7 Reasons to Visit George Town in Penang, Malaysia

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If there’s one place in Malaysia that you always hear good things about it’s the island of Penang. Just off the west coast of Malaysia, this island basically ticks every box, be it history, culture or food. Now, Penang is not only an island but also a Malaysian state, with George Town both its major city and the state capital. So when people talk about Penang they often actually just mean George Town.

Not that there isn’t lots to do around the rest of the island of course. And yet, I was having such a good time in George Town that I never really had time to look beyond the city. There’s simply so much to love about this place and plenty of reasons to visit George Town on Penang. Next time however, I hope to see what the rest of Penang has to offer.

1. World Famous Street Art

Number one of the reasons to visit Penang, at least these days, is surely to see the vibrant and clever street art that adds an air of playfulness to the city of George Town. What really first put this part of Malaysia on my radar were the various travel blogs I saw on Penang street art and the creative ways it was made to blend into the surroundings. So when I arrived in George Town, there was little doubt in my mind what to do first.

After all, one of the best things to do in Penang is to simply wander the streets of George Town trying to try to find all the great pieces of street art that brighten it up. It’s amazing what one mural can do to the feel of a place and there’s so many that the idea of walking about is exciting rather than just necessary.

Rather than just being for the tourists, locals seem to really appreciate it too and I even had someone point me in the right direction for one piece just to help out. It seems like such a great addition to the city and such a positive presence, what’s not to love?

2. Artistic Ironwork

Along with all of the murals you’ll find on Penang’s streets, the historic centre of George Town has all sorts of fantastic ironwork scenes scattered about the place. Each ironwork piece is specific to a street or place and relates to a historic or cultural element that place represents.

They’re done in the style of caricatures making them both fun and interesting, while also having an informative blurb included. As a way to celebrate the UNESCO world heritage listing of the George Town Old Town, I think it’s a truly novel idea and one that everyone can enjoy.

3. All the Great Food

Before it was beloved for street art and other artistic things, Penang was famed for its food. George Town in particular has long excelled at street food, serving up one tasty Malaysian or Asian dish after the next. As someone who really enjoys Malaysian food, I was easily won over by George Town. And don’t take my word for it, this food tour of George Town is one of the most popular tours in the city.

Since I stayed close to the Chinatown area of the city, every evening it was a trip over to either the small carts, little plastic seating or modest restaurants. What’s great is that not only is the food delicious but really affordable too. Although you will find broader Malaysian food, Penang definitely has its specialties. The one I ate more than anything was char kway teoh, which is rice noodles with a mix of stuff including egg, sprouts and Chinese sausage. As a favourite of mine back in Australia it was so good to eat the real deal in Penang.

Other common yet tasty dishes include curry mee and hokkien mee, both spicy noodle soups a little like laksa, and cendol, an interesting iced dessert with coconut milk and green jelly noodles. There’s simply too much awesome foods to list here, so before you go look for detailed food guides like this one to find them all.

4. Excellent Coffee

One of my most fortunate surprises in George Town was the number of great coffee places I managed to find. As someone who needs their coffee, you can imagine how happy I was to keep stumbling upon good quality coffee places. Perhaps a little in contrast to the city’s heritage and history, these cafes felt new and modern and had extensive menus. I mean, many wouldn’t feel out-of-place back home in Australia that’s for sure.

Part of the reason I chose to stick around longer in Penang was that these great cafes gave me somewhere to work. As a digital nomad, cafes with atmosphere like the Constant Gardener and Black Kettle are ideal for focusing on work but also getting my caffeine fix. Two other cafes I’d recommend are Coffee Lane and Kim Haus, the latter of which does great food too. I’m sure there were more cafes worth checking out too, but safe to say I was satisfied by the ones I visited.

5. Interesting Architecture

Beyond the food, the coffee and the various creative works around the city, underneath it all George Town is still an exceptionally interesting and pretty city. There’s a reason that UNESCO inscribed George Town on their World Heritage List.

The historic centre of the city is full of fantastic colonial architecture and old Chinese storefronts, that together make wandering about the Old Town such a joy. It’s all this underlying character that makes the other great features of George Town really pop and make you fall for the city.

6. Remarkably Multicultural

Much like the city of Malacca, George Town is another place that reflects the incredibly diverse culture and people that make up Malaysia. Things I’ve already mentioned like food and architecture are directly reflected in that. Explore the different parts of George Town’s historic centre and you see all these different elements, that together add up to more than the sum of their parts.

Two of the most noticeable ethnic areas in the heart of George Town are Little India and Chinatown. In each area you might notice a change in the people who live and work there, the look of the buildings and the types of businesses. Ultimately though, it’s still recognisable George Town. An important trading port over the centuries, that diversity is just built into its DNA and I think is a big part about what makes Penang and all of Malaysia so fun to visit.

7. The Huge Kek Lok Si Temple

Up until this point, I haven’t really focused in on any single tourist landmark in Penang. So many of my reasons to visit George Town have been to do with the city as a whole not any one landmark. That’s because I don’t think George Town is the kind of destination where you focus on must-do cultural attractions.

But if there is one, I think it has to be Kek Lok Si Temple. Right on the outskirts of the city near the centre of Penang Island, this temple was certainly the most impressive of the many temples and shrines in George Town. While I chose to visit by myself, you can also take a tour to the temple if that’s more your speed.

After abandoning my attempt to go up Penang Hill when I saw the crazy long line for the cable car, I made a beeline for this temple and felt rewarded for my decision. Not particularly old given that it was finished in 1930, this temple is impressive in terms of scale and design.

The views back to George Town aren’t half bad either. Among its many gardens and pagodas, the most impressive sights are the statues around the alabaster white Pagoda of Rama VI and the sheer size of the 36 metre-high statue to the goddess Kuan Yin. Even with parts under redevelopment during my visit, a striking sight indeed.

Visiting George Town, Penang

Accommodation

Penang and George Town are pretty well established tourist destinations, so finding accommodation won’t be a problem. Pick somewhere near the centre of the Old Town and you’ll be able to simply walk everywhere that you’d want in the city centre. Part of my time there was spent at the Grand Swiss Hotel, an affordable choice with a great location and not too shabby rooms, keeping in mind it’s a two-star hotel.

Getting Around

Coming in to Penang, you’ll likely be given the choice to get off at the Butterworth Terminal and catch the ferry right across to George Town. As for local buses around Penang, go to the Komtar Bus Station for buses to places like Kek Lok Si Temple and the cable car up to Penang Hill. However, for getting buses to other cities in Malaysia like Kuala Lumpur, you need to travel all the way out to Sungai Nibong Express Bus Terminal.

For intercity travel, I would recommend avoiding the Billion Stars Express company as I had a really frustrating trip back to Kuala Lumpur. Rather than leaving at their scheduled time, they said they wouldn’t leave until they had filled enough seats.

No other bus company I travelled with in Malaysia did this and I watched plenty of other buses to Kuala Lumpur arrive and depart on time while we waited for 1.5 hours to leave. There’s plenty of other companies so just go with one of them. A sour note on an otherwise fun visit.

Have you ever had the chance to visit George Town or Penang? What about this island of Malaysia most appeals to you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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