Are you organizing your Penang itinerary? Are you wondering what to do in Penang in 3 days? We got you covered!
Penang is a destination that offers one of the most thrilling experiences of eastern culture that you can possibly have in all of Asia!
From the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Georgetown to the glorious island beaches of Tanjung Bungah, this little state offers plenty of cultural sights and natural sceneries for you to savor.
So if you’re planning on a visit to Penang in Malaysia, we have prepared a short Penang Itinerary which will allow you to get the best experience out of this exotic holiday destination!
So let’s get started!
Best Things to do in Penang in 3 Days
There’s an endless list of things you can do in Penang!
From experiencing the legendary street food scene in Georgetown to basking in the sun in one of the dozens of Penang’s serene beaches, there’s a lot you can cover.
So you might be wondering how many days are enough for Penang, here is our answer.
How Many Days in Penang?
With so many things to do and sights to see, you probably think you’d need well over a week to get the full experience of Penang. Well, that’s not the case.
From our extensive travel experiences in the region, we can confidently say that 3 days in Penang will give you enough time to get a complete experience of the place.
Of course, you could stay for longer and slow down the itinerary, or add a few more to the list, but our itinerary below includes a lovely range of sights and activities.
So now that we’ve cleared that out, let’s get started with our Penang 3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary!
Tip: Wondering where to stay whilst in Penang? Check out our blog post on Penang hotels with private pools.
The 3D2N Penang Itinerary
Here is our guide to spending a fun and sight-seeing-filled 3 days in Penang:
Day 1 – Georgetown
Our Penang 3 Day Itinerary starts off in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Georgetown.
Georgetown is the capital city of Penang and is thus an excellent place to start your trip to this exotic tropical island.
This city is full of vibrant street art, beautiful colonial buildings, and some of the best street food you can get anywhere in the world.
It is home to a charming blend of Malay, Chinese and Indian Cultures, and it’s easy to get lost in the fascinating cultural and historical experiences this city has to offer.
Wander into the old streets of Georgetown and discover a whole different world of Street Art painted on the walls of its colorful buildings.
Tip: We suggest you start the day early since people begin to queue up alongside most of the popular Street Art attractions for doing photo-shoots.
Once you’ve experienced the beauty of Georgetown’s street art, head over to Penang Peranakan Museum located on 29 Church Street. Inside this museum are over a thousand antiques which you can spend hours marveling at!
You can then head on to visit one of the numerous clan jetties that are dotted along the shorefront of Georgetown.
These jetties date back to the 19th Century when Chinese families started settling in Georgetown. All the jetties are unique in their own ways and are named after the family that settled there.
Head up to Komtar, the tallest building in Penang, during sunset and end the day looking at mesmerizing views of the city lights!
Day 2 – Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si
We recommend spending the second day exploring the attractions that are a bit further away from Georgetown. Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si are two of the most scenic attractions in Penang!
We recommend starting early for Penang Hill as it tends to get crowded pretty quickly as the day progresses.
The most convenient way of reaching Penang Hill is by train which costs MYR 30 for adults and MYR 15 for children. The train runs daily from 6:30 AM to 9 PM, and it takes only a little while to reach.
The top of Penang Hill is situated at around 2732ft (833 meters) above sea level and offers stunning views of the entire island.
There are several walking paths and lookouts at the top. Make sure you go and check out The Habitat and Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk. The kids will also enjoy the zipline which happens to be one of the most thrilling ziplines in Asia!
Once you’re done exploring Penang Hill, head over to the religious site of Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple.
It is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Malaysia and boasts of a Pagoda covered in 10,000 statues of Buddha!
Day 3 – Taman Negara, Monkey Beach and Entopia
If you’re an outdoors person, we can guarantee that Day 3 is going to be your favorite!
We suggest spending the final day exploring the lush green jungles of the smallest National Park in Malaysia, Taman Negara.
Hop on a jetty and travel northwest to Teluk Bahang to get to the entrance of this beautiful tropical forest and then start hiking through one of the trails.
We recommend coming prepared for a full day of trekking, so be sure to carry plenty of water and other essentials.
If you can brave the sweltering tropical humidity, you can trek through the park to make your way to one of the most popular beaches in Penang, the Monkey Beach.
You also have the option of hiring a boat from the park’s entrance to take you to the shoreline of Monkey Beach.
If you have time left over on this day, finish it off with some beautiful butterflies in the newly revamped Entopia.
We loved our hour exploring the beautiful insects in Entopia. Especially a great outing if you have little kids. To prepare them for the trip to Entopia, why not sure some butterfly facts with them?
Final Words
If you were wondering what to do in Penang in 3 days, we hope our little guide has been able to solve that issue for you!
We have covered almost all of Penang’s points of interest in our itinerary, and we hope you get the full experience this magical destination has to offer!
And if you are interested in our other Malaysian itineraries, please check out our Day Trips from Kuala Lumpur guide here, or our 3 Day Itinerary in Langkawi here.
Over to you:
- If there is anything that you would add to our 3 days in Penang itinerary, please let us know in the comments below.
