A plan for George Town

Founded in 1786 by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company, George Town was part of the British crown colony of the Straits Settlements, along with Malacca and Singapore. Similar to Singapore, George Town evolved from a swampy island into a bustling entrepôt, and came under direct British rule (as opposed to the rest of the Malay Peninsula under indirect British influence). These gave Singapore and George Town distinctive British colonial characteristics and truly multicultural demographics consisting of the Malays, Chinese, Peranakans, Indians, Eurasians, Siamese, Europeans and others.

George Town was granted city status in 1957 and became the first city within the newly-independent Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia). In the decades after independence, however, George Town faced economic decline when the Malaysian government revoked the city's free port status in the late 1960s. Under the administration of Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu, the city's economy gradually reoriented towards manufacturing, with Bayan Lepas being earmarked for an eponymous industrial zone which attracted various multinational firms, particularly the semiconductor industry. As a result, George Town is now regarded as the "Silicon Valley of the East". Rapid development of George Town has been underpinned by its appeal as a haven for tourist and expatriates, helped by the UNESCO World Heritage Site within the city centre and the city's reputation as the centre of medical tourism within Malaysia.

See Penang for attractions in the rest of the state; this list covers only sights in George Town.

Thanks to the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing and strict zoning laws within the historic core of George Town, a combination of historical buildings and gently crumbling, but largely intact, shophouses offer a glimpse into the city's past. It may be worthwhile engaging a walking tour guide as they are trained to give in-depth details on the history and culture of heritage sites. There are several themed walking guides to choose from and each typically takes around 3 hours. Book ahead.

Graffiti has become all the rage in George Town, after Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, painted several whimsical murals of the city's lifestyle and history, such as the pensive Boy on a Bike and the cheerful Little Children on a Bicycle on the walls of old buildings as part of the George Town Festival in 2012. Since then, many more wall paintings have popped up around the city, grabbing the attention of passers-by. Wire art has also been widely installed by the heritage board, commemorating bits and pieces of Penang history with pithy quotes. An informative map is available from the visitor centre.

1 Armenian Street. Armenian Street, once home to some of the city's prominent Armenian merchants is now one of the hippest streets, with a number of interesting crafts shops, temples, at least two museums and probably most importantly, Zacharevic's street art of the two kids on a bicycle. Past this street art, the next block is very quiet, then Armenian Street once again becomes very active with the large Jetty Food Court on the next block, and then crossing the street it continues onto the water with many more food and drink spots and shops. (updated Jan 2024)

Besides enjoying excellent food, walking tours and sightseeing the beautiful old city, George Town offers various modern entertainment options to the discerning tourist. If you, tired of walking, want to kill a couple of hours there is the possibility of catching a movie at any of the several shopping malls in the city centre, including 1st Avenue, Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon. Some shopping malls, notably Gurney Plaza and Queensbay Mall contain other forms of entertainment as well, such as karaoke, laser tag and escape games.

Many George Town shops now offer bike rentals for RM10/day, as travellers embark on a street art trail of sorts, cycling around main roads and hidden back lanes to look at murals and wire art. Bicycle pathways have been painted throughout the city, making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians alike.

1 Rainbow Skywalk, 68th floor, KOMTAR, 1 Penang Road, ☏ +604 262 3800, sales@thetop.com.my. Sun-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM, school and public holidays: 10AM-11PM. This glass walkway 250 m (820 ft) above sea level is not for the acrophobic. Opened in 2016, the Rainbow Skywalk, at the top of the KOMTAR Tower, is the highest glass skywalk in Malaysia. Standing on transparent glass just a few inches thick, one could not only see the busy streets directly below, but also have a bird's eye view of much of the city. RM68 for adults (RM45 for Malaysian citizens), and RM45 for children, senior citizens and the impaired (RM26 for Malaysian citizens). (updated Sep 2019)

Penang is widely considered to be the food capital of Malaysia, and George Town is the best place in Penang to eat. (See Penang for listings of local dishes.)

Gurney Drive may be the main location where tourists go to have their food, but that does not necessarily mean that the best food can be found there. In fact, most locals consider it to be overrated and expensive. A variety of Chinese food courts, and Durian stalls, can be found in Jalan Macalister between the crossing with Jalan Penang and number 105. It's best to ask the locals to point you toward the best locations for food, though walking into any "coffee shop" or stall would almost certainly guarantee a worthwhile experience for your taste buds. Knowing some Malay or Hokkien will be useful, but most vendors speak enough English to communicate the basics.

