3 days in Penang

Day by day

1. Day 1: Khoo Kongsi and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion)

   Khoo Kongsi, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion) and Pinang Peranakan Mansion, then Kek Lok Si Temple in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Khoo Kongsi

      The clan house of the Khoo family, rebuilt in its present form in 1906, is the most elaborate in Malaysia: a temple hall of gilded carvings, painted beams and stone sculpture set in a hidden square of row houses, entered through narrow alleys off Lebuh Cannon.

   2. Late morning

      Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion)

      Join a guided tour; the stories of the family and the restoration make the visit.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Char kway teow

      Hawker stalls across George Town, including on Lorong Selamat and at Gurney Drive and New Lane hawker centres.

   4. Afternoon

      Pinang Peranakan Mansion

      A green mansion built for the Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Quee in the late 19th century, filled with more than 1,000 antiques showing the lavish style of the Straits Chinese (Peranakan): carved gilded screens, beaded slippers, jewellery and porcelain.

   5. Evening

      Kek Lok Si Temple

      Take the inclined lift up to the Kuan Yin statue and walk down through the terraces; visit after dark during the Chinese New Year lighting period.

2. Day 2: Penang Hill and Street of Harmony

   Penang Hill, Street of Harmony and Clan Jetties, then Gurney Drive Hawker Centre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Penang Hill

      Go up in the late afternoon to see the city lights come on, and expect long funicular queues at weekends and on holidays.

   2. Late morning

      Street of Harmony

      Along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (Pitt Street) and nearby lanes stand St George's Church (1818), the Goddess of Mercy Temple, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple and the Kapitan Keling Mosque, all within a few hundred metres — a short walk through the faiths that built George Town.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Penang asam laksa

      The stall at Air Itam market is the best known; also at Gurney Drive and Balik Pulau.

   4. Afternoon

      Clan Jetties

      Visit around sunset, and remember people live here — keep noise down and don't enter homes.

   5. Evening

      Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

      Find a table first, note its number, then order from several stalls; most deliver to your table and take cash.

3. Day 3: George Town street art and Fort Cornwallis

   George Town street art, Fort Cornwallis and Little India, then Batu Ferringhi beach in the evening.

   1. Morning

      George Town street art

      Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic painted a series of murals in 2012, including the children on a real bicycle on Armenian Street, and dozens of steel-rod caricatures explain the history of each street.

   2. Late morning

      Fort Cornwallis

      Combine it with a sunset walk along the Esplanade and the clock tower nearby.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hokkien mee

      Morning and evening hawker stalls; many coffee shops serve it at breakfast.

   4. Afternoon

      Little India

      Around Lebuh Pasar, Lebuh Queen and Lebuh Chulia, Bollywood music plays from shops selling saris, spices and garlands.

   5. Evening

      Batu Ferringhi beach

      Swim near your hotel's lifeguard area and ask about jellyfish; many visitors prefer the hotel pool and the beach for sunsets.

Before you go

• Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion): Tours run at set times each day and can fill at weekends; check times on arrival or book ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Entopia (Teluk Bahang): Go in the morning, when butterflies are most active, and combine it with the national park or the spice garden.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, George Town Heritage Zone keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Chulia Street and Love Lane ($) suits budget, solo travellers and nightlife. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–21 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.8 hours in January to 12.4 hours in May.

More or fewer days

• One day in Penang
• 2 days in Penang
• 5 days in Penang

Questions travellers ask