Ultimate 3 Day Penang Itinerary: A Complete Guide 2025

If you’re looking for the ultimate 3 day Penang itinerary, we’ve detailed exactly what you should do, and everything you need to know to make your trip amazing!

Penang is an island that captures you the moment you arrive. From its lush, green landscapes to the mouthwatering street food, there’s an undeniable charm that makes you feel at home. 

Known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning scenery, Penang offers the perfect mix of city and natural beauty. Whether you’re wandering through George Town’s colorful streets or soaking in the views from Penang Hill, there’s so much to explore in just three days.

We spent a week in Penang and absolutely fell in love. It’s the sort of place you visit with limited expectations, but then end up never wanting to leave. In this guide, I’m going to take you through the ultimate 3-day Penang itinerary, sharing the must-see spots, hidden gems, and of course, the unforgettable food that makes this island a foodie paradise. 

3 Days In Penang Overview

Day 1: Explore Historic George Town

To start off this 3-day Penang itinerary, you’re going to want to spend the day exploring George Town. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to it’s well-preserved historical buildings. In fact, George Town is one of the oldest towns in Malaysia.

It’s such a vibrant, beautiful town, filled with so many different cultures and religions. George Town is famous for two things in particular: it’s street art, and its food.

We also loved the beautiful old colonial-style architecture throughout the city, painted in pastel shades. This first day of your itinerary will cover all the main attractions and must-visit spots in George Town.

Search For Street Art

The first thing to do in George Town is to start your street art search! Almost all the street art spots have been designed so that you can interact with them in some way. Many also have props to make it even more realistic.

There are so many different spots to discover that you will probably be searching for street art for most of your day, alongside the other activities planned. But that’s definitely the best way. It’ll lead you down places that you would never have discovered otherwise.

These are our favourite spots:

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Kapitan Keling Mosque is one of the largest mosques in George Town, and also one of the oldest. It was originally built in 1800-1801 by Indian Muslim traders in George Town.

This mosque is so beautiful, surrounded by a peaceful garden. It is open to non-muslims for visiting between 1-5pm, though you cannot go in the prayer hall. You will be taken on a free tour of the mosque, with plenty of opportunities to take photos. 

As it is a mosque, you will need to dress respectfully to enter. This includes wearing long trousers and covering shoulders for men, whereas women need to cover up completely, including hair and neck. Only a womans face and hands should be on show.

Little India

George Town is home to a thriving Indian Community, who have preserved their culture in Little India. This is a vibrant part of the city, filled with different smells, colours, and sounds.

You’ll see doors draped with flower offerings, shops selling traditional sarees and Indian clothing, small street food stands, and the best Indian restaurants you’ll ever visit.

Spend a while wandering through Little India, soaking up the atmosphere. Don’t worry, you’ll be going back to sample the food a little later in this itinerary!

Penang Central Fire Station

Next stop on your Penang itinerary is a place that completely blew us away. This was one of our first experiences of the kind hospitality we would find across Penang, and Malaysia as a whole. This was one of the highlights of our day.

Penang Central Fire Station is the oldest fire station in Malaysia. This magnificent white and red building was opened in 1908, with parts of the structure imported from the UK.

Whilst beautiful on the outside, the fire station is also open to visitors. On the right side is a small museum, showcasing the different uniforms over the years, equipment, and photographs of rescues. 

The left side is where the uniform and fire engines are. Penang Central Fire Station is still in active use today.

When we visited, one of the firefighters came out and had a chat with us. He showed us around, told us a little about the fire station, and even let us take photos inside the fire engine and on the bike. He had been a firefighter for 27 years so it was fascinating talking to him. 

Entrance to the museum and fire station is free, however we highly recommend making a donation which directly goes towards helping the community.

Backlane Walkway

Just outside of Penang Central Fire Station is the Backlane Walkway. This is another of our favourite spots in George Town. As you enter, you’re met with colourful wind spinners and the odd trishaw making its way down. 

This is a great photo spot with the colourful decorations. There is also a filtered water fountain so you can refill your bottles here!

As you continue to walk down the backlane, you’ll see some of the most incredible street art, honouring the firefighters of Penang. You’ll see some of the insane rescues they’ve performed, as well as the faces of fallen firefighters forever memorialised on this wall. It’s moving to see.

Lunch Stop

For lunch on your first day in Penang, you’re going to want to head back into Little India to an incredible food cart: Penang Famous Samosa.

