Is Penang Worth Visiting? 6 Pros & Cons You Need To Know

Is Penang worth visiting? It’s a question I asked myself before going. Thankfully, I found it incredibly worthwhile. Read along to see if it’s for you too!

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Is Penang Worth Visiting?

Penang is one of the most popular places to visit in all of Malaysia, and for good reason. It has pretty much everything, and something for everyone. During my 3 weeks in Malaysia, it was easily my favourite spot and I ended up staying for 5 nights!

Whether you’re a food addict, a history nut, a nature enthusiast or a photographer you are sorted.

From the bustling capital of Georgetown to the smells of street food that will lift you off your feet like in the cartoons. The stunning nature meets the colonial architecture and unique street art.

For those wanting to maximise their time in the country, you’ll be wondering “is Penang worth visiting?”.

My short answer is yes! But, depending on what kind of traveller you are, there are pros and cons of visiting Penang. Regardless, this guide will help you decide how long you want to stay on the island.

Here are the pros and cons of “is Penang worth visiting”:

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Is Penang Worth Visiting? The Pros!

1. Penang Food Is Heavenly

Penang is without a doubt the best place in Malaysia for food and perhaps one of the best cities for food in all of South East Asia! Ask anyone what their favourite part of visiting Penang was and 9 times out of 10 they’ll talk about the food!

Penang, like the rest of the country is a melting pot of Chinese, Indian and Malay cultures and that has resulted in crazy good food all around the island.

The best part about it other than the taste (obviously) is that it’s very affordable too! As a budget traveller, it was very handy having so many options that didn’t send me broke. So is Penang worth visiting for the food alone? You bet.

Best Street Food In Penang

• Char Koay Teow: delicious stir-fried noodles with eggs, bean sprouts and prawns
• Nasi Lemak: Rice with boiled eggs, cucumber, fried peanuts and fried chicken

Read my Backpacking Penang Budget Travel Guide to find out where to eat in Penang on a budget!

2. Nature In Penang

Before I visited Penang, I wasn’t sure what the nature would be like. As someone who loves a city break, I wondered “is Penang worth visiting?”.

Thankfully, Penang has amazing nature for those needing a rest from Georgetown.

Just outside of Georgetown you’ve got Penang Hill, a gorgeous mountain offering panoramic views of the city. If you fancy the hike, it is well worth it, but most people hate themselves for doing it since it’s so steep!

In the northwestern corner of the island you have Penang National Park, which is actually one of the smallest national parks in the world! It’s got great hiking trails, beaches and monkeys!

Is Penang worth visiting for the nature? Yes!

Related article: Malaysia Packing List

3. Street Art In Penang

One of the main reasons people travel to Penang is the street art. Pretty much wherever you look in Georgetown you’ll see art plastered over the colonial buildings.

You can seriously spend a whole day walking around spotting street art spotting. Thankfully for you, Georgetown is a UNESCO World Heritage City so it is completely protected and will be there for you to enjoy for years to come.

Is Penang worth visiting for the street art and architecture alone? Whilst you’ll see similar things elsewhere in Malaysia – it really is at it’s best in Georgetown.

4. It’s The Best City For Photography In Malaysia

As a photographer, a big draw to visiting somewhere is the amount of photo opportunities. I was like a little kid on Christmas morning when I started exploring Georgetown and I was taking photos around every corner!

You could probably spend most of your Penang itinerary just taking photos!

From the cool street art to the unique jetties out on the water. From the street food stalls to the nature of Penang Hill and Penang National Park, you’re not going to run out of awesome photography spots in Penang.

Get up early one morning and explore the streets in better light as Georgetown wakes up, it makes for the best photos.

So, is Penang worth visiting for photographers? Absolutely, get yourself to Penang!

Related article: Travel Photography For Beginners

5. It’s Easy To Travel Around

The last thing you want to worry about when you’re travelling is how you’re going to get around. In Penang, it is ridiculously easy to get around and affordable too!

The main part of Georgetown is walkable, but if you’re feeling a bit lazy (i’ve been there) you can book Grab taxis for a really good price.

You can also use the bus network to get around the island, which makes it easy to get anywhere you want on a budget! I used a bus to get to Penang National Park.

If you want to know more about how to get around Penang, check out my Backpacking Penang Budget Travel Guide!

6. The Locals Are Incredibly Friendly

It’s no secret that Malaysians are soooo friendly. In Penang, I met some of the nicest locals i’ve met on my travels which always makes a trip more rewarding.

For a city that’s quite popular with tourists, it was surprising to see locals still be so welcoming.

For example, in my first Grab taxi I took in Georgetown to the Kek Lok Si Temple I found out the driver was a coin enthusiast. On the way, he was showing me all of the cool international coins he has!

This led to us talking about my travels and when we arrived, I ended up giving him a few Bulgarian Lev and Macedonian Dinar that was loose in my money belt!

Is Penang Worth Visiting? The Cons

1. A Lack Of Food Options During The Day

Being the food capital of Malaysia, I was surprised to see a lack of food options during the day in the heart of Georgetown. Outside of the few hawker centres around and overpriced restaurants there really wasn’t much around!

I’m a budget traveller, and I had to walk around for quite a long time before I found a local street food stall that was open (it was still absolutely worth it though).

It’s a place where its food scene really comes to life at night, so still, don’t miss out!

2. Green Space

Penang has a very consistent, hot and humid temperature all year round so it can get really exhausting walking around exploring.

For me, i’m always looking for places to just chill for a while – no matter where I am. This way I can catch my breath, people watch and not burn myself out!

Unfortunately, in Georgetown there’s not really any good green space to hang out in! There’s a couple of parks around but they have minimal shade. So, if green space is something you were wondering about when asking yourself “is Penang worth visiting?”, i’d say absolutely not.

3. The Nightlife In Penang

I rarely drink on my travels, so this didn’t really affect me during my time in Penang. However, if you are looking for a good night out – Penang probably isn’t the best place for it.

Georgetown has a strip of smaller bars but they are definitely not anything to write home about.

Malaysia has a majority Muslim population who don’t drink, so alcohol is taxed very heavily – making the prices for drinks a lot higher than in neighbouring Thailand.

So, is Penang worth visiting for the nightlife alone? Probably not.

Travel Insurance For Penang

If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel – end of. I’m a big advocate for using travel insurance when solo travelling as it will save my arse if anything goes wrong. I use Worldnomads, easily the best company out there for long-term travellers. Get insured with these guys when backpacking Penang.

Is Penang Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts

After asking myself “is Penang worth visiting?” before arriving, all of my expectations were blown out of the water.

It really does have something for everyone and is perfect for budget travel. Don’t hesitate, book the trip!

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