19 essential tips for visiting ESCAPE Penang

ESCAPE Penang is one of the most talked-about activities on the island, often described as the best theme park in Malaysia. Popular with both locals and tourists, it is a large-scale adventure park that fits perfectly into its natural location amongst the rainforest. It’s no surprise that ESCAPE features high on our list of things to do in Penang.

We’ve put together a list of tips to help you get the most out of your visit and see what all the fuss is about, including what to wear, which ride to start your day with, and a few handy things to bring with you.

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What is ESCAPE Penang

ESCAPE Penang is best described as several activity centres all in one place. The waterpark is perhaps the main attraction and where you’ll spend most time, with tube rides (including the world’s longest tube water slide), wave pools, speed racers, kids’ pool, lazy rivers, and water obstacle courses.

If it were just a waterpark, ESCAPE Penang would still be worth a visit, but that’s only part of the story. The adventure park is cleverly woven into the rainforest setting, with a range of harness-based activities including the world’s longest zip coaster, along with slingshots, giant swings, high rope courses, and traditional ziplines. It is not just one record holder either, with multiple Guinness World Records across the park.

There’s even Malaysia’s first dry ski slope (manage expectations though), where you can descend on skis, snowboards, or inflatable tubes.

As you can see, ESCAPE Penang brings together the kind of rides and attractions you would normally find across several parks, all packed into one long but thrilling day.

Where is ESCAPE Penang

Located here ESCAPE Penang is in the far northwest corner of Penang Island, in Teluk Bahang, close 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. If you do choose to take the bus, check out our 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.

Although it’s worth booking tickets via the Klook website as there’s often a discount.

Klook.com

After purchasing your tickets, you will be asked to upload a selfie for each member of your group to help speed up entry. The system works well. Simply approach the gates, look at the screen, and smile for the camera.

Once a member of your group is recognised, the system will display the lead guest’s name, so do not be confused if your own name does not appear. Just walk through as normal. Staff are on hand to help if needed.

2. Wear a rash vest and shorts

4. Arrive early, but not too early

ESCAPE Penang opens at 10.00am 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 as you’ll just be hanging around. With the efficient selfie entry system, the queue moves quickly and you’re unlikely to be waiting for more than a few minutes.

Although it can be a good idea to arrive around 10.15am, once the first surge of early arrivals has passed through the gates and finished using the lockers.

5. Rent a locker straight away

As soon as you pass through the entry gates, you’ll see a row of lockers directly in front of you. It’s a good idea to rent one at this point and sort out your belongings before heading into the park.

Lockers cost RM19 for a full-day rental. The fee is non-refundable, but you can open and close them as many times as you like throughout the day, which makes them good value. The small lockers are surprisingly spacious, with enough room for a family of four’s towels, clothes and water bottles.

If you need more space, larger lockers and additional storage options are available over to the left, with capacity for bigger backpacks and even suitcases.

6. Get your harness and onto the chairlift first thing

This might fly against popular opinion, but we were slightly underwhelmed by the Zip Coaster and felt that one ride was enough. It’s certainly a thrilling experience but we felt it oscillated too much between a sedate cruise through the trees and an uncomfortable, slightly out-of-control bruise-fest. By the time 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 alternative is to buy bottled mineral water from the shop, although this is reasonably priced at RM3.

You’ll be exposed to the sun throughout the day, and the physical effort involved in some of the rides, or simply getting to their starting points, means you’ll likely build up a thirst. When you head into the rope section of the adventure park, you can bring your water with you, as there is 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 are a couple of self-service convenience stores dotted around around the park where you can buy noodles and other snack.

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 also seem to enjoy ESCAPE Penang, particularly the area around the lockers, so it’s worth bringing some mosquito repellent with you. It will wash off once you’ve been on the water slides, so make sure to reapply it when you’re back in the theme park areas, where they tend to be more prevalent, particularly around the acrobat and ropes courses.

10. Longest slide works best as a four

The Longest tube water slide is a fantastic ride, winding its way through the rainforest for 1,111m before splashing down at the end. In an effort to secure the Guinness World Record, the designers created a long, winding course with a fairly gentle gradient for much of the descent.

If you’re visiting as a group, pick up the quadruple rings at the bottom so you can ride together as a foursome. The added weight helps carry you down the slide at a faster pace, turning The Longest into a noticeably more exhilarating experience.

11. Make sure on the last chairlift by 5.45pm

The park closes at 6.00pm 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 manage to get onto 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 comfortable spaces, with limited areas to actually get changed. It’s more of an open-plan toilet and shower area, so finding a suitable place to change can be a bit of a challenge.

Instead, it’s recommended to bring a changing robe and slip into that rather than having to change fully back into your normal clothes.

13. If you go at the weekend, go on a Sunday

ESCAPE is open seven days a week, but 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 than on Saturdays.

14. Check your 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 requirement is a minimum weight of 40kg for certain rides, particularly the free-drop style water slides. There are also maximum weight limits on some rides, although these didn’t appear to be strictly enforced. Some limits are as low as 90kg, but most rides are capped at around 120kg.

A number of rides and attractions also have height restrictions, 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-navigate and guide yourself around the entire circuit, including unclipping your own carabiner, setting up the zipline and choosing your own route. Compared to places like Go Ape in the UK, where there tends to be more supervision, this is something to keep in mind if you’re visiting with younger children.

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’ll also need to stand carefully over a drop of around twenty feet while waiting to sit on the swing. These elements are all manageable, but they do require you to stay alert, as the risk of minor accidents may feel higher than what you might be used to elsewhere.

18. Be careful of the scooters

As the park is fairly spread out, walking between the various rides can become tiring. To help with this, ESCAPE has introduced free electric scooters that can be used around the park, including to the very top of the park instead of taking the slower chair lift.

While this is a welcome addition to the park, there are a few drawbacks:

• Helmets aren’t provided and the scooters can reach 30km/h. This is a recipe for injury (or worse) if something goes wrong, so do be cautious, especially if you’re with children.
• The scooters cannot be reserved, and there’s no system to prevent others from taking them while you’re on rides, so they are generally intended for one-time use. On busy days, it may be difficult to find one, and other guests may find ways to hold onto them throughout the day, which could lead to frustration or disputes.
• There’s almost no attempt to enforce safety or adherence to speed limits and giving way to pedestrians. The combination of narrow pathways and excited kids on electric scooters isn’t entirely safe and you’ll need to keep an eye out for collisions.

It’s hard to say whether the scooters are a welcome addition to the ESCAPE experience or not. On quiet days, they’re useful. On busier days you may find yourself wishing people were simply walking and not constantly having to watch for scooters passing by.

19. Embrace the fun

Although there’s a bar serving alcohol, this isn’t really a place to spend the day relaxing. There are some sunbeds, but they’re more for storage than lounging, with no padded cushions and only hard metal slats. The benches scattered around the park are similarly functional rather than comfortable, so it’s worth setting expectations if anyone in your group is planning to sunbathe rather than take part in the activities.

That’s perhaps the best way to approach a visit to ESCAPE Penang. It’s a place with plenty going on and a wide range of unique attractions, so you’re better off diving in, enjoying the rainforest setting, and ticking off not just one, but four Guinness World Records along the way.