Penang is a state in Malaysia that includes the island of Penang and the strip of adjacent land on the peninsula. For most visitors when they say they are going to Penang they mean they are going to Georgetown, on the northeast tip of Penang island (Pulau Pinang).

[Georgetown in relation to Pulau Pinang and the state of Penang.]

The island of Penang is quite diverse in terms of activities for visitors, but if you’re a first-timer you should stay in the historic area of Georgetown itself. This former British Straits Settlement is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highlights of a trip to Southeast Asia. This where-to-stay guide is for the Georgetown area.

The traditional way to arrive in Penang is by car and pedestrian ferry from Butterworth. The train from KL terminates here, and minivans from southern Thailand often take the ferry at this point. The Butterworth ferry takes you to Georgetown, and you can walk from the ferry terminal to the historic area.

UNESCO George Town is broken up into two zones; the core zone, which is the very northeast tip of the island, and the buffer zone, which is the area immediately surrounding that.

I have personally spent a few months in Georgetown and I always prefer to stay within this area. Georgetown also extends beyond this UNESCO-designated zone, and if you end up staying outside this section it isn’t too big a deal as long as you can walk to the old area.

For now, Georgetown remains good value for budget backpackers, and prices haven’t exploded like, for example, the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort in Sri Lanka. Accommodation inside the fort area has grown out of line with normal prices in the rest of Sri Lanka.

If you’re ready to start your search, book in the Georgetown area.

To get an idea of what sort of accommodation is available and the areas within Georgetown, read on.

Backpackers – Hostels and cheap guesthouses

For backpackers, the place to go is Chulia Street, which is the main thoroughfare of the historic area. While it’s nowhere near as lively as Khao San Rd in Bangkok, there are a number of bars along here and travel agencies catering for backpackers. Back in the day before the internet was a thing loads of minivans from Southern Thailand would disgorge their daily load of backpackers on Chulia St, and you would then walk door-to-door looking for a cheap place to stay.

The backpacker ground zero is the corner of Chulia Street and Love Lane (look for the 7-11 on the corner). There are guesthouses on Love Lane and Lebuh Muntri, which runs parallel to Chulia Street. At night Love Lane turns into a bar street and is quite lively by Penang standards.

There are still a few of the old-school flophouses on the street where you can walk in and get a basic box room, but these days it is better to book something in advance to save the hassle of walking around.

Some of the guesthouses that don’t have online booking are Star Lodge and 75 Traveller’s Lodge on Lebuh Muntri. You will have better luck getting a room in these walk-in places if you arrive in the morning.

If you are just looking for a cheap private room then places like Just Inn are suitable for budget travellers. Usually, the rooms are thin partitioned walls with no window, and a shared bathroom. It’s basic, but for a backpacker, the private space is a welcome relief from dorm rooms.

If you prefer to make your Georgetown stay more memorable there are a number of budget hostels and guesthouses in beautiful heritage buildings.

Campbell Antique Hotel features fittings and decorations that are distinctly Georgetown.

ST Hostel Georgetown is a guesthouse with private rooms and looks more like a boutique hotel than a guesthouse.

Old Penang Guest House is in a restored building and has dorms and private rooms.

Mid-range Hotels

As most of Georgetown is restricted by what can be built you won’t see big box hotels in this part of town. In the 3-4 Star category there are lots of interesting boutique hotels set in restored heritage buildings.

Some of the highly rated 3-Star hotels include:

Reunion Heritage House

Rangoon Residence

The Southern Boutique Hotel occupies a row of shophouses that has been restored and made into one beautiful property.

[The Southern Boutique Hotel.]

If you prefer bigger hotels they are on the perimeter of the old town protected area.

On of the bigger hotels is Loop On Leith. This trendy and stylish boutique hotel opened in 2019 in a freshly refurbished building on Lebuh Leith.

[Loop On Leith George Town Penang Hotel by Compass Hospitality.]

The Hotel Continental Penang is a reliable 3-Star option (here is my review of the Hotel Continental Penang).

