Penang Travel Guide

Our favourite place in Malaysia is Penang. It’s a great mix of culture, beaches and history with the best food in Malaysia thrown in too!

Penang is a small island located off the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. It’s easy to get to with an international airport on the island itself and it’s connected to the mainland by bridges.

Lorong Song Hong George Town Penang
Lorong Song Hong

Penang has an interesting history. Located between two parts of Asia, it’s been a centre of trade for a long time. George Town, the capital, was first settled by the British in 1786 and its centre is UNESCO listed thanks to its unique architecture, culture, and townscape. It’s always been a melting pot of cultures, and it still is today.

Known as the food capital of Malaysia, Penang is the perfect place for trying the best foods in Malaysia especially at popular night hawker centres.

Being an island, Penang has many beaches and a mountainous, jungle interior. If you are someone who likes a mix of the hustle and bustle of a city (George Town is Malaysia’s second biggest) along with natural attractions, you have it all here!

Travelling to Malaysia? Click here to download your free Malaysia Trip Planning checklist. We’ll help you get ready for your trip! 

Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired.

Want Help Having An Awesome Food Experience In Penang?

Join a Simply Enak (aka delicious) Food Tour!

There are two different options depending on whether you want to concentrate on street food or nightlife.

No matter what you pick, you’ll taste a range of fabulous local food and drinks while learning the history and culture of Penang.

There’s no better way to discover this great island.

Make sure you use the coupon code DIVE30 for RM30 off your tour.

Click here for all your options.

Penang Attractions

Penang has some great places to visit from temples to the jungle and beaches and more. Read about them below.

Penang Food Tours

The best way to explore both Penang’s history and culture AND its fabulous food is with a food tour.

Dive Into Malaysia readers receive RM30 off Simply Enak’s fabulous food tours with the code: DIVE30

Click here to check out their tours now.

Penang Accommodation

There is a great range of accommodation in Penang from luxury resorts to cheaper options. Find our guides below.

Penang Travel

Penang is a major population centre in Malaysia and is easy to reach via flights, bus, cars or trains to Butterworth. Below are full guides to getting here from popular destinations.

You can find more information on other destinations in Malaysia across this site.

Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired.