Penang map. Sights and beach holidays in Penang, Malaysia. How to get to Penang

Here is a detailed map of Penang Island with the names of cities and towns in Russian. Move the map while holding it with the left mouse button. You can move around the map by clicking on one of the four arrows in the upper left corner. You can change the scale using the scale on the right side of the map or turning the mouse wheel.

What country is Penang Island in?

Penang Island is located in Malaysia. This is a wonderful, beautiful place, with its own history and traditions. Penang Island coordinates: north latitude and east longitude (show on large map).

Virtual walk

The “man” figurine above the scale will help you take a virtual walk through the cities of Penang Island. By clicking and holding the left mouse button, drag it to any place on the map and you will go for a walk, while inscriptions with the approximate address of the area will appear in the upper left corner. Select the direction of movement by clicking on the arrows in the center of the screen. The “Satellite” option at the top left allows you to see a relief image of the surface. In the "Map" mode, you will have the opportunity to familiarize yourself in detail with the roads of Penang Island and the main attractions.

Travel and tourism in exotic countries never cease to attract residents of big cities. Malaysia is quite capable of satisfying all the needs of a tourist: it has a wonderful climate, good service and unusual attractions. Penang Island is a real pearl of the country: magnificent nature, friendly people and gentle sea will make your vacation unforgettable and comfortable.

Geography

Malaysia is a small state in the Andaman Sea. It is located on several islands and covers a small mainland. To find the Andaman Sea on the map, you need to rush upward from the Indian Ocean, where, among countless bays and seas, this geographical object is located. Its waters wash the island (pulau) of Penang, which belongs to Malaysia, on all sides. The island is 25 km long and 15 km wide. The state of Penang is the most developed and populated region of the country. The mainland and island parts of the state are connected by the Penang Bridge. The island's territory is hilly and wooded. The highest point is the mountain of the same name. The island contains two cities and several small settlements. Thanks to the booming tourism industry, the island is becoming more populated every year. According to the latest census, about 750 thousand people live on the island. 41% are Chinese, 40 are Malays, 10 are Indians.

Economy

Penang, Malaysia, from an economic point of view, is one of the most prosperous regions of the country. In general, Malaysia is a modern country with highly developed technologies and economy; it belongs to the so-called and is considered one of the richest and most dynamically growing countries among developing economies.

Penang (Malaysia) exists mainly due to industries such as tourism and agro-industry. Palm trees, rubber, and almost all types of fruits are grown here. The island is rich in forests, so wood processing and export is an important sector of the economy. If you look at the Andaman Sea on a map, another important part of the island's economy will become obvious - marine fishing. The warm waters are home to the vast quantities of fish and seafood for which Penang is famous. Malaysia is rich in mineral resources; the country has its own oil, large deposits of gas, iron and tin ores. Travel and tourism have become a priority area of ​​economic development in recent years. The country has not yet reached the level of development, like, for example, neighboring Indonesia and Thailand, but it is striving for this. New hotels and holiday complexes are constantly being built on the island, an excellent road system has already been created here, and special conditions are being created for entrepreneurs and investors. All this leads to the fact that the tourism area in Penang is constantly growing, new opportunities for holidays are appearing here, which entails a steady increase in tourist flow and stable development of the country's economy.

In the late 70s, a base was created here which also became the engine of Penang's economy. Today, the island houses the offices of many large companies, such as Intel, Bosch, and Motorola. There are several operating here that contribute to the development of various areas of production. Penang's deep water port links it to more than 200 port cities around the world.

The standard of living on the island is quite high; you will not find poverty or devastation here. A very large percentage of the middle class creates conditions for the improvement of territories and the development of service infrastructure. The island is divided into two administrative divisions: North-East and South-West Penang.

Story

The Andaman Sea region is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the world. Favorable living conditions made these lands a desirable place to live. Penang (Malaysia) was first mentioned in written sources in the 15th century, in the diary of the Chinese navigator Zheng Ho. He is considered the discoverer of the island, although by this time a developed culture already existed here. Even then, active trade relations were established between local residents and Chinese entrepreneurs. Residents of the island consider Zheng Ho a local hero; several monuments to him can be seen on the island.

In 1592, the British arrived on the island, led by James Lancaster. The name Penang, derived from the name of a local palm tree, was assigned to the island in the 18th century; before that it had many names in the languages ​​of the local residents. In 1786, Francis Light, a British merchant and navigator working for the East India Company, essentially occupied the island. At this time, negotiations were underway between Sultan Abdul Mukkarama Shah and the British government for a protectorate over Penang in exchange for military protection from the claims of Burma and Siam. The Sultan also demanded a ransom of 30 thousand Spanish dollars from Britain. But the negotiations did not end in anything; the British simply occupied the territory of the island. Light names the island after the Prince of Wales. The Sultan made several attempts to return the island, but in the end agreed to a ransom of 6 thousand. Light begins to build the military fort Cornwallis and lays out the first city of Georgetown.

Malaysia, in the form of the island of Penang, remained part of the British Empire until the beginning of the 20th century. For some time the island played a major role as a trading port, but the emergence of the Port of Singapore changed everything. Penang became less visible, but at the same time continued to live its own life. In 1826, the island became part of the Straits Settlements colony. In 1946, it became part of the Malayan Union, then a state of the Federation of Malaya, within which it gained independence in 1957. In 1963, the island became part of the state of Penang and became part of the state of Malaysia.

