Penang offers a fantastic choice of accommodation to suit different needs and budgets, from luxury hotels, boutique hotels and serviced apartments, to budget hostels, beachfront guest houses, and exciting homestays.
George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS)
George Town has become a favourite with the Condé Nast set with its eclectic range of boutique accommodation, which includes beautifully-restored traditional shop houses and hip, trendy hotels with hints of local flavours. A stay in the WHS is perfect for exploring George Town on foot, bicycle, motorbike or trishaw.
Gurney Drive
Strategically located between the city and the beach, Gurney Drive’s (Persiaran Gurney) high-rise resorts offer breath-taking panoramas of the sea and city. For delightful street food, world-class shopping malls and nightlife, Penang's iconic waterfront boulevard is where the action takes place.
Batu Ferringhi
Penang’s famous north coast strip from TanjungBungah to BatuFerringhi is home to many 3 to 5-star beach resorts, with plenty of shopping, nightlife and eco-tourism activities close at hand. For an unforgettable kampung (traditional village) experience, there are homestays available in the smaller fishing villages close by.
Southeast Zone
The Southeast Zone is a stone’s throw from the island’s high-tech parks, the international airport, golf clubs, the two Penang bridges (that connect the island to the mainland), and some of Penang’s largest shopping malls. There is a wide variety of business-class hotels to choose from, as well as convention centres including the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE) and the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre, which is scheduled for completion in a few years’ time.
Seberang Perai Utara
North Seberang Perai is an area full of paddy fields and local communities, hence offering one of the most traditional homestay programmes in Penang. Enjoy your stay in a traditional Malay village surrounded by endless paddy fields, exploring mangrove forests that are rich with flora and fauna.
Seberang Perai Tengah
This is the bustling side of Seberang Perai with a number of shopping malls. Here you’ll find the Penang Bird Park, the first and largest bird park of its kind in Malaysia. The famous St Anne’s Church is located in Bukit Mertajam, where some CherokTokun Relics can be found within its compound. There are also hotels in this area of Seberang Perai.
Seberang Perai Selatan
Visit NibongTebal and take a stroll at Bukit Panchor Recreational Forest, where you can explore its mangrove life forms, bat caves, and wetland boardwalk.
Homestays
Homestays in Penang provide an alternative to conventional hotels by offering affordable and comfortable accommodation for tourists who wish to stay with locals, or away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Holiday-makers will get the chance to experience local cultures and lifestyles in a laid-back atmosphere. Imagine a stay in a kampung where you get to participate in typically rural activities such as fishing, rubber-tapping, fruit-picking, crafting and so on. Additionally, you’ll get the chance to exchange stories with the locals, savour home-cooked meals and even possibly be a part of a traditional wedding celebration! If that’s not exciting enough, you could also get one organised for yourself. Penang’s homestay programme encompasses 11 areas across the northern region, each uniquely its own with special features that promises tourists a memorable and eventful time. These include:
• Jalan Bahru in Balik Pulau
• Kota Aur
• Pulau Betong
• Pulau Aman
• Sungai Chenaam
• Mengkuang Titi
• Sungai Duri
• Teluk Bahang
• Sungai Semilang
• Sungai Setar Besar
• Lahar Yooi