This street cart is recognised in the Michelin Guide for its exceptional food. It serves a huge variety of Indian snacks and sweet treats, including vegetarian and meat options.

We highly recommend grabbing a few things to try. They are absolutely delicious – we’ve never had samosas like this before. They all cost between 1 and 3.5 ringgit so they’re super affordable, and surprisingly filling.

Jetty 35

After your little street food stop, head to Jetty 35, where you’ll find another of the famous street art spots: the brother and sister on a swing.

Jetty 35 is a trendy retro market located in a warehouse, not actually on a jetty. It is brimming with unique gifts, souvenirs, and coffee shops, and is really fun to explore.

Clan Jetties

Next stop on this Penang itinerary is the clan jetties. These jetties are complete with unique wooden-stilted houses, originally built by Chinese fisherman in the 19th century. They are known as clan jetties as each jetty was home to a different ‘clan’. There was once a time when the clans were at war with one another, however today they live peacefully. 

The jetties are still home to locals to this day. They are all free for tourists to explore, however if you’re visiting the more local jetties, make sure to be respectful and keep the noise to a minimum.

The main tourist jetty is Chew Jetty. It is lined with souvenir shops, cafés, food stalls, and tends to get pretty busy. Whilst we would recommend exploring Chew Jetty, also take the time to visit the quieter jetties for a real glimpse into local life. 

Here’s our favourite:

Hean Boo Thean Temple

Hean Boo Thean Temple is a Chinese Buddhist temple built over the sea. It is painted in bright yellows and reds and is visible from the jetties. Entrance to the temple is free, though a donation is recommended.

It’s really not that big and doesn’t take too long to explore, but it is so peaceful, with the sound of the sea lapping at the stilts. Plus, it’s rarely visited by tourists. In fact, we were the only tourists when we visited, which just made it even more peaceful.

The views are incredible from the temple, too, especially from the top level. It is well worth spending some time exploring.

Armenian Street

On your way back into town, make sure to wander down Armenian Street. This is the vibrant heart of the tourist area, characterised by colourful trishaws, pastel buildings, quaint coffee shops and restaurants, and, of course, street art.

Spend some time in the cute shops, try some local food, and soak up the vibrant atmosphere. 

Dinner Stop

For dinner, head to Penang Road Famous Laksa to sample the dish that Penang is most famous for. They also serve one of Penang’s other famous dishes: Char Kuey Teow. These are both must-try’s when you’re in Penang, and this is one of the best places to try them!

Alternatively, book yourself onto a food tour to discover all of George Town’s best dishes!

Day 2: Penang Hill & Kek Lok Si Temple

On the second day of your 3 day Penang itinerary, it’s time to head out of the city to one of the most popular day trip locations in Penang. 

For us, popular often means overrated, but certainly not with this one! 

For this day trip, you’re going to want to take the line 204 bus. It should cost around 2 ringgit and the journey takes 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can book onto a tour to see both Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si Temple.

Morning: Penang Hill

Penang Hill is a beautiful hill station in the north of Penang. As it is one of the most popular day trips, make sure you get there early. We got there around 7:30 and didn’t really have to queue, but we’ve heard of people having to queue for 2+ hours later in the day, both to go up and to come back down.

To get to the top of the hill, you need to take the funicular. It takes 4 minutes to get up, and it is really scenic. You can hike up, but we wouldn’t recommend it on this itinerary.

When you get to the top, head straight to the viewing platform for the best views over George Town, Butterworth, and the surrounding rainforest and sea. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. 

If you’re lucky, the friendly Dusky Leaf monkeys might also come to say hello. They love feeding on the fresh young leaves of the plants near the funicular station. They are adorable, but of course keep your distance at all times.

There are lots of things you can do at the top of Penang Hill including:

You get the gist. There is a lot to do on Penang Hill. However, there is one thing we recommend more than anything else.

The Habitat

The Habitat is by far the best thing to do at the top of Penang Hill and we recommend it to everyone. This is the most accessible, diverse, and authentic rainforest experience you can get in Malaysia. It is home to exceptional biodiversity, including more than 2500 different species, some only discovered to man in 2017.

The highlight for us was the Langur Way canopy walk. This is the longest twin-span stressed ribbon bridge in the world, suspended up to 40m from the rainforest floor. The views are insane and the wildlife viewing is next level.

If you’re quiet, and take the time to stop and watch, you can see all sorts of different creatures. We found a cool black and yellow striped cricket, a myriad of colourful butterflies, beautiful birds, and the highlight? 