Climate

Peneng's equatorial climate makes it very comfortable to live in. The average annual temperature on the island is 28 degrees. The water off the coast is around 25-30 degrees. The equatorial climate of the island is characterized by pronounced seasonality. The so-called “dry” period lasts from June to September and from December to March. The rainy season is in April-May and October-November. However, this division is very arbitrary, since precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the year. Rain is a common occurrence in Penang, but it is usually short-lived, with precipitation often falling at night and the sun shining during the day. In mountainous areas, temperatures are more moderate, averaging 22 degrees.

The weather in the resort areas of the island is fairly even throughout the year. The temperature fluctuates by no more than 1 degree, the hottest month is May, the average daily temperature is 30 degrees, and there are 8-9 rainy days at this time, which allows you to plan a seaside holiday in May. The average length of daylight hours is 8.5 hours; the least sun can be seen in November and December, when daylight hours are reduced to 7 hours; the most precipitation falls during this period.

The mild, even climate makes the island attractive for tourism all year round.

Penang is located in an area of ​​high seismic activity; there are earthquakes in Sumatra and Indonesia, the echo of which reaches the island. However, in the entire history of observations, there have been no destructive shocks or tsunamis on the island that would threaten people. Even during the powerful 2012 Sumatra earthquake, Penang experienced only a slight sway. A more likely cataclysm in the equatorial climate is floods; in September-December 2014, the island suffered a major flood, which caused significant damage to the population. However, the authorities very quickly eliminated all the consequences of the disaster.

People

Penang, Malaysia, is a melting pot of several ethnic groups. The Chinese dominate here, unlike the rest of the country. Today, Penang has become a place of settlement for expats (foreign, most often European, specialists), and entire European colonies are being created. With so much ethnic diversity, a wide variety of speech can be heard on the island. The official language, as throughout Malaysia, is Bahasa Melayu or Malay. Due to the long British past, English is also widely spoken; the Chinese population uses the Chinese language with all their might. There are also several unique languages ​​in use: Tamil, Iban, Austronesian dialects. Many of the local dialects still do not have a written language.

Islam is the state religion, but the Chinese population of Penang more often professes Buddhism, and you can also meet representatives of the Anglican and Hindu churches. Deep Buddhist roots are reflected in the worldview of people who are very friendly. There are always a lot of smiling people here, it is almost impossible to encounter aggression. Although the inhabitants of the island often speak very expressively in raised tones with active gestures, this is only a reflection of their temperament. The island is highly secure and you rarely hear of violence or robbery, although scams certainly do exist, especially in tourist areas.

Attractions

A long history, in which several cultures are intertwined, has led to the formation of a unique environment on the island, in which various traditions have found resonance. Penang, whose attractions are an important part of tourist programs, provides great opportunities for educational excursions.

Penang, which was part of the British Empire for a long time, retained many features of colonial culture. The old colonial district of George Town has retained a unique appearance, combining the features of British classical architecture and Chinese traditional buildings. Here you must definitely find the “blue house”; this mansion is one of the ten most outstanding estates in the world. The city center is a UNESCO protected monument. Walking along these streets is a real adventure; you can do it with a guide or on your own; you can take a bicycle and explore all corners of the city.

It is not for nothing that Penang is known as the “pearl of the East”; it harmoniously combines the features of Indian, Chinese, and Malay cultures. The most interesting thing is the seven-tiered pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which is located in the Temple of Supreme Bliss; it is the largest temple in Asia. The height of the pagoda is 30 meters and you can climb it to explore the surrounding area. Of undoubted interest among tourists will be the Temple of Snakes, built in 1850 in honor of a Chinese monk, healer and protector of all living things, including snakes. There are many snakes living in the temple, the servants assure that they are devoid of poison, but this is not the main thing, here you can see the historical building and look at the life of the monks. The Burmese Buddhist Temple is also worth seeing. Exploring its rather large area can turn into an exciting quest. There is an elevator, an attraction for donations, and many beautiful corners. The Indian Quarter will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of real India, with its brightness, spice, music and temples.

The Penang Bridge is another impressive landmark. Its length is more than 13 km, it is the longest bridge in Asia and the third in the world.

To see the city from above, you can climb Mount Penang, whose height is 800 m.

Kitchen

Penang Island is considered a true Asian gastronomic capital. Here you can taste authentic Indian, Chinese, Malay, and Thai cuisines. Time magazine named Petang's catering the best in Asia, and gastronomic tours are organized here. Since there are a great many restaurants serving authentic Asian dishes, it can be difficult to figure them out without a guide. “Pearl of the East” allows you to taste the most outstanding national cuisines of Asia in one place. The natives consider the main dish of their island to be char kway teow, which translates as fried noodles. But the name is deceptive, for example, rice noodles are the only required component of this dish, the cook adds the rest at his discretion, and this can be chicken, shrimp, seafood, fruits, vegetables and, of course, spices and sauces.

Fried rice is another dish that you can try in every restaurant and never find anything similar. The freshest fish in Penang is also prepared in thousands of different ways, and the result is always excellent. Asam laksa, a spicy fish dish, is a specialty of the island and is included in the ranking of the “50 most delicious dishes in the world.” There are many versions of laksa; you could spend a whole tour comparing these dishes in different restaurants. The beauty of Penang is that here a variety of dishes are placed close to each other, and sometimes in the same restaurant, and it all costs very little.

Features of the holiday

The main attraction for tourists is the beaches of Penang. Of course, in terms of their grooming and infrastructure, they are inferior to the beaches of Phuket or Bali. But their beauty is that there are much fewer people here, and you can combine lying on the beach with educational and entertainment tourism. The main beaches are Batu Ferringhi, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Tokong. Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Tokong are located near Georgetown, have a well-developed infrastructure, here you can get various water attractions, eat in a good cafe, and rent any equipment. Teluk Bahang is located on the territory of a national park and gives an unforgettable feeling of unity with nature. Here, of course, the service is more modest, but this is more than compensated by the beauty of nature and the lack of crowds. Although every year this beach becomes more and more civilized and attracts more and more people.

