Looking for things to do in George Town? The Top Penang is an interesting choice of things to do on your Penang trip.
The TOP Penang isn’t just one attraction; it’s a set of attractions. So no matter what interests you, there’s probably something here you’ll enjoy, especially if you have kids.
It’s like a big indoor theme park in Penang’s iconic KOMTAR building. This is the tallest in Penang at 249 metres tall so even if you aren’t interested in the varied The Top Penang activities, everyone can enjoy the Observatory Deck and Rainbow Skywalk at the top. It’s a great way to orient yourself on arrival and for great views.
It’s the main attraction you’ll want to consider visiting at the Penang Top.
However, all the choices can make it seem very confusing even working out what exactly The Top Penang is, why you’d want to go and what you should see when you get there. Since the attractions have individual entry fees, it’s useful to work out what you want to see before you go.
In this full guide to The Top theme park Penang, I walk you through all the attractions and choices, the Top Komtar Penang ticket price options and much more so you’ll know whether The Top is worth your holiday time and what attractions you want to see when you come.
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Contents
The Top Penang Review
When I was living in Penang, Komtar was a half-empty shopping centre that was quite boring. However, today, there is much more happening here since the Only World Group Holdings Bhd (OWG) took control of the upper floors and added a few more.
They have definitely revitalised this part of Penang with the addition of The Top Penang and more reason to go to Komtar. There’s also better shopping and eating here now too. Although the surrounding shopping centres beat them on quality of options.
There are just so many attractions at Penang The Top theme park that I split up this review per attraction which you’ll find below. I also give you an overview in a table so you can quickly work out which The Top theme park Penang attractions may be best for you.
I will say that while the Rainbow Skywalk and Observation Deck are cool and something most visitors in Penang will enjoy, expect the rest of the attractions to be very low-key and not that spectacular. They add up to a lot of fun, but I recommend low expectations so you are not disappointed.
I visited The Top Penang @ Komtar with my 6 year old and my experiences are based on that.
Summary Of The Top Penang Attractions
You can find more details about each of these attractions below.
Attraction | Level in Komtar | Description | Price (Adult / Child & SC) |
Rainbow Skywalk And Observatory Deck | 65 and 68 | Best viewing points in George Town with a glass walkway 245 metres up | RM68 / RM48 |
Jurassic Research Center | 5 | Over 200 realistic dinosaur models with animatronics and fossils | RM58 / RM48 |
7D Discovery Motion Theater | 5 | Get to wear special glasses to watch a short interactive movie in “7D” | RM48 / RM38 |
Tech Dome Penang | 5 | An interactive science museum with over 120 Science & Technology exhibits focused on robotics, IT, forces and motion, astronomy and more | RM28 / RM16 |
Ocean Explorer | 5 | Board a virtual submarine and go for a virtual ride under the water | RM40 / RM30 |
Penang Boutique Aquarium | 4 | An aquarium with more than 150 marine species with a Penang-themed section of decorated tanks | RM38 / RM33 |
The Gravityz | 65 | The world’s highest rope course with 6 challenges and a zipline | RM30 |
Penang State Gallery | 3 | Learn more about Penang’s history with miniatures of the island, replicas of Penang Bridge and George Town | RM30 / RM20 (with Durian The King Of Fruits & Tongkat Ali King) |
Durian The King Of Fruits | 3 | Learn all the fun facts about the durian fruit, take selfies and buy related souvenirs | RM30 / RM20 (with Penang State Gallery & Tongkat Ali King) |
Tongkat Ali King | 6 | A museum showcasing the history of the herb Tongkat Ali, the growing process and all its great health benefits plus herb tasting | RM30 / RM20 (with Penang State Gallery & Durian The King Of Fruits) |
Dino Gym | 5 | A dinosaur-themed indoor playground for kids | RM5 / RM40 |
Jelly Bump | 4 | A classic bumper car/dodgem car ride | RM10 |
Musical Carousel | 5 | A beautiful carousel with great music and carnival atmosphere | RM10 |
Magic Mirror Maze | 5 | See endless reflections of yourself in this maze with surprise corners, dead ends, etc. | RM20 / RM10 |
UFO-X | 5 | Hop on a UFO ride to the outer space and see the vast universe outside our world | RM10 |
Zombie Outbreak | 5 | Walk around a haunted house and run from zombies trying to eat your brains | RM23 / RM18 |
The Top Penang Rainbow Skywalk And Observatory Deck
The Top Penang Rainbow Skywalk and Observatory Deck is far and away the number one thing to do here. It may be the only thing you do here which is fine 🙂
There are two parts of this attraction. You start at the Window At The Top at the 65th floor. This is where you can find the Observatory Deck which is an indoor glass walkway with views. The views are amazing but I did find it terrifying walking along here! Not for me 😀
This level does start with a short video presentation which I found a little annoying having to wait for and then it seemed quite promotional. However, it does get more interesting at the end, so be patient 😉
When you have finished on this floor, there’s another elevator to level 68 where the Rainbow Skywalk is located. This is outside with a U shaped glass walkway over the street…. There’s only some glass between you and 249 metres of air!
