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Things to do in Penang & places to eat

Places to eat: Penang Holiday House

There are numerous great restaurants and hawker stalls near us in the Batu Ferringhi area.

Long Beach hawker stall is always popular place to eat in Penang. The Indian stall in the corner (centre photo) is my favourite and the char kaoy teow from the stall to the right of that.

Some of our other favourites are Golden River and Khaleel Nasi Kandar (which is good for breakfast).

Many of the hotels have great buffet dinners – Spice Market at Rasa Sayang, The Bungalow at Lone Pine and Tamarind at Parkroyal are our favorites. There is also a Hard Rock Cafe if you like that kind of food as well as KFC, Starbucks (on the beach!) and McDonalds (open 24 hours).

Mario’s Ristorante on the main street as you enter Batu Feringgi has delicious Italian cuisine, Jewel of the North further down on the left is renowned for it’s Indian food and Tarbush has nice Middle Eastern further along the main road near The Ship. Bora Bora by Sunset between the beach and the main road is always a great place to chill with some drinks and finger food.

But wherever you go you are bound to find great food! For eats in Georgetown area check out the Street Food Guide.

Things to do in Penang: Penang Holiday House

There are a myriad of things to do in Penang. The below is just a small selection.

Batu Feringgi

It is the most famous stretch of beaches in Penang with the most happening night spots on the island, all just a short walk from Penang Holiday House. Popular for water sports and horseback riding along the beach. Pasar malam or the street-side night market where inexpensive trinkets are sold are set up every evening. There are a lot of restaurants along the main road and beaches to cater to every taste, local and foreign as well as popular hawker stall areas such as ‘Long Beach’. The Hard Rock Hotel allows day membership to access their facilities at a reasonable rate. For kids check out Adventure Zone at Golden Sands Hotel

Teluk Bahang (RapidPenang Bus No: U101)

Just down the road from Batu Feringgi is the home of Penang Butterfly Farm and Teluk Bahang Recreational Forest. The Tropical Fruit Farm is situated about 800ft above sea level on the hilly terrain and is an ideal location for cultivating many types of tropical and sub-tropical fruit trees. The orchard covers 25 acres and use to conserve the rare and exotic fruit trees around the world. Today the orchard boasts of a collection of over 250 different species.

The Tropical Spice Garden, which is located in a 8 acre valley fronting the shores of Teluk Bahang showcases a landscaped garden that consists of tropical plant collections from all over the world. The garden has over 100 varieties of tropical spice and herb plants plus a huge collection of other exotic flora. Check out the Tree Monkey Cafe while you are there.

The Teluk Bahang Dam offers splendid views all the way to the sea. It is the biggest dam on Penang Island and venue for water sports like the International Dragon Boat Festival. Located in the hills above Teluk Bahang is the Penang National Park, which offers jungle treks to the northwest of Teluk Bahang. The trekking leads to Pantai Kerachut, a beach with turtle hatchery.

On Monday nights check out the local Teluk Bahang markets.

For kids check out Escape adventure playground

Tanjung Bungah

Tanjung Bungah is hidden among lush greenery and rocky landscapes. Some claim that the views of the horizon from the beach are simply the best in Penang! Several upmarket hotels cater for your accommodation needs as you enjoy the pristine and serene surroundings. While the beach is popular, it is not as frequently visited as Batu Feringgi, making this an good getaway if you want a degree of seclusion.

Tanjung Tokong

It is an old fishing village with beautiful sea view scenery looking towards the mainland. A famous open-air seafood restaurant called Sea Pearl Lagoon cafe features special dishes of coal-baked crabs and salt-baked prawns. Straits Quay Marina and nearby Tesco Shopping Centre offer and array of restaurants, food court, gym, coffee shops, designer clothes, entertainment and supermarket. A great selection of things to do in Penang.

Gurney Drive, or Persiaran Gurney (RapidPenang Bus No:U105)

A seaside promenade, formerly known as North Beach. Gurney Drive is famous throughout Malaysia as the place to enjoy the best of Penang food. The shopping malls near the end of Gurney Drive, Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon, both cater to an upmarket customer base. In the evening check out the nearby hawker centre.

Georgetown (RapidPenang Bus No: U101, U103 and U105)

Georgetown is today a UNESCO world heritage listed area and one the best things to do in Penang. A great deal of pleasure can be had simply by wandering along the many streets and alleys of the old Chinese quarter and Little India. Eat a local food stall, buys some spices or cloth, getting chatting with the locals, anything is possible.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is the biggest Chinese courtyard houses to be found in Southeast Asia, and is possibly the most exquisite of its kind anywhere in the world outside of China. It’s awarded the Unesco Asia Pacific Heritage Award 2000 as the “Most Excellent Project” for authentic restoration.

The Clan Jetties along the waterfront of George Town, Penang, represents a unique settlement created by Chinese immmigrants who share common historical, geographical and lineage origin. Today there are still eight clan jetties along the waterfront, namely the Seh Lim Keo, Seh Chew Keo, Seh Tan Keo, Seh Lee Keo, Chap Seh Keo, Seh Yeoh Keo and Seh Koay Keo.

Fort Cornwallis at Padang Kota Lama, George Town, is the largest intact fortress still standing in Malaysia. When Captain Francis Light landed in Penang in 1786, on the cape which today becomes George Town. Since the late 19th century, a lighthouse stands on the northeast side of Fort Cornwallis, and is today known as the Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse.

Kuan Yin Teng, or Temple of the Goddess of Mercy, is one of the most important temples in Penang and and is one of the oldest Chinese temples in George Town.

Komtar Scenic View is situated at level 60 of KOMTAR Tower, the tallest building in Penang. Komtar Scenic View provides a 360 degree spectacular view of Penang and it is the only observation deck in the tower.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi is the finest Chinese clan temple outside China. It was was founded in 1835. The splendour of Khoo Kongsi lies in its highly detailed wood carvings, wall frescoes and roof decorations. The entire roof structure is said to weigh 25 to 50 tons, and is the best example of the cut-and-paste chien nien technique, where shards of ceramic bowls are used to form patterns, beasts and beings.

One of the iconic landmarks of Penang is the ferry service. There are regular ferry service carrying passengers and cars between the Port Swettenham Pier (island) and Butterworth Pier (mainland). From the ferry, you can view the fantastic scenery of Penang Bridge, Georgetown, Penang Gold Coast etc.

Try the Hot Wok Nyonya Restaurant with authentic experience of dining in ancient house of a Straits Baba, with a galore of antique-looking furniture.

Pulau Tikus

The Dhammikarama Burmese Temple at Burmah Lane is the first Buddhist temple to be built in Penang. Across the road, is Wat Chaiyamangkalaram, the largest Thai Buddhist temple in Penang. It is often called the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, whereby the image of Phra Chaiya Mongkol measures 33 meters (108 ft) from end to end.

Penang Botanic Gardens and Youth Park offers outdoor sports like walking, jogging, jungle trekking, cycling etc, and known to have the best landscape parks in the country. There is also a Craft Batik Factory nearby.

Ayer Itam

Penang Hill is the oldest hill station in Malaysia. There is funicular train ride uphill and canopy walk. It reaches an elevation of 833 meters (2723 ft) at Western Hill. Best view of whole Georgetown and Penang Bridge, especially at night.

Kek Lok Si, or Temple of Supreme Bliss, is the largest temple in Penang. The two star attractions of Kek Lok Si Temple are the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas and the giant bronze statue of Kuan Yin

Bayan Lepas

The Penang Bridge or Jambatan Pulau Pinang was the longest bridge in Malaysia (until the Second Penang Bridge was built). With a total length of 13.5 km, the Penang Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world as well as a national landmark.

Snake Temple was built in 1850. You can see snake coiled on the twigs at the altars. There is a chamber with trees full of pit vipers. Photographers are available to take photos of you with the snakes.

For more things to do in Penang, feel free to view the following:

Penang UNESCO Heritage Brochure – Visit Penang
Visit Penang – Calendar 2016
Penang Travellers Map
Penang Street Food Guide
Penang Street Art Guide
50 things to do in Penang
Top 10 things to do in Penang
Penang Peranakan Cuisine

Tags: Things to do in Penang, Attractions Penang, Places to eat in Batu Ferringhi