7 Reasons to Visit George Town in Penang, Malaysia

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The island of Penang is one of Malaysia’s most popular and adored destinations. This island, sitting just off the country’s west coast, ticks every box, be it history, culture, or food. Most people start by visiting George Town, the island’s major city, and some never see beyond it, as the city has an awful lot to offer visitors.

Not that there isn’t a lot to do around the rest of the island, of course. But I just really had such a good time with the different things to do in George Town, that I never really had time to look beyond the city. So, if you’re trying to decide whether to visit George Town in Penang as part of a trip to Malaysia, let me share my reasons why I think it’s so worth visiting.

 

Getting to George Town and Penang

Penang is an island in northwest Malaysia, giving you the options of flying in or taking a ferry.

Flying to Penang International Airport is easily done. Airlines from across Asia fly here, so you can often avoid connecting through Kuala Lumpur.

The ferry to Penang is the other option, leaving from the Butterworth Terminal right next to the mainland’s bus terminal and train station. Basically, take one of the many buses or trains to Penang (Butterworth), then hop over on the ferry.

Oddly, though, some buses leaving Penang can also go from the Sungai Nibong Express Bus Terminal on the island. This station isn’t near George Town; it requires a bus or taxi to reach.

In George Town, go to the Komtar Bus Station for buses to places like Kek Lok Si Temple and the cable car up to Penang Hill.

Avoid intercity bus companies that claim to leave from the Komtar Bus Station, as they often just provide a shuttle from this bus station to Sungai Nibong Express Bus Terminal. Once there, you have to wait for the bus to fill up before it departs (I didn’t know this, and waited a frustrating 1.5 hours, watching other companies arrive and leave on time).

 

Where to stay in George Town on Penang

It’s important to understand that George Town is just a small part of the island of Penang.

While it’s not the only place you can stay on Penang, many travellers choose to stay in George Town for the convenience of being in a city. George Town has lots of accommodation options and can suit most budgets.

Pick somewhere near the centre of the Old Town, and you’ll be able to simply walk everywhere that you’d want in the city centre. Part of my George Town visit, I spent at the Grand Swiss Hotel, an affordable choice in a great location, with a misleading name for a two-star hotel.

Some possibly nicer, better-rated places to stay in George Town include:

• Cheong Fatt Tze – The Blue Mansion
• Ren I Tang Heritage Inn
• Noordin Mews
• Melayu Villa by Aayu

 

Why George Town is worth visiting

While George Town and Penang are easy places to visit, those aren’t actually why I think you should visit.

No, what makes George Town so appealing is that it’s home to some of the best attractions in Penang. The city also generally has many characteristics that excite tourists looking for fun cities to explore. Look through the below, and you’ll soon see why many travellers say that visiting Penang was a highlight of their trip.

 

1. World-famous street art

Number one on the list of reasons to visit Penang, at least these days, is surely to see the vibrant and clever street art that adds an air of playfulness to the city of George Town.

What first put this part of Malaysia on my radar was the various travel blogs I saw on Penang street art and the creative ways it was made to blend into the surroundings. So when I arrived in George Town, there was little doubt in my mind about what to do first.

After all, one of the best things to do in Penang is to simply wander the streets of George Town trying to try to find all the great pieces of street art that brighten it up. It’s amazing what one mural can do to the feel of a place, and there are so many that the idea of walking about is exciting rather than just necessary.

Rather than just being for the tourists, locals seem to appreciate it too, and I even had someone point me in the right direction for one piece just to help out. It seems like such a great addition to the city and such a positive presence, what’s not to love?

 

2. Artistic ironwork

Along with all of the murals you’ll find on Penang’s streets, the historic centre of George Town has all sorts of fantastic ironwork scenes scattered about the place. Each ironwork piece is specific to a street or place and relates to a historic or cultural element that the place represents.

They’re done in the style of caricatures, making them both fun and interesting, while also having an informative blurb included. As a way to celebrate the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the George Town Old Town, I think it’s a truly novel idea and one that everyone can enjoy.

 

3. All of the excellent food

Before it was beloved for street art and other artistic things, Penang was famed for its food.

George Town in particular has long excelled at street food, serving up one tasty Malaysian or Asian dish after the next. As someone who enjoys Malaysian food, I was easily won over by George Town. And don’t take my word for it, this food tour of George Town is one of the most popular tours in the city.

