Penang, a state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is a famous tourist destination that has long become the pride of the people here. Every year, Penang welcomes millions of tourists and this number is constantly increasing over time. Located in an extremely favorable location in terms of natural conditions, Penang has been greatly favored by nature in terms of scenery with spreading forests and beautiful beaches. Because of that, this place has been nicknamed the “Pearl of the Orient”.
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So, where to go in Penang and where to visit in Penang? Let’s check out our suggested top places to visit in Penang, must go places in Penang and best places to go in Penang which including must see places in Penang, must visit places in Penang and top 10 places to visit in Penang as the list below!
Many visitors are fascinated and curious about this name and do not hesitate to come here to explore. And once you get here, visit the following 15 tourist places and attractions to experience all the most beautiful things that Penang has.
Penang National Park (# top places to visit in penang)
Visitors will not be able to find anywhere else a diverse and pristine ecosystem in Malaysia like here with lush primeval forests and long white sand beaches. Penang National Park is a convergence of the best conditions in terms of climate, terrain, forests and animals, all combined together to create a natural beauty that is both wild and poetic.
It is not surprising that this place is considered the most beautiful National Park in the country, but there is another interesting thing where this place is also considered the smallest National Park in Malaysia. However, that does not mean that the number of plant and animal species is not diverse. With the emergence of more and more new species, according to scientific researchers, this is the home of 417 species of plants and 143 species of animals, most notably rare birds and many species of fish, visitors can experience fishing, camping by the beach, swimming or hiking in the deep green forest to discover the wonders of nature hidden under the leaves and branches of the forest.
A National Park that is not large but has all the features of forest and marine ecosystems will certainly bring more wonderful feelings to visitors. Besides, if you are interested in history, let us tell you that this place has a rich history dating back several centuries until 2003 when it became a real National Park.
Location: Muka Head, about 20km northwest of George Town (about 20km northwest)
Tropical Fruit Farm (# must visit places in penang)
You may have attended many buffet parties in luxury restaurants, but there is a very special buffet that you certainly will not find in such places. The place you need to go is the tropical fruit farm in Penang. It is not a large garden with a few types of fruit, but as it is called, it is an entire fruit farm with 370 species of fruit trees, mainly typical fruits, suitable for tropical climate.
The largest tree species here is durian, so if you smell a strange aroma, it is from ripe durian fruits. Here, visitors can have an outdoor fruit buffet at an extremely attractive cost. It will be a memorable experience to be able to see the lush fruit bunches of different colors of many types of trees hanging from the branches and you yourself can pick it down and enjoy it on the spot.
Not all the fruits here are brought to the market for sale, so in order not to miss any fruits, come in person, who knows, you might accidentally become a genuine gardener. It will be very interesting!
- Address: 18th Mile Stone, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Teluk Bahang, 11050, Penang, Malaysia
- Hours: 9 AM–5 PM
Pinang Peranakan Mansion (# best places to go in penang)
Pinang Peranakan – a mansion located right in the center of George Town will be a tourist destination that is not difficult to find for tourists not only because of its central location but also this building is extremely prominent with its colors.
This house was rebuilt to maintain the style of ancient houses of wealthy Chinese households in the 19th century. The large house stands out with its almost boxy shape and light blue color that is not showy but impressive enough with everyone at first sight. The front has large, classic brown wooden doors and windows, on the side are windows and a small balcony. If you just look at the outside like that, you will feel that it is quite simple and nothing too sophisticated until you step inside to explore the villa. You will immediately feel like you are entering the home of a truly wealthy Chinese family.
The entire interior from architecture to decoration seems to have been completely transferred from China and placed in Penang. From the patterns, layout, wall paintings, furniture and artifacts… everything creates an ancient Chinese villa that stands tall in the middle of modern George Town. If you love history or are interested and curious about the antiques displayed inside, find yourself a tour guide who understands China to explore more closely about their origin!
Kek Lok Si Temple (# where to visit in penang)
Kek Lok Si Temple, or Temple of Supreme Bliss, is the most magnificent temple in Malaysia, located on the beautiful island of Penang, one of the most popular tourist attractions here. This temple was once the largest temple in Southeast Asia before being usurped by Bai Dinh Pagoda in Vietnam.
In terms of architecture, the temple does not belong to Penang or Malaysia alone, but it is a combination of Chinese, Thai and Burmese architecture, all of which are places where Buddhism is prominent and have achieved Buddhist works. This combination has created the unique beauty of the temple, this beauty is what belongs to Penang alone. Coming here, visitors will be overwhelmed by the grandeur of a temple located on such a high position. Its most prominent feature is its 7-storey octagonal Chinese-style structure. And inside the center, right in front of the main hall are four majestic statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, facing four different directions, symbolizing the care of the four directions around the temple.
Kek Lok Si, in addition to its structure and skillful architecture, can you believe it, also owns up to 10,000 Buddha statues of different sizes made of bronze and alabaster. In particular, you will not be able to glance past the statue of Guanyin, which is more than 30 meters high, next to a large clear blue lake that simulates the fairyland of Guanyin.
The temple is extremely large and getting to all seven floors of the tower is also a huge effort, so the temple built an elevator system to help visitors move quickly. However, besides that, there are still traditional stairs for those who like to walk and admire the scenery, and from a high perspective, looking down, the scene will appear at a new, more vast and majestic macro level. If possible, you should come here during the Lunar New Year holiday because that is the most crowded and bustling time of the year, people take each other to the temple to pray for love, luck, fame, and fortune… Thanks to that, you will also partly understand the traditions and customs of Malaysians during New Year.
- Address: Kek Lok Si Temple, Jln Balik Pulau, 11500 Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia
- Hours: 8:30 AM–5:30 PM
Cheong Fatt Tze, The Blue Mansion (# best places to go in penang)
Blue Mansion is one of two ancient Chinese houses that have been almost completely restored. Along with Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Blue Mansion is considered the most beautiful ancient house in Penang.
Having many things in common with Peranakan, this house is the type of house of ancient wealthy Chinese families. On the outside, it is dressed in a striking, eye-catching, harmonious blue color tone, so it is also called Blue House. The house is built in an architectural style that is both modern and classic Chinese, with a touch of medieval classicism, all exuding inherent nobility, while also imprinted with profound historical imprints. The inside of the house is completely decorated with antique items typical of Chinese culture, beautiful small potted plants are cleverly placed around, especially the submerged lake in the center creating an open and airy space close to nature.
Visitors coming here can not only admire the strange beauty of the house but also learn about highly historical antiques, especially for those who are interested in Chinese cultural history. Above all, don’t forget to take some time to see the house at night. It was like an awakening, a perfect performance of light. The multicolored light emitted from small LED lights decorating the front of the villa has given the house a new look. It is more splendid, more sparkling and most prominent in the night sky of beautiful Penang.
- Address: No. 14 Leith Road, about 45 minutes from Penang airport*
- Opening hours: From 1 – 12:00, 14:00 – 15:00, 15:30 – 16:30 every day
Penang Botanic Gardens (# must see places in penang)
Botanic Garden, or commonly known as Penang Botanical Gardens, was established by the British around the 19th century. This place is like an urban green park. Stepping in here, you will forget the noise outside, immersing yourself in the cool green space of trees and gentle steam. You will see many different types of raw plants because before serving as a park, it was a botanical garden with countless plants used for flavoring in processing and medicine. With a large space of 29 hectares, the garden is blessed by nature and lush all year round, with a little shaping by human hands, the garden becomes an ideal destination for those looking for peace and freshness.