Budget

1 EE Beng Vegetarian Food, On Lebuh Dickens. (Dickens Street)(Near the junction of Penang Road) (It's about a 10-minute walk from either Love Lane or from Komtar. Dickens street is between the Mydin Supermarket and the Police Headquarters (Large blue and white building). This restaurant is opposite the main entrance to the police complex on Dickens Street.). It's a small self-serve buffet style vegetarian restaurant. Good choice of food at an easy on the wallet price. (updated Mar 2023)

2 Sri Wangi Selera Ibunda, 98 Jalan Mutri, ☏ +60 12-558 3735. from 4PM. Serving Sri Lankan and western food. Also home to the Penang Hash House Harriers chapter. In the later-earlier hours it becomes a bar and place where the regulars and travellers hang out. RM15-25. (updated Mar 2023)

3 Red Garden Cafe, 20, Lebuh Leith (not far from the backpacker area around Lebuh Chulia), ☏ +60 6 769-9585. early morning till late. Local food: satay, roasted and BBQ'd chicken, duck and pork variations with noodles or rice (Chinese stall in the right corner). Also Thai, Filipino, western and fusion food. (updated Mar 2023)

Upper Penang Road

If you're looking for something to do at night, there's always Upper Penang Road, where clubs, pubs and bars are always flooded with young people. UPR is opposite the famed Eastern And Oriental Hotel and beside the City Bayview Hotel.

1 The Garage, 2 Penang Rd. Once owned by the Wearne Brothers, the Garage used to be a motorcar showroom and has since been restored to its Art Deco glory, housing clubs, bars and boutiques.

2 MOIS Dance Club, Wisma Boon Siew (1 Upper Penang Road), ☏ +60 12-418 6647. 9PM-3AM. A club for the younger crowd in a grand colonial-style building.

3 Soho Freehouse, 50, Ground & Upper Floor, Penang Road,, ☏ +60 4-263 3331, fax: +60 4-263 5146, sohofh@gmail.com. Selection of continental food and beer. Good place for gaming with pool tables and foosball.

Elsewhere

Love Lane and Lebuh Chulia are also favourite hangout haunts, with many bars and cafes mixed with backpacker hostels.

NextDoor Rumors, Lebuh Chulia (Next door to Banana Guest House), ☏ +60 16-303 9066. 5PM-4AM. Chilled out with lights and EMF stuff.

Hong Kong Bar, Chulia Street. Famous and historically significant bar, home to many Commonwealth soldiers in Penang, particularly Australian forces based across the water at Butterworth. Run by the ever friendly Jenny. Fantastic atmosphere.

4 Starbucks Signing Store (Starbucks Burma Road), 403-A, Jalan Burma, ☏ +60 42406133. 8AM – 10PM. Opened in November 2019, this is the 4th Starbucks signing store in the world. (updated Mar 2025)

By bus

There are two types of public bus services within George Town.

Rapid Penang is the main public bus service provider, with various routes covering the entire city of George Town as well as the State of Penang. Most bus routes start from the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal at Weld Quay (also known as the Jetty), transiting through KOMTAR before continuing on to the suburbs. Depending on the service, buses begin operating around 05:30 from Weld Quay and can cease operating as early as 10PM, with some major bus routes continuing until midnight.

The fare structure used by Rapid Penang is distance-based. Most fares within the city centre will cost RM1.40 or RM2. For those heading outwards to the suburbs, the fare could be between RM2.70 and RM4. The exact fare is required, so keep hold of some loose change; if you are unsure of how much to pay, just tell the driver where you are going. If you plan to stay in George Town and around Penang for more than a few days, you can buy a "Rapid Passport". This 7-day travel pass allows for unlimited travel on all Rapid Penang buses throughout Penang for RM30. There is also a 1-month passport for RM115 (RM110 if additional month extension). The Rapid Passport can be purchased from the Rapid Kiosks at KOMTAR and Weld Quay, or from the Penang visitors centre at Whiteaways Arcade, Beach Street.

Compared to other major Malaysian cities, George Town is relatively safe. The city's crime rate is somewhat low and serious crimes are pretty rare. Be extra careful in crowds and on roadsides, as they are the spots where petty crimes such as snatch thefts and pickpockets occur.

If you look like a tourist, you will get considerably higher prices from the salesmen in markets, like Batu Ferringhi Night Market, or the market near the Kek Lok Si temple. The real price of the product is always a lot less and at times the "best price" is five times the normal price.

Taxis generally do not use meters due to poor enforcement by local authorities, even though it is "compulsory". The meters are often claimed to be "broken" or are hidden. You should always ask for the use of the meter. The metered price is always less than a price given in advance. Tourists are often cheated, sometimes even left by the roadside in the middle of nowhere if they refuse to pay a considerably inflated sum of money. You should negotiate the fare before boarding if the taxi driver refuses to use the meter, preferably seek a different taxi if they refuse to use the meter. Taxis from Penang International Airport are paid using slips given in a small office in the airport terminal.

Stay away from drugs. Malaysia's laws provide very harsh punishment for any drug related offence, including the death penalty. Just the amount of the drug you are caught with will determine whether you are charged as a user or a dealer. Pay heed to the warning signs at all entry points to the country and just don't have anything to do with illegal substances.