Honestly, I found that part terrifying and did not look down 😀 My 6 year old thought it was awesome and danced around on it making me nervous!!
There are great views from here around the northern part of Penang and George Town.
There are also plenty of places to sit and a restaurant here so you can take in the views while you eat or drink. There is also a rainbow to pose in front of, a lucky seat and some Insta-worthy places to pose.
You definitely want a clear day to visit this attraction. It shuts in the rain, and opens again when it stops. The better the day, the better your photos.
I was worried how crowded this would be but there weren’t many people when we visited at 10:30am on Easter Sunday.
Click here for discounted tickets to the Rainbow Skywalk and the Observation Deck.
The Gravityz
As someone who hates heights, this was definitely not on my to-do list at The Top Penang. I was scared enough on the Rainbow Skywalk 😂 However, I’m sure the more daring people reading this would love it.
It’s basically the world’s highest rope course on the 65th floor of the building. It’s 90 metres long and there’s a zip line as well. You enter by the Observatory Deck. You can watch people on it from here.
You have six challenges as you complete Gravityz which takes about an hour. These involve things like a flying fox, hanging on to a rope with one arm while you put your arm and leg out and more. You can get some great photos if you’re with a friend.
Like I said, it’s for the adventurous that don’t vomit at the thought of doing this 65 levels up!
The ropes and climbing materials are quality as are the staff to help you feel comfortable. People do quit, so if you hate it, you don’t need to feel bad if you can’t keep going 🙂
For adventure seekers, definitely consider this.
Jurassic Research Center – The Top Jurassic Park Penang
If you love dinosaurs, or if you have kids that do, the second place you’ll head in The Top is the Jurassic Research Center. There are over 200 realistic dinosaur models here. Some of them use animatronics so are extra fun to see for kids.
The experience starts with a briefing by a Professor and then you get to see various things like dinosaur eggs hatching (and you get to pat the baby dinosaur).
You also get to see fossils and walk around their Dinosaur Lab and the Jurassic Park.
It’s pretty cheesy and part of me wanted to hate it, but actually, it was strangely endearing and amusing especially when the “lab workers” were carrying round the “baby dinosaurs”. It’s all a bit of fun.
7D Discovery Motion Theater
The 7D Motion Theatre is where you can go to watch a short interactive movie in “7D”. There are special glasses to wear. A special movie is projected onto the dome shaped ceiling.
The chair moves, you can be hit with water and more so you feel like you are a part of the movie.
It’s quite fun and we enjoyed this, although I wish it was a little longer. It went for 15 minutes.
Tech Dome Penang
Tech Dome was one of our favourite attractions. It’s basically a science museum with over 120 science and technology exhibits focused on robotics, optics, electro-magnetism, IT, forces and motion, astronomy and more.
It’s interactive and fun, and you could spend a couple of hours here if you got really into it.
Mr 6 and I had fun learning while we played and experimented. We also loved playing on some old-fashioned arcade games.
What is a shame is that some of the attractions in here do cost extra. There is wall climbing for a fee, the G-Drop which is a vertical drop slide and G-Force, a 360 degree spin, as well as some other things.
The three just mentioned only run at certain times so check what they are when you arrive so you don’t miss them if this is important to you.
While I had fun here, I think everything should have been included. I don’t like feeling like I’m constantly pulling out cash.
This was definitely out top choice of the attractions after the Rainbow Skywalk and Observation Deck especially with kids.
Ocean Explorer
In Ocean Explorer, you board a virtual submarine and go for a virtual ride under the water. Inside the submarine, there are screens surrounding you which help you feel like you are on a ride underwater.
