ESCAPE Penang is one of the most talked-about activities on the island of Penang, often cited as the best theme park in the whole of Malaysia. Popular with locals and tourists, the park is a large-scale adventure wonderland that fits perfectly into its natural location amongst the rainforest. Indeed, we feature ESCAPE high on our list of things to do in Penang.
We’ve collected together a list of tips to help you get the most out of your visit and ensure you’re in the best position to understand what all the fuss is about, including what to wear, which ride to start your day with, and handy things to bring with you.
What is ESCAPE Penang
ESCAPE Penang could best be described as several different activity centres all in one place. The waterpark is perhaps the main area and where you’ll spend most time, with tube rides (including the longest tube water slide in the world), wave pools, speed racers, kids pool, lazy rivers and water obstacle courses.
If it was just a waterpark, ESCAPE Penang would be worth a visit, but that’s only part of the story. The theme park section of ESCAPE is cleverly interwoven into the rainforest setting, with a number of harness-based activities including the longest zip-coaster in the world (yes, that’s two Guinness World Records in one place – and there’s actually more), slingshots, giant swings, high-rope courses and traditional ziplines.
There’s even Malaysia’s first dry ski-slope, where you can choose to descend on skis, snowboards or on top of inflatable tyres.
As you can see, ESCAPE Penang combines the sort of rides and attractions you’d usually find in multiple parks, and packs them all into one long (but thrilling) day.
Where is ESCAPE Penang
ESCAPE Penang is in the far northwest corner of Penang Island, in Teluk Bahang, close by to Penang National Park and next door to Entopia.
The 101 and 102 buses make their way here from George Town and Penang Airport. As it marks the start/end point of the bus routes, it’s quite a trek to get here on the bus and is usually easier to order a Grab taxi which should take around 45 minutes from George Town. Although if you do choose to take the bus, check out the Penang bus guide.
1. Order your tickets online before you arrive
The ticket price gradually increases as you get closer to your visit date, so try to buy tickets as far in advance as possible via the official website.
After purchasing your tickets you’ll be asked to upload a selfie of each member of your group to facilitate a smooth entry. It works really well, just approach the screens at the gates and smile for the camera. Note that once it recognises someone from your group, it’ll always display the lead guest’s name, so don’t be confused if your own name isn’t displayed, just walk through. Staff are on hand to help in any case.
2. Wear a rash vest and shorts
It’s always a good idea whenever you’re in the sun, but a rash vest is highly recommended throughout your ESCAPE Penang visit. There’s no requirement to change out of swimwear when you’re doing any of the theme park attractions (e.g. the zip coaster), so it’s just easier to stay in swimwear throughout the day, especially if you’re alternating between the water and theme park.
Wearing a rash vest and shorts is comfortable, sun-safe and they’ll soon dry off after you’ve been in the water. Some visitors do just walk around with swim shorts and no top layer but, with the Penang sun beating down, you’ll quickly get burnt and/or uncomfortable, especially on the ten-minute long cable-car ride that’s fully exposed to the sun.
You can hire a rash vest from the park if you forget to bring one.
3. Bring aqua shoes
Whilst the majority of the theme park rides and attractions require you to wear closed-toe trainers or sandals, most of the water park rides don’t allow normal footwear. It can quickly become a chore having to leave your sandals or trainers at the base of the ride before collecting them later. The ground around the park can be abrasive and it can make walking around uncomfortable.
The solution is to wear aqua shoes, which are suitable for all theme and water park rides in ESCAPE Penang. You’ll be able to walk freely around the site and not worry about taking them on and off as you go. They’re available in the park shop in case you forget to bring them.
Note that flip-flops aren’t permitted on any of the rides, you need closed toe sandals or trainers. Best to leave them at home.
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4. Arrive early, but not too early
ESCAPE Penang opens at 10am on the dot; there’s an excited and expectant crowd gathered from around 9:45am. It’s a good idea to arrive slightly early (9:55am is ideal) but don’t get here much before that because you’ll just be hanging around. With the efficient selfie entry system, the queue really moves quickly and you’re unlikely to be waiting for more than a few minutes.
