of exquisite beaded slippers or intricately embroidered nyonya kebaya blouse for a bit of Oriental chic.

• Street art of Penang

Track down each one of the famous semi-3D Ernest Zacharavic street art installations all over Georgetown! Completed in 2012, the playfully nostalgic murals became an instant Instagram hit.

Check out the wire art installations in the Old City as well. These are created by local cartoonists and depict snippets of Penang life, culture, and history. 

Aside from these classics, over the years local artists have also been inspired to add new street art to the streets of Georgetown. These come and go, so see what you can find!

• Penang Hill

Penang Hill (locally known as Bukit Bendera, or Flag Hill) is the highest point on the island. You get up to the top by means of a funicular. On top, the climate is noticeably cooler than the hot humidity of Georgetown. Various parks and family attractions are available on top of the hill, but the newest attraction is the Habitat. 

The Habitat is a section of the hill where you could go for a hike through the jungle, now recognised as part of the Penang Hill UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. There is the option of getting a nature guide to show you particular attractions such as the pitcher plants and jungle spiders. Along the route there are also way-stops where you could opt into activities such as terrarium construction. 

Penang Hill is extremely popular over the weekend. Go on a weekday to avoid the enormous crowds. Near Penang Hill is Kek Lok Si, a majestic Buddhist temple that’s well worth seeing. You can easily pick up both on the same trip out.

• Sample the Penang street food

Local Malaysians – especially the self-proclaimed foodies – will have strong opinions on where the best places are to eat in Penang. If you ask, you won’t be short of recommendations for both famous and obscure places all over the island. 

However, actually food is generally good within Georgetown also. Head on to Gurney Drive for the hawker stalls by the sea, or browse Chulia Street for a more street food feel. To sample Penang street food but in an area less frequented by tourists, head a little bit out to Kimberley Street. 

Try some classic fried kuey teow (flat rice noodles) and look for inventions like the oyster omelette. Don’t forget to try the Indian Muslim cuisine, also a key component of Penang culture. Sample a wide variety of flat breads with curries (roti canai). And if you would like something sweet and showy, ask for roti tisu. You can thank me later.

Other things to do in Penang

Being a livable city, Penang has way more to offer than the essentials. Here’s a snapshot of options available if you have a longer stay: 

• Events – There may be events going on within the Old City, so keep an eye out for them. 
• Offbeat random museums – There are so many random art houses and museums in Georgetown. From memory, there’s a Camera museum, a cat cafe, an Upside Down house, a 3D trick art museum, a Ghost Museum, a “Dark Mansion” – take your pick. 
• Penang State Park – For a bit of hiking through the jungle that does not involve going all the way up to Penang Hill, you can also head to the State Park. Within the park there is a meromictic lake, which is a lake that has separated layers of fresh and saltwater. At the end of the trail you would reach Kerachut Beach, which has a turtle nesting site. 
• Water sports at Batu Ferringhi – You could also have a beach break at one of the beach spots of Penang. At Batu Ferringhi for example, you could indulge in parasailing, jet skiing, or take a fishing excursion.

  Courtesy of: Teja on the Horizon

  Teja is an environmental scientist (to which she admits) and an engineer (which she disowns), but having been excessively self-educated in all manner of erudition, is really far too many things for one person to be. She is on an odyssey for homes in a thousand strange places, because predictably, she’s doing the Ibn Battuta quote backwards. Teja likes to write about the stories that happen around the travel plans, coloured with the lens of sustainable travel.