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A blue heritage shophouse with red shutters and a hand-painted 'The Safe Room' sign, tropical plants out front.
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George TownTravel Guide

Malaysia5 stories

The UNESCO-listed heart of Penang island: shophouse streets painted with famous murals, Chinese clan houses, a funicular-topped hill, and a street-food scene many rank as the best in Asia.

Is George Town right for you?

When to come

December to March, typically the driest stretch on Penang's calendar

Around 33°C by day in March, 31°C in October — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Cheap by regional standards — eating, sleeping and moving around all cost little.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a full day here planned hour by hour. Longer stays are covered by subject rather than by route.

George Town is inWarm in JanuaryKind to a budget
When to go
January: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 80 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
February: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 86 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
March: around 33 degrees by day, 25 at night, 146 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
April: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 188 millimetres of rain, very wet.
May: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 229 millimetres of rain, very wet.
June: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 164 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 190 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 246 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 316 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 337 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 233 millimetres of rain, very wet.
December: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 117 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

December to March, typically the driest stretch on Penang's calendar

Average daily highs, recorded at George Town (Penang International Airport), 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

World Meteorological Organization — Data from Template:George Town weatherbox, transcluded by the George Town, Penang article.

Budget level

Budget

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Kuala Lumpur290 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · but their best months do not overlap with this one · a different price level (mixed)

  • Krabi, Thailand340 km

    a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in January, February, March · a different price level (mixed)

  • Singapore, Singapore600 km

    half a day's travel · both good in February, March · a different price level (luxury)

  • Phnom Penh, Cambodia850 km

    a full travel day · both good in January, February, December · a different price level (mixed)

Plan itWhere to stay in George Townad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding George Town

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading George Town

Colorful umbrellas suspended over a street in the George Town heritage quarter, Penang, Malaysia
01
The List

George Town, Ranked: 7 Experiences You Can't Miss

From hawker legends to clan jetties and a pink-hued temple in the hills — the essential experiences of Penang's UNESCO-listed capital, in order.

Malaysia · 2 min
The Penang Hill funicular track dropping down a steep emerald hillside into its stone tunnel mouth, palms and lamp posts along the cutting and mist drifting over the rooftops of George Town far below.
02
The List

Beyond the Shophouses: The Best Day Trips from George Town

Penang is small, which is its gift — rainforest, hill stations, temples and durian orchards all sit within an hour of the heritage core. Seven escapes, ranked by how well they repay the effort.

Malaysia · 2 min
A red-painted timber shrine house raised on stilts beside the plank walkway of a clan jetty in George Town, Penang, its gold Chinese signboard glowing under a heavy slate storm sky.
03
Itineraries

George Town in 24 Hours, for Travellers in a Hurry

Penang’s heritage core is small enough to cross on foot and dense enough to fill a week. A time-blocked route through clan houses, temples, murals and the hawker stalls that justify the whole trip.

Malaysia · 2 min
Vendors preparing and serving food at a covered street food cart with Chinese signage in George Town, Penang, trays of steamed rice cakes stacked on the counter
04
Food

George Town Keeps Every Dish on Its Own Street

Penang's food capital does not have one food street, it has a dozen, each specialising in a single dish and closing the moment that dish runs out.

Malaysia · 10 min
A weathered two-storey corner shophouse in the George Town heritage core, pale blue louvred shutters above peeling stucco and rows of red paper lanterns strung across the street at the junction of Armenian Street and Lebuh Cannon.
05
Stays

Where to Stay in George Town, from Shophouse Dorm to Grande Dame

Penang’s heritage core has turned its shophouses and merchant mansions into some of Asia’s most characterful hotels — and kept a backpacker lane running through the middle of it.

Malaysia · 2 min
In pictures

George Town, framed

A motorcyclist riding past the brightly painted, sculpture-covered gopuram tower and yellow gateway of a Hindu temple in George Town, Penang
Photo: Job Savelsberg / Unsplash
The old town of George Town, Malaysia
Photo: Eugene Lim / Unsplash
The old town of George Town, Malaysia
Photo: Sandip Roy / Unsplash
A colonial building glows with green and pink light projections for George Town Festival as crowds gather at dusk.
Photo: Kelvin Zyteng / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in George Town

See and do

Eat and drink

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Malaysia

Money

Malaysian ringgit (MYR)

Language

Malay (Bahasa Malaysia) is the official language; English is widely spoken, especially in Kuala Lumpur and George Town.

Power

Type G, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

Grab covers door-to-door travel everywhere; in Kuala Lumpur the LRT, MRT, monorail, KTM Komuter and Rapid KL buses all take a Touch 'n Go card.

Tipping

Not the norm and not expected; restaurants commonly add a 10% service charge instead.

Tap water

Treated tap water meets national standards, but ageing pipework means locals boil or filter it and visitors normally drink bottled water.

Driving

Left-hand side; the 1949 International Driving Permit is required alongside your national licence.

Emergency

999 (112 from a mobile)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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