Although it may be an idea to arrive at 10:15 when the first surge of early arrivals are through the gates and finished at the lockers.
5. Rent a locker straight away
As soon as you pass through the entry gates, you’ll see a group of lockers directly in front of you. Now’s the best time to rent one and sort your stuff out before entering the park.
The lockers cost RM15 for a full-day rental. The fee is non-refundable but you can open and close the lockers an unlimited number of times during the day, so they’re quite good value. The small lockers are deceptively spacious and have room for a family of four’s towels, clothes and water bottles, etc.
If you need more space, there are larger lockers and other storage options over to the left hand side, with capacity to even store large backpacks and suitcases.
6. Get your harness and onto the chairlift first thing
Next on your admin list after sorting the locker should be getting your harness fitted; the harness station is to the left of the main entrance area. This is a quick process but the queues will form early in the morning because everyone (aside from kids who’ll get fitted with smaller harnesses at each ride) needs one to participate in most of the theme park activities. Note that you can keep your harness on you for the entire day if you prefer, even when using the waterpark rides.
Next, head straight for the cable car and make your way towards the Zip Coaster, which is known as one of the star attractions. As a safety precaution, only one set of riders can zip along at a time, so the throughput is quite slow. Queues will form quickly from about 10:30am onwards, so it’s best to get up here ASAP. The cable car takes about 10-15 minutes and is an attraction in itself.
This might fly against popular opinion, but we were slightly underwhelmed by the Zip Coaster and felt like one go was enough. It’s no doubt a thrilling ride but we felt it oscillated too much between a sedate cruise through the trees and an uncomfortable, slightly out-of-control bruise-fest. When we reached the bottom, the consensus was that once was enough. Once you factor in the queues later in the day, it’s perhaps something to do first when its quiet and see if it’s the one for you.
7. Bring lots of water with you
With the spacious and accessible lockers, it’s a good idea to bring your own water with you for when you get thirsty. There aren’t any water fountains on site and the only other option is to buy bottled mineral water from the shop (although this is reasonably priced at RM3).
You are exposed to the sun throughout the day and the physical exertion of some of the rides (or rather getting to the start of them) means a thirst will build up. When you enter the rope section of the theme park, you can take the water with you as there’s space to leave it at the ride entrances.
8. Mealtimes and dining options
There’s an A&W branch at the park but the food is pretty poor (although fairly reasonably priced for a theme park at about RM25 for a burger, chips and drink). There were no vegetarian options but there is a noodle vending machine (with free hot water) near the slingshot ride.
Officially, you’re not allowed to bring outside food and drinks into the park. However, there are plenty of shady, quiet places to sit. If you’re subtle and not planning a five-course feast, it’s unlikely the park staff will stop you eating your own small snacks. If you decide to self-cater, bring an ice pack to keep it cool in the locker until you need it.
9. Take mosquito repellent
The mosquitos and sand flies seem to enjoy visiting ESCAPE Penang as well, so remember to bring some mosquito repellent. It’ll wash off once you’ve been on the waterslides so reapply it when you’re in the theme park, they seem to be particularly prevalent near the acrobat and ropes courses.
10. Longest slide works best as a four
The Longest tube water slide is a fantastic ride, threading its way through the rainforest for 1,111m before splashing down at the end. In an attempt to get the Guinness World Record, the designers have understandably built a winding course which has a fairly shallow gradient for much of its descent.
If you’re travelling in a group, pick up the double-rings at the bottom and ask a member of staff for the harness to connect them so you can combine two double-tubes together to ride as a foursome. The extra weight will propel you down the slide at a greater speed, elevating The Longest into an altogether more speedy experience.
11. Make sure on the last chairlift by 5:45pm
The park closes at 6pm but the last ride up on the chairlift departs around 5:45pm, depending slightly on the mood of the lift operator; the queues are minimal by this time so as long as you’re here by 5:45pm, you should be allowed on.
Assuming you get on the lift, you’ll be allowed one last go on either Tubby Racer, The Longest, or Zip Coaster.