One of the best examples of a shophouse restoration project is the Areca Hotel Penang. The entire row of shophouses on Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe have been saved from ruin and converted into this 4-Star boutique hotel.

[Areca Hotel Penang.]

The best big hotel 4-Star option is Hotel Jen Penang By Shangri-La (formerly Traders Hotel Penang). This is next to the KOMTAR Tower (the tallest building in Penang).

Some of the best rated 4-Star hotels include:

Le Dream Boutique Hotel

East Indies Mansion

Mango Tree Place – Hideaway

Campbell House Penang

Luxury Hotels

Cheong Fatt Tze- The Blue Mansion is one of the most iconic boutique hotels in Malaysia. The Blue Mansion was owned by Chinese businessman Cheong Fatt Tze, who at one point was considered as the richest man in Malaya. The hotel is one of the earliest examples of heritage restoration in Georgetown, having won the UNESCO Conservation & Heritage award in 2000.

The Blue Mansion was featured in the film ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (the mahjong scene).

[Cheong Fatt Tze- The Blue Mansion.]

23 Love Lane is a boutique heritage hotel set within a self-contained property. There are 10 room in this property, each with a style of their own.

[23 Love Lane.]

88 Armenian is a luxury boutique hotel set in a restored mid-19th century Straits Eclectic-style building/

[88 Armenian.]

The Eastern And Oriental Hotel is the most iconic luxury hotel experience in Georgetown. The E & O was established in 1885 by the Sarkies Brothers, who established luxury hotels across Southeast Asia (including the Raffles Hotel in Singapore). In the 1920s the hotel was known as ‘The Premier Hotel East of Suez’. Famous guests who have visited over the years include Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Hermann Hesse, Sir Noël Coward, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Michael Jackson.

The Prestige is a newly built luxury hotel in the heritage-banking district of old town Penang. The hotel gets its name from the 2006 movie of the same name and is inspired by designs of the 19th-century Victorian Age. The building is part of the regeneration of a historic warehouse used during the maritime trading era.

[The Prestige.]

Beyond Georgetown

For visitors to Penang, most of the places of interest lie on the north coast. The area in the middle of the island is primarily residential and industrial and is of little interest to tourists. The points of interest can be visited on day trips.

Outside the UNESCO area is Gurney Drive, which is popular with expats living in Penang. The drive is on the coast facing a muddy bay that is being reclaimed and turned into a park and a new urban area. One of the big developments here is an artificial island known as Andaman Eastern & Oriental.

Gurney Drive used to be lined with mansions and it was known as Millionaires Row, though today only a few of the mansions remain. At the end of Gurney Drive is the excellent Gurney Night Market, which has a good variety of food that makes Penang famous. There are some big malls along here as well.

[Gurney Night Market.]

The other hotel hotspot of Penang is at Batu Ferringhi, on the northern tip of the island. Most of the hotels are around Batu Ferringhi beach. The beach here is not comparable to, say, Langkawi or Southern Thailand, but it will suffice if you are in need of a beach fix.

[Batu Ferringhi Beach.]

Budget accommodation isn’t good value here compared to Georgetown. Batu Ferringhi is more popular for visitors staying at the resorts, which are bigger than anything on offer in Georgetown.

For a luxury hotel experience Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa Penang is the highlight of the area. It’s set on a large property at the end of the beach with massive rain trees among the swimming pools. Here is my review of Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa.

[Pool at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Penang.]

Batu Ferringhi is a viable alternative if you’ve already spent time in old Georgetown, otherwise, it’s too far away to be useful. Another option would be to stay in Georgetown first and then add a beach break at the end of the trip. This is especially appealing if you are about to head back to somewhere cold.

Resort options in Batu Ferringhi include the 4-Star Bayview Beach Resort and the 5-Star Hard Rock Hotel Penang.

I’ve been a frequent visitor to Penang over the last decade, being one of the few places I visit on an annual basis. I spend most of my time wandering the streets of the UNESCO World Heritage area of Georgetown, as it’s undisputedly the main attraction.

