Myself and my wife are interested in going to Penang Malaysia in October to spend a few days sightseeing there. A fellow told me about Penang and said it was a great place to go to I was wondering if anyone has been to Penang and what did they think of it. What are some things worth seeing there. Any suggestions for places to visit or go to and things to see would be appreciated. Thanks

Great place for:

 

Indian Curry

Very good Chinese Malay cuisine

Nice relaxing scenic quaint area is Georgetown

Good hotel but only due to vicinity of Thai embassy - chula mansions

 

Enjoyed my time in penang but my purpose of visit was primarily visa related.

 

 

 

I was only there once in Georgetown with my wife to get a new non o visa about 16 years ago...good indian food on Chulia(?) Street and don't miss the food hall in the shopping mall at the top of the road for chinese/malay cuisine, the noodle dishes are almost as good as Singapore...

 

 

I loved Georgetown. Street food and all. (I care for Indian food, too).

 

But be warned and shun the Thai consulate. Kota Bharu is much better for a VISA run

shithole ….  

Is the old town a world heritage site?  I got the train to Georgetown in the old days for visa runs. Usually stayed in the old town rarely visited the new town.  The old town had nightlife,  good food and was visually entertaining. 

On 7/24/2019 at 9:56 PM, Mikisteel said:

Great place for:

 

Indian Curry

Very good Chinese Malay cuisine

Nice relaxing scenic quaint area is Georgetown

Good hotel but only due to vicinity of Thai embassy - chula mansions

 

Enjoyed my time in penang but my purpose of visit was primarily visa related.

 

 

 

I used to go to Penang every 3 months to do my visa run and yes I did like it

and the great Indian curry and all other dishes but a few days is enough since

it is just a small place

if you stayed just around the airport area, you'd see the WW2 museum and the Snake temple for starters. 

 

howvere there are variations...

you can go 'over the hump' way going first past Kek Lok Si

 

once you have been over over the top, you are heading towards the SW corner. 

Swinging North, its again up up up and over.

Going all the way down (NW direction) you end up at the coast, a little Soth of Batu Ferringhi.

Hint, go Sotuh a few cliks, and you reach what's ocally known as 'the end of the world'

Nice eateries on the waterside there...

 

25 years back (I was there 5 years)  I'd do the bike ride 'around the rock', every weekend

 - all 73 kms of it...

 

Variation on going up Penang Hill, was to forget the funicular railways; and instead go via the Botanical gardens. Put on a pair of joggers, and trying to jog up the Hill, and get there before the sun rises. Great place for breakfast at Sun up

 

Penang isn't the only place, to go for the views.

On the mainland, rent a car and go to Maxwell Hill (now called Bukit Larut)    

mind you, it's located at Taiping, a fair drive SE of th penang/butterworth.

At the bottom of the hill, the WW2 Comonwealth miltary cemetery...

 

Do the elevator ride to the top )tourist) floor of the Komtar!

 

 

Start every day, down almost every street corner, at an Indian Kopi Tarik stall...

 

Penang is also a good starting point, for a ferry trip Nth, up to Langkawi island - very Phuket-ish in layout of the isolated beachs...