Penang Island – Pearl Of The Orient

What to see in Penang Island. Armenian Street, Chulia Street, Rainbow Skywalk, Clan Jetties, Fort Cornwallis, Secret Garden, Floating Mosque, Miami Beach, Long Beach, The Spice Garden, Teluk Bahang Dam, Penang Hill. 224 miles/360 kms from Kuala Lumpur is beautiful Penang island. A 4-hour drive on an excellently marked highway. The island can be divided into three parts for convenient sight-seeing. The East Coast, The North Coast and Penang Hill. From the mainland, you can drive here over the bridge or catch the ferry across. I recommend the bridge, it is quicker. You can stop along the way at lay-by’s and click pictures if you wish. George Town is the name of the city that covers the island. Don’t forget to check TIPS at the bottom of the page.

What To See In Penang Island

East Coast, North Coast, Penang-Hill.

The East Coast

1. Armenian Street
2. Chulia Street
3. Rainbow Skywalk
4. Clan Jetties
5. Fort Cornwallis and Penang Harbor Lighthouse
6. Nagore Square
7. Gurney Drive Food Court

1. Armenian Street

Armenian Street is where you will find the famous ‘Children on a Bicycle’ mural and various other forms of street art.

There are Chinese clan houses, museums, and shophouses that sell antiques and souvenirs.

2. Chulia Street

Chulia Street is well-known as a food paradise within Penang. You can drink a cold-one while eating at any of the numerous hawker stalls and restaurants along the street that serve local cuisine. The picture above is of a hawker cooking oyster omelettes.

Several shophouses along the road have been converted into budget accommodation, hostels and guesthouses for tourists.

3. Rainbow Skywalk

A 10-minute walk from Chulia street will get you to the Komtar Tower. See Penang island with a walk on the Rainbow Skywalk. This horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge with a glass walkway sits at an elevation of nearly 250 meters (68th floor).

The Komtar Tower also has other attractions that include an indoor observatory deck, 7D motion theatre, restaurant, etc..

There are six Clan Jetties. The Chew, Lee, Tan, Yeoh, Koay and Peng Aun are their names. Chew Jetty was the most vibrant with shops selling souvenirs, food, ice-cream, handicrafts, jewelry and clothes.

Keep in mind, all of this is on a jetty. People have their homes here and everything is on stilts over the Malacca Strait.

5. Fort Cornwallis And Penang Harbor Lighthouse

Fort Cornwallis is the largest standing fort in Malaysia that never engaged in combat during its operational history.

A moat 30 ft/9 mts wide by 6.5 ft/2 mts deep once surrounded the fort but it was filled in the 1920s due to a malaria outbreak in the area.

In the northeast corner of the fort, is a 69 ft/21 m  skeletal steel lighthouse that resembles a ship’s mast. It is the only lighthouse in Peninsular Malaysia that does not serve any navigational purpose.

On the street outside Fort Cornwallis, is a clock tower to commemorate Queen Victoria. It is built in the Moorish style and is very popular for photos.

6. Nagore Square

Nagore Square is two rows of rehabilitated townhouses that have been given a makeover. The locality is a hybrid of indoor and outdoor spaces showcasing heritage designs of the past.

There is a mixture of retail, arts, culture, restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment here. sprawling cluster of shared tables and street carts

7. Gurney Drive Food Court

Gurney Drive is a scene, enjoyed by local families, couples, and international visitors. It offers inexpensive late dining options at reasonable prices amid the sprawling cluster of shared tables and street carts.

You also have the option of eating healthy! Fruit stalls sell pre-cut, chilled fruit of many varieties.

The North Coast

1. Penang Avatar Secret Garden
2. The Floating Mosque
3. Miami Beach
4. Long Beach (Batu Ferringhi)
5. Tropical Spice Garden
6. Teluk Bahang Dam

1. Penang Avatar Secret Garden (Night Only)

This Penang attraction comes alive at night. Different types and colors of lights are placed strategically on trees and bushes to evoke a surreal effect.

The colors are vibrant and blend harmoniously to create a dream-like fantasy. You can walk around and take pictures of this dazzling display. The entire experience is free, but there is a charge to park your car.

2. The Floating Mosque

Despite its name, the mosque is not actually floating, but rather standing on pilings and stilts. There is a parking lot where you can park your vehicle. If you walk a bit on either side of the mosque, you get excellent pictures from the beach.

3. Miami Beach

A stretch of coastline with a good sandy beach at one end and a boulder/rocky beach at the other. There are clean (paid) public washrooms here (wheelchair accessible) with shower and locker facilities.

The beach does not front any resort, you can park by the roadside and head straight down to the water.

4. Long Beach (Batu Ferringhi)

1.8 miles/3 kms of pristine golden sand where you can swim, rent kayaks, jet-skis or banana boats. Parasailing is one of the highlights here.

Another attraction in the area is the night market that offers a wide variety of merchandise including locally handcrafted souvenirs, There are no food stalls set up at this night market. For a “food” experience, visit the local square.

5. Tropical Spice Garden

A must if you are passionate about cooking with spices. You can learn about aromas, flavors, use, storage and much more from their tours, You can also buy exotic spices, oils, etc. from their store to take back with you.

There is a pretty sandy beach directly opposite the Tropical Spice Garden entrance. You could maybe make it a double excursion in one trip.

7. Teluk Bahang Dam

Come here and enjoy the warm breeze blowing in from the Straits in a peaceful and quiet environment. Near the dam, is the Entopia Butterfly Farm home to about 13,000 butterflies from 120 different species. You will find the rare Indian Leaf, the endangered Yellow Bird wing as well as small reptiles here.

Also nearby is ESCAPE Adventure Play, an eco-themed amusement water park. Enjoy a variety of aquatic attractions and swimming pools, including the world’s longest water slide. They also have challenging activities and games which include climbing and rope courses.

Penang Hill

Penang Hill is a resort 0.5 mile/821 meters above George Town and 10 minutes by Funicular/train. The main attraction is the unobstructed view of the city, strait, bridge and mainland. There are restaurants, souvenir and handicrafts shops and one solitary hotel (12 rooms).

A trip up the hill is highly recommended. In the picture above, you can see the Komtar Tower building, Penang Bridge and the mainland among other landmarks. For Funicular/train tickets, click here.

TIPS:

• Sunblock during the day and insect repellent dusk onwards is strongly recommended
• The public transit system is quite efficient
• If traveling by taxi, agree on a fare before the ride, haggle on the price too
• From Penang Hill train station, the taxi service has fixed rates to various destinations displayed on a board at the taxi-stand
• If driving in Malaysia, purchase a Touch And Go Card. It is used at toll booths, for public parking, even for transit.