12. Changing robes are handy
At the end of your visit, you’ll want to get dried off before heading home. There are changing rooms behind the lockers but they’re not the most pleasant spaces, with limited places to actually get changed. It’s more of an open plan toilet and shower area, so finding somewhere to get changed can be a challenge.
It’s instead recommended to bring a changing robe and slip into that rather than worry about getting changed into your normal clothes.
13. If you go at the weekend, go on a Sunday
ESCAPE is closed on Mondays for maintenance but aside from then, it’s best to visit on a weekday if possible, as it’ll be substantially quieter.
If you do have to visit on the weekend, try to come on a Sunday as it tends to be less busy then than on Saturdays.
14. Check you weight and height before you arrive
It’s a good idea to know your weight before you arrive. Make sure you have the magic number in kilograms, not stones and pounds.
The main weight requirement is a minimum of 40kg to go on some rides, notably the free-drop style water slides. There are also maximum weight limits on some of the rides but these didn’t seem to be rigorously enforced. Some are as low as 90kg, but most rides have a limit of 120kg.
A few of the rides and attractions also have a height limit, typically a minimum of 120cm.
Check the website to see the height and weight limits for each ride here.
15. Wait until your kids are aged 5+
Although kids under the age of 4 are free, there’s little in the way for them to do other than play with a parent in the tots pool, explore the Play House (splash park in photo below), or the Discovery Dig.
Although do note that the Play House area, which is suitable for little ones, now has the ‘World’s Largest Bucket Tipper’ above which launches a tidal wave of water every 15 mins. Children will be asked to move out of the way for this.
16. Purchase a water-resistant pouch for your phone
If you don’t have one already, you can buy a water-resistant pouch for your mobile phone at the park. They’re not fully waterproof but water-resistant is more than sufficient for the small amount of splashing your mobile phone will need to withstand.
If you decide to take a GoPro or similar style of waterproof camera, these are permitted within ESCAPE Penang as long as they’re securely attached during the rides.
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17. Set your expectations on safety measures
Whilst the park conforms to all the necessary legal safety requirements, the approach to health and safety is different to what you might find elsewhere in the world.
For example, on the high ropes course, you’re expected to self-guide and direct yourself around the whole course, including unclipping your carabiner, setting up your zip-line and choosing your own route. In places like GoApe in the UK, there would be a great deal more supervision, something you might want to keep in mind if you’re visiting with younger kids.
The Kite Flyer swing is a heart-in-the-mouth type of ride but you’re responsible for pulling the release cord yourself and you also need to stand carefully over a twenty feet drop whilst you wait to sit on the swing. All of these things are fine, they just require you to be switched-on and realise that the risk of accidents is perhaps higher than elsewhere in the world.
18. Embrace the fun
Although there’s a bar serving alcohol, this isn’t a place to enjoy a relaxing day. There are some sunbeds but they’re more storage areas than chill-out zones. There are no padded cushions for example, instead just hard metal slats and the only benches scattered around the park are similarly functional rather than comfortable. Set expectations if there’s anyone in your group who plans to sunbathe rather than take part in the fun.
And that’s perhaps the best way to approach a visit to ESCAPE Penang; it’s a place with so much going on and so many unique attractions that you’re better off throwing yourself into the mix, enjoy the rainforest setting and tick off not one, but two Guinness World Records.
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On Penang ebook£16.95
On Penang ebook
New for 2025, the On Penang ebook is the only travel guide you need for exploring the island of Penang. It is jam-packed with inspiration on what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and also includes a step-by-step self-guided walking tour of George Town (with photos).
This is a PDF download for use offline and on the go (and ad-free!). Save it to read on the plane to Malaysia, download to your phone to follow the self-guided walking tour, or print it off at home before you leave on your adventures and highlight all the bits you want to remember for your visit.
Before your go, check out these useful reads for your visit:
The best things to do in Penang
15 BEST restaurants in Penang
Top tips for visiting Penang
One day Penang itinerary
Best hotels in Penang
How to get around Penang
A brief history of Penang
