Armenian Street- Penang- Malaysi
10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN PENANG MALAYSIA
Penang, Malaysia has long been one of my favorite spots in SE Asia. Such diversity of peoples, cultures, architecture, food, and outdoor activities all rolled into one incredibly interesting island. I’ve visited 4 or 5 times in recent years. In 2008, Penang was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving credence to its unique charms.
Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world become quite expensive after receiving their distinctive designation. But Penang remains inexpensive and accessible to all. Aside from land and building prices, Penang’s many attractions and delicious foods are still cheap, many of them free.
Here’s a sampling of fun free things to do around Penang:
view while hiking at Penang National Park
1. Hike and Camp at Penang National Park
A jungle-clad, mountainous peninsula jutting into the warm Andaman Sea on Penang’s northernmost point, is home to Penang National Park. Full of au-naturale hiking trails, lush tropical vegetation, stunning views, and several undeveloped beaches, it’s a hiker’s dream.
Even better, entry is entirely free. The only requirement is signing in and out at the park desk before/after your hike. You’re also allowed to camp for free at two park beaches. Bring your own camping gear, food and water. If you don’t’ have the gear, you can rent it at reasonable prices near the park office.
Warning: the park is incredibly popular on weekends. If you enjoy hiking/camping with hordes of people, then join the throngs on Saturdays and Sundays. If you prefer solitude in nature, visit during the week.
Penang’s popular ‘Goddess of Mercy’ Chinese Temple, central Georgetown
2. Go temple hopping
Penang has an astounding diversity of Asian temples/places of worship. You’ll find Indian Hindu temples in Little India and scattered about Georgetown. Malaysian Islamic Mosques dot Georgetown and remote areas of the island. There are numerous Chinese Buddhist temples. The most intriguing is quirky/ kitchy Kek Lok Si Temple, up on a hillside overlooking the city.
Dharmikarma Temple
There’s a beautiful Burmese Temple and Thai Buddhist Temple, both on Jalan Burma. The Burmese temple, Dharmikarma Temple, has a bell tower, which you can climb up for gorgeous views of the temple grounds, Penang hill, and nearby skyscrapers and coast. The Thai Temple, Wat Chaya MangKalarm, just across the street, houses SE Asia’s largest reclining Buddha.
You can discover most Penang’s temples simply by strolling around central Georgetown. Take a bus or ride a bike to reach Kek Lok Si or the Burmese and Thai temples.
3. Ride the ferry from Penang to the Mainland
Astoundingly, Penang’s famous ferry is free when leaving the island back to Butterworth on the mainland. There is a ‘catch’ to this free ride, though. Riding back from the mainland to Penang costs money. Not much, though: just 1.20 RM ($0.40 US)
Riding the ferry is an excellent way to ride a boat across the channel, see stunning views of Penang island, view the captivating Butterworth cargo port with its massive cranes, and watch all sorts of boats: tug boats, cargo boats, cruise ships, speedboats, and wood fishing boats.
Penang Ferry
Penang Ferry operates from about 5.30 am to midnight. Ferries depart every 10-15 minutes and take 15-20 minutes to cross the channel. It carries cars and motorbikes in addition to people, so you generally have to wait while cars drive off then more cars load up. Once the vehicles have packed in, passengers are admitted on the upper decks.
It’s a fun side activity in Penang.
traditional joss stick maker- Penang
4. Visit traditional handicraft / craftsmen’s shops
Malaysian Tourist Office, across the street from Fort Cornwallis’ main entrance, has a free brochure for making a cycling/ walking tour of traditional handicraft shops, where the craftsmen still make their wares by hand. The brochure has an excellent map marking each shop, along with descriptions of each product.
You’ll get to visit craftsmen of incense, sign boards, Muslim hats, Indian gold jewelry, rattan furniture, tombstone engraving, and traditional noodles and sweets.
