Penang or Langkawi: which is the best place to visit?

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.

Langkawi

Langkawi also has an international airport, but it connects to far fewer destinations than Penang, with only Singapore and Dubai (via Penang) on offer. Domestically, there are a few flights per day to both KL airports, Johor Bahru and Penang.

If you’d prefer to arrive by sea, the jetty in Kuah has connections to Kuala Kedah (1hr 45min) and Kuala Perlis (1hr 15min). There’s an option to bring your own vehicle onto the ferry, but the tickets are more expensive so consider whether you’d find it cheaper to rent a car when you’re here (or rely on Grab).

Speaking of Grab, the app works perfectly in Langkawi with cheap fares and reliable drivers. The airport has a dedicated e-hailing collection point just outside the Arrivals area.

Traffic is light on the island, with none of the traffic jams you might encounter in Penang. Road conditions are mainly excellent, with the occasional pothole once you leave the main areas.

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.

Langkawi

Airbnb is popular in Langkawi and isn’t subject to any of the bans or restrictions like in Penang. The choice of property is more based around smaller-scale, locally-run accommodation, rather than the larger style condos.

Langkawi excels in beach resorts and hotels, with the beaches at Tengah, Kok and Cenang offering a wide selection. Holiday Villa Resort in Tengah is a wonderful option if you’re in the mood for some affordable high-end resort living. Out of the peak season, you can expect lower prices at the high-end resorts.

If you’re looking at the lower end of the scale, Pantai Cenang has a good range of budget options. Kuah (where the ferry arrives) isn’t the best part of the island, but does also have some low to mid range options.

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.

Langkawi

Langkawi is one of the best places to sample seafood in Malaysia, so try to plan a few of your meals at one of these speciality restaurants. Pantai Cenang is a good place to explore, otherwise check your hotel’s restaurant menu.

It’s common for most visitors to eat at their resorts where the menus tend towards international cuisine (burgers, pizzas, steaks, etc) alongside Southeast Asian favourites. Otherwise, the streets of Tengah and Cenang are lined with local restaurants.

A food night market usually operates at a different location each night of the week, ask at your hotel for the latest schedule.

Langkawi has a duty-free status which means alcohol is vastly cheaper than it is in Penang. A draft Tiger from a fancy hotel starts around RM10 (it’d be RM25+ in Penang), bottles of wine can be found for (RM100), although do check the quality. For even more budget-conscious drinkers, 330ml cans of Tiger are available in supermarkets from RM3.

As a result, the nightlife centred around Pantai Cenang is livelier than anywhere in Penang.

Penang

Penang is a relaxed holiday destination, particularly around the northern beach resort of Batu Ferringhi. There you’ll find top-class resort hotels like the ParkRoyal Penang and the Hard Rock Hotel. Sitting on the beach in this part of the island, it’s easy to fall into the holiday vibe, but the presence of jellyfish can curtail any swimming. The seawater isn’t always the cleanest either.

Elsewhere on the island, the traffic and skyscrapers gives Penang more of a city feel than a traditional sun and sand holiday destination.

Langkawi

Langkawi is built on a much smaller scale than Penang, with fewer of the larger scale retail or residential complexes jostling for space.

The atmosphere is noticeably more laid-back and relaxed, with the pace of life dialled down a notch or two. If you’ve ever visited any of the Thai islands, particularly Koh Chang, then Langkawi will feel very similar.

If you’re someone who enjoys a couple of beers or cocktails on holiday, the cheaper price of these might also lull you into that relaxed vibe.

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.

Langkawi

Langkawi is an archipelago formed of 99 islands, so it’s ideal for exploring via boat. Two of the best tours are the Royal Mangrove Tour and the Island Hopping Tour, both of which allow you to delve into the landscape and ecology of Langkawi.

Up in the hills, the world’s longest free span mono-cable car is a equally thrilling and (at times) scary ride with the Sky Bridge waiting at the top.

For the most part though, Langkawi is more about relaxation than sight-seeing. In our opinion, Langkawi is more naturally beautiful than Penang, especially the hilltops and mangrove covered waterways you visit on the tours.

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.

Langkawi

Langkawi might have less kid-focused activities but it wins points for its focus on beach and swimming pool time, something most kids will perhaps enjoy more than museums or temples. Plus if you’re planning a visit to Langkawi with kids, they will love the island hopping and mangrove tour.

The sea in Langkawi is more inviting than Penang; not only is it noticeably cleaner but there are fewer jellyfish (but do check locally as they’re still present at certain beaches).

If it’s beach time you’re looking for, Langkawi is the clear winner.