Penang Trip Report

[Michael W]

After going back and forth on the idea, I finally did decide to fly down to Penang for a visa run (rather than take a bus or train). Spending more than 20 hours on the road (or rails) each way and having a visa run stretch out to essentially an entire week, was more than I wanted to endure.

I just got back tonight flying on AirAsia. Outbound it was flight FD3543 BKK-PEN, dep 0725, arr 1005, 25MAY. And return it was flight FD3544 PEN-BKK, dep 1705, arr 1745, 26MAY.

I used http://www.bank-holidays.com to check there were no Thai or Malaysian public holidays on the days of my trip. On such days the Thai Consulate is closed.

I live in the lower Sukhumvit area of Bangkok and originally intended to take the 100 baht airport bus to the airport as I usually do, however the first one would not arrive until about 6:30am and that was cutting it a little too close for me.

So:

0606 taxi: 140 baht + 60 baht for tolls

17 minute ride to the airport

500 baht departure fee

On board AirAsia flight FD3543, the 737-300 has a rather raggedy interior. Meals must be paid extra for in flight. This is the first international flight I've ever seen this on.

0734 wheels up

0955 wheels down in Penang -- Malaysia time is one hour ahead of Thailand.

500 RM withdrawal from a Maybank ATM down the hallway on the left as you exit immigration.

38 RM taxi ticket from counter on the right of immigration exit. This is a set price for the trip from the airport to the Thai Consulate. In hindsight, I probably could have used the old trick of going upstairs to the departure level, getting a taxi as it was dropping someone off, and probably saved 10 RM. But my concern was so focused on getting to the Consulate before its 12 noon closing, that I wasn't thinking about that.

1030 grab taxi

1050 arrive Thai Consulate

Filled out one page form and submitted with two photos. Fee for a triple entry tourist visa was 300 RM. I was not asked to show an airline ticket out of Thailand. I was asked for this at the Thai Consulate in Jakarta last December and, not having one, failed to get a visa. The Penang form is quite simple and in addition to the photos and fee, all that is required for a tourist visa. Other than the usual identification questions, for "Duration of proposed stay" put the number entries you want, e.g. "3 Entry". The two questions about "guarantors" may be left blank. All this is both according to the posted example form and to a supposed consulate employee or visa agent who was hanging around outside during both my morning application visit and my next afternoon pickup.

After submitting all this I'm given an "Acknowledgement Slip" to exchange for my passport the next day.

12 RM for a 10 minute taxi ride to Chulia Street.

19 RM for a one night stay at the Swiss Hotel. A Lonely Planet guide I flipped through in an airport bookstore on the way back described this hotel as "well run and a good value." People on ThaiVisa.com have called it a dump. I can now say from personal experience it is in fact a decrepit backpacker hovel. My room had a single foam pad mattress, ceiling fan, and cistern style cold shower, all in the dingiest, pealed-paint, walls-not-quite-to-the-ceiling surroundings that a single fluorescent bulb could illuminate. Oh, and the toilets (two squat, one Western) were shared among the half dozen or more rooms on my ground level floor. But I had a sense to expect something like this coming in and was able to tolerate it for a single night.

The Chulia part of Georgetown, Penang at first glance seemed very reminiscent of the Chinese quarter of Macau: many small rundown Chinese shops housed in fading, pastel colored, colonial style buildings. The main obvious difference was the great number of young Western tourists plodding up and down the street -- Macau is largely devoid of such. At one point there was even the stereotypical backpacker couple, the girl with her nose pressed into a Lonely Planet Malaysia guide as she seemed to literally navigate their footsteps. A meal can be had at the many small hole-in-the-wall restaurants for 5-10 RM and the numerous Internet cafes charge about 2 RM/hour.

Next Day

Check out a little after 12pm, have lunch and reply to e-mail until 2pm.

1400 catch a taxi and negotiate a 40 RM fare for the trip to the consulate and then on to the airport.

1410 arrive at consulate and wait in line behind three people.

1420 back in taxi with newly minted 3-entry tourist visa. This visa is a standard sized sticker that takes up an entire passport page. Among other things, it states the number of entries allowed. And in addition to the normal separate immigration entry stamp that has your departure-by date, the visa itself is stamped with the date of each entry and a handwritten mark, possibly the immigration officer's initials.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

1720 wheels up

1745 wheels down back in Bangkok.

[ovenman]

Nice report. A couple of comments:

38 RM taxi ticket from counter on the right of immigration exit. This is a set price for the trip from the airport to the Thai Consulate. In hindsight, I probably could have used the old trick of going upstairs to the departure level, getting a taxi as it was dropping someone off, and probably saved 10 RM.

Probably not true. Taxis in Penang more or less operate on a fixed rate system and the drivers are pretty good about sticking with the system. The fare is slightly less going back to the airport from town, but it's not a night and day difference.

You got a decent fare for your trip back to the airport. Surprisingly though, the Thai Consulate is not really all that out of the way for a town-airport trip if one uses the back way via Jalan Masjid Negeri rather than the Jelutong Expressway.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

You paid the departure tax when you bought your ticket. It is RM 40 or so. Thailand is one of the few countries that still collects the departure tax from the passenger rather than from the airline.

[monochaser]

sounds like a cakewalk, all except for the part about staying in the Swiss Hotel. If I ever talk about staying there, someone finish me off 1st. I'd rather die then stay in that dump

[monochaser]

Nice report. A couple of comments:

38 RM taxi ticket from counter on the right of immigration exit. This is a set price for the trip from the airport to the Thai Consulate. In hindsight, I probably could have used the old trick of going upstairs to the departure level, getting a taxi as it was dropping someone off, and probably saved 10 RM.

Probably not true. Taxis in Penang more or less operate on a fixed rate system and the drivers are pretty good about sticking with the system. The fare is slightly less going back to the airport from town, but it's not a night and day difference.

You got a decent fare for your trip back to the airport. Surprisingly though, the Thai Consulate is not really all that out of the way for a town-airport trip if one uses the back way via Jalan Masjid Negeri rather than the Jelutong Expressway.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

You paid the departure tax when you bought your ticket. It is RM 40 or so. Thailand is one of the few countries that still collects the departure tax from the passenger rather than from the airline.

Yeah I tried that "get a cab upstairs" routine and scrapped the idea after waiting 20 minutes for one to arrive. It was the 38 to town and 28 coming back for me the last time

[dekbannok]

Nice report. A couple of comments:

38 RM taxi ticket from counter on the right of immigration exit. This is a set price for the trip from the airport to the Thai Consulate. In hindsight, I probably could have used the old trick of going upstairs to the departure level, getting a taxi as it was dropping someone off, and probably saved 10 RM.

Probably not true. Taxis in Penang more or less operate on a fixed rate system and the drivers are pretty good about sticking with the system. The fare is slightly less going back to the airport from town, but it's not a night and day difference.

You got a decent fare for your trip back to the airport. Surprisingly though, the Thai Consulate is not really all that out of the way for a town-airport trip if one uses the back way via Jalan Masjid Negeri rather than the Jelutong Expressway.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

You paid the departure tax when you bought your ticket. It is RM 40 or so. Thailand is one of the few countries that still collects the departure tax from the passenger rather than from the airline.

Yeah I tried that "get a cab upstairs" routine and scrapped the idea after waiting 20 minutes for one to arrive. It was the 38 to town and 28 coming back for me the last time

[dekbannok]

Taxi in Penang as well as in KL are all big rip-off. It reminded me of Bangkok in the early 80...

But the next time you are there, hopefully you will see that they turn on the meter. There was a law and supposed to be effective May 1 but they have again postponed it. The rate would probably be slightly cheaper. But at least if saves many red faces and some swearing.

After going back and forth on the idea, I finally did decide to fly down to Penang for a visa run (rather than take a bus or train). Spending more than 20 hours on the road (or rails) each way and having a visa run stretch out to essentially an entire week, was more than I wanted to endure.

I just got back tonight flying on AirAsia. Outbound it was flight FD3543 BKK-PEN, dep 0725, arr 1005, 25MAY. And return it was flight FD3544 PEN-BKK, dep 1705, arr 1745, 26MAY.

I used http://www.bank-holidays.com to check there were no Thai or Malaysian public holidays on the days of my trip. On such days the Thai Consulate is closed.

I live in the lower Sukhumvit area of Bangkok and originally intended to take the 100 baht airport bus to the airport as I usually do, however the first one would not arrive until about 6:30am and that was cutting it a little too close for me.

So:

0606 taxi: 140 baht + 60 baht for tolls

17 minute ride to the airport

500 baht departure fee

On board AirAsia flight FD3543, the 737-300 has a rather raggedy interior. Meals must be paid extra for in flight. This is the first international flight I've ever seen this on.

0734 wheels up

0955 wheels down in Penang -- Malaysia time is one hour ahead of Thailand.

