Perfect 3 Day Itinerary Penang, Malaysia

Penang, Malaysia was not even on my radar a month ago. When I was in Vietnam, I was trying to come up with a meeting destination for my sister and I. She was in Bali and didn’t want to come back too far North (as she’d just been traveling around Vietnam/Thailand), so finally we settled on Kuala Lumpur as a meeting spot. I did a little research into what else we could do around that area and Penang popped up on all the lists.

BOY am I happy it did.

Georgetown is SO cute. There’s great food, interesting intersection of diverse cultures (Muslim, Chinese, Indian, etc), fabulous street art, quirky museums, and more.

And even when you get out of Georgetown – you have things like Penang National Park, beaches, an Orangutan sanctuary, etc.

So I’ll preface this by saying (as I often do) that Penang is definitely worth more than 3 days (I’m sure you can tell I LOVED this destination) but I know most people don’t have a month to travel....so I’m about to share with you how you can make the most of the time you do have and see as much of the island as possible.

Here are my recommendations on top things to do and how to structure your visit to Penang, Malaysia…..

Day 1

Arrive in Penang, get a Grab car to your hotel in Georgetown
o Make sure to download the Grab app and set up an account before you arrive.
This will make getting around very simple!
Grab a street art map (available at many locations around Penang) and do a DIY street art tour. While making stops along the shops on Armenia Street.
- Downtown Georgetown is super walkable
- Even at night some of the art installations are lit up!
- Plan to wait if you want photos at the main events (i.e. kids on bicycle, kids on
  swingset, motorcycle, etc)
Before heading home, make your way thru Little India as well for cute shops and yummy
snacks like samosas!
Next check out The Upside Down Museum (it’s super touristy but hilarious)
o Georgetown has a bunch of quirky little museums, but this one was definitely our favorite and the funniest!
For dinner head to Jawi House Cafe – delicious Peranakan heritage cuisine, served in a simple setting. Vegetarian friendly too!
After dinner, have a drink on Love Lane (backpacker district with lots of fun bars!)

Day 2

Breakfast at Wheelers on Love Lane
Take a Grab car to Orangutan Island (about an hour away); spend an hour observing
these amazing creatures!
- **Make sure to arrange a return trip (we ordered a Grab and immediately asked if he would wait for us while we visited); we saw a couple stranded though because there are not taxis or Grab cars around there!
- The ferry to Orangutan Island takes about 10-15 min (just something to factor in when telling your driver when you will be back).
Take a guided tour of the Blue Mansion
- I highly recommend trying to do the Friday 11am or 2pm tours as these are conducted by the actual owner of the house herself! She’s super energetic, interesting, and a fantastic person to hear about the history of the house from.
Next you’ll want to make your way to the sister property, Green Mansion or Peranakan Mansion.
In the evening, take a street food tour - sample the wide array of dishes and learn why Penang is considered the foodie capital of Malaysia!
After the tour, go for a drink at 360 Revolving Restaurant and Skybar for fantastic views of the city.

Day 3

In the morning, go for a hike in Penang National Park.
- It takes about 30 minutes to get to the national park from Georgetown City Center.
- The hike takes about an hour to arrive at the beach and you can get a boat back to the starting point.

On the way back to the city, visit Penang Hill for wonderful view of the city. Take the
funicular both ways (or you can hike up and take it down....it’s pretty fun! Like a roller coaster!)
- If you choose to hike, know it’s pretty much straight up hill and pretty tough!
While you’re in the area, check out Kek Lok Si Temple, which is nearby as well.
Get an afternoon pick-me-up at Coffee on the Table Café – where they do 3D coffee art!
o It’s very cute and they also pair it with cakes and dessertsJ
In the afternoon, take a Malay cooking class to learn more about this amazing and
diverse cuisine.
Schedule a tea ceremony at Adieu Vielle
- Adieu Vielle is a beautifully decorated home with vintage décor from which tea ceremonies are run. I met the owner on another Airbnb experience and he kindly set me up for a ceremony here which was very fun. Great company, beautiful venue, non-touristy, off the beaten path experience. Highly recommend!
After the ceremony, head next door to Penang Avatar Secret Garden – an LED, light up wonderland, right next to Thai Pak Koong temple.

Well those are my top recommends when you are in Georgetown and Penang. I hope this was helpful and that you love this island as much as I did!

Xoxo Lauren