A holiday at sea in May, June and September will not only be a great way to sunbathe, but also get acquainted with a unique culture, cuisine, and get in touch with tropical nature. This is the main specificity of Penang - here you can combine the usual beach holiday with trips to natural parks and sightseeing tours.

How to get there

Getting to Penang is very easy. Air communication between Moscow and Malaysia is well established. You need to fly to the capital Kuala Lampur (a direct flight will take almost 10 hours), and from there take a boat to the island or take a domestic flight. There are also tours to Malaysia with a flight to Bayan Lepas (15 km from Georgetown), which is connected by direct flights to almost all Asian capitals and many international airports.

Things to do

Penang is the best place for lovers of active and educational recreation; there are many places worth visiting. It is also an excellent place for walking. First of all, you should go to the Waterfall Gardens botanical garden to see a unique collection of tropical plants; some species of exotic birds and animals are also represented here. The park is very beautiful, waterfalls and shades of trees create a pleasant coolness, so you can go here even on a hot July day.

Pulau Payar Marine Park is another great place to spend time, here you can see the coral reef and its inhabitants, as well as a huge number of inhabitants of the underwater world.

It will be interesting for tourists to visit a tropical fruit farm. Here you can drink juice from freshly picked fruit and see how exotic fruits grow. You can continue your walks in the Butterfly Park, which features more than 300 species of tropical butterflies, in the Bird Park with 800 species of birds, in the Forest Museum, in Penang National Park.

In addition to walking, you can devote time to exploring the national cuisines of the Asian region, enjoy a variety of water attractions, and spend time shopping in large shopping centers near Georgetown.

Today, which is so inexpensive and varied, it is rapidly entering the TOP of the best tropical holiday destinations. Penang strives to offer the best in tourist entertainment. Free time can be devoted to excursions around Georgetown on a double-decker bus. You can buy a tour to a real Malay village to see the life of people far from civilization. There, tourists will be shown the traditional crafts, rituals and homes of the Malay aborigines.

Museum lovers can visit the military museum, which preserves and reconstructs the life of British defensive units of the 19th century; the Penang Museum, which tells the history of the island and displays art and crafts of the region's inhabitants, the Suffolk House estate of Captain Francis Light, the unusual owl museum, where more than 1000 owl figurines from a variety of materials are collected.

Where to stay

Tours to Malaysia offer a choice of accommodation within Georgetown or in smaller suburbs. Beach lovers can stay in close proximity to the coast. If you wish, you can stay in a butterfly park or even in a national reserve to feel merging with pristine tropical nature. However, traditionally tourists prefer to stay within Georgetown, and from there visit different points of the island. Transport in Penang is very well developed and very inexpensive, and hotels in the city offer the best conditions.

Practical information

Malaysia, where holidays are so attractive, is a visa-free country for Russians. If the trip lasts no more than 30 days, then you do not need to obtain any visas.

Penang is located in the UTC+8 time zone, that is, the difference with Moscow is +5 hours.

The national currency of Malaysia is the Malaysian ringgit; other currencies are rarely used in the country. You can exchange money at banks or numerous exchange offices, where the exchange rate is traditionally more favorable. For exchange, it is most convenient to take US dollars. Plastic cards are accepted everywhere, except in markets and transport, but you should remember to be careful, since Malaysia is in a high-risk area for transactions with bank cards.

As in all Asian countries, in Penang you should take additional sanitary safety measures and be sure to stock up on medications and insurance before your trip.

Island Penang- an island in the northwest of Malaysia, located a few kilometers from the mainland and connected to it by two bridges. The state of Penang includes not only the island itself, but also part of the mainland. The name of the island of Penang is sometimes written with the letter "e" and sometimes with the letter "i". On the Google map the island is called Penang, but I more often see the spelling (with an “e”).

Penang Island or Penang, Malaysia

The island of Penang is well known to many Thai winterers and long-livers, because this is where they go for visa runs from and other cities in Thailand. Visa travelers mostly come to Penang Island for only 2-3 days (just to have time to submit documents and pick up a passport with a visa), but numerous (especially Chinese :) tourists stay in Penang for a longer period :)

We stayed on Penang Island for only a few days, and visited some of the sights of Penang, so this review in this article is from the point of view of an ordinary tourist, and not a long-term resident. We didn’t look for large supermarkets and good markets, we didn’t try to save on food, moving around the island and all sorts of little things. And we were also very unlucky: we arrived in Penang during a period of severe smog from the Indonesian fires (who remembers, there was smog on Samui at that time), from which not only was there terrible visibility and all the landscapes were in haze, but also and walking around the city was very difficult: hot and stuffy.

Penang island covered in smog from Indonesian fires

Penang Island: general information

Until 1786, Penang belonged to the Sultan of Kedah and was uninhabited, then it passed to the British, who settled on the island for many years: Penang remained under the control of the British until 1957. Since 1963, the island became part of Malaysia. Now Penang is one of the largest islands in Malaysia and one of the most densely populated areas of the country (after Kuala Lumpur).

There are constant traffic jams in Penang and George Town!

Penang has a very developed tourism and hotel industry: not only tourists come to the island for recreation; large international conferences and business forums are often held in Penang. In addition to tourism, Penang has a developed electronics industry, with offices of large electronics companies located here. And, of course, rice, fruits, and rubber are grown on the island. Penang is also a significant trading center in Malaysia.