There’s coral, dolphins, whales and sharks to see.
We did not try out this one.
Penang Boutique Aquarium – The Top Aquarium Penang
The Top Penang aquarium is another of the better attractions and one that is included in the 3 attraction combo pass so is more popular.
It’s not a huge aquarium, and there’s no fancy tunnel. However, it is very well set up with plenty to see and 150 different species.
I liked how it started with a Penang-themed section with the tanks decorate with Penang tools and homeware. There are fish swimming in Penang shops, dim sum baskets and more.
It was bigger than I expected and quite enjoyable. You can pay extra to feed some of the fish with a big stick which was fun.
Jelly Bump
The Jelly Bump is a classic bumper car/dodgem car ride located on level 4 at the entrance to The Top Penang aquarium.
There’s nothing that special about these dodgem cars but they are fun.
Penang State Gallery
For a completely different change of pace, head to Penang State Gallery. This is where you can learn more about Penang’s history. Since it’s in The Top, this museum focuses on looking at Penang from the top.
There are miniatures of the island, replicas of Penang Bridge and George Town. The details are great, and there is information to describe what you are seeing.
There are other rooms too with interesting exhibits about Penang like about modes of transport and Peranakan history (Chinese communities).
I quite enjoyed this small museum, although Mr 6 made me rush through it a little quicker than I liked. It’s great for a quick overview of Penang’s history.
Durian The King Of Fruits
If you’re a fan of the durian, this may be an attraction for you!
Next to Penang State Gallery, you’ll learn everything there is know about this fruit from how it’s grown to where it’s grown and where the name comes from. If you love weird selfies, you can take photos with big durians and other fruit.
Of course, you can also buy durian and related souvenirs at the gift shop. And don’t worry, it doesn’t stink like the fruit 😀
I would say this one is only for people who are particularly interested in durians. I found it hard to engage with as I am not.
Tongkat Ali King
This random museum is about an Orang Asli medicinal herb named Tongkat Ali. The Orang Asli are the indigenous people of Malaysia and the herb comes from the Malaysian rainforest.
The museum is reputed to showcase the history of this herb, its growing process and all the benefits which are reputed to include hormone balancing and energy boosting.
You also get to taste the herb.
However, this was not open when we visited and I am not sure if it plans to open again. It was a little annoying as it was meant to be included in our entry pass. There was a room on it in the durian museum.
Dino Gym
Dino Gym is an indoor playground for kids with a dinosaur theme, although there are trampolines adults can use too.
There are plenty of slides, climbing frames, a ball pit, ball-shooting guns, hanging bridges, a rock wall and more.
Make sure you take your socks.
Musical Carousel
The Musical Carousel/merry-go-round is located on level 5 and is exactly what you can imagine it is 🙂
We had a fun ride on this together.
Magic Mirror Maze
This is exactly what it sounds like as well – a maze of mirrors!
I have a bit of PTSD about mirror mazes after I hurt myself walking into a mirror in one once 😂, but I put my big girl pants on as Mr 6 wanted to give it a go.
Definitely keep your arm out in front of you so you don’t end up with PTSD and walk around trying to make your way to the middle.
It’s fun, and we enjoyed it. It’s on the smaller side and doesn’t take long.
UFO-X
This is meant to be a fun ride where the idea being that you’re on a UFO going to outer space.
There is a lot of spinning, so it’s not for you if you get motion sick.
This was closed for maintainence when we visited.
Zombie Outbreak
If you want to feel like you have walked onto the set of The Walking Dead or, worse, that you’re actually living in a zombie apocalypse, this is the attraction for you.
It starts with a film about a radioactive incident that lead to the zombie problem. You then walk around the haunted house while staff dressed as zombies try to catch you. Unfortunately, how good this is, and whether you get a scare, depends on how many staff are working. It can be dead on weekdays with no staff trying to eat your brains which isn’t any fun.
Weekends are much more deadly 🙂
The Top Penang Ticket Price (And Discounted Tickets)
At the time of publishing, there is no The Top Penang price for entry to all attractions. You have to buy tickets individually, or there are some better combo tickets available which give you access to 3 – 9 attractions.
Some of the tickets you can buy online, some you can’t. At the time of publishing, the entry prices for all attractions are listed in the table above. The prices can definitely add up so work out what you want to do or get a combo pass. We got one for nine attractions which was great.
