Penang or Kuala Lumpur: which is the best place to visit?

Penang

The state of Penang is separated into two distinct areas: Seberang Perai on the mainland and Pulau Pinang (Penang Island) across the water. The vast majority of the tourist action takes place on the island, so that’s where we’ll focus our attention.

Penang has a small-town, relaxed atmosphere, with the UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site of George Town perhaps its most beguiling and popular attraction (click here for our George Town walking tour). With a centuries-old mix of cultures and religions around every corner, George Town is one of the world’s most fascinating destinations, with some of the best cuisine on the planet.

Penang Island also boasts a wide array of natural attractions, mostly focused on the dense tropical rainforest which covers most of the island. Penang National Park and Penang Hill are popular attractions, with the beach resort of Batu Ferringhi a perennial favourite.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (or KL to its friends) is a true Southeast Asian megacity which also manages to retain a more relaxed atmosphere lacking in some neighbouring countries.

Clean, well-ordered and well-connected, many visitors arrive for a stopover or short holiday and end up returning for a longer visit.

The city has a wealth of big-ticket attractions, not least the Petronas Towers, KL Tower and Batu Caves. Back down on street level, it also has a vibrant food scene, ranging from local hawker stands all the way to international level, five-star dining.

A visit to KL often feels like you’re dipping your toes into Southeast Asia, experiencing some of what makes the region so special, but safe in the knowledge it’s somewhere you can take a step back and relax when needed.

Penang

Penang has its own international airport, with flights across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. There are also regular flights further afield to Dubai, Qatar, Hong Kong and China.

Butterworth railway station is directly across the water from Penang Island, accessible by the ferry. There are several services from Butterworth to the rest of the country including Kuala Lumpur, Padang Besar at the Thai border, Ipoh and Gemas (change for Johor Bahru).

The excellent Malaysian long-distance bus network also serves Penang, with terminals at Penang Sentral in Butterworth and on the island.

Getting around Penang is straightforward, with a few main roads linking most settlements. A reliable bus service runs from the airport in the south to the national park in the northwest and Grab taxis are ever popular and cost-effective.

Traffic can snarl up in certain locations at busy periods but, on the whole, car journeys are smooth.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur’s international airport (KLIA) is an hour south of the city centre and is one of the best connected in the region, with direct flights to Europe, Australasia and most major cities in Asia. KLIA is also one of the most pleasant and ordered airports in Asia to transit and navigate.

The train options are similar to Penang, with the mainline passing through KL on the journey north and south. The bus network is similarly extensive, with all towns and cities within Malaysia served.

Kuala Lumpur has an excellent public transport system with light-rail, commuter trains, monorail and air-conditioned buses. The traffic on the roads can be gridlocked at times, so public transport makes a good option if you don’t fancy taking a Grab.

Penang

For longer-term stays, Penang has a large collection of condo-style apartments, very popular on homestay websites. Do keep in mind that Penang has recently instigated a ban on short-term homestays (e.g. Airbnb and booking.com), so fewer properties are available than before.

In the centre of George Town you’ll find some beautiful boutique style hotels (e.g. The Blue Mansion) that gives you the opportunity to soak in the heritage ambience and architecture.

The beachside suburb of Batu Ferringhi has plenty of large-scale beach resorts with swimming pools, restaurants, bars and gorgeous views over the Straits of Malacca. A handful of these feature in our guide to the best hotels in Penang.

Kuala Lumpur

As befitting its status as the capital city, KL has a wide variety of accommodation options, covering each rung of the ladder from dorm rooms to opulent luxury.

You also have access to a great range of Airbnb options in the high-rise buildings, offering exceptional value in great locations and often with incredible rooftop pools. Note that KL doesn’t have a ban on short-term homestays, so the choice is wider than Penang.

The area around Chinatown has a selection of cheap and cheerful mid-range hotels that won’t break the bank but are little to write home about.

Penang

This is Penang’s specialist subject and it’s going to take some beating. Often name-checked as a food capital of the world, you’ll find outstanding cuisine around every corner, with delicious places to eat sprinkled all over the island.

Often the tastiest and most popular (not to mention the cheapest) options are the hawker stalls that popup everywhere. These are the places to try dishes such as Hokkien Mee, Curry Mee, Laksa, Nasi Lemak and hundreds of others.

George Town is also home to plenty of sit-down, air-conditioned restaurants offering dishes from around the world, with Chinese and Indian meals the most common.

If you’re in the mood for some late-night drinking, Love Lane in George Town (and parts of Chulia Street) offer the sort of backpacker bars you’ll recognise from neighbouring countries. As ever, these aren’t the most authentic places in town, but they make for a fun evening.