Walking around Penang

The bulk of the population of Penang Island are Chinese, Indians and Malaysians. This means that in the city, in addition to mosques, you can see Chinese, Hindu and even Catholic temples! There is also a huge selection of cafes serving Chinese and Indian cuisine.

There are many Catholic churches on the island
And mosques

The central and northern part of Penang Island is covered with jungle, in the north there is a national park and the best beaches of the island. The capital of Penang is George Town, located in the east of the island.

Penang is connected to the mainland by two bridges. The first bridge, 13.5 km long, was opened in 1985 and for a long time remained one of the longest bridges in the world and the longest in Asia. This Penang Bridge has become the hallmark of Penang and is even depicted on the island's coat of arms. In 2014, a new 24-kilometer bridge connecting the island and the mainland was opened.

Due to the heavy haze, the famous bridge is almost invisible. But he is there :)

Weather in Penang: seasons and best time to go to the island

The climate in Penang is hot and humid. There are two periods of the rainy season: September – November and May. But now the climate around the world is changing so rapidly that it is simply impossible to guess what the weather will be like in Penang in a certain month. We were in Penang in mid-September. It rained once in a few days. But what rain! A real tropical downpour!

The high season in Penang begins in December and lasts until the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. As I already said, there are many Chinese living in Penang, so the celebration of all Chinese holidays is celebrated on a grand scale! Well, Chinese tourists love to visit Penang: in the last year, there have been significantly more Chinese tourists in all Asian cities, they even reached the backpacker destination! In 2018, Chinese New Year will begin on February 16th, so Penang will be in high season until the end of February, which means inflated prices.

One of the Chinese temples in Penang

I do not recommend visiting Penang during national Malaysian holidays and during holidays in local schools. Depending on who you choose, we didn’t really like seeing numerous local families with women in black clothes (we arrived just during the school holidays).

Penang, how to get there

There is an airport in Penang, so the plane is one of the most convenient and fastest ways to get to Penang :)

Buy air tickets to Penang

All the ways to get to Penang are here:

Transport in Penang

The island has well-developed public transport - buses. There's even a free George Town tour bus. You can also rent a car or bike without any problems.

These are the air-conditioned buses that ply around the island

Penang hotels, where to live on the island

Before you start choosing hotels in Penang, I advise you to decide on your area of ​​residence. If your main goal is sightseeing in Penang or obtaining a Thai visa, then I advise you to stay in Georgetown; if you want a beach-sized vacation, then on Batu Ferringhi beach.

Penang hotels are easy to find and book here:

For a longer stay, you can consider renting an apartment through AirBnb.

Inexpensive hotel room in the center of Georgetown
Houses for those who want to live right on the beach :)

Beaches of Penang

The beaches of Penang are located on the northern part of the island. The most popular and famous Batu Ferringhi beach . Hotels, shops, numerous restaurants, and souvenir shops stretch along the seashore. A little further towards the mountains there are multi-storey buildings where you can rent an apartment or a room.

Batu Ferringhi area in Penang
In Batu Ferringhi the infrastructure is well developed: there are a lot of cafes, shops, souvenir shops

We arrived at the beach in bad weather, but you can imagine how beautiful it is when the sun is shining! Large high-level hotels stretch along the coast.

Batu Ferringhi beach in bad weather. In sunny weather it is much more beautiful here! 🙂
Long and long beach of Batu Ferringhi in Penang

But for a beach holiday I consider this Penang beach Not very suitable. I'll explain why:

1. On the Penang beach there are a lot of Muslim women with their families wrapped in clothes: you don’t want to undress in front of them and swim, and especially lie and sunbathe in swimsuits.
2. There are a lot of boats and jet skis at sea. Water activities are very popular on Penang Beach: banana boat rides, motorcycle rides or parasailing. I don’t like swimming among rushing boats at all.
3. According to rumors, Batu Ferringhi beach is loved not only by tourists, but also by jellyfish. Therefore, to avoid burns, many swim in clothes.
4. The water in the sea is not the cleanest and most transparent...

Parachute flying is a very popular activity among Malaysians.
I haven’t flown on such a thing :) I’m afraid of heights :)
There is a huge selection of water activities on the beach

The beach in Penang is good for walking, enjoying the sunset, having dinner on the seashore, but not for swimming.

The long beach of Batu Ferringhi is good for walks along the seashore

Video of Batu Ferringhi beach:

Other Penang beaches:

• Teluk Bahang
• Tanjung Bungah
• Monkey Beach in Penang National Park

Georgetown is the capital of Penang

The city of Georgetown was founded in 1786 and named after the English King George. George Town is a Penang landmark in itself and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has preserved ancient houses, temples, and mosques. Honestly, after reading rave reviews about Georgetown, I was hoping to see a nice town like , but I was disappointed... Georgetown didn’t impress me at all: grey, long distances, traffic jams. Of course, the heat and smog also took their toll, which may be why I didn’t feel like walking around the city at all.

Streets of Georgetown: near our hotel
There are also nicer areas. This street even reminded me of Vietnamese Hoi An
On the Georgetown waterfront

In the center of George Town stands the tallest building on the island - the Komtar Tower, 235 meters high (65 floors). At the top of the Komtar Tower, on the 58th floor, there is an observation deck and a restaurant.

Komtar Tower is the tallest building in the city

The Komtar Tower is a good landmark, it can be seen from any part of the city 🙂 and next to the tower is a good area to stop for a few days: at the bottom of the Komtar Tower there is a bus station, nearby there are a bunch of shops, tourist offices and cafes where you can have an inexpensive lunch.