For the best value, Klook offers discounted tickets and combo pass.
If you are just interested in the views, you can find their discount tickets to the Rainbow Skywalk and Observation Deck here. This saves RM7 per adult over booking at the venue.
Or you could use the RM7 you saved and buy their combo ticket. This The Top Penang promotion covers:
- Rainbow Skywalk and Observatory Deck + Jurassic Research Center + Penang Boutique Aquarium (Klook calls it the Top Boutique)
And costs the same as just the Rainbow Skywalk if you buy your ticket at the venue.
I highly recommend this combo ticket for a bit more fun while you are there and especially if you have kids. Mr 6 concurs 🙂
When we went, there was also a Ramadan special on the 9 attraction pass which made it the same price as the 3-attraction pass. If you have the time to spare, a 9-attraction pass can be a good way to go if it won’t cost much more. A small amount more would be worth it for Penang State Gallery or Tech Dome.
In addition to what is in the 3 attraction pass, it covered – Tech Dome, Penang State Gallery, Durian King, Tongkat Ali (had it been open), Musical Carousel, Magic Mirror Maze, Zombie Outbreak, UFO-X (had it been open).
Click here to see these discounted combos now.
If you love adventure activities, definitely consider Gravityz. It did seem unreal for people who aren’t terrified of falling off 😀
Where Is The Top Penang?
Address: 1, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
The Top Penang theme park is located in the Komtar building in George Town which is the tallest in Penang so looking up can help you find it 🙂 It’s convenient to get to. You can take a Grab Taxi or there is a bus terminal under the building with buses many places.
We did get a little confused trying to find The Top when we arrived at Komtar. I recommend you enter at the entrance on Jalan Penang as then it is very easy. You’ll see big massive signs and hear music that is far too loud 🙂 You basically keep going up escalators until you hit level 5 where the ticket office is right in front of you.
Most of the Komtar Top Penang attractions are on level 5 all around here. It’s obvious where to go to get to level 65 for the Rainbow Skywalk and Observatory Deck experience. The attractions on level 3 and 4 are also just by these entrance escalators you can take up from Jalan Penang.
Level 5 is like a big games arcade with lots of things to do in addition to the attractions above.
The Top Penang Opening Hours
Generally, attractions at The Top are open daily 10-7pm, although many are shut on Tuesdays. So I recommend visiting The Top on an alternative day if possible. The Rainbow Skywalk and Observatory Deck are open 10am-10pm every day except Tuesday.
The Rainbow Skywalk shuts in the rain (but opens again once it stops).
This is correct at the time of publishing, but it’s always best to double check before going.
The Top Penang Restaurant Options
There are two restaurant options on the top floors of The Top that you can try:
- The Top View Restaurant Penang on the 68th floor offers many food choices with great views. You can eat lunch or The Top Penang dinner here.
- Coco Cabana Bar & Bistro on the 68th floor has great views, international eating options and there are even scones and cakes with The Top high tea Penang
You do need tickets for the observation deck to visit these.
There are also many eating options in Komtar. Unfortunately, the food court on level 5 seems shut right now, but further down are options. There are also many, many options in the surrounds. You’ll never go hungry in George Town.
Final Words
The Top Penang Komtar is definitely an interesting place to visit while you are in Penang.
The Rainbow Skywalk is a must do, especially if you won’t get up Penang Hill. The views are different to what you see up there though so it is worth considering as well, especially if you are staying in George Town.
There are also plenty of things to do here for families which make it a great option in the rain (although the Skywalk is shut during rain). Tech Dome in particular is worth considering.
If you’re a daredevil, you’ll definitely want to consider Gravityz.
Penang State Gallery is also one worth considering if you want some Penang history.
Like I said, many of the attractions are quite low key and not really worth their entry fees, in my opinion. The big exception is the Rainbow Skywalk and Observation Deck which is worth doing as a stand alone activity or Gravityz.
If you have the time and can get a combo pass, like the 9 attraction pass we used, I think it is great value. We did many things for RM68 and spent most of the day here.
If you are on a short timeframe in Penang, I would definitely not recommend this over the bigger attractions in Penang like Penang Hill, The Habitat, exploring George Town and Escape. If you have a little while or are working out something to do in bad weather, definitely consider visiting The Top.
Click here to see the latest ticket prices.
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