3 DAY Penang itinerary: what to do around the island

Follow us on Facebook

A three-day visit to Penang offers just the right amount of time to experience some of what makes this island so special, ranging from the heritage ambience of George Town, to the natural beauty of the rainforests and beaches in Penang National Park. Follow along with our 3 day Penang itinerary and get the most out of your visit to this iconic and unique location.

Penang is happy to welcome visitors for any length of time, from afternoon cruise trippers, tourists passing through on a brief one day stopover, or long-term residents planning to live in Penang. All of these options showcase a different side to the island, but a three day itinerary is perhaps the most popular length of visit. In this guide we offer our suggestions for how to make the most of your time in one of the world’s great travel destinations.

Check out our other Penang itineraries here:

• 1 day in Penang
• 2 days in Penang
• 1 week in Penang

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click to purchase, it is at no additional cost to you, but we receive a small commission.

Day 1: George Town

Get your bearings

You’ll see several different sides of Penang Island’s personality over the next few days, but today we’ll start with its most famous attraction, George Town. This UNESCO World-Heritage Site captures everything from street life, culture, heritage to cuisine, and packages it into a perfectly formed tourist experience.

There’s no better way of getting to know a city than taking an early morning walking tour, when the city starts waking up and the thermometer hasn’t yet started to climb too high. If you follow our George Town walking tour, you’re guaranteed to see the best of the city and also get some ideas on where to visit later on. The 6km tour should take you around three or four hours to complete, depending how many times you stop for refreshments and sightseeing.

Time to refuel

It’s no secret that Penang is one of the world’s premier food destinations, so you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to refuelling options. Many visitors enjoy grazing their way around town, stopping off at food courts, street vendors and hole-in-the-walls whenever they see something to take their fancy. Have a read through our guide to the best restaurants in Penang if you need some inspiration or, if the choice feels too overwhelming, head to Gem, which is our favourite Indian restaurant in Penang and somewhere you’re sure of a warm welcome.

Tick off some of your highlights

After lunch, you have the afternoon ahead of you to sample more of George Town. You might have spotted a must-do activity during the morning’s walking tour, perhaps a visit to Fort Cornwallis which offers a window into Penang’s earliest colonial days and also provides a few places to find some shade and have a drink or snack.

Otherwise, if the heat is slightly too much and you fancy some time indoors, consider booking onto a guided tour of the Blue Mansion, one of the most iconic and fascinating buildings in the city. Or, for a change of pace entirely, George Town does quite a good line in quirky museums such as the Upside Down Museum or the Ghost Museum.

Our favourite museum however is the Batik Painting Museum, which celebrates and showcases the artform that originated in Penang. Housed in a beautiful old building, it’s a relaxing place to spend an hour, and you’re perfectly located afterwards to check out some of the Penang street art, if you have any energy left.

Food court fun

As the sun starts to set, the temperature and pace of life drop slightly, although central George Town still has energy and sights to offer. Start with a gentle stroll along the Esplanade before making your way back into the heritage streets.

Just near the Blue Mansion, one of the most popular of George Town’s food courts awaits at Red Garden Food Paradise. Wander around the perimeter and check out the wide range of cuisines on offer, grab a table, make your order and pay when the food arrives. Separate waiters will offer and serve drinks at your table, and it gets quite lively as the evening wears on. For a fun night out with cheap and tasty food, it takes some beating.

Day 2: Penang National Park

The other side of the island

Set the alarm early(ish) and make your way over to the far north-western tip of the island. Today, we’re leaving George Town behind and checking out the ‘other’ side of the island, both geographically and culturally. Penang National Park occupies a small patch of land but makes for an easily accessible experience of lush rainforest, golden beaches and boat rides across the clear blue waters.

Check out our full guide on Penang National park before you set off, but you basically have the choice of taking a hike across the park to reach the beaches (and then hike or take a boat back), or book a boat both ways and enjoy a more chilled day. Both options provide a great experience, and there’s plenty of time to relax at Monkey Beach or check out the Turtle Sanctuary.

We’d suggest leaving plenty of time for kayaking and sunbathing at Monkey Beach and having some beers and food before you head back to the park headquarters. You can stay in touch with your boat driver via WhatsApp and arrange pick-up times and meeting points to suit everyone.

Beach bars and fire-shows

Depending what time you manage to drag yourself away from Monkey Beach, there may still be time available to keep on exploring this side of the island. If you’re heading back towards George Town, the beachside suburb of Batu Ferringhi is on the way, with its night markets, upmarket hotels, beaches and restaurants.