Look for street art on the streets of Georgetown. We didn’t look, we only saw these pictures on the walls:

Painted walls of houses in Georgetown

If you came to the island for just a few days and you are faced with the question of what to see in Penang, which attractions of Penang to visit first, then I recommend doing this:

Sights of George Town

Walk around the city of Georgetown, optionally visiting temples and museums. Choose:

• Fort Cornwallis
• Khoo Kongsi House Museum
• St. George's Church
• Blue House
• Chinatown Chinatown
• Little India Quarter
• Captain Keling Mosque
• Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple
• Chinese Temple of the Goddess of Mercy
• Old Protestant Cemetery
• Chew Jetty - fishing village
• Penang State Museum
• Glass Museum
• Islamic Museum Penang
• Cat cafe 🙂 and others

Fort Cornwallis
It seemed to us that the territory of the Fort was very small and for 20 ringgit we decided not to go there
Tourists like to take pictures near the walls of the Fort.
St. George's Church
Memorial clock tower in honor of Queen Victoria
One of the Chinese temples in Penang
Achin Street Mosque
House-museum blue mansion

In addition to walking around Georgetown, I advise you to set aside a day to visit the two main (in my opinion) attractions of Penang: and. These two attractions are close to each other and can easily be visited in one day.

Kek Lok Si, Penang
Observation deck on the mountain

Other attractions in Penang

• Botanical Garden
• Tropical fruit farm
• Spice Garden
• Butterfly Park
• Bird Park (on the mainland)
• Thai Buddhist temple
• Serpent Temple
• floating mosque
• Penang National Park

As you can see, there are many attractions in Penang; to visit them all, you need to live on the island for quite a long time. By the way, in addition to the attractions, Penang Island is famous for its... nightlife. Yes, this is where many nightclubs are located! I would never have thought that people hang out in a Muslim country :)

Shopping, shopping and food in Penang

Shopping

There are several shopping centers in the center of Georgetown. I went to Komtar and the neighboring Prangin Mall. To be honest, you shouldn’t waste time visiting these shopping centers if your goal is shopping: there’s nothing good there, half of the shops are closed, and in those that are open, things are like in our markets, well, like in Chirgizon in Moscow or at the market in next to . In general, some kind of Chinese horror is terrible! The only thing worth going to one of these shopping centers for are restaurants and coffee shops. On the ground floor of Prangin Mall there is a Starbucks with standard delicious coffee :)

Shopping center Prangin Mall. There’s nothing interesting inside, no shopping 🙁 But in this building on the ground floor there are a bunch of tour offices outside selling tickets to different destinations, and on the other side there’s Starbucks coffee
The same shopping center from the other side
On the square near Prangin Mall

Nearby, in the next building on the ground floor, we found a Pacific supermarket, where we bought water, fruit, yoghurt, cookies and other small things. There is also a good cheap Indian restaurant on the street side, on the other side of the building there is KFC, several decent restaurants, bars and karaoke.

Another shopping center with a grocery supermarket

Normal shopping centers are located a little further from the center of Georgetown:

• Gurney Plaza - a huge shopping center on the road to Batu Ferringhi beach
• Queensbay Mall – located next to the Penang Bridge

There are several large Tesco stores in Penang. I think that the Tesco store does not need advertising, everyone knows it well from Thailand.

Food

There are no problems with food in Penang. They say that Penang is the gastronomic capital of Malaysia. In addition to Malaysian cuisine, there are many Indian and Chinese restaurants (I looked everywhere for Chinese dumplings, which I liked so much in!).

Food prices are low; it seemed to us that food in cafes in Penang was cheaper than in Thailand. Freshly squeezed juice is sold everywhere, for only 3 – 5 ringgit (~$1). The juice is actually freshly squeezed and without any added salt and sugar, as they like to do in Thailand :)

There are Chinese restaurants on every corner in Penang.
Another inexpensive restaurant
Penang had the best fresh juices! In one place they poured orange juice into a bag for me :)

We ate several times at an Indian restaurant near Komtar. I must say that I don’t like Indian food, or rather, after a trip to India I don’t like everything Indian :) but the food here is good, I liked it :)

The cafe is very simple, many locals dine there. There is no menu, or rather, some kind of menu with prices hangs on the wall, but you can’t make out what’s written :) So we just pointed our finger at the dishes we liked. Lesha took rice with meat (there is beef and lamb!), and I took flatbreads with meat gravy. And of course, Indian milk tea. The first time I wanted to take cold green tea, but they brought me hot black tea with milk. But we liked the tea so much that we subsequently ordered it everywhere in Malaysia (beer in Malaysia is expensive, we washed down our food with tea :)).

Cheap Indian cafe where we had lunch several times
This is what the place looks like inside. A sort of canteen for locals. At first we were afraid to go in :)
And this is our lunch for pennies (up to 3 dollars)

We lived near the Komtar Tower and in our area all the cafes closed very early, around 8 pm! On the first evening after arriving late and checking into the hotel, we had difficulty finding where to have dinner (and it was only 21:30), fortunately there was a KFC next to us. Once again I was glad that we don’t roll our eyes with horror at the words fast food and Coca-Cola, as is fashionable now :) Otherwise I would have to starve, and when I’m hungry, I’m very angry :)

ATMs and currency exchange in Penang

Before traveling to Malaysia, I read that not all ATMs in Penang accept our cards and that there are very few places in the city where you can withdraw money from your card. Fortunately, near our hotel, in the Prangin Mall shopping center, we found a huge Cimb bank branch with ATMs. That's where they took Malaysian ringgits.

