Things to Do in George Town, Penang

Georgetown boasts excellently preserved colonial architecture as Southeast Asia’s first British settlement and administrative stronghold. Fort Cornwallis, Malaysia’s biggest fort, showcases its star-shaped bastion enclosing a park. Arched windows and colonnades decorate Georgetown’s neo-Baroque style, City Hall.

Planned by the local council and London art school graduates in 2012, Georgetown’s UNESCO-listed street art scene adorns old Chinese shophouses. From the world-famous “Little Girl In Blue” and more by Lithuania’s Ernest Zacharevic, Malayan Tiger, Children on a Bicycle, and Window Cat to numerous 3D-style murals, Georgetown is famed for this art genre.

Penang Hill is George Town’s and Penang’s tallest point, soaring 833 metres. Colonial-era Britishers established a hill station at its summit. Penang Hill’s pleasantly cool weather, panoramic viewing platforms, English-style cottages and themed areas attract locals and tourists alike.

Fusing Chinese, Malaysian and Indian flavours, Georgetown’s mouth-watering street food comes from the hawker centres, waterfront seafood spots, family-owned Chinese diners and markets.

Situated on the hilltop at Air Itam near Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si is one of the largest Chinese Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. Comprising of monasteries, temples, prayer halls, and gardens, the temple complex is a chief pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Philippines and Singapore.

Penang Road Market’s lively vendors and equally enthusiastic shoppers characterise Georgetown’s vibrant soul. Among labyrinthine tunnels of stalls in this once-a-month weekend market, one can find bargains for anything from groceries, clothing, fabrics and cheap household goods to souvenirs, handicrafts, footwear and trinkets.

Exploring Georgetown’s historical, natural, and other major attractions becomes possible in just a few hours with half-day tours. Hop on a bus, bicycle or private vehicle to visit heritage properties and museums on Penang Heritage Trail, beyond which lie skyscrapers and plazas.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a majestic UNESCO Heritage Site located in Georgetown, Penang (Malaysia). Once the private residence of Cheong Ho, it now serves as a boutique hotel and museum. It is often known as the Blue Mansion because of its distinctive blue-coloured outer walls and external decorations.

Georgetown is perfect for splurging on ethnic Malaysian Batik fabrics, boutique apparel, handicrafts like rattan baskets, tainted glass and beaded shoes, textiles, homeware, antiques, jewellery and food. Flanked by tourists, fashionistas, bargain hunters, and souvenir collectors alike, Georgetown's famous local markets are Penang Road Market and Georgetown Night Market.

A part of the Penang Heritage Trail, Georgetown’s six Clan Jetties sit at the very end of Chulia Street. Featuring lengthy walkways, colourful stilt houses with Chinese architecture and decor, and even a Chinese temple, these 19th-century landing stages are still home to the Chew, Yeoh, Lim, Tan, Koay and Lee clans.

Spanning Chulia, Market and Queen Streets, the Little India neighbourhood is home to Georgetown’s sizable Indian community. Enjoy tastes of the subcontinent while navigating through Little India’s colourful alleys, featuring traditional music, handicrafts, clothes and food.

If Malaysia is a multicultural melting pot, Georgetown’s Kapitan Keling Street flaunts the best of religious harmony. Two temples, a church, and a mosque have been rubbing shoulders on this street for the last two centuries. Walking down it you pass the 1728 Goddess of Mercy Temple, St George’s Church, the Kapitan Keling Mosque and the Sri Mahamariamman Temple.

The Penang Botanic Gardens, also called the Waterfall Gardens, is located on the Jalan Air Terjun Road in George Town. The landscaped gardens is popular for housing the indigenous and exotic plant species.

The Wonderfood Museum is a unique museum in Penang that features oversized replicas of traditional Malaysian dishes, art and historical information. Discover interesting larger-than-life delicacies from across Asia, and learn about Malaysian cuisine, street food and cooking methods at Information Zone. Close to Victoria Memorial Clocktower, Wonderfood Museum is open daily.