Neighborhood guide
Where to Stay in Penang
The 3 areas worth basing yourself in Penang, Malaysia — ranked by our editors, with walking distances from the center. First-timers: start with Georgetown.
City centerNeighborhoodsClick the map to enable scroll zoom
Top pick
Georgetown
UNESCO-listed heritage city — clan houses, mural lanes, hawker centres.
8.2 km from center
#2
Batu Ferringhi
Beach strip with resort hotels and the weekend night market.
11 km from center
#3
Air Itam
Hill-foot suburb with the Kek Lok Si temple complex and the laksa origin stall.
5.8 km from center
Getting around
Grab is cheap and covers the island; Rapid Penang buses link Georgetown to the beaches.
Walk Georgetown’s heritage core — it’s flat and the lanes are too narrow for car tours to do them justice.