You can exchange currency at any exchange office; there are many of them in Penang, but they close very early. If you arrive in Penang late at night, stock up on ringgit in advance!

Below are some prices in Penang (prices are average, tourist prices, those who find lower prices are great :)

Malaysian durians :)

Penang: housing prices:

Penang: transport prices

Penang: prices for attractions

• Visit to Fort Cornwallis – 20 ringgit for adults, 10 for children
• Visit to the Blue House mansion museum – 17 ringgit
• Cable car to Mount Penang – RM30 two ways
• Visit to the Owl Museum on Penang Hill – 12 ringgit adult ticket, 6 child ticket
• Visit to the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas in the Kek Lok Si complex - 2 ringgit
• Funicular to Guan Yin Statue at Kek Lok Si - RM3 one way
• Visit to the botanical garden is free
• Tropical Spice Garden – 26 ringgit adult ticket and 15 ringgit child ticket
• Tropical Fruit Garden – RM40 adults, RM30 children
• Butterfly Farm – RM27 adults, RM15 children
• Bird Park – 38 ringgit adults, 20 ringgit children
• Penang National Park - free

Penang food prices

• Bottle of water – RM 1.5
• A pack of cookies in a store – 2 ringgit
• Yogurt – RM 1.9
• A glass of freshly squeezed juice – 3 – 5 ringgit
• A cup of cappuccino at Starbucks – 11.5 ringgit
• A serving of rice with fish in a cafe – 8 ringgit
• The cost of a dish in a simple street cafe is 3 – 8 ringgit
• Chinese dumplings – 3 – 4 ringgit per serving (usually 3 pieces)
• Delicious beef in a decent cafe – 20 – 30 ringgit
• Delicious lamb in a decent cafe – 27 – 30 ringgit
• Soups in a decent cafe – 12 ringgit
• The cost of lunch for two in a very cheap Indian restaurant is 10 - 15 ringgit
• The cost of a snack at KFC for two is 17 ringgit
• The cost of dinner for two in a decent cafe is 40 – 70 ringgit

Some prices in cheap street cafes
Delicious food in a clean place from 4.5 to 7.5 ringgit
Prices in one of the cafes in the shopping center
Food prices in Penang are not high at all
Prices in a good cafe in the center of Georgetown. Hooray, there are beef and lamb dishes here! I love it.. :)
Cheap and tasty fruit juices
Cost of tailoring and laundry

Penang or Langkawi

Very often, tourists, when considering one of the islands of Malaysia for a holiday, are faced with a choice: what to choose Penang or Langkawi? These two islands are located close to each other and are connected by sea crossing -. Both Penang and Langkawi have an airport where you can fly from Kuala Lumpur for very little money.

Many years ago, I was choosing my first Malaysian island :) I studied traveler reports, read reviews about Penang and Langkawi and chose Langkawi Island. Now, having visited Penang, I realized that I made the right choice then :) Still, Langkawi is more suitable for a vacation.

The island of Langkawi has gorgeous beaches and magnificent nature
Well, there are some tourist attractions in Langkawi too :)

Penang, on the contrary, is not very suitable for a beach holiday (why, see above in the article). But there are so many attractions on this island!

Langkawi is a Duty Free zone; in the huge Duty Free store you can cheaply buy alcoholic drinks, cookies, and chocolate. But as far as I remember, food in cafes was not very good for me in Langkawi. The only thing I could eat was expensive grilled fish in beach cafes.

Penang is a gastronomic paradise :) There is a huge selection of food for every taste and budget. Penang is also famous for its nightclubs, and in Langkawi a vacation is more like a vacation “in the village with grandma.”

In Penang there is a more “urban” holiday, in Langkawi it is more “rural”

If you choose an island for a beach holiday, I advise you to choose Langkawi, but for excursion holidays and long-term stays, Penang Island is perfect. If it is possible to combine these two islands during your vacation, then I would allocate 30% of the time to Penang and 70% to Langkawi.

Monsters in Penang :)

Penang: map of useful places and attractions

The map shows useful places and some attractions of Penang

Malaysia is a modern industrialized country with a high level of economy. The state is developing dynamically and is considered one of the richest in Southeast Asia. Penang is a popular island and resort, which is geographically located in. Here you can choose a varied type of holiday: beach, shopping, excursion and entertainment.

What to see in Penang (photos)

Location of Penang, Malaysia

Malaysia occupies several islands, dividing it into two parts. The western direction includes the tip of the Malay Peninsula with adjacent islands. Penang is one of them. You can find Penang Island on the map if you rise from the Indian Ocean to the Strait of Malacca. Washed by the waters of the Andaman Sea, the island is located 13 km from the coast and is connected to the mainland by a long bridge.

Penang State includes the island itself and the coastal area of ​​the Seberang Perai mainland, separated by the Strait of Malacca. The total area of ​​the state is 1031 square meters. km, and the island part is 293 sq. km. Penang is 25 km long and 15 km wide. The area is characterized by hills and forests, the highest point being the mountain of the same name.

In a small area there are two cities and several villages. Georgetown is the administrative center, located in the eastern part of the island. This is a comfortable city with a high standard of living, developed service infrastructure and agro-industrial complexes.

Thanks to the development of tourism, different peoples live in the country. The census showed that Malays made up 40% of the population, the rest being 41% Chinese and 10% Indians. The mixture of nationalities significantly affected the mentality of the residents, cultural and architectural trends.