A flying lemur. Yep, we saw a flying lemur in the trees in front of us. We couldn’t believe our luck.

The trick is to really take your time, spend as long as you can watching the trees, trying to find different wildlife. You can also see snakes, more monkeys, giant black squirrels, frogs, spiders, and various other critters.

There are several other attractions along the way, including a relaxing swing with a view over the rainforest, and the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk.

The Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk is the highest viewing platform in Penang, at 815m above sea level. At this point, you are walking along a circular platform in line with the tops of the trees. Birds fly so close over your head you think they’re going to hit you. 

Wildlife viewing isn’t as good from the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk, however the views over the rainforest and sea are insane. Although, if you’re scared of heights, it might be one you miss.

The whole of the Habitat is 1.6km long, and the recommended time is 1.5-2 hours. We spent 3 hours there, trying to spot as much wildlife as possible. Take your time, don’t rush through it, and we’re sure you’ll love it.

Lunch Stop

For lunch, we recommend descending the funicular again and heading to one of the little food stalls at the base of the hill station. There are plenty of options to choose from.

Afternoon: Kek Lok Si Temple

After lunch, head to Kek Lok Si Temple. It’s a gentle 30-minute walk to get there, or you can take a Grab.

Kek Lok Si is by far the most impressive temple we have ever visited. Built in 1891, this is one of the largest and finest temple complexes in the whole of Southeast Asia. The name itself means ‘temple of supreme bliss’.

At the entrance, you’ll be met with a huge pond filled with hundreds of tortoises, symbolic of wisdom in Buddhism. You can either walk up to the temple complex or take the funicular, though we recommend walking this one. It’s not too far and is pretty easy.

The temple is filled with brightly coloured pagodas, ornate temples, water features, plants and flowers of all kinds. As it is on top of a hill, the higher you go, the better the views are. 

You can easily spend half a day exploring all the different levels and buildings at the temple. It’s a bit of a maze, so take your time to fully explore.

To get up to the main pagoda, measuring 30m, you need to pay a 2 ringgit entry fee. You can go up the pagoda. Go to the back right of the temple in front to find the stairs. It was under construction when we were visiting, so you could only go up halfway, but the views were still amazing.

After, take the upper funicular for 3 ringgit to the very top of the temple complex. This is where you can see the impressive 36.5m tall statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. It is spectacular to see.

Air Itam

After visiting Kek Lok Si, head back down into the town of Air Itam. This is a very local town, with a bustling market and vibrant food court to explore. If you’re hungry, feel free to grab something to eat.

It’s also home to one of the best and cheapest bakeries we found in Penang – Sin Ka Oon Bakery. It is huge and has so many different products. Make sure to try some of the cheesy bread – it’s surprisingly made with sugar!

It is just outside of this bakery is where you will need to wait to catch the bus back to George Town. They run very regularly, around every 15 minutes.

Dinner Spot

For dinner, head to Dulang Malaysian Restaurant. We went here several times during our stay and loved it. It has a laidback atmosphere, with beautiful decor, and incredible food.

This is one of the only Malaysian restaurants we found that serves both vegetarian and meat dishes. I personally can highly recommend the tempeh sambal merah!

Day 3: Penang National Park

Penang National Park is easily our favourite thing on this 3-day Penang Itinerary. It is so beautiful and so underrated. It feels like a real hidden gem.

Again, you’re going to want to catch the local bus here. Take bus 101 to the entrance to the national park. It is the last stop, and the driver will tell you when to get off. The journey takes around 45-60 mins, and gets pretty windy towards the end. It costs 3.4 ringgit per person.

When you get to the national park, you need to go to the registration desk, fill out a Google form, and pay your conservation fee. You’ll be given a purple wristband. 

There are several options for Penang National Park depending on your ability. This itinerary involves hiking to Turtle Beach, taking a boat to Monkey Beach, then taking a boat back.

For this itinerary, which should be fine for the vast majority of people, you’ll want to book a boat at the entrance from Turtle Beach to Monkey Beach. You have to book it for a specific time, and we recommend allowing 3-4 hours to hike and enjoy the beach at the other end before leaving. 

You can also book your boat from Monkey Beach too, for whatever time you want to leave the park.

Hike Through The Rainforest

The hike to Turtle Beach (also called Kerachut Beach) is a really fun one. It should take around 1hr 15 mins – 1hr 30 mins to complete, but go at whatever pace feels right for you.