In the last few years though I’ve been lured out of the old town by two cafes, which has lead me to further explore the area south of the old town. This area has a distinct character from the old town. It has a lot of the same architecture, but it’s more run-down as most renovation money has been spent where the tourists are.

With grungy buildings, cafes in old warehouses, and an arts district being planned, I couldn’t help but think that this area could become known as “The Brooklyn of Penang”.

[Barfly – Gurdwara St]

One area in particular – Seven Streets Precinct – is an area I’ve become interested in. These seven streets form a triangle below Magazine Street, and were considered to be included in world heritage status. The precinct was notorious for being a crime-ridden area, and it became a neglected part of the city.

Now this area is being rejuvenated, and as it’s not within the UNESCO protected area it’s changing fast. Heritage buildings aren’t automatically protected here, and there is not the same height restrictions as there is in the old town.

While compiling my list of the best cafes in Penang I found two cafes near this area. These cafes would be hard to set up in the old town, and they are good representations of regeneration done right. Not only are they among my favourites in Penang, but if I was running a listicle site I wouldn’t hesitate to list them in a top 10 cafes of Southeast Asia.

The first cafe is Macallum Connoisseurs Coffee Company, named after the road it’s on. I never would have discovered it by walking around, but once you are there it’s hard to miss. MCCC is in a refurbished warehouse that’s home to a cafe, restaurant, roastery, and coffee academy.

The space is about 8,000 square feet, and there is also parking space on the property (a luxury that few places in the old town have). To open such a cafe in the old town would be a hard task as there are few properties this size (plus the rent would be enormous).

On my last visit I went on the weekend, and it was packed. What a feat to open a large cafe in a place that gets no walk-by foot traffic, and being able to fill it. This is truly a case of “build it and they will come”.

The other cafe is Bricklin Cafe Bar. This cafe is in an abandoned Art Deco bus depot,

Behind the cafe the ruins have been turned into a park and weekend market.

The cafe has a modern interior while the faded facade has been preserved in its dilapidated state.

Nearby Bricklin a new city is rising up behind the park. I collate a list of Penang construction projects, so I went and had a look.

There are two apartment towers going up next to the Times Square mall, and nearby there is a public housing development. This area is starting to look like a city unto itself, and in a few years time I can see the new apartments becoming popular rentals for digital nomads.

Around Macallum Cafe there is a good stock of old buildings, and many of them are boarded up with the intention of being renovated.

While it’s great they are being saved, it has come at the cost of long-time residents and businesses being evicted. There are also more empty blocks, so expect to see more new towers.

To the south of Seven Streets Precinct is a new apartment tower that dominates the skyline. I was curious to see what it was, so I walked in that direction. There are still so many shophouses in this area, and walking around it seems obvious that this area is ripe for becoming a hipster neighbourhood.

[Sandilands apartment tower.]

This ruined row of shophouses would be perfect for a hybrid building that merges old and new architecture. It would be a giant project for an architect looking for a challenge.

Running down the middle of the Seven Streets Precinct is McNair Street.

Along here is the Cecil Street market, which is one of the biggest markets in Georgetown.

Another sign of looming gentrification is the planned Penang Art District. This is just below the old town, adjacent to the Seven Streets Precinct.

This art space will be made up of shipping containers and it will include art galleries, exhibition spaces, museums, art and music studios, and art workshops.

Next to the PAD will be the Macallum stop on the planned LRT that will connect George Town to the airport.

Neighbourhoods names of Penang

While looking for a name of this area outside of the old town I ended up going down a rabbit hole and emerged unsatisfied with my findings.

Lets start from the top. Penang is one of the states of Malaysia (of which there are 13 states and 3 federal territories). The state is made up of the island of Penang (Pulau Pinang) along with the stretch of land on the peninsula that faces the island (Seberang Perai).

