2D1N Itinerary For Exploring Georgetown, Penang - Updated 2024

Getting there - Penang flights and airport

Despite being tucked away in Malaysia’s northwest corner, Penang is easily accessible by flight. Penang International Airport (PEN) serves as the gateway to food paradise and Georgetown is just a 30-minute drive away.

A flight around noon is perfect for a quick trip, letting you wake up at a bearable time to catch the flight, yet having enough time to explore Penang for a full day. If you are flying in from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, the journey will only take an hour, letting you reach your hotel around 1 pm.

With budget airlines such as AirAsia offering return tickets for under a hundred dollars, that means you will get to splurge more on souvenirs, foods and activities on your trip.

1:00 pm: Check into the Areca Hotel (from USD 89)

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With a host of hotels available, you will be spoilt for choice as to where to stay. A good option will be to splurge on accommodations found in the heart of Georgetown. This will let you check out the surrounding landmarks without spending too much time commuting from spot to spot.

For a fantastic stay, check out the Areca Hotel. Found within walking distance of a range of delicious food, this charming residence, the refurbished colonial building, offers up three stories of world-class hospitality. The classic decor just brings you back to the old days and your comfort is assured with the room outfitted with modern amenities. This hotel is family-friendly, with an indoor play area, coupled with kids meals provided on-site.

2:00 pm: Start the trip right with a massage

1/2 Deluxcious Spa and Restaurant

2/2 Spa Room

A good massage eases your whole body, letting you shed all the tension behind, enabling you to enjoy the journey ahead. Forgo your worries as you step through the door of the Deluxcious Spa & Restaurant. You can choose from the range of different treatments which are more than a match for any woes and aches you might be facing. The essential oils used in the massage are blended on the spot promising a fresh aromatic experience.

Deluxcious Spa & Restaurant

Address: 17a, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Website: Deluxcious Spa Packages

3:30 pm: Embark on the Food Trail

All refreshed from the massage, be prepared for the food trail that will leave you with a full belly. A holiday definitely merits a cheat day and let’s make full use of it with this food trail.

Stop 1: Sample the Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol, Laksa, and Rojak

1/5 Penang Chendol

2/5 Rojak

3/5 Famous Teochew Chendol

4/5 Assam Laksa

5/5 Chendol Cart

Found just across the street from the Areca hotel is a host of food carts serving up a range of dishes. Start off with a plate of Rojak, grab a serving of the Assam Laksa, and finish it up with a bowl of Chendol. While the dishes are prepared in simple food carts just along the road, there are seating areas just beside them.

Rojak

This is an Asian fruit salad, where cucumbers, green mangoes, pineapples, turnips are all cut into rough chunks and tossed together with their signature sauce. Instead of a sharp vinaigrette, you will be treated to a medley of flavors. Sweet, sour and just a hint of heat, the sauce coats the salad, bringing the ingredients together. As you grab hold of a different ingredient, you will then be treated to a different texture. Compared to the Rojak found in Singapore, this version does not contain dough fritters, otherwise known as You Tiao.

Assam Laksa

The Assam Laksa uses a Mackerel Fish broth, which you will find to be lighter in taste compared to a Chicken stock. However, that does not mean its flavor is lacking in any sense! The tamarind juice adds another dimension to the dish and pairs well with the soft noodles, making each bite just as pleasing as the last. This is the perfect dish to whet your appetite and start off the food trail.

Chendol

Don’t be put off by the green jelly, grab a spoon, scoop it up and have a bite. Each red kidney bean contains a burst of flavor, while the pandan-flavored rice-flour slips smoothly down. All of it comes together with the thick coconut milk containing a hint of Gula Melaka. The rich flavor of the coconut milk comes through strongly but does not overwhelm the hint of pandan or the lovely surprise everytime your spoon picks up a kidney bean. Each bowl is freshly prepared to ensure a nice cool treat, perfect in Penang’s humid climate.

Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendol

Address: Jalan Penang, George Town, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Stop 2: Hameediyah Restaurant for Nasi Kandar

1/2 Hameediyah Restaurant

2/2 Roast Chicken

The term Nasi Kandar originated from a time where vendors will carry a kandar pole balancing containers of rice and Nasi being the Malay word for rice. You can expect rice covered in a mix of curry and accompanied by numerous side dishes. They are found in Indian-Muslim restaurants in Penang.

The oldest Nasi Kandar restaurant is Hameediyah. Right in front, you will find a man flipping up Murtabaks (layered dough that is then pan-fried). Head right in and pick from the range of dishes to go to pair with your rice. The Ayam-roast (Roast Chicken) comes highly recommended. Together with spicy gravy, the tender chicken does not disappoint.

Hameediyah Restaurant

Address: Lebuh Campbell, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 10 am to 10:30 pm daily. Closed on Fridays.

Stop 3: Chulia Street Night Market

1/3 Char Kway Teow

2/3 Satay

3/3 Prawn Noodles

Dodge the cars and crowds as you walk down Chulia Street. A perpetual meat-flavored haze covers the various stalls. Witness hawkers deftly handling huge woks selling plate after plate of Char Kway Teow while others tend to a roaring flame, bringing out Satay, sticks of meat with a hint of char. Here you can find an authentic local fare, amidst the bustle of locals and tourists, assembled in the hunt for good food.

Dishes to try in Chulia Street Night Market:

1. Char Kway Teow

Penang’s variation of the stir-fried flat noodle dish can’t be missed. Expect a lighter tasting dish where the noodles are not doused in a sweet sauce or paired with Chinese sausages and or cockles. The use of a charcoal flame comes through clearly with each bite, making this simple dish a favorite, as evidenced with the line snaking from the food cart.

2. Hainanese Satay

The Asian meat skewer, you can’t just have one. A good satay contains a little bit of char at the corners, the caramelization providing a sweet crunch to the otherwise savory dish. To the expert hands here, the rendered fat means that each stick contains a burst of flavor and it is not tough to eat at all. Make sure to dip them in a peanut gravy for the full experience. Note that the Hanan Satay is not halal-friendly, as they serve up pork satay, a rare sight in Penang.

3. Hokkien prawn noodles

The soup variation of the Hokkien prawn noodles, slurp down the thin noodles along with the rich broth. Generous with their toppings, each bite will have a range of textures of flavors, courtesy of the addition of pork slices, bean sprouts included in the dish. This dish goes especially well with a cup of chilled Nutmeg juice.

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the dishes found here. Grab anything that catches your fancy, find a seat and tuck in.

11:00 pm: End the day with a drink or two at Out Of NoWhere

1/4 Out Of NoWhere

2/4 Thorn To Be Wild

3/4 Jungle Penetration

4/4 Menu

It’s not a proper holiday unless you partake in a drink or two! If you wish to impress and surprise your friends, check out Out Of Nowhere, a speakeasy hidden behind a fridge.

Step into the darkness and walk toward the light. Be greeted with a neon-rose light illuminating the area as you enter the speakeasy proper. With quirky cocktail names and cozy decor, this is one spot to hit to wind down and end the first day on a high note. There are three seating areas once you step through the fridge. If you find the air-conditioned seating area right by the entrance to be full, the bar area, and the open space right between these two, have ample space. Note that the drinks may take a while to arrive should you hit the peak period. The wait is definitely worth it.

Get the ball going with a glass of Thorn to be wild. With a whiskey base offering up a smokey taste, and a mixture of cinnamon and ginger cutting the harshness, the drink flows down smoothly. The drink comes in a glass, chilled with a frozen apple.

For those with a sweet tooth, the Jungle Penetration will hit the sweet spot for you. Gula Melaka is mixed in with a Coconut Rum, blending perfectly together in a tropical drink that’s served up in a Tiki mug.

Day 2

10:00 am: Breakfast

You will find a stall selling breakfast just around the corner from the Areca hotel. For your daily caffeine hit, order a Teh Tarik (milk tea) to go with your Roti (Bread). Roti Bakar (burnt bread) refers to the charcoal grilled toasts, with different toppings available. You can choose to have a Kaya (coconut jam) spread or a savory option in the form of soft-boiled eggs, garnished with a hint of pepper and a dash of soya sauce.

