It is challenging to cover Penang in just a few days. However, one should be aware of the must-see attractions and insert them in their itinerary if they wish to get the best experience out of Penang in a short space of time. So, plan your trip and start making your bookings at hotels that are affordable and offer all the latest amenities. Batu Ferringhi hotels are top-rated as they are conveniently located and provide top–touch facilities. Hard Rock Hotel Penang is a favorite as it is at a walkable distance from major attractions in Penang. One can skip the unimportant sights in Penang and focus just on the top touristic spots. Get an exciting mix of natural and cultural attractions, amusement parks and quirky offerings that are suitable for visitors of all ages.
Start with the Penang Hill that offers a welcome respite from the heat below. It is a not-to-be-missed experience and offers breathtaking views of the whole island from the summit that rises about eight hundred meters above sea level. There are a church, mosque and a Hindu temple at the peak.
- Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, the home of an influential Chinese industrialist, offers a peek into the 18th and 19th-century Chinese architecture. Master craftsmen from China built the mansion based on feng shui design and principles. Explore the 38 rooms and granite courtyards and admire those stained glass windows. - Batu Ferringhi market
Visit the Batu Ferringhi market filled with resorts, restaurants, and stalls. The European tourist market offers a wide range of accommodation and even those with the tightest budgets can easily find a place here. - Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest
Head for the Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest that sprawls across more than thirty hectares of lush, hilly terrain. You will come across tourists and locals enjoying camping and numerous streams and shallow pond. Trek the mountain’s summit which is a delightful hiking trail. - Escape Adventureland
It is a must to spend a few hours at the Escape Adventureland and get some of the most thrilling moments of your life. Find yourself hurling through the open air, and it is a pretty memorable dozen of feet off the ground. There are many other fun activities such as zip-lining, tree rope swing, and free falling. - Clan Jetties
Clan Jetties form the last bastions of old Chinese settlements, and the waterfront society is made up of houses on stilt. Various Chinese clans live on water villages which are more than a century old, and each of those jetties is named after a Chinese clan. Clan Jetties are indeed the most tourist-friendly. - Penang War Museum
Make a visit to the Penang War Museum that was built by the British army in the 20th century. During the WWII, it was used as a Japanese army base and today serves as a museum. It is a pretty cool complex to explore with its network of underground tunnels, ventilation shafts, and old ammunition bunkers. - Mengkuang Dam
Another interesting spot is the Mengkuang Dam, which is located in the northeast of Butterworth. You will love its scenic landscape with jogging trails within the largest dam in Penang that contains up to 23.6 billion liters of water. Penang’s International Dragon Boat Festival is held here at the Mengkuang Dam, and dozens of traditional boats with colorful dragon carvings participate in the boat race. - Fort Cornwallis
Fort Cornwallis is another of the most well-known landmarks of Penang. Explore the prison cells, a 17th-century chapel and ammunition storage area within its ten-foot-high walls. You will get to see cool old bronze cannons within the fort that was built in 1786 as a defensive structure against pirates. It was rebuilt with bricks and stones and thus transforming into a stone structure from the wooden fort.
