Things to Do in Penang
Top attractions, best neighborhoods to wander, and the food you shouldn't skip in Penang, Malaysia — 2026 traveler picks.
Top places to see
George Town UNESCO street art tour
Ernest Zacharevic's "Boy on Motorbike" + 100+ wrought-iron caricatures. Free. Self-guided 2-hour walk.
Kek Lok Si Temple (Air Itam)
Largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia — 30m Kuan Yin bronze statue + pagoda. MYR 8. 1 hour.
Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) funicular
821m hill via 5-min funicular — best views of George Town. MYR 30 round-trip. Cool air retreat (20°C vs 32°C).
Hawker food at Chulia Street / Gurney Drive
Penang is Malaysia's street food capital. Char kway teow, asam laksa, hokkien mee. MYR 5-10 a dish.
Book tours + skip-the-line tickets
Compare tours + attractions in Penang across GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Trip.com — free cancellation on most, and prices match direct booking.
Things to do in Penang
Lock in a few experiences before you go — the good ones sell out.
Tours, tickets & day trips
Our pickGetYourGuide has the deepest catalogue for Penang and free cancellation on most experiences — book now, decide later.
Browse PenangJust need timed-entry attraction tickets? Try Tiqets.Want a private driver-guide? Trip.com Private Tours in Penang.Eat here first
Char kway teow at Lorong Selamat. Asam laksa (Penang signature, ranked CNN top 10 foods in world). Hokkien mee. Cendol. Tiger lager.
Local tip
PEN is 16km from George Town — Rapid Penang bus 401E (MYR 2.70) or Grab MYR 25-40. For 4-hour layovers: George Town street art + a Penang hawker meal is the win. Penang is widely considered Malaysia's best food destination — never just transit.
Where to stay
Hotels across Penang — filter by neighborhood + budget on the map below.