On Penang Island is the historic Georgetown area, in the northeast corner of the island. George Town is also the capital of the state of Penang, which makes sense given it is the principal city. What doesn’t make sense is that in 2015, the city of George Town was expanded to cover the entirety of Penang Island and five of the surrounding islets.

That means that rather than Georgetown being a distinct suburb of Pulau Pinang, the name is used for the whole island.

For example Bayan Lepas near the southeastern tip of Penang Island is now considered as part of George Town. Bayan Lepas is home to the airport and Free Industrial Zone. This area was dubbed as dubbed the Silicon Valley of the East due to electronic companies setting up factories here.

George Town is such a distinct place that is synonymous with the old town, that it doesn’t seem right that the industrial zone of Bayan Lepas should share the same name. I think it would be better branding if Penang Island had names that are distinct from each other, just as Singapore has distinct areas on the island. Keep the name of George Town for the old town, and work on marketing the other suburbs for their own attributes.

Neighbourhood rebranding in Penang

Without a proper neighbourhood name for the southern area outside the old town, I’ve taken it upon myself to do some naming. For this exercise I look to New York, which is the home of neighbourhood rebranding.

Seeing that the old town is above Magazine Street (see the map near the beginning of the post), what about naming the area below the heritage area as SOMA – South Of MAgazine.

[Magazine Street – to the left is the Seven Streets Precinct.]

Magazine Becomes becomes Macalister, so it could also be SOMA SOMA (South of Magazine, South of Macalister), or SOMAMA. The last two are a bit of a mouthful, so SOMA would probably be better.

I was also thinking the Seven Streets Precinct could be called TriBeMa – Triangle Below Macallum. It’s derivative of TriBeCa in New York, but there is already a Penang Times Square so we already have a precedent of copying. Seven Streets Precinct (or would it be SSP or Seven Streets?) is already a strong neighbourhood name so it should be left as is.

SOMA, Seven Streets Precinct, and Penang Art District would be neighbourhoods within a new suburb of South Georgetown (or just South George) that is distinguishable from Old Georgetown (Old George?)

With new apartments next to heritage architecture, South Georgetown could become a vibrant place to live in Southeast Asia. It needs to be managed to make sure that it’s not turned into an enclave for the wealthy. The public housing development is a good start, but the old shophouses will need protecting as well. Hot money is already pouring in and sending rents through the roof, which will kill what makes this area interesting.

I’ll be watching what happens in this area in the years to come, and hopefully they will find a balance between conservation and development.

Georgetown is a former colonial city on the island of Penang in Malaysia. The old town is lined with colonial-era buildings and and the entire inner city is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Traditional cafes here are kopi tiam style, which offer a simple food menu and a place to chat with friends. They are not cafes you would sit down and write in or crack open a laptop.

Penang has been going through a cafe boom, with the old buildings of Georgetown being ideal for Instagram-friendly cafes. There now cafes that serve espresso coffee and are conducive for working in. With this newfound cafe culture, Penang might yet become a digital nomad hub.

Continuing with my cafe series, here is a list of the best cafes in Penang (mostly in Georgetown).

[Penang Cafes Map.]

Mugshot Cafe

Mugshot brings a slice of Australian-style cafe life to Georgetown. It’s located in the heart of the backpacker area of Lebuh Chulia so it can be hard to get a seat at peak times.

Location: 302 Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mugshot-Cafe/217836308341636

Macallum Connoisseurs Coffee Company

Macallum is outside of the World Heritage section of Georgetown but well worth the wander here. The cafe is in a purpose-built warehouse that would not fit in any old building in the old town. This is a cool place that has put Malaysian cafe culture on the map.

Location: 1 Gat Lebuh Macallum, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/Macallum

Bricklin

In a city filled with cool old buildings that are waiting to be repurposed, this is one of the best examples. Bricklin is set in the old art deco Hin Bus Depot. The coffee is great, and there is a art space and market at the back of the building. The cafe is not far from KOMTAR (the tallest building in Penang).