The night market is a popular and fun activity, but our personal favourite bar and restaurant in the area is Frandy’s, located just before you reach the main stretch of Batu Ferringhi. There’s a good-time, Southeast Asian beach resort vibe going on here, with cheap beer buckets, affordable local food, comfy chairs, sunset views and fire-shows. The hours tick by quickly here, before you know it, you’ll be calling a Grab to take you back to your hotel.

Day 3: Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si Temple

Escape to the hills

The final day takes you away from the coastline and up into the hills. Penang Hill has served as a retreat from the heat for decades and is still a popular place to visit for locals and tourists alike. The most iconic way to reach the top is via the funicular, but make sure you arrive early if possible, as the queues can be severe during busy periods such as public holidays and weekends. Alternatively, to avoid the crowds and work off some of the Penang food you’ve been eating, consider taking the hike up Penang Hill via the Heritage Trail.

Once at the top, there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied, perhaps the best is The Habitat, a rainforest discovery centre that brings you up close and personal to the rainforest and provides an opportunity to learn about some of the flora and fauna that calls Penang Hill home. Included in the ticket price are treetop and canopy walks, bringing you even closer to the action.

Many visitors take the chance to grab some food at the top of Penang Hill, and there are a couple of restaurants and cafes catering to this.

Temple time

After you’ve retraced your steps downhill either in the funicular or hiking trail, you’re in prime position to add some culture to your visit, with a trip to Kek Lok Si Temple. Occupying the most dramatic location of any religious monument on the island, this is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and offers spectacular views across the island back down to George Town.

If you prefer, you can pay to take a cable car to the top of the entire site (including a ride in a golf buggy) and start from there, saving you a tiring walk in the Penang sun. From the top, you’ll take in a series of temples as you make your way gently back down to the bottom, passing pagodas, reflective pools of water, shrines and prayer halls. It’s a beautiful site and well worth several hours of your time.

Ending on a high

Once you’ve made it back to George Town, we’d suggest freshening up and changing into something slightly smarter for your last evening on the island. Two top-class dining options are found in the Eastern and Oriental Hotel (the grandest and oldest luxury hotel in George Town) or the Indigo restaurant at the Blue Mansion.

Both are excellent choices but our pick would be Indigo, with its old-world charm and behind the scenes access to the mansion away from the tour groups. They offer a sumptuous three-course dinner option, paired with Chinese wines from the same vineyard the original owner founded. It’s the perfect end to your Penang visit and the staff are wonderfully friendly and professional.

Afterwards, take one final stroll around the World Heritage site, perhaps squeezing in a nightcap at one of the low-key but friendly bars on Chulia Street or Love Lane, or one of the other bars in Penang.

How to get around Penang

Penang has a decent bus service if you’re visiting sites around central George Town and out towards Penang National Park but, in almost all cases, it’s much easier to take a Grab taxi. Cheap, reliable and safe, the Grab taxis take most of the stress out of moving around the island.

In central George Town, the traffic can grind to a halt in certain places, so it’s often quicker to move around on foot if you’re able.

Where to stay

There are plenty of accommodation options in Penang, ranging from cheap hostels on Chulia Street, beach resorts in Batu Ferringhi, and luxury hotels in George Town.

In the past couple of years, Penang has instigated a ban on short-term lets (e.g. apartments on booking.com and Airbnb) so you might notice a dearth of apartments available for short-term stays (e.g. a few nights). It doesn’t affect all complexes but, where it does, it’s strictly enforced by security. Double-check what you’re booking before making payment.

The two main areas tourists stay are in George Town and Batu Ferringhi. If you’re only here for three days, our suggestion would be to choose a heritage hotel within the World Heritage Site of George Town. Not only are you staying in a convenient location for most of the sights, you’ll feel fully immersed in the city and its beautiful history.

Final thoughts

Penang on a three day itinerary (perhaps as a long-weekend trip), is an ideal length of time to visit. It gives you enough time to uncover the different sides to the island, from the historic streets of George Town, the natural beauty of Penang National Park, and the culture and heritage of Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si Temple.

Leave plenty of time in your schedule to sample the cuisine that makes the island so famous, ideally mixing and matching between simple treats from the small vendors, right up to international standard fine-dining. It’ll give you a great taste of why people keep on returning to Penang.

Three days is a nice length of time but, after this short visit, you’re certain to want to return and explore this incredible island for even longer.