500 RM withdrawal from a Maybank ATM down the hallway on the left as you exit immigration.

38 RM taxi ticket from counter on the right of immigration exit. This is a set price for the trip from the airport to the Thai Consulate. In hindsight, I probably could have used the old trick of going upstairs to the departure level, getting a taxi as it was dropping someone off, and probably saved 10 RM. But my concern was so focused on getting to the Consulate before its 12 noon closing, that I wasn't thinking about that.

1030 grab taxi

1050 arrive Thai Consulate

Filled out one page form and submitted with two photos. Fee for a triple entry tourist visa was 300 RM. I was not asked to show an airline ticket out of Thailand. I was asked for this at the Thai Consulate in Jakarta last December and, not having one, failed to get a visa. The Penang form is quite simple and in addition to the photos and fee, all that is required for a tourist visa. Other than the usual identification questions, for "Duration of proposed stay" put the number entries you want, e.g. "3 Entry". The two questions about "guarantors" may be left blank. All this is both according to the posted example form and to a supposed consulate employee or visa agent who was hanging around outside during both my morning application visit and my next afternoon pickup.

After submitting all this I'm given an "Acknowledgement Slip" to exchange for my passport the next day.

12 RM for a 10 minute taxi ride to Chulia Street.

19 RM for a one night stay at the Swiss Hotel. A Lonely Planet guide I flipped through in an airport bookstore on the way back described this hotel as "well run and a good value." People on ThaiVisa.com have called it a dump. I can now say from personal experience it is in fact a decrepit backpacker hovel. My room had a single foam pad mattress, ceiling fan, and cistern style cold shower, all in the dingiest, pealed-paint, walls-not-quite-to-the-ceiling surroundings that a single fluorescent bulb could illuminate. Oh, and the toilets (two squat, one Western) were shared among the half dozen or more rooms on my ground level floor. But I had a sense to expect something like this coming in and was able to tolerate it for a single night.

The Chulia part of Georgetown, Penang at first glance seemed very reminiscent of the Chinese quarter of Macau: many small rundown Chinese shops housed in fading, pastel colored, colonial style buildings. The main obvious difference was the great number of young Western tourists plodding up and down the street -- Macau is largely devoid of such. At one point there was even the stereotypical backpacker couple, the girl with her nose pressed into a Lonely Planet Malaysia guide as she seemed to literally navigate their footsteps. A meal can be had at the many small hole-in-the-wall restaurants for 5-10 RM and the numerous Internet cafes charge about 2 RM/hour.

Next Day

Check out a little after 12pm, have lunch and reply to e-mail until 2pm.

1400 catch a taxi and negotiate a 40 RM fare for the trip to the consulate and then on to the airport.

1410 arrive at consulate and wait in line behind three people.

1420 back in taxi with newly minted 3-entry tourist visa. This visa is a standard sized sticker that takes up an entire passport page. Among other things, it states the number of entries allowed. And in addition to the normal separate immigration entry stamp that has your departure-by date, the visa itself is stamped with the date of each entry and a handwritten mark, possibly the immigration officer's initials.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

1720 wheels up

1745 wheels down back in Bangkok.

[KhunMarco]

Weird, never had a problem with taxies in Penang, they always used the meter without asking.

Nice report.

[Michael W]

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

You paid the departure tax when you bought your ticket.

Yes, that's what I was trying to say. Penang Int'l has no departure tax that you pay just as you're leaving, BKK-style. Over 40 % of my AirAsia ticket price is just for 'taxes' and one would hope that would be enough for them to get a piece.

[Michael W]

Weird, never had a problem with taxies in Penang, they always used the meter without asking.

I don't recall even seeing a meter on the two taxis I used.

[Michael W]

sounds like a cakewalk

Actually, it pretty much was. I was expecting a much longer travel time from the airport to the consulate, but we just zipped along in about 20 minutes or so. And at the consulate there were no big crowds either, only about three or four ahead of me in line both times. Applying for a tourist visa in Penang is about as trivial as you can imagine: nothing more than handing over your passport, the one page form, two photos, and the fee. For any other kind of visa, though, it'll of course be a bit more involved and I can see where employing an agent might be worthwhile to help 'smooth things over.' But for what I was doing, it would have meant arriving Wednesday instead of Thursday and staying an extra night (or spend the weekend in Penang and get my visa on Monday). If I wanted to try to do it in just a one-nighter, I was pretty much left to myself. And as it turned out there really were no hitches along the way and I ended up with plenty of time.

all except for the part about staying in the Swiss Hotel. If I ever talk about staying there, someone finish me off 1st. I'd rather die then stay in that dump.