Since I stayed close to the Chinatown area of the city, every evening it was a trip over to either the small carts, little plastic seating, or modest restaurants. What’s great is that not only is the food delicious, but affordable too.

Although you will find broader Malaysian food, Penang has its specialties. The one I ate more than anything was char kway teoh, which is rice noodles with a mix of stuff, including egg, sprouts, and Chinese sausage. As a favourite of mine back in Australia, it was so good to eat the real deal in Penang.

Other common yet tasty dishes include curry mee and hokkien mee, both spicy noodle soups a little like laksa, and cendol, an interesting iced dessert with coconut milk and green jelly noodles. There are simply too many awesome foods to list here, so before you go, look for detailed food guides like this one to find them all.

 

4. Excellent coffee

One of my most fortunate surprises in George Town was the number of great coffee places I managed to find. As someone who needs their coffee, you can imagine how happy I was to keep stumbling upon good-quality coffee places.

Perhaps a little in contrast to the city’s heritage and history, these cafes felt new and modern and had extensive menus. I mean, many wouldn’t feel out of place back home in Australia, that’s for sure.

Part of the reason I chose to stick around longer in Penang was that these great cafes gave me somewhere to work.

As a digital nomad (at the time), cafes with atmospheres like the Constant Gardener and Black Kettle are ideal for focusing on work but also getting my caffeine fix. Another cafe I’d recommend is Kim Haus, which does great food too.

I’m sure there were more cafes worth checking out, and new ones too, but safe to say I was satisfied by the ones I visited.

 

5. The architecture of George Town

Ignore the food, coffee, and various creative works around the city, and George Town is still a fascinating and pretty city. There’s a reason that UNESCO inscribed George Town on its World Heritage List.

And the keyword there is “heritage”. The historic centre of the city is full of fantastic colonial architecture and old Chinese storefronts, which together make wandering about the Old Town such a joy.

George Town was originally a British colonial settlement as a trading port, although Penang had long been settled and fought over by neighboring Asian powers. This is why you have colonial buildings and fortifications, mixed with different Asian influences.

This underlying character creates a scenic backdrop for the other great features of George Town. Travelers interested in learning more about the local heritage should check out this rickshaw tour.

 

6. Remarkably multicultural

Much like the city of Malacca, George Town is a place that reflects the incredibly diverse culture and people that form Malaysia.

Things I’ve already mentioned, like food and architecture, are directly reflected in that. Explore the different parts of George Town’s historic centre, and you see all these different elements that together add up to more than the sum of their parts.

Two of the most noticeable ethnic areas in the heart of George Town are Little India and Chinatown. Each area has a distinct character, from its residents and architecture to the types of businesses operating there.

This diversity is represented in places of worship, too. One minute you’re passing a vibrant Hindu temple, the next, a highly detailed Buddhist temple.

Ultimately, though, it’s still recognisable as George Town. An important trading port over the centuries, that diversity is just built into its DNA, and I think it is a big part of what makes Penang and all of Malaysia so fun to visit.

 

7. The huge Kek Lok Si Temple

Up until this point, I haven’t focused on any single tourist landmark in Penang. Many of my reasons for visiting George Town focused on the city as a whole, not any one landmark. That’s because I don’t think George Town is the kind of destination where you focus on must-do cultural attractions.

But if there is one, I think it has to be Kek Lok Si Temple. On the city outskirts, closer to the island centre, this temple outshone the many temples and shrines in George Town. While I visited independently, you can take a tour of the temple if that’s more your speed.

People normally visit the temple together with the cable car up Penang Hill. On seeing long lines, I abandoned the hill’s view, but seeing this temple more than made up for it. Kek Lok Si isn’t particularly old—it dates from 1930—but it is impressive in terms of scale and design. The views back to George Town aren’t half bad either.

Among its many gardens and pagodas, two main sights stand out. One is the cream white Pagoda of Rama VI, featuring many statues and a fusion of designs across its different tiers. The other is the towering, modern monument to Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion. Standing 36 meters high, the sheer size of this statue and its covering pagoda is impressive and striking, even under renovation.

 

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Have you ever had the chance to visit George Town or Penang? What about this island of Malaysia appeals to you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.