Malaysia: The Top 10 Best of Penang

Penang is a diverse and beautiful city often known as “The Pearl of The Orient”. It is characterised by hordes of travellers, locals and expats as well. It is essentially a metropolis of cultural hybrids for lack of a better word. It is a former trading post that has developed over the years to become a diamond in the rough so to speak. What are particularly interesting about Penang are the numerous tourist destinations it has and its unparalleled food collection.

Penang is among the best place to visit in Asia, nay, in the world, with an array of tourist destinations that will leave you spoilt for choice. The notable activities that are bound to make you desire and even consider owning a property in Penang includes:

1) Feel nostalgic and stay in the many heritage buildings

For a place as old and well preserved as George Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage city, it’s safe to say that most buildings have a story to tell, and these include some restaurants and hotels as well. Popular hotels like Blue Mansion, Macalister Mansion, and Eastern and Oriental Hotel, give their guests the opportunity to experience a stay in old but well preserved buildings, with their wooden doors and classy floors, without compromising modern comfort.

2) Stay breezy in tropical Penang Hill

Penang Hill, or Bukit Bendera, is known for its fresh and cool climate that is a welcome relief from the smoldering tropical heat of George Town. The hill is also renowned for its amazing panoramic view of Penang Bridge, Straits of Malacca, the mainland and of course, George Town too. 

3) Rich history is here to share, visit the many museums and stay in the know

Soak in the vast historical facts left by our ancestors that are offered by the numerous types of museums available here. They include, among others, the majestic Penang State Museum, Blue Mansion, and Penang Peranakan Museum. These museums house exhibits which showcase the many tools and lifestyles of prominent communities in Penang, such as Baba and Nyonya.

4) Temples, temples everywhere

Penang has deep cultural roots, so of course there're bound to be more than the odd temple or two. It has one of the largest and finest temple complexes in the region — Kek Lok Si Temple - that is enchanting at night, especially during the Chinese New Year and Wesak Day. The list of temples is almost endless but some of the more popular ones include the oldest Hindu Temple, Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple; Siamese Wat Chayamangkalaram Buddhist temple, the temple that houses the largest reclining Buddha Statue; and the Snake Temple.

5) Of all seriousness, here comes a wide array of kinky museums

There are just so many museums that are worth your time to visit them. They include Penang Ghost Museum, Made in Penang Interactive Museum, Penang Toy Museum, Camera Museum, and many more! 

6) Staying adventurous with the many unique theme parks

You hear me right, be bold and jump! You can participate in one of the most exciting outdoor activities at ESCAPE Theme Park. The theme park is surrounded by lush greenery and offers many activities such as free falling, tree climbing, flying through zip lines and many more.

And there’s Penang War Museum, visit at night and get the creep of your life! The War Museum was a fortress at Bukit Maung that was transformed into a Japanese army base, famous for its dark history, filled with narrations of how tortures of prisoners took place during the 2nd World War. 

7) Everything is about clans here, we have clan houses and even clan jetties

It’s fascinating to see how different clans preserve their roots with Clan Houses and Clan Jetties. The Clan Jetties are a part of the Heritage Trail of Penang, with 6 out of 7 still remaining today. Each of the jetties has its name after a clan of China. 

8) Fine beaches for a romantic stroll, an evening sip as well as morning swim

These beaches are second only to George Town when it comes to top tourist attractions in Penang. Who doesn’t enjoy open seas and sandy beaches that are suitable for all sorts of aquatic thrills? For those who are not fans of such activities, one can always walk along the beach to enjoy the sand oozing through your feet.

The icing to the cake is its exciting sidewalk bazaar at Batu Feringghi that occurs daily, from 6 p.m. to sometime after midnight. The bazaar is both a busy and enjoyable shopping experience that tourists and locals alike can indulge in. 

9) Hunting down street mural along the whole of George Town

One thing that never falls short in Penang will be the mushrooming murals over the years. Some old walls within George Town have gained a new lease of life with these mural paintings and street art. My advice, ride a bicycle for the hunt and read the tips and maps beforehand.

10) FOOD, FOOD, FOOD

Don’t worry, we have not forgotten about the best that Penang has to offer — the unparalleled food collections. Penang is consistently ranked as one of the best food paradises in the world and it would take a brave soul to argue against that. To complete the list of food to try whilst in town, we'd need a whole new blog post on them. But I will start off with my favourites — Asam Laksa at Air Itam, Jalan Siam char kway teow, Penang Road Chendul and little known Penang Tee Nyah Kuih.

Of course the list can go on and on with other top things to see and do in Penang. With so much to offer, one might want to think about living in Penang for good. For those who have that very thought, you can visit and search property portals like PropertyGuru to look for Penang property.

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This is a guest post. Going to Penang, Malaysia? We recommend the following hotels which we've previously reviewed: Boutique Hotels: The Chambers Hotel; Ren i Tang Heritage Inn 4- & 5-Star Hotels: St Giles Wembley Hotel; Evergreen Laurel Hotel  Otherwise, do check out these Penang hotels for your accommodation requirements there. For other blog entries on Malaysia, click here.