Unique Activities to Enjoy When You Visit Penang

Penang, Malaysia is thought to be stuck in a time loop. At every corner of the street you will see traces of the colonial period. A time when traders from all over the world drop anchor in its ports, ready to sell their wares for money or in exchange for rare and exotic goods.




But while Penang preserved so much of its history and heritage in their architecture, they were able to incorporate modern styles and comforts in a way the harmonises the new with the old. Indeed, travelling here is more than just a trip to a Malaysian island, it is an experience.




Before you book that Penang accommodation though, let’s talk about what you can do during your visit. A lot of Penang lists talk about the destinations you should go to and the food you must try on your trip, but none will be as specific as this list. Here, we enumerate unique activities you can add in your itinerary.

Count all the artworks along the streets of Georgetown

There are countless art installations and murals you can find along the streets of Georgetown. You can turn this into a game with friends or family — the most art a person finds wins a cold dessert from the hawker centres!




It is going to be a day-long activity, so make sure hunting down these artworks is not going to eat up much of your time. Instead, make this game a trip-long activity so that you can still do other things during your stay.

Go on a food crawl

If there is one thing we love about Penang, it’s the food. Considered to be the food paradise in Malaysia, travellers can visit various restaurants, cafes, and hawker centres offering unique takes on international cuisine or serving the best local dishes.




Make sure you try Penang favourites like the Laksa or the Char Koay Teow. However, expect huge crowds in hawker centres on certain days, which means you might have to buy easy-to-carry food instead since seats will be limited.

Tour Georgetown on a trishaw

Find trishaw peddlers in Georgetown and take a tour of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site while enjoying the cool morning breeze of Penang. It’s so easy to spot trishaws because they’re basically tricycles with brightly coloured umbrellas.




The price usually differs per driver, but prepare at least an hourly rate of RM 30.

Visit the Kek Lok Si Temple at night

The Kek Lok Si Temple is one of the most famous destinations in Penang. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia built with a seven-storey Pagoda of Rama VI. It also features 10,000 alabaster and bronze statues of Buddha, and a 120-foot tall bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy.




It’s magnificent to look at in the light of day, but it’s a different experience at night. It’s like looking at a whole different side of the temple which is much more serene.




Plan your escape at Penang’s ESCAPE theme park
No, this isn’t like an escape room where you and your friends attempt to break out of a locked space. ESCAPE offers a different kind of, well, escape. If you are tired of the city, this is where you go to chill and shake off all that stress. This is a theme park surrounded by lush greenery, very near the Penang Butterfly Farm. Here you can enjoy free falling, tower climbing, and other outdoor activities.

Chill out at Batu Ferringhi beach

Cap off a tiring day exploring the city at Batu Ferringhi beach. Here, you and your companions can just lounge at the beach, getting the sun-kissed tan plus the clear waters of the sea. There are countless water activities you can do like wakeboarding or jet skiing. But nothing beats just chilling on your beach mats with a cocktail in hand, maybe watching the sun as it dips in the horizon.




To make your trip even more rewarding, you can choose to stay in a hotel that will make your commute to and from these places so easy to do. Hotels like The Northam All Suite Penang.

Right now, they’re offering 40% off your accommodation when you book the Northam Special Deal. It comes with a buffet breakfast inclusion and Jacuzzi tub in the suites.




On your visit to Penang, make sure you include these activities in your list and enjoy all that the island has to offer.

Things to Do When You’ve Only Got 24 Hours to Explore Penang

I don’t know why you’ll give yourself only 24 hours to tour a whole island. Maybe you’re doing multiple city visits in a limited time or this is just a spontaneous trip. Whatever it is, it’s done. So how can you fully experience the perfect mix of the cosmopolitan and heritage in a place such as Penang?

Well, we’ve got a few ideas.

Choose the most ideal Penang accommodation

One of the first things you need to do is find a hotel with access to all the most important destinations in Penang. For instance, Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort is minutes away from restaurants, shopping centres, and heritage sites. You can’t afford to lose time commuting long distances.

