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Penang

Malaysia travel guide

What to see in Penang

George Town, a World Heritage Site, famous for its street art and the best street food in the country.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 5 must-see places
  • Best time: from April to January
  • Typical food: Char kway teow
Photo: philip.mallis · CC BY-SA 2.0

Penang highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. George Town

    Colonial shophouses and murals.

  2. Clan Jetties

    Houses on stilts.

  3. Kek Lok Si Temple

    The largest Buddhist temple in the country.

  4. Penang Hill

    By funicular.

  5. Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

    The Blue Mansion.

Day trips from Penang

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Penang

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Penang are from April to January.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings
  • February, March

    Ramadan (approximate dates)

    During the day many restaurants close or open less and museum and shop hours change. The evenings, with iftar, are very special.

    What to do: Out of respect, don’t eat or drink in the street during the day; book dinner for after sunset.

Typical food of Penang

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Penang from your kitchen).

Char kway teow
Photo: NoPhysicist · CC BY-SA 4.0

Char kway teow

Flat rice noodles stir-fried over a fierce heat with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and Chinese chives, with the smoky taste of the wok. The star dish of Penang’s stalls.

  • Serves 2
  • 20 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g fresh flat rice noodles
  • 150 g prawns
  • 100 g cockles or clams (optional)
  • 1 Chinese sausage, sliced (optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g bean sprouts
  • Chinese chives
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 of dark soy sauce and 1 of oyster sauce
  • Chilli paste to taste
  • Oil or lard

How to make it at home

  1. Mix the sauces with the chilli paste.
  2. Heat the wok until smoking, add oil and stir-fry the garlic and prawns.
  3. Add the noodles and sauces and stir-fry over a high heat without stopping.
  4. Make a well, scramble the eggs and toss them through the noodles.
  5. Add the cockles, bean sprouts and chives, stir-fry for 30 seconds and serve.

The trick: One portion at a time: if you overfill the wok it cools down and won’t take on the smoky flavour.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a hawker centre or a kopitiam (traditional coffee shop). The dishes you can’t miss are in the Malaysia guide.

Frequently asked questions about Penang

What to see in Penang?

George Town, Clan Jetties, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion.

What to see in Penang in one day?

Don’t miss George Town, Clan Jetties, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Penang?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Penang are from April to January.

What day trips can you take from Penang?

Street food.

What is the typical food of Penang?

Char kway teow. Flat rice noodles stir-fried over a fierce heat with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and Chinese chives, with the smoky taste of the wok. The star dish of Penang’s stalls.

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More in Malaysia

Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.