Outdoors · Penang · Malaysia
6 best outdoor things to do in Penang
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Azreey, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Penang Hill, Penang National Park and Batu Ferringhi beach. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 14–17 hours across 4 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 14–17 hours
- Areas
- Air Itam, Teluk Bahang and Batu Ferringhi
Outdoors in Penang
Viewpoint · Air Itam
1.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Kids
- Couples
Nature · Teluk Bahang
2.Penang National Park
Start early to beat the heat, register at the entrance, carry plenty of water, and arrange a boat back if you walk out.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Active
- Free
Beach · Batu Ferringhi
3.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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- After dark
- Outdoors
Zoo · Teluk Bahang
4.Entopia
Go in the morning, when butterflies are most active, and combine it with the national park or the spice garden.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
Garden · Gurney Drive and Pulau Tikus
5.Penang Botanic Gardens
Visit in the early morning; keep food out of sight of the macaques, which snatch bags.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
Garden · Teluk Bahang
6.Tropical Spice Garden
Book a cooking class here to learn Nyonya or Malay dishes with spices picked in the garden.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Food
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Air Itam | Penang Hill | Half a day |
| Teluk Bahang | Penang National Park, Entopia and Tropical Spice Garden | Half a day + 2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Batu Ferringhi | Batu Ferringhi beach | Half a day |
| Gurney Drive and Pulau Tikus | Penang Botanic Gardens | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 3 free, 3 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Penang Hill; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Air Itam): Penang Hill, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Teluk Bahang): Penang National Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Teluk Bahang): Entopia → Tropical Spice Garden, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Batu Ferringhi): Batu Ferringhi beach, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Gurney Drive and Pulau Tikus): Penang Botanic Gardens, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- January: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Dry, sunny and comparatively breezy — one of the best months.
- February: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. The driest month on average; Chinese New Year celebrations can continue into February, with Chap Goh Meh on the 15th day.
- March: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds. Hot and still mostly dry, with occasional afternoon showers starting late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Gurney Drive and Pulau Tikus — Seafront condos, malls and the Gurney Drive hawker centre
- Batu Ferringhi — The island's beach-resort strip with a night market and watersports
- Teluk Bahang — Fishing village at the island's north-west tip and gateway to the national park
- Air Itam — Hillside town of Kek Lok Si, the Penang Hill funicular and a famous laksa market
More of Penang
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Penang?
Penang Hill. A funicular railway climbs from Air Itam to the top of Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera), more than 800 m up, where the air is a few degrees cooler and terraces look over George Town, the bridges and the mainland.
+Which of these are free in Penang?
Penang National Park, Batu Ferringhi beach and Penang Botanic Gardens.