Penang Youth Park / Municipal Park: everything you need to know

Every urban area needs somewhere for people to retreat to, even in a place as green and beautiful as Penang. For over fifty years, Penangites have been descending on a large patch of land a few kilometres inland from George Town to exercise, walk, play, socialise and swim. Officially known as ‘City Park’ or ‘Municipal Park’, most people still refer to it as Penang Youth Park.

If you’re visiting Penang with kids, this is one of the best outdoor play areas in Penang.

History of Penang Youth Park

Penang Youth Park was conceived in the 1970’s as a place to help improve the lives of Penang’s residents, especially the youths (hence the original name) who were lacking a safe space to socialise and play. As with its near neighbour at the Penang Botanic Gardens, the site of an disused quarry was chosen and the result was a win-win for the surrounding area: an unattractive scar on the landscape was now repurposed as an green park for everyone to enjoy.

The general layout of the park was established around a large grassy area with gardens, skate park and playgrounds all part of the setting. In the intervening years, developments and improvements have been made to the site, but the overall style and ethos have been maintained.

Where is Penang Youth Park and how to get there

Penang Youth Park is about twenty minutes drive from George Town and ten minutes from Gurney Drive. The easiest way to arrive is via a Grab taxi, which will drop you off at the main car park. This is also the best place to park if you’re coming in your own vehicle as it gives direct access to Penang Youth Park.

The area isn’t especially well served by the Penang bus network, the closest you can get is St. Christopher’s School or St Nicholas bus stop, but both are still twenty minutes walk away. It’s best to save your energy for walking inside the park itself and give the bus a miss.

As Penang Youth Park is just 1km from Penang Botanic Gardens, so it’s worthwhile combining the two. There’s a lovely walk around the Botanic Gardens (detailed here) which families may like to do before taking the kids to play at Penang Youth Park.

What to expect at Penang Youth Park

Entry to the Youth Park is free of charge and it’s open 24hrs every day.

There’s an immediate sense of calm once you enter the park, especially if you’re visiting early in the morning when it’s usually at its quietest. The (mostly) traffic-free roads provide an easy walk around the perimeter, with multiple paths leading off into the interior.

As the name suggests, this park is refreshingly aimed at more youthful visitors and is very popular with local families. As you potter around the park, you’ll stumble across skate parks, graffiti walls and playgrounds. Even if you’re slightly older than the target demographic, there are still plenty of gentle walking trails you can follow, losing yourself amongst the soaring trees which frame the landscape.

In no particular order, here are just some of the activities on offer at the Youth Park:

• Badminton / basketball courts (bring your own equipment)
• Kids play area. Decent size and enough there to keep most kids up to aged 12 entertained. There are also plenty of benches around the edge for parents to sit and relax.
• Adult exercise equipment, if sitting and relaxing aren’t your thing. The kids playground has some exercise equipment but the main adult-focused exercise area is just a few metres behind the kids area.
• Archery range
• Large grass field for football and cricket. Sometimes events are held here too.
• Two swimming pools, on the small side and prone to becoming busy, they still make for an excellent place to take a dip and cool off.
• Skate park with several ramps, drops and flat rails. Even if you don’t bring a scooter or skateboard, it’s still a cool place to bring the kids and let them explore.
• Giant chess board
• Various art installations are scattered around the park.

If you’ve enjoyed being out in the fresh air and feel like a challenge, Penang Youth Park is also the start of a couple of footpaths that lead you to the top of Penang Hill. Allow a few hours for the climb and bring plenty of water, sunscreen, mosquito spray and decent footwear.

Eating and picnicking

There’s a small café and shop on site from where you can buy snacks and drinks, as well as selection of toys for the swimming pool. The food isn’t anything particularly special but it’s a good place for a pit-stop. Note that it’s cash only.

One of the most popular pastimes at the Youth Park is for families to bring a picnic and find a patch of grass to call home for the afternoon. These lovely grassy areas make for a lovely way to spend some time, but do be mindful of the monkeys who will try all the tricks in their book to take your food (or anything else you don’t have a tight hold on).

A warning about the monkeys

Speaking of the monkeys, they really do make themselves feel at home around the park, wandering around the railings and branches with a cocky swagger. If they come close, you should avoid eye contact and let them pass. In the event that they make a move for your stuff and they manage to get a firm grip, it’s probably best to accept defeat and retreat. They’re not fond of losing a game of tug-of-war.

They’re especially fond of the motorcycle parking spaces near the car park, where they find easy pickings in the bags and pouches attached to the bikes. Don’t leave any food or drinks on your mountain bike either, as they’ll disappear before you can say ‘you little monkey’.

How much time to allow

If you’re just planning to walk around the park, perhaps stopping off at the skate park, an hour or two will be about the right length of time.

However, if you’re factoring in a walk, swim, skating, badminton and picnic lunch, you could easily spend half a day here and still wonder where the time went. Don’t plan to rush a visit but instead see where the day takes you.

Final thoughts on Penang Youth Park

This is one of those Penang attractions that are more likely to be a highlight if you’re visiting with a family. The kids will love the chance to explore the open green spaces, skate park and swimming pool, and it’s certainly one of the best places to blow off steam in Penang.

For other visitors, whilst not perhaps an absolute must-do activity, it’s still a peaceful place to recharge your batteries, especially if you’ve been spending all of your time in the beautiful, but narrow, streets of George Town. It’s proximity to George Town and Gurney Drive is a bonus, meaning you can take a few hours out of your day, reconnect with nature, and feel the grass beneath your feet.

You may also want to combine your visit with the nearby Penang Waterfall Hill Temple, which is rather off the beaten track and rarely on the tourist radar, but well worth a visit.