Best time to relax

The best time to go on vacation will depend on the tourist season, local holidays and weather. These places have a hot and humid climate, but it becomes significantly warmer from February to early March. Increased temperature and humidity make it difficult travel for sensitive people. There are rainy seasons, there are two of them: September-November, May. October and May are quite rainy months. Between April and June, Malaysia experiences smog brought by Sumatra winds.

A large influx of tourists occurs in December and January. During the Christmas and New Year holidays it is always crowded. The high tourist season provokes a rise in prices by up to 20%. The period from May to October is the low tourist season. At this time, housing prices and better rooms are more affordable. Holidays and festivals in Penang are celebrated on a grand scale, and due to the mixture of cultures, the processions are colorful, which can serve as a reason for a trip.

Island attractions

Penang is famous not only for its developed tourism and hotel business. International conferences and business forums are held here. Offices of large companies are located in cities electronics, shopping centers. All this is due to the fact that a free economic zone has been established on the territory.

Those who decide to explore interesting places and have enough time will have to spend at least 5-6 days on the excursion. Penang has more attractions than any other place in Malaysia. The main part is located in the capital - Georgetown, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Georgetown Historic District

Known as Old Town and listed as a World Heritage Site. It is a network of winding unique streets housing historical and architectural buildings, temples, mosques, palaces, markets and cafes. The architecture of the buildings is made in various styles - British, Chinese, etc. Some houses display paintings by artists. Here you can see painted animals, children, cartoon and movie characters. In some cases, the images are supplemented with real objects, which adds greater realism.

The following overview includes the most interesting and visited attractions within the city of Georgetown and beyond.

Temples

The closely intertwined cultures and religions in Malaysia are reflected in Muslim and Buddhist temples and Christian cathedrals. Of all the diversity, the largest Buddhist temple, Kek Lok Si, should be highlighted. Construction of the largest temple in Asia lasted 40 years. As a result, the architecture of the building included Burmese, Thai, and Chinese design elements. The temple houses the seven-tiered Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, which is 30 meters high. This temple is the hallmark of Penang.

Museums

There are many museums in Penang, many of them private. The variety of destinations is surprising; here every tourist will find an interesting museum.

Some of the popular cultural venues are:

Beach holiday in Penang

The main beaches of Penang are located on the northern side. The most famous of them are Batu Ferringhi, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Bungah.

1. Batu Ferringhi. This beach has good infrastructure, a diverse network of hotels and restaurants nearby, and offers various types of water sports. The beach is 10 km from Georgetown. Residents of the city often spend weekends here, having picnics and fishing. The site is characterized by white sand and relatively clear water compared to other beaches on the island, although there are large numbers of jellyfish observed.
2. Teluk Bahang. The name translates as “Bay of Embers.” It is located in the area of ​​the national park and fascinates with the beauty of the surrounding nature. Ferringhi is slightly inferior to Bath in terms of service, but it is less crowded.
3. Tanjung Bungah. It is located only 5 km from Georgetown, which affects the quality of the water: it contains garbage and jellyfish. This situation is explained by the presence of wastewater, which for inexplicable reasons attracts marine organisms. In terms of amenities, the beach is slightly inferior to Batu Ferringhi, but its suburban location is perfect for those who want to combine a beach holiday and sightseeing.

Beach holiday in Penang

To the west there are deserted and less civilized beaches, which are difficult to reach without personal transport. Monkey Beach is located in the depths of Penang National Park. You can get here by boat or by walking through the jungle. Pantai Keracut beach allows you to see unique relict places. Nearby there is a meromictic lake, surprising in that its upper layer consists of fresh water, and the lower layer consists of sea water.

Beach tourism in Penang is significantly inferior to other resorts in Southeast Asia. But the sunny climate, white sand, sightseeing, rich culture and history, and delicious cuisine make Penang special.

The island of Penang is located off the west coast of Malaysia and is a separate state with its capital in Georgetown. When we say an island, we usually imagine a small piece of land with palm trees and sand, but Penang does not fit into this framework: huge, with well-developed infrastructure, high-rise buildings, offices of major corporations and traffic flow.

Georgetown itself is simply a fantastic mix of cultures and peoples; it is not for nothing that the island has been recognized as the best destination for gastronomic tourism in Asia - there is Chinese, Indian and, of course, local cuisine. The island was once a colony of the British and colonial architecture, like the one we saw in, has been preserved here in good condition. Read about the sights of Penang and interesting places with photographs below.

How to get to Penang?

By plane

Penang Airport is located 18 km south of George Town and receives flights from many airlines from many cities in Asia. Airlines such as Air Asia also fly here.

From Russia, the easiest and cheapest way would be to fly with a transfer in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, but you can try to catch sale tickets to Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta and fly from there. For example, an air ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Penang can easily be purchased for $7-10 from Air Asia. It's even cheaper than getting to the island by bus.

A taxi from the airport to the city costs about 45 RM, the journey takes half an hour, or you can take the 401 bus for an hour and 3 RM. Buses run from morning to evening every half hour.

On a ferryboat

The town of Butterworth is the main access point to Penang Island. The cheapest option is to take a ferry for 1.2 RM, and this amount is charged only for travel there, and back is free. The cost of transporting a car is 7.7 RM.

Ferries depart every 15 minutes from 6-00 am to 9-00 pm, and run until 1 am, but less frequently. The pier is located next to the railway station and bus station in Butterworth - it’s convenient that you don’t have to go through the whole city - you transfer and that’s it.

You can get from Penang to Langkawi and vice versa - the cost of ferries is 60 RM one way, the travel time is 2-2.5 hours. Ferries depart from Penang in the morning at 08.15 and 08.30, as well as at 14.00. From Langkawi to Penang - at 10.30, 14.30 and 17.15.

