George Town in Penang, Malaysia, is listed as a World Heritage site. The city is full of street art, murals on walls everywhere, and plenty of local Malaysian snacks. What photo spots are absolute musts on a first visit to Penang? Besides the George Town mural area, there are Hean Boo Thean Temple, the clan jetties, Kek Lok Si, and the Penang Bridge. This piece lines up Penang’s sights. Start the trip with Klook, and planning Penang gets easier.
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Penang sights｜George Town’s World Heritage mural area
Penang’s main tourist area is George Town in the north George Town . It is also the zone UNESCO listed as World Heritage. George Town keeps the 17th-century Nyonya shophouses where Malay Chinese people lived. To catch visitors’ eyes, the Penang city government invited artists into the preserved area to use their talent, and they made many playful murals, now one of Penang’s highlights. The most famous in the George Town mural area are the bicycle and the motorcycle mural in the photo. In Penang, it is only satisfying once you have collected every mural.
Penang sights｜Penang Escape adventure theme park
Want to ride water slides in the jungle? The park is split into a land adventure zone and a water zone. On land there are zip lines, aerial leaps, monkey rope-net climbs, rock climbing, and more. The water zone has what the park calls the world’s longest water slide, a full 1,111 meters. If you are in Penang, set aside a day here for a thrill.
Penang sights｜Kapitan Keling Mosque
Inside the George Town mural area, this mosque is already more than 200 years old. Penang’s population is mainly Chinese, Malay, and Muslim, so you can see an Indian temple, a mosque, a Chinese clan shrine, and Nyonya buildings on the same street. The most distinctive feature of Kapitan Keling Mosque is its black roof. Go take a look. It is open every day from 5:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night. Remember the dress code before you go in.
Penang sights｜George Town Sunday market, Sunday Pop-Up Market
This Sunday market has been very popular in recent years. Penang is now spoken of as Southeast Asia’s second indie city after Chiang Mai. Cafes, murals, and installations fill the city with a strong cultural feel. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00, artists and indie makers from Penang gather to sell handmade accessories, plants, and paintings. Around the market are several cafes with real character and a high standard. If you are in Penang on a weekend, do not miss it.
Penang sights｜Penang KOMTAR viewing deck
Penang’s largest shopping landmark is KOMTAR on Penang Road. Its full name, as given here, is the Tunku Abdul Rahman Building. At the very top of KOMTAR is a revolving restaurant, with clear views of Penang Island and the peninsula. KOMTAR has been fully renovated in the last two years, and a new rainbow skywalk was built on floor 68, with a panorama of George Town. Take the lift to floor 65, then the stairs up to the open-air transparent skywalk on floor 68, and George Town is under your feet.
Penang sights｜George Town’s north shore
Penang is surrounded by the sea, so a view where sea and sky meet is not hard to find. About a 10-minute walk north from the George Town mural area brings you to the north shore (if you cannot find a landmark, search for “Penang City Hall”). Locals come here to cool off and fish. In the distance you can see mainland Malaysia. The sea breeze feels wonderful.
Penang sights｜Chew Jetty
Before Penang grew into a major industrial area in Malaysia, it was still a small fishing village. The northeast coast was the main port, and residents built houses over the water so daily life would be easier. Fishing boats no longer tie up here, but the houses have been kept very intact, and the area is now one of Penang’s sights. There are six clan settlements in this district. The most famous is Chew Jetty. A photo spot we would single out is the long, narrow wooden bridge right beside Chew Jetty. At the far end is a small red temple. Few people go there, which is why you can take a shot this striking.
Penang sights｜Hean Boo Thean Temple
At the southern end of the clan-jetty area, Hean Boo Thean Temple stands over the water. It is dedicated to Mazu. This is also a spot the editor quietly recommends: very photogenic, and almost no tour groups. If you come to Chew Jetty, go and see Hean Boo Thean. It is well worth it.
Penang sights｜Penang Hill
Penang Hill sits in the middle of Penang Island, and you can see all of George Town from there. The main way up is the funicular. You can walk the canopy trail, go into the rainforest reserve, and look at old tropical rainforest. At the summit there is a love-lock wall. The story is that couples who come here stay together for a long time.
Penang sights｜Kek Lok Si
Kek Lok Si is the highest temple in Penang and the largest temple in Southeast Asia. It is dedicated to Guanyin. Inside is the seven-story Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Every Lunar New Year, Kek Lok Si is hung with lanterns of every color. It is a grand sight, and a sign of how busy the temple stays.
Penang sights｜Penang Reclining Buddha
Penang also has a Thai Buddhist reclining Buddha. It is not as grand as the one in Bangkok’s old town, but the late Thai King Bhumibol once visited Penang’s reclining Buddha temple, which gave the place a share of that prestige, and it became a well-known Penang sight. Directly opposite the reclining Buddha is Penang’s Burmese temple. You can see both, and neither charges an entrance fee.
Penang sights｜New Esplanade night market
After the Penang sights, you will want the local street food. International media have also named Penang one of the world’s most delicious cities. Along the New Esplanade night market you find Chinese, Malay, Nyonya, China, and Indian flavors. Whatever your palate, Penang can satisfy it. The editor pulled together a few must-eat items so you do not pick a dud.
These are safe bets: bak kut teh, jian zheng, char kway teow, oyster omelette, zao ka, laksa, satay, Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak, Hokkien fried noodles, nutmeg juice, Nyonya cendol, wonton noodles, beef noodles, chee cheong fun, fish-slice congee, luo han guo, loh shu fun, fried banana, fried fish cakes, popiah, Indian fried noodles, roti canai, teh tarik, and more.
[Popular Malaysia travel products]
🎁 From 2-zhe (about 20% of the list price)↘︎ Malaysia travel member perks｜
Just $299, with discounts up to $2,300! Attraction tickets, airport transfers, day tours, and hotels all qualify. 👉
🔥 SIM cards & airport transport
- ｜Activates as soon as you land!
- Delivered to your door!
🇲🇾 Popular sights in Malaysia
- A top pick for families!
- Skip-the-line tickets!
- ｜Water and land rides to enjoy
- Views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline｜
