Vibrant mix of heritage, culture and food

George Town is the kind of place that rewards the unhurried. It’s raw around the edges, warm at the core; it’s a living tapestry of cultures, flavors, and stories.

From its colonial architecture to its vibrant street art, this city invites exploration at every corner. George Town is messy in the best way, Chinese clan houses beside British mansions, hawker stalls under neon hotel signs, and conversations that slip between five languages before the food even arrives. For travelers who crave culture with texture, this city is a feast and a city worth traveling to. 

Come around July/August and you’ll find a month long celebration celebration of regional arts, performances, film, design and new media. George Town Festival (GTF) is the city’s bid to reimagine its heritage streets as a stage for Southeast Asia’s most exciting creative talent, blending tradition with experimentation in a way few festivals dare to.

Traveler insight

Prices shown in USD

One of the best ways to sightsee in George Town is by foot; wear light clothes, start early in the morning and plenty of sunblock during the daytime. When crossing the roads, remember to look both ways, even on one-way streets. 

Need to Know 

Get around town 

The heritage zone is walkable and is often best on foot. If you plan to venture into other neighborhoods such as Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Tikus, and Gurney, e-hailing app – Grab is best, they’re safe, convenient and affordable. Most of your one-way trips within the island will cost $5 or less. Local taxis can be found by taxi ranks in touristy areas but they are not always metered. 

Cash, Card and Payment Apps

Visa and Mastercards are widely accepted, Amex less so. When it comes to smaller stores cash is still preferred but thanks to the Cross-border QR payment connectivity, QRIS (Indonesia), NETS (Singapore), or PromptPay (Thailand) QR will also work on Malaysia’s DuitNow QR  

Warming up (and cooling down) 

Penang is hot all year round and you can expect tropical humidity with some rainfall. Pack slippers, sunscreen and a bottle of water. 

Look both ways

Traffic can come from anywhere, even when on pedestrian crossings! While it isn’t a rampant issue, general awareness is recommended, though uncommon snatch thieves do operate around town, keep your bag facing away from the street.

Making friends

Locals are friendly, fluent in English and will be more than happy to point you to their favorite street food stalls. Trishaw rides are some of the most insightful ways to see the city, the pullers are usually of age (many in their 70s) and they know the history of the city very well. If you ask the right questions, they carry a lifetime of local stories you won’t find in any guidebooks. A short trip (30 mins) would be in the range of $10

Money Exchange

Exchange rates are usually better outside of the airport and money changers are plenty in George Town. Little India is traditionally where many locals change their currencies, exchange rates in shopping malls are also reasonably good.

---

Sleep in Heritage Charms

From restored Chinese mansions to modern design hotels, George Town is one of the best places in Southeast Asia to stay somewhere with character.

Luxury Condos and Heritage Inns

Airbnb / Homestays

Airbnb listings in Penang are competitive and you can often find 150 sqm 3-bedroom luxury condominiums for less than $100 a night. Many of the listings cater to traveling groups so twin and triple rooms are common, a good thing if you’re a large family or traveling in a group. While there isn’t regulation against small scale homestays and Airbnb listings, it is however frowned upon and often forbidden by its property managers. Discretion is often appreciated, it will reduce friction between your host, property managers, and your stay.

Hotels and Resorts

Eastern and Oriental Hotel

• In UNESCO Zone • Colonial-era Luxury • From $150 / Night
Known simply as ‘The E&O’ to generations of travelers, arguably the fanciest hotel in Penang and is considered as one of the world’s greatest hotels in the east – The Sarkies brothers established the Eastern and Oriental hotel in 1885 – E&O became the standard of opulence in Southeast Asia. It has since gone through several renovations (most recently in December 2019) and the addition of new wings. 
Visit hotel website 