Ha, ha. This was probably the worst place I've stayed in 11 years of trudging around Southeast Asia. And I've always favored the two or three star budget hotels. This place was maybe one star or less. But again, if you're only doing a single-nighter in Penang solely for a visa and only care about a place to leave your stuff and crash for 12 hours or so, like I did, then I guess it can be put up with. It really was quite satisfying to be able to accomplish all this and be back in my own apartment just 36 hours after I left it.

[KhunMarco]

Weird, never had a problem with taxies in Penang, they always used the meter without asking.

I don't recall even seeing a meter on the two taxis I used.

You know what, you are right. I got confused with BKK .

Now that you make me think harder, I always asked others expats the "regular" price , and that's what I paid, maybe we all have been ripped off though

[taxout]

The E & A Hotel, right across from the Swiss, has simple but clean and recently renovated rooms in the same price range.

[Jockstar]

The E & A Hotel, right across from the Swiss, has simple but clean and recently renovated rooms in the same price range.

I have stayed at the E&A the last 2 times i was there. Very clean. About 26RM a night if i remember. As for taxis. The first and 2nd time i went there i used the taxi booth at the airport. The last time there was a taxi driver waiting to try and get a fare and he asked me if i wanted to take his taxi. I was a bit wary. But i looked at the long queue for the taxi desk and decided why not? I asked the price and he said 30RM. Bargain. So i took his cab. No meter. But very freindly. He asked if i wanted to go to the Embassy. I re4fused. I'd rather pay an agent on Chulia street. Less hassle and in the long run. Less money. I too picked up my passport the next day. But i always give myself an extra day. Just incase flights are delayed.

[baboon]

Thanks for the advice on the Swiss.Can anyone guess where I am not staying on my next run?Anyone at all?

[Michael W]

He asked if i wanted to go to the Embassy. I re4fused. I'd rather pay an agent on Chulia street. Less hassle and in the long run. Less money. I too picked up my passport the next day.

Well, I certainly had nothing against using an agent in principle, but for my schedule I didn't think I had time. If my flight arrives after 10 in the morning, and mornings are the only time you can apply, I would have to motor it over to Chulia first to employ an agent and he would have to be willing at that late hour to get my individual application in. Maybe that wouldn't be a problem but I was going by what others have said that agents prefer to collect passports in the afternoon for submission as a batch first thing the next morning. It just seemed to me that trying to use an agent in this way would both increase the hassle factor and/or likely require I stay an extra day (or the weekend in my case since I arrived on a Thursday). How were you able to pick up your passport the day after arriving when using an agent?

Also, I'm not seeing how it would be cheaper. A taxi round trip airport-consulate-chulia seems to be able to be had for 60-80 RM. If you use an agent you'll still taxi round trip airport-chulia which would seem to cost, unless I'm mistaken, only marginally less at best. So unless agents only charge 10-20 RM for handling tourist visas, it would seem the do-it-yourself route would have you come out ahead. How much do agents charge for tourist visas?

[Jockstar]

How were you able to pick up your passport the day after arriving when using an agent?

I got to Chulia for just after 11pm and handed my passport to an agent next to The Swiss Hotel. The agent had no problem doing my visa for me. I then picked it up the next day at 2.30pm. No worries. I have done this on 2 occasions.

If you use an agent you'll still taxi round trip airport-chulia which would seem to cost, unless I'm mistaken, only marginally less at best. So unless agents only charge 10-20 RM for handling tourist visas, it would seem the do-it-yourself route would have you come out ahead

If i get a taxi from Chulia to the airport it never costs me more than 26RM. Usually less. Agents do only charge about 20RM extra. So its a personal choice. This is just the way i have done it and would do it again if need be. I'd rather relax at my hotel or have abeer at a bar and not worry about getting to the Embassy to drop and pick up my passport. But each to their own.

[Michael W]

I got to Chulia for just after 11pm and handed my passport to an agent next to The Swiss Hotel. The agent had no problem doing my visa for me. I then picked it up the next day at 2.30pm. No worries. I have done this on 2 occasions.

Interesting. So if an agent handles your visa and presumably submits your application at the consulate first thing 9am the next morning, the consulate will have it ready for pickup after 2pm the same day. Hmmm, I wonder if agents have a special arrangement in that way or if you're there yourself right when the consulate opens you can have pick up the same day? Because when I was there, I asked the guy at the consular window when I could pick up, and he confirmed it was after 2pm the next day. But again in my case it was after 11am when I was asking.

