Thinking of the next local destination to travel to but just don’t know where here is why visiting Penang should be on your bucket list.

What is so special about Penang? You could say that Penang is Malaysia’s own Maldives as Penang is rated as the third-best island to retire on. Besides that, Penang is one of Malaysia’s most urbanized states where locals and visitors are able to enjoy a mixture of urban and rural lifestyles depending on the place they visit.

Another unique thing about Penang is that not only is Penang rich in culture, but Penang is also heavily diverse in ethnicity, language and religion. Not just that, Penang is also the best for food lovers as Penang is a food haven with lots of delicious local delicacies to enjoy.

So isn’t this enough to convince you to visit Penang? Here, we will list down the 5 places that you should visit in Penang.

Places To Visit

Georgetown UNESCO Heritage Site

If you are looking to explore the rich culture of Penang’s history, you should take a visit to Georgetown UNESCO Heritage Site as the heritage site is a fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and British Colonial architectural styles giving the place a unique look.

The result of multiculturalism is best shown in the city’s places of worship such as the historic churches, Buddhist temples, mosques and Hindu temples.

Some of the places that you can take a visit at Georgetown UNESCO Heritage Site are:

• Peranakan Mansion
• Masjid Kapitan Keling
• Georgetown Street art
• Khoo Kongsi

There are many more interesting places that you can visit at Georgetown UNESCO Heritage site. Be sure to explore the place thoroughly when you are there!

Kek Lok Si Temple

Not only is Kek Lok Si Temple the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, but also in Southeast Asia. It Was built over a hundred years ago. The significance of Kek Lok Si Temple is the gigantic bronze statue of Kuan Yin which measures 120-feet in height. There are also other beautiful attractions at Kek Lok Si Temple is the seven-tiered pagoda which houses a stunning collection of Buddha statues. Not just that, the temple is also filled with beautifully landscaped gardens for sightseeing.

So, if you are the type of person who enjoys looking at cultural places of worship, Kek Lok Si Temple should be on your bucket list.

Batu Ferringhi Beach / Batu Ferringhi

Enough of the urban life and wish to relax somewhere close to nature? Batu Ferringhi Beach is next on the list.

Batu Ferringhi Beach is a good spot for you to have a picnic with your family as you enjoy the sight of the waves rolling. Other activities that you can do at Batu Ferringhi beach is by playing on the water or strolling along the beach as the sunsets. 

Once the sun has set, enjoy the nightlife at Batu Ferringhi as the place is filled with bars, restaurants and cafes. However, do not limit yourself to just that, walk around Batu Ferringhi to engage yourself as a local of Batu Ferringhi by visiting Batu Ferringhi night market as well where you can buy souvenirs, artwork and so on for the best price.

Penang National Park

Penang National Park is next on the list if you really want to indulge yourself with nature. Fun fact, Penang National Park is so small that it is the world’s smallest national park. Doesn’t matter if it’s small or not as it is all about the experience. 

Hike along the trails which will take you around 3hours to complete where the end destination is are empty beaches. Depending on the route you are going, the route will either lead you to Monkey Beach or Turtle Beach as the route is connected to Penang National Park. You can even pay someone to drop you at the beaches on the boat if you do not feel like walking. All comes down to you.

Hutton Lane

Hutton Lane is like SS15 for Penang. There are many cafes and beverage shops such as Fruit juice, bubble tea shops or yoghourt drinks at Hutton lane if that is what you are looking for. 

If you are looking for local cuisines instead – you can try the Roti Bakar Hutton Lane which is well-known for making such flavoury and delicious roti bakar. Even I feel like eating the Roti Bakar @ Hutton Lane as of writing this article. Yum yum.

What are you waiting for?

If this is your first time visiting Penang, we highly recommend you to visit places that are rich in culture and heritage so that you can appreciate the history of Penang and also indulge yourself as a Penangite before going to shopping malls where it is the same anywhere in Malaysia.

With that being said, we also highly recommend doing more research online on more places to visit in Penang as there are many more interesting places to offer for visitors.

What are you waiting for? Isn’t the list convincing enough for you wanting to come to visit Penang? Hurry up and mark your calendar, book a flight ticket and apply for your work-leave now! Life is too short for you to be stressed about something that is holding you back. Come visit Penang to enjoy the mixture of an urban and rural lifestyle, you won’t regret it!

Already planned on visiting Penang as of reading this article? What are the places that you plan on visiting when you are visiting Penang?