Best Thing To Do For A First Timer In Penang

Penang is one of the most visited states in Malaysia with millions of tourists arriving every year. While traveling can be exciting and fun; but usually it is a little challenging for first-time travellers as there are so many things to do and place to visit.

If you are traveling for the first time to Penang, or even if you have been here before, this is a general guide that anyone can use.

Get lost in heritage George Town

Penang’s heritage is one of the main reason tourist chose the state as their travel destination. The George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site features Malaysia’s best restored and re-adaptive traditional architecture as well as a multitude of heritage trades and arts. At only 2.5sq km, the George Town World Heritage Site is compact enough to be explored on foot, bicycle or trishaw.

According to UNESCO, the city represents an exceptional example of a multicultural trading town in Southeast Asia, forged from the mercantile and civilisation exchanges of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences.

Take the tram to the top of Penang hill

Rising in the central part of the island, Penang Hill which is also known as Bukit Bendera (in Malay) is a 833-meters-high hill, and one of the places that you just have to visit when you’re in Penang. Although you can also hike or ride a jeep up to the top, the best option is to take the tram up as it is the most easily accessible.

Eat the famous local hawker foods

In Penang, forget about controlling your diet. Plan an eating marathon as Penang is famous for its food, especially the hawker foods. You can easily find food guides that are curated locally or even the famous Michelin guide. Among the foods that you have to try are the Char Koay Teow, Laksa, Nasi Kandar, Hokkien Mee, Chee Cheong Fun, and the list goes on.

If you are traveling in a group, that makes things easier. Most of the hawker centres have stalls offering different foods. Pick any of the famous spots, and you all will get to try most of the good ones in just a night.

Relax and unwind at the beaches

You wouldn’t want to miss the beaches when you’re on an island. If you love crowds or enjoy a good stay by the beach, you might want to try the northern part of the island where Batu Feringghi and Tanjung Bunga is. But if you prefer to spend time at a quieter beach, you can go over to the southern part where the local fishing villages are. There are lesser tourists over there, and you can even try some local seafood restaurants.

Explore and hunt for Penang’s street art

Penang itself is an art gallery with some local and foreign artists putting up their works on the walls of buildings including the famous Ernest Zacharevic and the local, Kenji Chai. If you use the street arts as location points and hunt all of them, you will be able to cover most part of the George Town heritage site.

Have fun with butterflies

Have love for butterflies? Visit the Entopia, which is previously known as the Butterfly Farm. Opened since 1986, the Entopia is a giant glass-house conservatory where butterflies flutter freely amid beautifully landscaped lush tropical gardens which are also home to a selection of reptiles and other small creatures. The exterior is made up of a massive green wall, or vertical garden, the largest of its kind in Malaysia.

Chill at one of Penang’s aesthetic cafes / cafe and bar hopping

The cafes in Penang is not only about taking a short break after a long, tiring day of traveling around. Check out these spots and you can savour good coffee, desserts and food. The unique interior design and theme of each cafe is also attractive to make your social media feeds interesting.

Take a stroll down the historical clan jetties

The Clan Jetties of Penang is a traditional overwater settlement that has been built by Chinese immigrants who came to Malaysia more than a century ago. The six villages house distinct Chinese clans, namely the Ong Jetty, Lim Jetty, Chew Jetty, Tan Jetty, Lee Jetty, New Jetty and Yeoh Jetty.

Also known as floating villages, the clan jetties showcase the harmony of two different lifestyles and cultures. They are characterised by their old traditions and are built using a special type of wood which allows them to stay near seawater. 

Get a beautiful and adventurous sight of Penang from The Top

The Top is at Komtar, the tallest building in Penang, where you can experience the thrill of looking down on the city from the height of 249 meters above.

Visit the beautiful religious spots in Penang

Penang is one of the religiously diverse states in Malaysia, and with that of course comes with many beautiful religious architecture. The largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia is at Air Itam of Penang. And if you walk along Pitt Street itself, you can visit religious buildings of all major religion in Malaysia. The Goddess of Mercy Temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Sri Mariamman Temple and the St George’s Church are all along that stretch, and hence it is known as the ‘Street of Harmony’.

Besides that, Penang is also the place where Thaipusam is largely celebrated with devotees from all around Malaysia coming in to offer their prayers.

Check out any one of the museums and galleries in Penang

Being known as a famous tourist spot, George Town offer travellers different types of museums and galleries to visit. From the state museum, which features general history about Penang and Malaysia; there is also the Pinang Peranakan Mansion which showcases the uniqueness of the Baba Nyonya’s mansion. On top of that, there are also other museums and galleries, namely the War Museum, 3D Trick Art Museum, Sun Yat Sen Museum, Colonial Penang Museum, Penang House of Music, Islamic Museum and many more.

Get yourself close to the nature (National Park/Entopia/Botanical Gardens)

Even though Penang is not a huge compared to other states in Malaysia, they still have significant places of nature that people can visit to. The Penang National Park is a protected area legally gazetted under Malaysia’s National Park Act whereby the flora and fauna in the park is protected. If you are seeking a natural and untouched forest and beaches, the National Park is the place to be.

There is also the Botanic Gardens which was actually established in 1884 and subsequently expanded to what it is today. It is a place where most locals will do their regular jogging and exercises or just spending a good quiet time with the nature.

Hop on a trishaw tour

Although George Town may be only 2.5 sq km in size, but walking around it may still be tiring and with the humid weather, you might not want to walk too long under the sun. Taking a trishaw ride will be a good option to explore the heritage city without getting sweaty and you still can enjoy the historical buildings at a slow pace.

Visit the Pasar Malam (Night markets)