Go pick up a brochure and head out for a cultural exploration.
hiking trail- Penang Hill
5. Trek up Penang Hill
It might be called a ‘hill’, but don’t let that fool you into thinking a climb to the top is a mere stroll. It most definitely is not, as I found out the first time I hiked up. I made that mistake the first time and nearly missed picking up my passport at the Thai Consolate before closing time!
Penang Hill delivers an extremely steep, long climb. If you’re fit, expect 2-3 hours to reach the top and 1-1.5 hours to get down. There are several routes to walk up:
1. Take the road, which starts beside the Botanical Garden entrance gate. That’s the most straight-forward route, but you’ll be walking on a paved road with cars and motorbikes.
2. Start at the ‘Moon Gate’ on Jalan Kebun Bunga, close to the Botanical Gardens. This is a fantastic hike through the forest, starting with many stairs, then twisting around on trails through jungle. Two ‘rest stations’ line this popular route, where you can get tea, water, and snacks. Expect to get lost a few times on the way up,after the second rest station, since the diverging trails are not marked. But if you keep going upward, you’ll eventually reach the top.
3. Start in the nearby Penang Municipal Park. I’ve never started there, so I can’t guide you, though I did accidentally end up there once or twice, on the way down, trying to reach the Moon Gate.
Teoh Kong Si- Penang
6. Visit several Chinese Clan Houses
Penang’s clan houses are quite ornately decorated. To western eyes, they look more like grand homes or temples. However, they are community centers for members of that clan. That basically means anyone with the last name ‘Chan’ ‘Keong’ or which ever clan house it is.
Traditionally, the clans ensure education for children, handle plentiful festivals and religious holidays, make community decisions, and generally support everyone in the clan.
Monkey Beach at Penang National Park
7. Lounge on a tropical beach
Penang, as a tropical island in the calm Andaman Sea, is rimmed with beaches. Batuh Ferringhi, on Penang’s north coast, and a 20-minute bus ride from Georgetown, is the largest and most beautiful. Unfortunately, as a consequence, it’s also the most developed, noisiest and most popular (dare I say ‘over developed’?)
Feringhi is completely lined by large resorts. It offers para-gliding, jet-skiing, banana boating, and other water activities. For all its development and fame, it’s surprisingly un-crowded though. You can escape most of the noisy water activity at the far east end (closest to Georgetown) near Shangri-La Resort.
remote beach near Pulau Betong
If you prefer more solitude, many smaller beaches line the road between Georgtown and Penang National park. Just hop off the bus or park your motorbike when you see one. The National park also has several beaches. Those on the western trails are much more pristine than popular Monkey Beach, which is often full of people who’ve been transported there by boat. The beach now offers 4-wheel driving and jet skiing!
Even more remote beaches line the southern coast near Pulau Betong and Pasir Bulan. You’ll need a motorbike to reach those beaches.
renovated town house- central Georgetown- Penang
8. Make an architectural walking tour
Penang is simply jam-packed with an astounding variety of architecture. First there’s the colonial architecture, which varies tremendously around Georgetown. There’s British/Chinese blend, British/Islamic blend, colossal stone government buildings, formidable wooden buildings, dainty churches, a stone fort, and grand mansion houses.
There are streets full of Chinese row houses, colorful Indian row shops, and European-style town houses. All are in various stages of dilapidation, upkeep or full renovation. Mixed in between are a variety of temples, mosques, and Chinese Clan houses.
Simply wander around central Georgetown. You’ll see all that and more. If you’re into architecture, Penang is a treasure chest of eye candy.
nutmeg nuts, flower, and fruit
9. Visit a nutmeg ‘factory’
One little-known product of Penang island is nutmeg. The family owned nutmeg ‘factory’ is located in the center of the island on the mountainous road between Penang National Park, in the north, and Balik Pulau town.
The friendly, cheerful daughter of the family will greet you with a big smile and a refreshing cup of ice-cold nutmeg juice. While you’re sipping away, she’ll proceed showing you the various parts of the nutmeg: nut, flower and seeds.
She’ll explain all the products made from nutmeg, including the well-known nutmeg spice powder, nutmeg oil, nutmeg juice, nutmeg ‘balm’ (like tiger balm), and several varieties of pickled, sugared, and candied nutmeg fruit.