You start by following a concrete path along the beach, before the path splits, just after a bridge. Take the left fork, and essentially just keep following it to the end.

The hike follows a clear path, with a mixture of mud paths and occasional concrete steps. The first half is all uphill and a little strenuous in places. Some of the steps are huge and it gets quite humid.

You will then descend down some clay slopes with ropes to help you keep your balance. The path gets quite narrow in places, and can be slippy in rainy season. However, it’s not too challenging if you take it slow.

Near the end, you will see a sign, pointing you either to the beach or to the meromictic lake. Follow the sign to the meromictic lake. Trust us.

Turtle Beach

Following the hike, you will emerge to find a suspension bridge over a river, with the most beautiful beach in front of you. 

When we went, the whole left side of the beach was flooded due to rainy season, with pockets of green grass dotted throughout. To the right was the meromictic lake, a very rare phenomenon that only occurs in a few places across the world.

A meromictic lake is where two different densities of water do not mix, forming two distinct layers. In this case, it occurs as the freshwater meets the seawater. If you go to the edge, you can just about see the two different layers.

The beach itself is stunning. It’s made up of tiny white stones, so the sand isn’t super soft, but the sea is insanely blue. The rainforest spills onto the sand and surrounds the beach on all sides. It’s magical.

There are several benches and swings located under the shelter of the trees, though we were virtually alone on the beach, minus two other small groups of people. It’s so peaceful. 

At the end of the beach is a pier, and if you go a bit further, there’s a turtle sanctuary. Truth be told, we didn’t know about the turtle sanctuary until we were on our boat, so we actually didn’t go. We simply spent an hour enjoying the sunshine on the beach.

Boat To Monkey Beach

The boat to Monkey Beach takes around 25-30 minutes. It’s very fun as you’re jumping over the waves. You can also see various rock formations along the way, including a rabbit, a crocodile, and a turtle.

If you’re lucky, you can even see sea otters, which we did not expect!

Monkey Beach

Monkey Beach is much less secluded than Turtle Beach, with several bars, food outlets, and plenty of places to buy a snack. There also tends to be a lot more people here, and it can be a bit dirty due to people not taking their rubbish home.

However, it is still a very peaceful place. As the name suggests, it is home to long-tailed macaques, though they tend to leave people alone. Learn from our mistakes though, and do not show any signs of having food, or leave your bag alone on the beach, or the monkeys will likely steal the food!

You could easily spend the afternoon relaxing on Monkey Beach, however if you want something more active, there is a 45min hike up the hill at the end of the beach to a lighthouse which supposedly has incredible views.

Boat Back To Entrance

This is where we hope you really learn from our mistakes! Get the boat back to the entrance. We didn’t and decided to hike it, but that was the biggest mistake.

The hike is very sketchy a lot of the way due to a landslide a few years ago which has only been partly cleared. We wouldn’t recommend hiking back. It was not an enjoyable experience.

Dinner Spot

Once you’re back in George Town and have showered, head to D’Sakra in Little India for the best Indian meal. It is insanely good. The atmosphere is excellent, the dishes are so flavourful, and there are so many options for both meat eaters and veggies.

We also went here multiple times. It was the best Indian we have ever had!

Where to Stay in Penang

For this 3 day Penang itinerary, we would highly recommend basing yourself in George Town. This will give you the best options in terms of food and accommodation. It is also well-connected to reach the day trip locations in this itinerary.

✅ Best Budget Option – Sleep Box Penang

This is where we stayed during our week in Penang. It was fantastic. The hospitality is exceptional, the shared bathroom was always quiet and sparklingly clean. The rooms are cozy but so incredibly comfortable. It’s located on Chulia Street, with plenty of street food options and incredible street art very close by.

✅ Best Mid-Range Option – Royale Chulan Penang

Royale Chulan is located near to the jetties, in the heart of George Town. Rooms are stylish, comfortable and spacious. Guests can make use of the outdoor swimming pool, the fitness centre, and the onsite restaurant.

✅ Best Luxury Option – The George Penang By The Crest Collection

The George Hotel is one of the most iconic parts of the old town. Located just off Chulia Street, it is within walking distance of all major attractions. Beautiful outside and in, this hotel offers guests elegant, comfortable rooms with plenty of space.

There is an outdoor saltwater pool, and indoor pool, steam room, and fitness centre. There is also a fantastic restaurant onsite serving a variety of different cuisines.