The Prestige

• In UNESCO Zone • Opened in 2019 • From $80 / Night
The Prestige is a modern-day interpretation of Victorian design, the hotel’s plays into an homage to magic, with floating tables and hidden bathrooms presented with high arches and Art Deco chrome lattices. The Prestige is located among Penang’s most beautiful colonial-era buildings. Take a short walk to Penang’s cultural hotspots and popular street food finds, or stay in and enjoy the infinity pool with clear views of the Strait of Malacca.
Visit hotel website

Seven Terraces Hotel

• In UNESCO Zone • Unique Peranakan Luxury • Avg $160 / Night
One of the most impressive restoration and revival of Penang shophouses, the original building dates back to the late 19th century, Seven Terraces is the brainchild of Penang born award-winning hotelier Christopher Ong – an homage to conservating the legacy of the Peranakan Chinese culture. This is a suite-only luxury hotel with generous room sizes of 80sqm to 120sqm. The hotel is also home to one of Asia’s best Nyonya restaurants – Kebaya Dining Room.
Visit hotel website

Yeng Keng Hotel

• In UNESCO Zone • Affordable Boutique • Avg $95 / Night
Once an Anglo-Indian bungalow residence in the 1800s, today Yeng Keng Hotel is one of the best-restored properties in George Town. The 19 room hotel offers a mix of the classic and the contemporary, with a courtyard overlooking one of the oldest roads in the city – the bustling Chulia Street boasts a multicultural character, it is part of the Little India enclave and one of the city’s most popular street food scenes. 
Visit hotel website

G Hotel Kelawai

• 5-star Location • Trendy rooftop pool and bar • Avg $110 / Night
A trendy hotel with all the trimmings and facilities in a bustling urban hotspot. Located off the famed Gurney Drive, G Hotel Kelawai is adjacent to Penang’s busiest shopping malls and a 10-minute drive to the UNESCO Heritage Zone. The Pulau Tikus suburb is the address for Penang’s upper-middle-class, it is also where you will find some of Penang’s best hawker fares.
Visit hotel website

---

Eat Like a Local

George Town is Malaysia’s food capital and Southeast Asia’s street food crown jewel. Letting you in on my favourites, Come hungry, eat often, and don’t overthink the queues.

Street   Expect $2-4 / person

Ah Leng Char Koay Teow

343, Jalan Dato Kramat
A Penang legend with the flavours to back it. Now helmed by Ah Leng’s daughter after his passing in 2022, this is one of the rare hawker stalls with a proper succession plan, and it shows. Expect smoky, rich, wok-blasted char koay teow done right. Always a queue, always worth it

Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng

102-H-19, New World Park
Despite the name, this Penang icon has long since relocated to New World Park  and no love was lost in the move. Tracing its roots to the 1940s, this fiery mee goreng mamak hits. A local favourite, and definitely one of mine. Miss it at your own peril.

Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee

34, Lorong Seratus Tahun
Running since the 1960s, this is one of Penang’s most comforting bowls. A coconut-milk-sweet broth gets a generous spoon of house-made chilli stirred in to create a perfect coating for the signature mix of yellow mee and bee hoon. Ask for all the toppings: cockles, cuttlefish, and yes, pig’s blood. Sounds bold, tastes even better.

Air Itam Asam Laksa

Near Kek Lok Si, corner by Air Itam Pasar
Tangy, fishy, addictive. With its thick rice noodles, tamarind-forward broth, and flaked mackerel, this bowl is messy and brilliant. Expect plastic stools, elbow room only, and one of the most flavourful laksa experiences you’ll ever have. An insider favourite and a rite of passage.

COME FOR THE CHAOS, STAY FOR THE CHARM

Penang is the only place where you’ll seriously debate whether to eat again after already eating twice in the same morning. It’s a hawker town, a spice town, a town where wok hei is religion. Thankfully, i’ve got my favourites pinned on a handy Google Maps ready to load right into your phone.

Come with an appetite, leave your plans loose, and let the city unfold. Between its crumbling shophouses, spicy breakfasts, and quietly cool creative corners, it’s the kind of place that lingers long after you’ve left.