She’ll even give you free samples of any of the products you’d like to try. Finally, she’ll escort you over to a few trees to see the nutmeg growing.
Unlike the nearby ‘Penang Tropical Fruit Farm’, which charges a whopping 35 RM ($10 US) to take a 30 minute stroll through fruit orchards, (excuse me?), the nutmeg ‘factory’ is entirely free. It’s a fun, informative, refreshing, and off-the-beaten-track activity on the island.
You can reach the nutmeg factory by bus (you’ll have to take 2 buses), renting a motorbike or car, or taking a taxi. If you like driving motorbikes / scooters, I recommend that option. Standard price is 30 RM per day for rental. You’ll need your driver’s license and a cash deposit. See details on my post: Guide to Day-trip Around Charming Penang Island.
Whiteaways Arcade, Lebuh Pantai (Beach STreet) Penang
10. Learn about Penang’s colonial architecture, construction and renovation: Whiteaways Arcade
Penang’s plethora of colonial buildings have been undergoing renovations little by little for decades. But since the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, many more larger renovations have been taken under by banks and large companies.
Explanatory plaque about Whiteaways Arcade renovations
Whiteaways Arcade is a huge, formidable building on Lebuh Pantai (Beach Street) between Lebuh Gerejah and Lebuh Bishop that has been restored to its former glory.
Cleverly, the renovators added informative plaques throughout the hallways, describing the arcade’s architectural details, construction, and renovation processes. They’ve even showcased sections of the original wall as demonstration.
If you’re at all interested in architecture, building construction, or historical renovations, go check out Whitaways Arcade. It’s an intriguing slice of Penang history.
You might also find other posts in this series useful if you’re looking for great free activities around Malaysia in:
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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TRAVEL TIPS: GUIDE TO DAY TRIP AROUND PENANG ISLAND - LashWorldTour
2012/06/10 at 6:00 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] its abundant and varied temples, clan houses, museums, and other cultural attractions. Here are 10 Free Things to do in Penang for further reading.Penang is also somewhat well-known for its natural attractions: its […]
TRAVEL TIP- MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR TRAVELING IN MALAYSIA - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2012/10/29 at 11:17 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] LashWorldTourTravel Blog offering Cultural Insights, Travel Tips, and Tales of Adventure from 14+ years of world travelsHOMEABOUTAbout LashWorldTourAbout LashContactWhat’s in a name?LashWorldTour Travel MapLash’s Travel Fast FactsMissionsWorld Travels Overview: 1991-2011PressCOUNTRIESASIABALI- INDONESIABalinese CultureDiving in BaliBicycling in BaliAmedSanurBali MiscBANGLADESHBRUNEICAMBODIASHANGHAI- CHINAHONG KONGJAPANLAOSMALAYSIAKuala LumpurPenangLangkawiBorneoDiving in MalaysiaMYANMARNEPALPHILIPPINESSINGAPORESRI LANKATHAILANDVIETNAMEUROPEENGLANDSPAINS AMERICABRAZILUSAADVENTURESBicycle TravelCycling Bali SeriesHikingScuba DivingSky DivingSurvivor TV CrewTravel DisastersWWOOFTRAVEL TALESCULTUREPHOTO GALLERIESTRAVEL TIPS10 Free Things to do in… SeriesAccommodation TipsFlight TipsTravel Safety TipsMisc Travel TipsBeyond GuidebooksTRAVEL RESOURCESTRAVEL INTERVIEWSREVIEWSLINKSTRAVEL STOREFREE eBookTRAVEL BOOKS STORELWT CYCLING AND HIKING GUIDEBOOKS TO BALI2012 CALENDARS wp_flash_img_show will display here (config: default)« NEPAL: FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF KATHMANDU NEPALPHOTO GALLERY: PENANG NIGHT SHOTS » TRAVEL TIP- MONEY SAVING TIPS FOR TRAVELING IN MALAYSIA 2012/02/24 by Lash WorldTour stormy sunrise over Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMONEY SAVING TIPS FOR TRAVELING IN MALAYSIARecently I’ve met several long-term travelers who are visiting Malaysia for the first time. Somewhat to my surprise, I quickly found myself giving lots of tips about choosing products, finding restaurants, and saving money on all sorts of things. Even though they are veteran travelers, they didn’t know many simple practical things about ‘living’ in Malaysia because they’ve never spent time here.evening with travel bloggers in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaI suppose that many common daily-life practicalities about any destination you figure out only by spending a significant amount of time there. Perhaps by returning several times, working there, or having local friends who fill you in on daily life details. And apparently guidebooks skip many of those practicalities. Since I’ve spent so much time in Malaysia over the years, I discovered that I can dish up lots of useful money-saving tips that you probably won’t find in guidebooks. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far: Hotlink sign in Malaysia1. cell phones / sim cards In all Asian countries, Australia, UK and Europe, you can easily and inexpensively buy a new sim card for your mobile phone, thus obtaining a local phone number. (Excluding use with US phones, which operate on a different phone system). In Malaysia, several phone companies sell sim cards. I recommend ‘Maxis’ also know as ‘Hotlink’. They sell new sim cards for just 8.80 RM ( < $3 US) which includes 4 RM phone credit. Domestic text messages/sms cost 0.10 RM. So, with your new sim you can already send 40 domestic text msgs, without buying any more credit! International sms rates vary per country, but are also very cheap. You can sms to every country except the USA. (Thanks US) You can call to US phones, but not text.You can add more credit when you run out by buying ‘top up’ credit at 7-11s, many local convenience stores, phone shops, and Maxi/Hotlinks stores. Pre-paid (top up) cards come in increments of 10 RM / 30 RM /60 Rm / 100 RM.Hotlink has a special international calling rate program, ‘IDD132′. To use it, you have to add extra numbers in front of your calling number. Ask about it when you buy your sim and/or check Maxis website. You’ll need your passport to buy the sim, since Maxis officially registers the phone number to your name. Even if you’re traveling through Malaysia for just one or two weeks, it may already be worth buying a Malaysian sim to communicate with people. Internet shop in Penang, Malaysia2. Internet Generally, internet connections in Malaysia are fast, consistent and abundant every where. Plentiful local internet shops typically charge 3RM/ hour ($1 US). Many guest houses, hostels, and hotels also have internet centers. I generally find their rates higher. To save money, visit a nearby internet shop. In Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Tourism Office on Jl Ampang, just one block down from Petrronas Twin Towers, offers free internet sessions of 30 minutes. They also have unlimited free wifi. Wifi Most modern cafes, coffee shops, hotels, and some restaurants offer free wifi. Many budget guest houses also have wifi, either free or for a minimal charge. It’s really easy to use your own computer in Malaysia, and throughout SEASia, in fact. 3. Buses / trains between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Malaysian trains and buses are great: super clean, with spacious padded seats and air conditioning. Overnight sleeper trains offer decent-sized beds with clean linens. Private cabins are also available.Malaysian trainIf you’re making a round-trip journey between KL and Singapore, buy BOTH tickets in Malaysia! You will pay Malaysian prices. Currently, the overnight train from KL to Singapore costs 30 RM ($10 US). When you buy tickets in Singapore, you pay Sing $30 Sing ( $25 US) Big difference! Read more in my post Overland Travel Between Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia note- Malaysian buses and trains are what I term ‘super-refrigerated’. C O L D. Make sure you have some warm pants, shirts and jacket on hand when you enter… unless, of course, you like refrigeration. filtered water and boiled water at hotel in Malaysia4. Drinking water. Many guest houses and hotels offer filtered drinking water free to guests. Sometimes there’s a filter attached to the tap. Other times they have a huge bottle to refill from. Malaysians drink filtered tap water, boiled water, or commercial bottled water. They generally don’t drink water directly from the tap unfiltered. You can save a lot of money by not buying water while traveling in Malaysia. For example, if you drink one bottle-1.5 L – per day, then in 30 days, you’ll spend minimum 60-90 RM ($20-30 US) per month. If you’re on a tight budget, that makes a difference. If you prefer commercial bottled water, it’s cheapest at super markets, where you can buy 1.5 L bottle of local brands for ~ 2 