Best places to stay in Penang

This article will cover the best places to stay in Penang, the picturesque island of multicultural Malaysia, the place where everyone wants to go because it's amazing food and never-ending sunny weather.

Are you traveling to Penang, Malaysia and looking for a nice place to stay? Let me tell you the secret about their best locations and mention some affordable accommodation. 

Tourism in Penang, Malaysia

Penang is an island, one of the states in Malaysia and a beautiful place to visit. Why? Penang is a multicultural place with different nationalities living in. 

Colorful Penang offers tourists various activities to do and sights to see. Dividing tourists into two different groups so we can also divide our guide into two regions to stay: Georgetown or Balik Pulau region.

Georgetown, Penang

Georgetown is a busy capital of Penang and the second biggest city in Malaysia. This city is full of street art, amazing cafes, lovely people and history shining from every corner. Georgetown is full of diversity that you might be looking for! You can find so many different people from many different countries living here, therefore, the heart of Georgetown has so much to offer. 

Penang Hill, situated not far away from the city center, this is a great place to visit. This hill offers a stunning overview of the city! 

You can find many temples in Georgetown, for example, Kek Lok Si Temple. This temple is situated on the hilltop so the view is gorgeous and the temple itself is mesmerizing. While walking around the harbor, don't forget to visit the Clan Jetties Of Penang. It is a huge floating village with houses and stores. You can find also an amazing temple called Hean Boo Thean Kuan Yin Temple not far from the Clan Jetties.

Little India, Georgetown

Little India is one part of this lively city and is full of what you can imagine. This part of Georgetown is situated all around the block of a street called Lebuh King. Its streets are colorful and full of Indian stores. 

Those particolored stores are selling Indian goods (you can find sarees for women, shisha for men or other various souvenirs you might like to bring home), Indian spices (from Indian pepper to Indian mixed spices ready to use for your Indian dishes). You can also find stalls selling delicious Indian food (from sweet snacks to Tikka Masala for lunch). Indian food and smell of it are just everywhere around. It will make you hungry and want to try everything during your walk around.

Chinatown, Georgetown

Chinatown is one of the parts in Georgetown where you can find the Chinese culture. This part is, as well as Little India, full of great street food and small stores selling everything. Stores that are selling souvenirs or typical Chinese goods. Chinatown is situated on the street Lebuh Campbell. The Chinatown can offer many sights where you can discover more about the colonization of Penang. Did you know that the first people were from China?

Balik Pulau, closer to nature

For tourists that are more interested in hiking the mountains, wandering in the national parks or maybe visiting some of the many fruit farms you can find in Penang, this place is the right place to be. 

Balik Pulau is situated on the other side of the island than Georgetown. As already mentioned above, this part of the island is perfect for people who are seeking more natural hidden gems. There is an impressive waterfall hidden just a driving distance from Balik Pulau. There is also a nutmeg, goat, or durian farm in this region. 

Other locations

Those two locations mentioned above are not the only locations you can stay in Penang. You can also choose to stay in the south of the island. What can the South offer? There are many stunning beaches as well as a few fruit farms and we can't forget to mention the Snake Temple. This temple is not far away from the South. 

Snake Temple is one of the touristic highlights in Penang. This place is exactly what is says: temple and snakes so I have one piece of advice for you, if you don't like snakes, please don't visit this place! For locals, this temple is not just an attraction but also a spiritual place to pray. Unfortunately, this place has changed since there are so many foreign visitors. You can find a few snakes shows there as well. 

Getting around

If you are flying to Penang, you can find the International Airport of Penang (IPA) situated on the south of the island. 

The easiest way to get around the island is by renting a car at the airport or taking Grab which is the most comfortable and cheapest option. Download the Grab app, choose your destination and wait for your driver!

Cost of travel in Penang

Cost of food

Malaysia is overly one of the cheapest countries for traveling, at least for us, "Westerners". Well, it is definitely not the cheapest one in Asia. If you are on a tight budget you can eat street food which is really delicious and cheap as well. One regular meal can cost you around 5 MYR that is around USD 1.3.

Cost of transportation

Grab is very popular in Penang and it is cheaper than a regular taxi as well. The public transport is not well maintained so it is even better to use Grab. How much does it cost? For example, the way from the airport to Georgetown will cost you around 18 MYR which is around 4.5 USD. That's not that bad for 20 km, right?

When should you visit Penang

The weather in Penang is warm nearly all year long but some months are just better than the others. 

May to October is considered a rainy season, therefore, those months are not the best to visit. 

November to January is the right time to visit Penang because the weather is very pleasant and conducive for sightseeing. On the other hand, this time of a year is considered as the liveliest part of a year. 

February to April might be the best time to visit Penang. Why? Because the Christmas celebration is over and you can usually walk the streets without crowds. 

Events in Penang

The biggest events that are happening in Penang are usually connected to food or music. Penang is a state in Malaysia where people go to eat. The most delicious food in Malaysia is right there, in Penang. Even people from Singapore fly to Penang at the weekend to have some delicious treat. 

You can find many festivals happening in Penang or Georgetown, for example, Durian festival, International food festival, or Penang Island Jazz Festival. Check this website for more information during your visit: http://www.mypenang.gov.my/

One more thing: if you want to experience the real Asian culture, you should come during the New Year. Now we are not talking about 1 January but Chinese New Year. The celebration in Penang is going to be huge and impressive. I swear that you will never forget it!

Places to eat and drink

Kapitan Restaurant, situated on Chulia Street is a great option for your Indian meal. Don't forget to order their mango lassi because it is fabulous.

China House is the right place if you are looking for a nice coffee or night out with live music and good wine.

Zim Sum Restaurant, situated on Jalan Macalister Street is the best choice for your breakfast (or any dish of the day), Chinese dim sum. You will just fall in love with them!

Toh Soon Café, situated on Lebuh Campbell Street is a must-try breakfast place. Your Malaysian trip is not just complete without trying this amazing local breakfast place. Take their bread and coffee and thank me later.