[KhunMarco]

I got to Chulia for just after 11pm and handed my passport to an agent next to The Swiss Hotel. The agent had no problem doing my visa for me. I then picked it up the next day at 2.30pm. No worries. I have done this on 2 occasions.

Interesting. So if an agent handles your visa and presumably submits your application at the consulate first thing 9am the next morning, the consulate will have it ready for pickup after 2pm the same day. Hmmm, I wonder if agents have a special arrangement in that way or if you're there yourself right when the consulate opens you can have pick up the same day? Because when I was there, I asked the guy at the consular window when I could pick up, and he confirmed it was after 2pm the next day. But again in my case it was after 11am when I was asking.

Nope, next day for all.

[Jockstar]

I got to Chulia for just after 11pm and handed my passport to an agent next to The Swiss Hotel. The agent had no problem doing my visa for me. I then picked it up the next day at 2.30pm. No worries. I have done this on 2 occasions.

Interesting. So if an agent handles your visa and presumably submits your application at the consulate first thing 9am the next morning, the consulate will have it ready for pickup after 2pm the same day. Hmmm, I wonder if agents have a special arrangement in that way or if you're there yourself right when the consulate opens you can have pick up the same day? Because when I was there, I asked the guy at the consular window when I could pick up, and he confirmed it was after 2pm the next day. But again in my case it was after 11am when I was asking.

I got to Chulia for just after 11pm

Oooops. Sorry. Thats should have read 11AM not pm. Doh! So that explains why i pick it up the next day.

[lingyai]

Has anybody had a close call with AirAsia make a visa run?

I would like to do it in 2 days 1 night but I know AirAsia can be delayed.

It seems most people can fly down in the morning and still get there by 12?

[tajartale]

i'm in the last 30 days of a 3-entry tourist visa and want to get another. any problem getting another one in penang (where i went before)?

or are there other places that will issue that 3-entry without too much difficulty?

[smo]

1420 back in taxi with newly minted 3-entry tourist visa. This visa is a standard sized sticker that takes up an entire passport page. Among other things, it states the number of entries allowed. And in addition to the normal separate immigration entry stamp that has your departure-by date, the visa itself is stamped with the date of each entry and a handwritten mark, possibly the immigration officer's initials.

1447 arrive at airport. Unlike Bangkok, Penang International has no departure tax.

1720 wheels up

1745 wheels down back in Bangkok.

Thanks MIchael, for an excellent "Penang visa run" newbie primer. One thing you did not mention was the validity period of the visa. In other words is the visa itself good for 6 months? 9 mos? one year?

smo

[Michael W]

Thanks MIchael, for an excellent "Penang visa run" newbie primer.

Thank you, glad you liked it.

One thing you did not mention was the validity period of the visa. In other words is the visa itself good for 6 months? 9 mos? one year?

My triple entry tourist visa is valid for six months so for planning a series of three full 60 days stays and 30 day 1900 baht extensions, the third and last entry will happen just before the visa expires.

[cyborgx]

Great post, very helpful.

Has anyone managed Tourist longer than 6 months?

Any recomendations for decent 3 or 4 star hotels? Especially near immigration?

[taxexile]

reading about the swiss hotel brought back fond memories of short stays there with girlfriends in the eighties when i had to do visa trips.

i remember the funny little fellow working there who always had trouble keeping up with the constant demands for toast at breakfast in the little cafe they had (have?) at the entrance.

it was a bit of a rancid pit even then , but staying there was a right of passage and the done thing back then , close by the moneychangers and the agents and the indian food stalls.

[Michael W]

Great post, very helpful.

Thank you.

Has anyone managed Tourist longer than 6 months?

I believe the maximum validity for a tourist visa is six months which for a triple entry will allow nearly nine months on one visa.

Any recomendations for decent 3 or 4 star hotels? Especially near immigration?

The Hotel Continental seems to be the most recommended but it's not especially close to the Thai consulate. Two that appear to be within walking distance are the Waterfall Hotel and the Berjaya Georgetown Hotel. Here's a pretty good map of Georgetown that shows where all these hotels are in addition to the Thai consulate.

Oh, and I should also link in A Few Penang Pictures I took which you might find useful.

[cyborgx]

Thanks Michael, that's the exact map and hotels I found in my own research.

I actually did a Penang Visa run about 13 years ago, but had work permits for most of the rest of my stay.

Anyone have any experience with these 2 hotels?