Temple run

Picture from Picture from http://www.constructionplusasia.com/cheah-kongsi/

Start your tour early in the morning, and do it with temples. The reason being that it can get completely overcrowded and might not get to appreciate the architecture and the spiritual significance of the differing temples.

Make sure to visit Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang Khoo Kongsi, and Kuan Yin Temple.

Memorials and ancestral mansions

From morning to mid-day, make your way to the memorial sites and the preserved mansions. Places like the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Peranakan Museum,  Fort Cornwallis, and the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Restaurants and the Clan Jetties

At mid-day, around 11:00 AM at least so it’s not exactly lunchtime, treat yourself to some local delights. The reason you want to grab lunch early is so you can get seats before the rush.  Visit Penang’s best hawker centres like New Lane Hawker Centre, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, or the Long Beach Food Court.

Then just as the food centres are thick with people, you can jettison out of there and visit the Clan Jetties. Take a relaxing stroll and see rustic houses standing on stilts over water. There are at least 6 jetties you can visit here, named after the surnames of Chinese families who owned them before.

Shopping centres

By this time, it’s already evening, and you’re probably tired of touring. You can start draining your remaining adrenaline by shopping!

Make your way to Gurney Plaza Shopping Mall or Paragon Mall for your unique bargains.

Explore the Penang nightlife

Now that the day is drawing to an end, you can just chill at the local bars and pubs to get a dose of Penang’s nightlife. Head over to the Penang Upper Road and check out all the places lined along the street.

Drop by Slippery Senoritas, Three Sixty Rooftop Bar, or Soho Free House.

That’s your 24-hour itinerary! Make your Penang trip extra special when you take advantage of Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort's website exclusive offers!

Enjoy taking that odd trip!

Redefining the Standard in Business and Resort Luxury: The Northam All Suite Penang

Being in Penang feels like being in a time loop: traces of its history and the culture that once dominated this city can be seen in every exciting destination, in every delectable dish, and in the attitudes of every person living in the city. But it does not have the primordial vibe, in fact, Penang is as advanced as the other cities in Malaysia. Tall structures also don the city, contemporary interpretations of their traditions, and so on. Penang is a city that has successfully managed to preserve the old while continuing to modernise the city.

At the heart of this enchanting city is The Northam All Suite Penang. Travellers of every kind flock to this hotel because just like city, they have provided a unique Penang accommodation where the intricacies of leisure is balanced with exceptional features, and an ideal address to get access to notable sites around Penang.

New World of Comfort

Two words can describe the room accommodation in Penang: timeless elegance. The rooms are awash with soft natural colours and earthy tones which gives it a relaxing and comforting vibe. Each room is equipped with a private jacuzzi, high-speed Internet connection, an LCD TV, coffee and tea facilities, and other top-notch amenities. This will definitely be the only place you’ll want to be in after a day out in the city.

Functional Features

Create unforgettable memories on your trip with The Northam All Suite Penang’s top facilities and services. Whether you’re staying for business or leisure, your every whim will definitely be satisfied. You can make use of a sauna, steam room, fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, business centre, concierge, travel and tour desk,and more. There are also massage services, car rental assistance, and limousine services available for you.

The Address of Convenience

The Northam All Suite Penang is at the heart of the historic city of George Town — a popular destinations whose inner city has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage. From the hotel, you can access key places of interest like Gurney Drive Seafront Promenade, Gurney Paragon Shopping Malls, Batu Ferringhi Night Market, and Kek Lok Si Temple. It is also only a short distance away from Penang Hill, Fort Cornwallis, Penang Bird Park, and Firefly Haven.

The Northam All Suite Penang also offers hotel promotions to help you plan your Penang trip without breaking bank. This is truly the place where your Penang trip will be made extra special, not just in the rooms and facilities provided for you, but also in their genuine service and the holiday opportunities they give their guests. So pack those bags, get those plane tickets, and check out The Northam All Suite Penang. Experience unique elegance and comfort that can only be found here.