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G Hotel Gurney, Penang

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Penang

Updated 7 October 2026 · 16 things to do

Pictured: G Hotel Gurney

Penang is an island you eat your way around. Ask a Malaysian what to do here and you will get a list of noodle stalls, argued over with real feeling. But between meals there is a great deal to see: a UNESCO-listed old town of shophouses and clan temples, a hill station reached by funicular, one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in South-East Asia and a national park you walk into from the end of a bus route.

George Town is the heart of it and deserves at least two days on foot. The rest of the island, from the beaches of the north coast to the temple-topped hills of Air Itam, is an easy taxi ride away. Pace yourself, drink something cold, and never eat a big hotel breakfast.

Don't miss

  1. 1George Town street art
  2. 2Kek Lok Si Temple
  3. 3Penang Hill
  4. 4Khoo Kongsi
  5. 5Char kway teow

George Town

A whole old town on the World Heritage list, and small enough to walk.

  1. George Town street art

    Neighbourhood

    The Little Children on a Bicycle mural on Armenian Street in George Town
    Photo: Azreey, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The lanes around Armenian Street have become an open-air gallery. The best-known pieces are Ernest Zacharevic's murals, which mix paint with real objects: two children sharing an actual bicycle, a boy reaching up from a real motorbike. Dotted between them are dozens of wrought-iron caricatures telling the stories of each street.

    Half the fun is the hunt, which leads you past shophouses, temples and coffee shops you would otherwise have missed.

    Tip: Go early in the morning. It is cooler, and you will not have to queue for a photo with the bicycle.

  2. Khoo Kongsi

    Landmark

    The ornate Khoo Kongsi clan house in George Town
    Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, CC BY 4.0

    The grandest clan house in Malaysia, hidden in a courtyard off Cannon Square. The Khoo family, wealthy Hokkien traders, built it to honour their ancestors and to make a point, and the result is a riot of carved stone, gilded beams and ceramic dragons writhing along the roofline. A small museum underneath explains how the clan associations ran old George Town.

  3. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

    Landmark

    The indigo walls of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, known as the Blue Mansion
    Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Known to everyone as the Blue Mansion for its vivid indigo walls, this was the home of a 19th-century Chinese tycoon and is one of the finest surviving courtyard houses of its kind. Guided tours take you through the airy courtyards, stained glass and cast-iron balconies, and explain the feng shui that shaped the building.

    Tip: Visits are by guided tour, so check the times and book ahead.

  4. Pinang Peranakan Mansion

    Museum

    The Pinang Peranakan Mansion in George Town
    Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote. Feel free to use any of my images,, CC BY 4.0

    A pistachio-green townhouse stuffed with the furniture, jewellery, porcelain and beaded slippers of the Peranakans, the Straits Chinese community whose blend of Chinese, Malay and European tastes shaped Penang. It is opulent to the point of giddiness, and the best introduction to the culture behind the island's food and architecture.

  5. The clan jetties

    Neighbourhood

    Wooden houses on stilts at Chew Jetty in George Town
    Photo: yeowatzup, CC BY 2.0

    Along the waterfront at Weld Quay, wooden villages stand on stilts above the sea, each jetty home to a different Chinese clan. Chew Jetty is the largest and the most visited, a boardwalk of houses, shrines and snack stalls leading out to a temple over the water. People still live here, so look and wander respectfully.

  6. Fort Cornwallis

    Landmark

    The star-shaped fort on the tip of the cape marks the spot where Captain Francis Light landed in 1786 and founded the British settlement. There is not a great deal inside beyond old cannons and ramparts, but it anchors the colonial quarter: the Esplanade, the town hall and the clock tower are all a short stroll away.

Temples and hills

  1. Kek Lok Si Temple

    Landmark

    Kek Lok Si Temple on its hillside at Air Itam
    Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Climbing a hillside at Air Itam, Kek Lok Si is a vast Buddhist complex of prayer halls, gardens and courtyards, crowned by a seven-tier pagoda that blends Chinese, Thai and Burmese styles and by a towering bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy. The views back over George Town are wonderful.

    At Chinese New Year the whole temple is strung with thousands of lanterns and lights, and it is one of the great sights of Malaysia.

    Tip: Combine it with Penang Hill: the two are a short ride apart.

  2. Penang Hill

    Nature

    The funicular railway climbing Penang Hill
    Photo: User:Ouishoebean, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The British built a hill station up here to escape the heat, and it still works. A funicular railway hauls you steeply up through the forest to the top, more than 800 metres above the sea, where the air is noticeably cooler and the view takes in George Town, the bridges and the mainland beyond. Walking trails and a rainforest canopy walk lead off from the summit.

    Tip: Late afternoon is the time to go, so you see the view by daylight and again as the city lights come on.