11:00 am Checkout of the hotel

11:30 am: See the whole of Penang from The Top

1/4 View from the Top

2/4 Obstacle course entrance

3/4 Obstacle course

4/4 Flying Fox

There’s only one spot in Penang to see the whole of the island, right at the top of the Komtar Tower. Head up to the 68th floor to see Penang stretching out below you. There, you can take a walk along the Rainbow Skywalk which features a glass walkway sticking out of the side of the tower. Look down and you will see Georgetown spread out below your feet.

If that does not get your adrenaline pumping, take a trip down to the 65th floor and challenge yourself to The Gravityz obstacle course. Don your safety harness, tighten your helmet and step out into the outside of the Komtar tower. There, you will face six obstacles, as well as the antics of your fellow challengers.

1. Confidence Path
   • Get used to the height and the sights as you face outwards and walk down the pathway to your next challenge.
2. High Bench
   • Take a seat and stretch out your legs over the city and enjoy the breeze.
3. Great Bridge
   • Move away from the tower and cross the bridge to the next checkpoint.
4. X Point
   • Challenge yourself with walking backward and rounding the sharp corner as you reach the Z Wire.
5. Z Wire
   • Clip up, lift up your feet as the flying fox brings you across to the next facade.
6. G Rocky
   • Take a step up at the final station. Lean back as you sit down on the reclining bench or conquer your agoraphobia once and for all as you step up onto the two steps right at the end of the course. Stretch out your arms, find your balance and enjoy the sight from the top of Penang.

1:30 pm: Sit down for lunch at Tek Sen Restaurant

1/2 Double Roasted Pork

2/2 Assam Tumis

Get your energy back up with a hearty meal over at Tek Sen Restaurant. Pleasing guests since 1965, Tek Sen offers up Chinese dishes that draw in a crowd come mealtimes.

While there, you have to order their Double Roasted Pork. This dish comes out glistering with a layer of sweet glaze. As you pop a spoonful of pork into your mouth, the range of textures and flavors will definitely be a pleasant surprise. Crunchy pork with enough give in it, and the glaze gives it a gooey texture, this dish is a must to order.

The Claypot Tofu was a good foil to the rich roast pork, with the tender tofu breaking apart in a burst of flavor. The soup goes perfectly with the rice and it comes full of vegetables. For those wishing to drench their rice in a thick gravy, the Assam Tumis works perfectly. Thick spicy gravy in a bowl full of tender fish and vegetables. The heat from the chilli whets the appetite and before you know it, you will be on your third bowl of rice!

Tek Sen Restaurant

Address: 18, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Wednesdays to Mondays: 12–2:30pm, 6–8:30pm. Closed on Tuesdays

Also See: 17 Best street food places you must try in Ipoh

2:00 pm: Check out the shops and street art over at Armenian Street

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5/5 Fruitmade Icecream

Densely packed with street art, temples, cafes, shops offering up knick-knacks and souvenirs, this is the street to check out when in Penang. There’s something for everyone here and two hours will barely sate your appetite. Along the streets lined with tourists posing for shots beside street art or enjoying a colorful, syrup-dripping ice ball, you can find cafes that serve up Kopi Luwak beans (civet coffee) and cat-themed shops packed full of assorted goods.

Armenian Street

Address: Lebuh Armenian, 10450 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

4:00 pm: Head to the airport

Do remember to head there a few hours earlier as going through customs will take some time. There are numerous shops after you have gone through the security checks, where you can pick up more Penang goodies or grab a coffee while waiting for your boarding time to arrive.

7:00 pm: Home sweet home

A quick trip may just be what you need to wind down and relax

AirAsia recently launched a series of short-haul flights from Singapore to 17 destinations. This allows you to plan out a range of quick journeys that will have you refreshed. Whatever your interest, you can pick the destination to match with the lowest fare available and flight time ranging from just under an hour to four hours. For foodies, Penang will definitely be on the list of destinations, while Bali is available for those wishing to hang out by the beach.

You can book your next journey now over at AirAsia!

The writer was offered a media trip to explore Penang and find out just how effective AirAsia’s “Holiday Quickies” is.