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You can fly there directly on Air Asia from Jakarta. It’s about a 2.5-hour flight and costs as little as $100 for a round trip, as of November 2023. You can also access Penang from most of Asia via Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The city of George Town is the capital of Penang Island. It became a significant commercial center in the 19th Century and is noted for its extensive colonial architecture. It has been nicely restored (mostly) and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The historic district of George Town is loaded with shops, eateries, and quaint boutique hotels and comprises a space of about 4 square kilometers.
I would recommend using the George Town historic district as a home base when staying on Penang Island. It’s one of the most pleasant places I’ve been in SE Asia. If you prefer beach life, however, there are dozens of oceanside resorts dotting the west coast of the island.
My favorite part of George Town is Armenian Street which is crammed full of shops and cafes. It’s also the center of the city’s public mural district with hundreds of paintings gracing the walls. The murals are great fun, but many are starting to deteriorate and require some restoration. It’s just a great place to stroll through and hang out.
The historic Chinese neighborhood residential jetties on the waterfront in George Town are also worth a visit.
This Buddhist temple dates from circa 1905 and is perched in the hills above George Town. It’s highlighted by a 7-story pagoda. It’s an impressive temple with a magnificent view. It’s about a 15-minute taxi ride from historic George Town. You can ride in a funicular car if you don’t wish to make the arduous climb in the heat to the top.
This colonial British fortress dating from the 1780s is easily reached by taxi from historic George Town. Inside the fort there are also interesting exhibits describing George Town’s history. The skeletal shell lighthouse from 1882 is worth a look too.
About a 45-minute drive from George Town down the west coast of Penang is the Tropical Spice Garden. The garden is situated on a hillside with over 500 species of flora including a plethora of spices, some of which are sold in the garden gift shop. It’s a delightful hike through an idyllic forest, like something from a tropical dream. Wear some sturdy shoes as some of the terrain is a little uneven and muddy.
This attraction is in southern Penang about 1.25 hours from George Town. I’m not a lepidopterist, but I really enjoy observing the natural beauty of butterflies. This massive enclosure contains over 15,000 free flying butterflies, 60 species, and more than 200 species of plants in a lovely garden. If you want to have butterflies land all over you, wear bright yellow as the visitors wearing this color seemed to attract them in droves. Entry to Entopia is somewhat overpriced, but I enjoy this kind of experience, so I was willing to pay. Highly recommended for children.
I have visited Penang twice, the second trip being somewhat accidental as I could not visit my original destination due to extremely strange unforeseen circumstances. I had 12 hours to switch to a new place and had few affordable options on such short notice, so I chose Penang because it was reasonably priced, and I liked the place so much the first time I visited. During my second trip I hired a car/driver, took a bridge off the island, and traveled to the province of Perak (on the west coast of the Malay peninsula) to see one sight in particular…
This is the only orangutan refuge outside Borneo. Orphaned and injured orangutans are brought to this island situated in the middle of Bukit Merah (Bukit = Hill in Malay). Visitors arrive at the Bukit Merah Resort and then buy tickets to visit the orangutan island via boat. It’s a lovely tropical setting and the 15-minute boat ride is delightful.
When you arrive at the island you hike around the island’s perimeter. The inland part of the island is guarded by tall fencing, with the orangutans given free access to most of the island interior. When they hear people, they come running toward the fences, expecting some food. The ranger and guide who accompany the touring group toss the orangutans some fruit. This sparks some lively orangutan behavior as they jockey to get the best pieces of fruit. It’s an amazing and rare experience to witness orangutans in a semi-natural environment. Well worth the journey from Penang Island.
Call ahead as sometimes the island is closed. I would also recommend arriving for the first boat trip of the day. In the afternoon, when the weather is hot, or thunderstorms are present, the orangutans take shade or cover and might not come out to see tourists. I was lucky enough to see the full orangutan entourage, largely because of my early arrivial. Additionally, the Bukit Merah Resort serves a nice buffet breakfast you can enjoy while waiting for the first boat to depart to the island.
After finishing our visit to the orangutan island, the driver took me another 20 km south to the city of Taiping to visit the Taiping Lake Gardens. This park, created in 1880, was the first public garden established during British rule in Malaysia. I was especially fascinated by ancient trees gracing the walkway along the lake.
I stayed in this lovingly-restored heritage hotel during my first visit. It’s in a perfect location near the center of historic Georgetown. It’s a little pricey, but not by North American standards. Even more wonderful is the authentic and magnificent Italian restaurant on the ground floor run by a chef from Venice. Fantastic food, but, of course, there are tons of great local options for dining, and an extensive network of street food vendors if you prefer. If you plan to stay at the Campbell Hotel, especially on the weekend, you need to book several weeks in advance.