  3. Dhammikarama Burmese Temple and Wat Chaiya Mangalaram

    Landmark

    Two temples face each other across a quiet lane near Gurney Drive. The Thai one, Wat Chaiya Mangalaram, houses a gold-robed reclining Buddha some 33 metres long. Opposite, the Burmese temple is all gilded stupas, guardian figures and peaceful gardens. Together they take under an hour and show just how many communities made Penang home.

Eat and drink

The real reason most people come. Follow the queues.

  1. Char kway teow

    Food

    A plate of char kway teow in Penang
    Photo: Wiki Farazi, CC0

    Penang's signature plate: flat rice noodles fried fast over fierce heat with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and chives, picking up a smoky char from the wok. Every local has a favourite stall and will defend it at length. Order a plate wherever you see a cook working a single wok with a line of people waiting.

  2. Asam laksa

    Food

    A bowl of Penang asam laksa
    Photo: MichaelJLowe (Michael J. Lowe)., CC BY-SA 2.5

    Nothing like the creamy coconut laksa you may know. Penang's version is a sharp, sour fish broth soured with tamarind, poured over thick rice noodles and topped with mint, pineapple, onion and a dollop of pungent shrimp paste. It is an assault on the senses in the best way, and the stalls near Kek Lok Si at Air Itam are famous for it.

  3. Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

    Market

    The hawker food centre at Gurney Drive
    Photo: Htgoon at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

    The island's best-known hawker centre sets up each evening at the end of the Gurney Drive promenade. Dozens of stalls sell the full Penang repertoire under one sky: satay, rojak, fried oyster omelette, char kway teow and bowls of shaved-ice cendol. It is busy and a bit touristy, and still a very good way to try six things in one sitting.

    Tip: Go with friends and share, so you can order from more stalls.

  4. Little India

    Neighbourhood

    A street scene in Little India, George Town
    Photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0

    A few streets of George Town where Bollywood soundtracks blare from the shopfronts, garlands hang by the doorways and the air smells of frying spices. Come for banana-leaf rice, crisp dosa and sweet pulled tea, and stay to browse the sari shops and goldsmiths. Nasi kandar, Penang's rice-and-curry speciality, has its roots in the Indian Muslim community here.

Beaches and nature

  1. Batu Ferringhi

    Beach

    Batu Ferringhi beach on the north coast of Penang
    Photo: Marek Ślusarczyk (Tupungato) Photo portfolio, CC BY 3.0

    The island's main resort beach, a long stretch of sand on the north coast lined with hotels and watersports operators. It is a place for parasailing, sunset drinks and a lazy afternoon more than for snorkelling. After dark, a night market spreads along the main road with stalls selling souvenirs, clothes and street food.

  2. Penang National Park

    Nature

    One of the smallest national parks in Malaysia, at the island's north-west tip beyond Teluk Bahang. Jungle trails lead from the entrance to quiet beaches: Monkey Beach is the popular one, and Kerachut has a turtle conservation centre. If the walk sounds sweaty, boatmen at the park gate will run you there and back.

    Tip: Bring plenty of water and proper shoes; the trails are rooty and humid.

  3. Tropical Spice Garden

    Nature

    A shady hillside garden near Teluk Bahang planted with hundreds of tropical species, from nutmeg and clove to torch ginger. Paths wind past streams and giant ferns, with labels explaining the spices that first drew traders to this coast. It pairs well with a morning on the beach at Batu Ferringhi.

Where to stay in Penang

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Penang →

Getting around

George Town's old quarter is compact and best seen on foot or by bicycle. For everything else, ride-hailing cars are cheap and easy to find, and public buses run from the centre to Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si, Batu Ferringhi and the national park. A hire car is not necessary.

When to go

Penang is hot and humid all year, with the heaviest rain usually falling around September and October. The months from December to February tend to be the driest. Chinese New Year and the George Town Festival in summer are lively times to visit, but hotels fill up.

Questions about visiting Penang

What is Penang best known for?
Street food and George Town. The island's hawker dishes, such as char kway teow and asam laksa, are famous across Asia, and its capital is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of shophouses, temples and street art.
How many days do you need in Penang?
Three days covers George Town, Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si at a comfortable pace. Add two or three more if you want beach time at Batu Ferringhi or a walk in the national park.
Is Penang worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you like food, architecture and wandering. It is one of the most rewarding stops in Malaysia, and easy to combine with Langkawi or Kuala Lumpur.
What is there to do in Penang with kids?
Ride the funicular up Penang Hill, hunt for murals in George Town, take a boat to Monkey Beach in the national park and spend a day by a resort pool at Batu Ferringhi.
Do you need a car in Penang?
No. George Town is walkable, and ride-hailing cars and buses reach the temples, the hill and the beaches easily.

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