By bus

The bus station in Penang is called Sungei Nibong and can be reached from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Cameron Highlands, Singapore, Kota Bharu and many other cities in Malaysia, as well as from Hat Yai in Thailand.

You can also get to Butterworth, and then take the ferry, as mentioned above. A taxi from Penang Bus Station to Georgetown will cost about RM25, and from Butterworth there - RM50.

By train

There is also a train station at Butterworth, with one train per day from Hat Yai (approx. 4 hours) and four trains per day from Kuala Lumpur (approx. 6 hours). Prices vary depending on the class of carriage.

Cruise ship, probably sailing to Langkawi

Transport in Penang

It’s very cool that the island has a network of bus routes owned by the state-owned Rapid Penang company. They cover all the important and interesting points on the island. The main buses you may need are:

401 - goes from the airport, through the bus station to the center of Georgetown

101 - from the pier through the center and shopping center and Komtar bus station along the northern road to Batu Ferrenghi and the national park.

204 - from the pier to Penang Hill.

You can also rent a motorbike or bicycle, and taxis can be found everywhere, they have meters. Another authentic way of transportation is rickshaws called trishaws.

Trishaw drivers resting in the shade

They're at work

Penang attractions

The most important and famous attraction of Penang is Georgetau city n with colonial architecture, Chinese and Indian quarters (Chinatown and Little India), mosques, Chinese temples, Indian sanctuaries. Just walk around the center, absorbing the sounds and smells, communicate with the people living in these places, especially since almost everyone speaks English at a decent level.

Courthouse

It is very interesting to look at the so-called clanhouses or clan houses. They appeared during the settlement of Penang by the Chinese, they formed something like their own quarters, with a way of life almost like in China.

Chinatown

You probably won’t find so many beautiful doors anywhere else.

Walking around the city you will definitely come across a Chinese temple

In the center there are the remains of a fortress called Fort Cornwallis, with cannons and the mast of a large ship

There are a couple of these in the city for museum lovers, but we didn’t go into them, so we don’t know what it’s like. I have indicated the main points of interest on the map of Penang at the bottom of the post.

By the way, there are free tourist buses that take you to the main interesting places - using them is a great idea, we recommend it!

There are also expensive double-decker excursion buses for European pensioners :-) Not a budget option

Expensive sightseeing buses

Penang is also famous for its street art: artists simply take entire walls or parts of them and paint them. It turns out beautifully and gives the city center a special charm, along with ancient buildings.

Street art in Georgetown

Beautiful and realistic drawings!

Yes, it's Minion!

We have a whole series of photographs with multi-colored doors, you can even make a photo collage! A very photogenic city

The majority of the population is Chinese, with a significant proportion of Indians and Malays also living here. Only in the city can you find many religious buildings that peacefully coexist with each other.

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Another, more colorful mosque

Be sure to try Indian and Chinese cuisine at local authentic restaurants. We are big fans of Indian cuisine, so we ate several times at one tasty, but inexpensive place - Sri Ananda Bahwan. They serve authentic, colorful Indian dishes from southern and northern India, and the prices are very inexpensive - you can eat and drink for two for 12 RM ($3).

Vegetarian set

Indian Restaurant, Georgetown

The capital of the island is also suitable as a place for excellent shopping, for example, the tallest building on the island is the Komtar shopping and office center.

Outside Georgetown:

Penang Hill- a high mountain with excellent views of the island and the sea, especially at sunset. To get up here you can use the lift for 30 ringit (round trip). Theoretically, you can go up the road from the botanical gardens for about 5-6 km, or vice versa, go down the mountain to the gardens.

Kek Lok Si Monastery- one of the largest Buddhist temples in Malaysia, the construction of which was financed by the Chinese community of Penang.

Batu Ferrenghi- the best beach on Penang island. Although people mainly come to the island not for swimming and beach holidays, there are nevertheless beaches here. At Batu Ferrenghi you can find various water activities, massages and restaurants, in short, everything that is usually found at resorts.

Penang National Park. The park is located on a cape in the north-west of the island, and it is the smallest in Malaysia. It's nice to walk through the jungle, swim in the sea and lie in hammocks on quiet and deserted beaches. While we were walking along a path in the forest, we met three huge one and a half meter monitor lizards three times! We've never seen anything like this, even in a zoo, but here they are in their natural environment.

There are several trails in the park, a map of which will be given to you in the information window. Entrance is free, and you will have to pay 7 ringit to walk along the canopy path through the trees, although it was under reconstruction during our stay.

Tropical fruit and butterfly farms. Not far from the national park there are farms where you can see how fruits are grown and taste the juice from them; or look at butterflies.

These are just the main attractions of the island, ask at the guesthouse and they will tell you more about what to see in Penang.

Other posts about Malaysia:

Penang Hotels

The best and most convenient place to stay is in Georgetown - there are interesting neighborhoods and all the transport to other parts of the island. Many hotels in Penang are simply charming! Old colonial buildings with high ceilings, unusual layouts and stucco.

We lived in a guesthouse - it just became an outlet; we were already tired of living in standard boxes or bungalows. There is round-the-clock tea and coffee, a refrigerator and microwave, soft sofas in the hall - a pleasant and cozy atmosphere, in general! A room for two costs from 50 ringit - clean and tidy.

You can find and book a hotel in Penang on the website or right here on the hotel map.

Also take a look at what options are available on the largest home rental service from owners (follow the link and get $20 as a gift!)

Historic neighborhoods of Georgetown

Penang map

We have put important points on the map of Penang to make it easier for you to navigate - use it!