How Long To Spend In Penang

How long do you have? We loved Penang and could easily have stayed for longer! We would ideally recommend staying for 3 days to experience all the highlights.

Best Time To Visit Penang

Penang is a great year-round destination, with two distinct seasons. Both have their pros and cons, but we wouldn’t want that to put you off visiting. It really is personal preference.

Dry Season

Dry season runs from November to February and is the most popular time to visit. The weather will be warm and sunny with little rain. This is a great time to explore the beaches or stroll in Penang Hill. 

However, it brings with it crowds. Penang is a popular holiday destination for both Malaysians and foreign tourists, hence it can get pretty busy.

Rainy Season

Rainy season runs from March to October. We visited in June, in the middle of rainy season, and loved it. In fact, we would go in rainy season again. The main plus side with rainy season is that there are fewer tourists, which is always a blessing. 

There are occasional downpours, normally once per day lasting for around an hour. Two days we were there it rained pretty much all day, but most days were fine. It is quite humid, however, which can be uncomfortable, but it’s generally not too bad.

Getting To Penang

Penang is incredibly well connected by air, sea, and road. This makes it incredibly easy to get around.

By Air

Penang International Airport (PEN) is located in the south of the island. To get to George Town from the airport, you can either take a grab, or take the local bus.

We opted for the local bus. It costs 2.5 ringgit per person and the journey takes half an hour. It is worth noting that buses only accept cash and no change is given. If you’ve taken money out at the airport, make sure to buy a coffee or something and ask for small change to break your notes.

By Sea

There is a direct passenger ferry connecting George Town with Butterworth, the main city in Penang on mainland Malaysia. The journey is incredibly scenic and takes around 20 minutes. The journey costs 2 ringgit, payable by contactless card only.

By Land

Penang has two bridges spanning the sea, connecting the island with the mainland. The first bridge is 13.5km long and the second bridge is a whopping 24km long, making it one of the longest bridges in the world. The toll fee for crossing the Penang Bridge is 5.6 ringgit for cars. The Second Penang Bridge costs 7 ringgit for cars.

Buses To Penang

Buses to Penang run to Butterworth. From here, you will need to catch the ferry to George Town. The bus terminal is directly attached to the ferry terminal, making it super easy.

Getting Around Penang

Public Buses

Public buses in Penang are just a couple of ringgit and run very regularly, making it the cheapest way to explore the island. There is also a free city bus that runs around George Town, helping you to see all the sights in a short amount of time. Just look for the bus labelled CAT.

Hire A Car

Hiring a car and driving around Penang will give you far more flexibility in both time and location. You can stop off at secluded beaches and plan your Penang itinerary based on your own timetable rather than the buses. Car hire can be pretty cheap too.

Get A Grab

Alternatively, you can use Grab, which lets you book a driver in the same way as Uber. This is great for short distances, but we wouldn’t recommend it for long distances as the price can quickly add up and it can be hard to find a Grab back at the end of the day.

FAQs

Still have a few questions about your 3 day Penang itinerary? We’ve answered the most common questions below.

Is Penang Expensive To Visit?

Not at all! Penang is a very budget-friendly destination. A meal out will set you back between 8-30 ringgit per person, transport is only a couple of ringgit, and there’s plenty of budget friendly accommodation.

Is Penang Safe For Tourists?

Penang is a very safe destination. We felt completely safe at all times whilst visiting George Town and Penang. Crime rates are low, though you should exercise the same caution that you would in any major city, such as keeping an eye on your belongings and not going out alone after dark.

Is The Street Food Safe?

There are very strict rules regarding food hygiene and street food stalls in Malaysia. The chances of getting ill from Malaysian street food is very low.

Is Penang A City?

No! Penang is actually the name of the island, in the state of Pulau Pinang. It encompasses many towns and cities including George Town and Butterworth.

Can I Do A Day Trip From Kuala Lumpur To Penang?

Unfortunately, the distance between Kuala Lumpur and Penang is too great to make a day trip an enjoyable option. If you’re based in Kuala Lumpur, consider spending at least 1-2 nights in Penang to make it worthwhile.

Wrap Up

Penang is one of our favourite places in Malaysia, filled with beautiful laidback towns, colonial architecture, a fascinating history, and stunning natural beauty. It’s the perfect blend of fast-paced and laidback. 

Three days is the perfect amount of time to get a taste of Penang, though we’re sure you’ll end up wanting to go back for more!

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