Location: 31A Jalan Gurdwara, Georgetown.
Website: www.facebook.com/BricklinCafeBar

The Alley

The Alley is set in an old Chinese goods store (“Kedai Gaharu Keat Seang” on the shopfront) near Kuan Yin Teng (Goddess of Mercy Temple). It’s a small cafe with a nice atmosphere, though it only opens at 12pm.

Location: 5 Lorong Stewart, Georgetown.
Website: www.facebook.com/thealleypenang

Bean Sprout

This cafe on the edge of Little India serves quality coffee in an artistic setting. Bean Sprout is set in two buildings with different rooms to sit in, as well as the top floor which has views of the Goddess of Mercy Temple.

Location: 35 Pitt Street (Masjid Kapitan Keling), Georgetown.
Website: www.facebook.com/theBEANsproutcafe

Black Kettle

Black Kettle is in a prominent building on the corner of Beach and Chulia Street and has an impressive bakery.

Location: 105 Beach Street, Georgetown.
Website: facebook.com/blackkettlemy

The Twelve Cups

The Twelve Cups is a modern cafe in the historic WhiteAways Arcade in the old banking district of Beach St.

Location: 12, The WhiteAways Arcade, Beach St, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/TheTwelveCups

Narrow Marrow

Narrow Marrow is housed in a long and skinny shophouse and is filled with interesting artwork and recycled furniture. They were playing some cool independent tunes which was a nice break from the usual popular music. Check the hours as it’s not open every day.

Location: 252 Lebuh Carnarvon, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/NARROWMARROW

SiTigun Micro Coffee Roastery

SiTigun is a coffee roastery previous located at 30 Jalan Nagor.

Location: 28 Jalan Nagor, Georgetown
Website: sitigun.com

The Light’s Cafe

The Light’s Cafe is next to the Penang Town Hall, opposite the Padang.

Location: Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/thelightscafe.georgetown

Coffee and Friends

Location: 221 Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown
Website: foursquare.com/v/coffee-and-friends

Meet Up @ Grano De Cafe

Location: 158-160 Hutton Lane, Georgetown
Website: foursquare.com/v/meet-up–grano-de-cafe

Coffee Lane

Location: 435 Lebuh Chulia, Georgetown
Website: www.facebook.com/Coffeelane2009

DCOVA

Location: Logan Heritage Building, 4 Bishop Street, Georgetown.
Website: www.facebook.com/dcovalogan

Kaffa Cafe

Location: 72&74 Lebuh China, Georgetown
Website:

ECC Coffee

Beyond Georgetown, if you are staying near Gurney Drive then ECC Coffee is a good option.

Location: Menara Gurney R-G-B1-2, Jalan Kelawai
Website: www.facebook.com/ecccoffee

Closed Cafes

Cafes that were featured on this list that have since closed.

Budan’s Brew – 2 Lorong Argus, Georgetown.

Kantan Kafe – 4 Lebuh Campbell, Georgetown.

Sugar Honey – 26 Lebuh Campbell, Georgetown.

Lighthouse Coffee – 26 Lebuh Bishop, Georgetown.

Love & Latte – 86 Love Lane, Georgetown.

Moustache Houze – 24 Lebuh Campbell, Georgetown.

Cat Cafe – 53 Jalan Muntri, Georgetown.

Wheeler’s Coffee – 67 Love Lane, Georgetown.

The Morning After @ PIA – Departures Level 2, Penang International Airport.

A review of the ETS (Electric Train Service) from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth (Penang).

In 2015 the electrification of the train line between Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth was completed. On this modernised track the ETS (Electric Train Service) reaches a speed of 140 km/h.

The ETS is one of the fastest trains in Southeast Asia. The remarkable thing about the ETS is that it runs on a metre gauge track, while most modern trains operate on standard gauge (which is 1435 mm wide). It is one of the fastest trains in the world that runs on a metre gauge.

Booking Online

Tickets for the ETS sell out in advance, so you need to reserve a ticket.

The official site is ktmb.com.my.

Baolau is a booking agent that compares trains, buses, and flights for the same route.