RM. Branded water costs more and varies by brand. taxi in Penang, Malaysia5. Taxis Make sure you get a metered taxi. The cost will be half to one-third of a ‘set fee’. On the streets and when ordering a taxi, you will generally get a metered taxi automatically. But make sure you discuss it beforehand. And make sure they flip on the meter when you start. At some places, like Sentral Station, you don’t have the option to get a metered taxi. The station has a taxi service set up whereby you pay for the taxi at a booth inside the station, get a receipt, then go wait in line for the next taxi. However, you can walk from Sentral Station down to the main road to flag down a metered taxi if you prefer. It’s less than 2 blocks down the road ramp to the main street. Also keep in mind that after midnight there’s an extra night charge of +50%. The fee should not be charged before midnight. Old Town White Coffee sign, Malaysia6. Coffee If you prefer espresso coffees, keep in mind that prices at Starbucks, Coffee Bean, San Francisco Coffee, Dome, and other modern coffee chains the are the same or higher than in US and Europe! Various espresso drinks cost 8-15 RM ( $3-5 US) If you’re a bit of a coffee gourmand, like me, but don’t want to pay US prices, here are some rescue options. You can get delicious, high-quality local coffee at a few shops in Malaysia. It’s not exactly the same flavor as espresso coffee, but it’s strong and delicious. I’m extremely picky about coffee, so I do not recommend these shops lightly.* Old Town Coffee is a Malaysian high-end coffee shop/restaurant chain. They serve a variety of dark, potent coffee drinks in a charming retro colonial setting. I often order their iced coffee for 4.30 RM ($1.50) At Starbucks or Coffee Bean, the equivalent costs about 10- 14 RM ( $3.35- 5 US)Old Town White Coffee branch in Penang, Malaysia* Local coffee shops. Nowadays, local neighborhood coffee shops aren’t so easy to find. You’ll find tea shops, either Chinese or Indian, much easier. But when you do come across a local coffee shop, stop in. You’ll get an excellent strong local coffee for just 1-1.50 RM ($0.35-.50 US) * Another tactic I often use is to switch to Indian teas. Te Tarik is sweetened tea with milk, topped with froth. Like a tea cappucino! Te tarik is a potent caffeine/sugar combo, thjus a great substitute for espresso. And at a fraction of the cost. The going rate is 1- 1.5o RM ($0.35- 0.50 US) 7. For more money saving tips, check out my 2 posts on free things to do in Kuala Lumpur: 10 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur, pt 110 Free Things to do in Kuala Lumpur, pt 2 10 Free Things to do in Penang—————————————————————————————————————————————This post brought to you in part by answers.com who would like to remind us that coupons are a great way of budgeting and saving money. Coupons by answers.com can help you save money on travel expenses and daily necessities.—————————————————————————————————————————————- var dd_offset_from_content = 40; var dd_top_offset_from_content = 0; /* /* Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published.Name:Email:Website:Message:You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> […]
10 Free Things to do in Malaca - Malaysia - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2013/02/22 at 5:54 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
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10 Free Things to do in Malacca - Malaysia - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2013/02/23 at 1:49 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
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10 FREE THINGS TO DO IN KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA - LashWorldTour » LashWorldTour
2013/07/31 at 12:41 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
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Free Activities in Penang - Malaysia » LashWorldTour
2013/08/28 at 12:51 pm (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] Hill, Penang National Park and numerous beaches. I wrote about many of those free activities in my first post on Penang. Penang street food […]
8 Good Roundups to Free Things to do in Penang | Penang Insider
2017/10/05 at 8:33 am (UTC 8) Link to this comment
[…] Lash World Tour has a page with some good advice. I like the fact she suggests you visit a Nutmeg factory, which is not something everyone does while in Penang. […]