Check out our guide to the best restaurants in Penang.

Kuala Lumpur

KL has one of the best food scenes in Southeast Asia and many of the best restaurants in the country are here, with many world-class chefs calling it home.

But this is still Malaysia and even the capital is home to hundreds of hawker stalls and food courts which serve local Malay, Chinese and Indian dishes to the masses. It’s fascinating to see all sections of society converge on these food areas at lunchtime, happily tucking into the tasty food. Jalan Alor (photo) is particularly a good place to sample local street food.

The nightlife scene can be lively in KL, especially around Chinatown and the Golden Triangle. If you’re curious how the modern and trendy side of Malaysia spends their Friday and Saturday evenings, KL is the best place to find out.

Penang

Penang is an extremely safe place to live and visit, with violent crime almost unheard of. As with almost anywhere else in the world, it does pay to be on your guard against pickpockets in crowded locations and watch out for bag snatchers, but the chances of being a victim are slim.

The busy night-markets around Batu Ferringhi or crowded bus depots are where you should be most vigilant.

Kuala Lumpur

Considering it’s a capital city in one of the busiest regions in the world, Kuala Lumpur is also remarkably safe to visit, with none of the serious dangers you’d associate with similarly sized cities.

There is some low-level crime in the busier areas of town, particularly pickpocketing and bag-snatching, but nothing to obsess about. Some of the city neighbourhoods aren’t recommended after dark, but they’re not where tourists tend to congregate in the first place.

Penang

For a small island, Penang manages to keep on delivering something new and exciting for the visitor. There is a fantastic array of things to do in Penang; from dense tropical rainforest covering much of the island, to the glorious tropical views over the Straits of Malacca from Penang National Park, or the famous UNESCO-protected city of George Town with its mix of cultures, people, architecture and religions, a visit to Penang offers many cultural and natural activities. And as this is a tropical island, lets not forget the stunning beaches on Penang Island.

The dining scene draws in visitors from afar and counts as a reason to visit all by itself.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is perhaps best known for the stunning cityscape which frames the city, with the Petronas Towers the centrepiece. The area around the towers, known as KLCC, is a city within a city, with bars, restaurants, museums and more to visit.

Moving away from the towers, KL is also home to numerous religious and cultural highlights, including Merdeka Square where modern Malaysian was born. Batu Caves is an important Hindu shrine and tourist attraction, only twenty minutes north of the city.

Penang

The island of Penang is always a popular destination with kids, not least because of ESCAPE Penang which boasts a theme park and waterpark with not one, but two Guinness World Record attractions.

Batu Ferringhi on the north coast is well-stocked with beach resorts, although remember that jellyfish swarm around the coastline, so swimming isn’t recommended.

George Town’s heritage ambience will also be popular, particularly the many options for food and refreshments. If you limit yourselves to one or two religious sites, like Kek Lok Si Temple, you’ll keep the kids entertained without reaching ‘temple-overload’.

Kids will also love Glow Planet in George Town and the Teddyville museum in Batu Ferringhi. But an absolute must do activity with younger kids is Penang Tropical Spice Garden.

Kuala Lumpur

KL might not seem like an obvious destination for a family holiday, but it actually holds a few trump cards up its sleeve if you’re visiting with kids.

KidZania KL is an obvious choice with its kid-focused activities and the chance for them to learn more about working life after childhood (don’t worry, it’s still lots of fun).

The Petrosains Discovery Centre in the city centre is another activity which is squarely aimed at kids with a particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering and maths.

The iconic KL skyline is also a big hit with little eyes, with the first view of the Petronas Towers almost guaranteed to elicit a sense of wonder and excitement. The light and sound show at the tower’s base each evening is a great way to end your day.

Penang

Penang lies close to the equator and, as a result, has a tropical climate with very similar temperatures throughout the year. Expect the thermometer to hover between the high-20s and low-30s (degrees C) for most of the year, with high humidity.

There is usually less rainfall between December and April, so this is arguably the best time to visit. Don’t worry too much about timing your visit with historical weather patterns though, as they are unpredictable. Even when it rains, Penang is still pleasant, and the showers won’t last for very long. Do read more about this in our guide to Penang rainy season.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has similar weather to Penang, with high levels of humidity and temperature, although it can feel hotter if you’re in the city centre. You also don’t have the option to retreat to the beach, although many hotels have swimming pools.

December, January and February are good times to visit KL, with many of the major religious festivals taking place then, with the city coming to life. You’ll see less rainfall in the months of June, July and August.