Kek Lok Si
Large hillside Buddhist temple complex at Air Itam, with a tall pagoda that blends Chinese, Thai and Burmese styles. Terraces, prayer halls and a big statue of Guan Yin look out over the island.
Penang (George Town)
Wall murals, colonial buildings and street food bring fame to George Town, a UNESCO-listed place on this island state.
Attractive locations
Penang Hill
Cool, forested hill above George Town, reached by a funicular railway. At the top are viewing points, gardens, a mosque, a Hindu temple and walking paths, with wide views across the island and the strait.
Khoo Kongsi
Richly decorated clan house in George Town built for the Khoo family. Its ancestral hall has intricate carvings, painted beams and a stage courtyard, and a small museum explains the history of Chinese clan associations.
Fort Cornwallis
Star-shaped fort on the George Town waterfront, built by the British in the late eighteenth century near where the settlement began. Its walls, old cannon and a small chapel can be explored on foot.
Pinang Peranakan Mansion
Restored mansion of a wealthy Chinese Peranakan family, now a museum. Rooms are filled with carved furniture, porcelain, jewellery and costumes, showing the elegant home life of the Straits Chinese community.
Kapitan Keling Mosque
A large mosque in George Town's historic core, built for Indian Muslim settlers in the early 1800s, with Mughal-style domes and a tall minaret. Visitors should dress modestly and ask before entering.
Clan Jetties
Wooden houses and walkways built over the water by Chinese clan families, each jetty bearing a family name. Visitors stroll the planks past homes, small shrines and views back to George Town.
Airports
Penang International Airport PEN
It is about 15 km in a straight line from Penang (George Town).
Sultan Abdul Halim Airport AOR
It is about 88 km in a straight line from Penang (George Town).
Sultan Azlan Shah Airport IPH
It is about 123 km in a straight line from Penang (George Town).
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Malaysia page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan25.3 °C118 mm
- Feb25.8 °C67 mm
- Mar26.6 °C138 mm
- Apr27.1 °C182 mm
- May27.0 °C216 mm
- Jun26.6 °C150 mm
- Jul26.3 °C174 mm
- Aug26.3 °C200 mm
- Sep26.0 °C249 mm
- Oct25.9 °C311 mm
- Nov25.9 °C317 mm
- Dec25.4 °C233 mm
Driest months: Jan, Feb, Mar. Wettest months: Sep, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 32% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
culture
George Town Festival
Performances, street art and the wider arts scene fill the old town, which has UNESCO status.
Who can help
Emergency
Police and ambulance 999. Fire 994. From a mobile phone 112 also works.
local government
Tourism Malaysia (Tourism Info Line)
Helps with: Malaysia's national tourism promotion board. Its Tourism Info Line 1300 88 5050 is open on working days from 9.00am to 5.00pm and gives travel information to visitors.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Malaysia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 1300 88 5050
Email: enquiries@tourism.gov.my
Address: 9th Floor, No. 2, Tower 1, Jalan P5/6, Presint 5, 62200 Putrajaya, Malaysia
local government
National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)
Helps with: Malaysia's national agency for disaster management under the Prime Minister's Department. It leads disaster relief and runs public awareness and preparedness programmes.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Malaysia affected by a disaster or seeking official disaster information.
Phone: +603 8870 4800
Email: admin@nadma.gov.my
Address: Aras B1, 6 dan 7, Setia Perkasa 5, Kompleks Setia Perkasa, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62502 Putrajaya
ngo
Malaysian Red Crescent Society
Helps with: Malaysia's national Red Crescent society. Contact its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur for its humanitarian, first aid and disaster relief services.
Who qualifies: People in Malaysia who need its humanitarian services.
Email: info@redcrescent.org.my
Address: Lot PT54, Lengkok Belfield, off Jalan Wisma Putra, Kampung Attap, 50460 Kuala Lumpur
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Malaysia
Helps with: The UN migration agency. In Malaysia it supports refugee resettlement, protection of vulnerable migrants, counter-trafficking and assisted voluntary return.
Who qualifies: Refugees, asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and returnees. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +603 9235 5400
Email: iomkualalumpur@iom.int
Address: 570 Jalan Bukit Petaling, 50460 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Malaysia (eProtocol directory)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The foreign ministry's eProtocol directory lists foreign missions in Malaysia with addresses and, for many, emails.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.
local government
Police and ambulance emergency number 999
Helps with: Reaches the police and the ambulance service in Malaysia. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 999
local government
Fire emergency number 994
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Malaysia. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 994
local government
Ambulance number 112 (from a mobile)
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service in Malaysia when called from a mobile phone only, as given by UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Malaysia, including visitors, calling from a mobile phone.
Phone: 112