Book Kuala Lumpur – Butterworth train tickets.

Trip Review

The ETS begins in Gemas (southeast of KL) and ends in Padang Besar on the Malaysia-Thailand border. The service I was on runs between KL and Butterworth.

The train doesn’t go to Penang Island but stops at Butterworth, on the mainland opposite the island. Butterworth is in the state of Penang though, so technically you can say it’s the train to Penang.

The ticket says to get to the station 15 minutes before departure. This is good advice if you are beginning from KL Sentral and you have never been there before. The station is a confusing mess with a separate metro platform, airport line, commuter train, and long-distance trains at different parts of the station.

There was a big crowd in a small waiting space, but when the gates opened it was orderly and the train departed at the scheduled time.

Getting back to the track gauge, the wider the gauge the wider you can make the train. With only one metre of gauge, the carriage was noticeably skinnier than the intercity trains I have travelled on in Europe.

A wider track also means a smoother ride. Having spent a month on European trains last year I could feel the difference. It feels just a bit more rickety.

Having said that it’s a comfortable journey and still much better than getting the bus.

[ETS seats – comfortable but skinny.]

I’ve been in Southeast Asia long enough to know how to dress for public transport. As with bus travel, the trains have the air conditioning set for a level suitable for transporting lettuce. Wear jeans and long sleeves because you will freeze.

There is a snack bar onboard which offers a limited selection of meals and snacks. It didn’t look very appealing but it is cheap and there if you need to eat.

[On-board menu.]

I got a 3-in-1 coffee for 2.70 MYR (.70c USD).

[Try getting a hot coffee on a bus.]

A train is always better than a bus because of onboard toilets. On the ETS they have merged the best of west and east by having a western toilet with a bum gun. My friends in Southeast Asia know what I’m talking about here.

[When I become Prime Minister every house in Australia will have a bum gun.]

There is onboard entertainment, or perhaps better described as onboard torture. There are screens at the end of each cabin and in the middle. You can’t escape it unless you have headphones, and I forgot to charge my iPod (rookie mistake.) To make matters worse on this trip the TV was playing a loop of Transformers and Kung Fu Panda previews. I was waiting for the movie to begin only to realise after half an hour that there will be no movie service; the previews were stuck on repeat. I asked an attendant to fix it but he said he couldn’t reset the TV.

[“Entertainment.”]

The train arrived almost to the minute on time at Butterworth. The ferry pier to Georgetown is next to the train station, though it is not well set up for pedestrians so you have to have to walk over a couple of overpasses.

At 3 hours and 52 minutes, this is a great improvement on the bus which used to take 5, sometimes 6 hours. Hopefully, more services are added as there is already a demand for it. Turn down the air-conditioning and play an actual movie and this is a great service.

Read more about train travel in Malaysia and trains in Southeast Asia.

This is part of the Nomadic Notes train travel series.

Georgetown in Malaysia is one of best preserved colonial cities in Southeast Asia. The streets of Georgetown are lined with shophouses from the 19th and early 20th century in varying states of conservation.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway]

Every shophouse has a five foot way (kaki-lima), which is a sheltered walkway in front of each shop front. As the name suggests the walkways are five foot across, providing shelter from the tropical heat (and tropical downpours).

This style of architecture can also be found in Melaka and Singapore.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway Ramps]

The shops are lined up continuously so the shelter runs uninterrupted between streets. However the height of the shop floors can vary, so it is never an even walking surface.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway Bike Parking]

The walkways of the five foot way are a mixture of private and public space. Business activities spill out onto the walkways, from cafes and restaurants to wholesalers and metalworkers.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway Industry]

In front of private homes motorbikes are usually parked in the way. It is not uncommon to find the shop front open to reveal the living room of the home.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway Open Gutter]

Thankfully the historical city centre became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2008. So while many shophouses are slowly decaying in the tropical heat, many of the shophouses are being conserved and turned into boutique hotels.

[Georgetown Covered Walkway Shrines]