Malaysia's food and cultural capital
Up the coast from Kuala Lumpur, Penang’s mix of historical heritage, alluring cuisine, easy going beaches, modern city life and the interesting UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town, makes for a very worthwhile destination.
A city with an assured contemporary buzz has also held onto its past and multicultural heritage for an intriguing mix of architecture with churches, mosques, temples and reflects Penang’s assorted social fabric of Chinese to Malay and Indian. Infamous throughout all of South East Asia for its gastronomy, many find its food stalls, hawker centres and restaurants reason enough to visit Penang. Thanks to the culinary contribution of its varied inhabitants you can feast on Indian curries, Thai delicacies, Malay specialities and Chinese staples.
Besides history and culture, Penang also boasts an array of luxurious sun-soaked beaches on the northern shore. Here, swaying palm trees dot the serene, sandy coastline with Batu Ferringhi being a top choice.
Highlights
Explore the wonders of George Town with a private guide after dark
Savour private tastings with an expert local guide
Delve into the intriguing cultural and religious mixture of Penang
Meander through the hawker centres where delicious aromas of varied cuisines intermingle
Rachel O’Leary
Travel Designer
For me, Penang is a must-see for any visitors to peninsular Malaysia. The ties with its colonial past are still very much apparent as you travel by rickshaw through the UNESCO-protected George Town. As well as the British connection, Chinese and Indian influences make this attractive city a real melting pot of cultures. It also means the food here is some of the best in the country!
Rachel O'Leary
Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in Penang
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
Where to go
Cameron Highlands
These cool, emerald highlands filled with a temples, hiking trails, hill stations and tea tasting is ideal for those looking to escape the heat, or discover Malaysia’s more sedate rural side.
Discover moreIpoh
Located in northwest Malaysia, Ipoh is the state capital of Perak, an area known for its colonial-era architecture, exhilarating hiking trails and beautiful cave temples built right into the natural limestone cliffs.
Discover moreKuala Lumpur
Booming and burgeoning, Kuala Lumpar is a considerable sight to behold in the form of a towering cityscape, sprawling neighbourhoods, assorted cultural collage, and a rich dining, shopping and nightlife scene.
Discover moreLangkawi
While visiting this archipelago of 99 islands, it is easy to see why Langkawi is branded a tropical paradise colloquially and the Jewel of Kedah officially.
Discover morePangkor Laut
Pangkor Laut, once a Dutch fort, is where to come for a tranquil and authentic fishing village atmosphere, quiet, beautiful beaches and its wild, jungle interior.
Discover moreTioman Island
With its abundance of sublime sandy beaches, white coral reefs and jungle backdrop, Tioman makes for a spellbinding island escape for those that want relaxation mixed in with a little adventure.
Discover moreMeet your Asia team
When to visit
December to February are the best months to go for the dry season and during which many of the national festivities take place.
Festivals and celebrations
January–February
Trekking in the highlands
December–April
Plan your trip to Penang
Whatever you want from your adventure in Penang, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Excellent customized planning for our trip and travel arrangements made everything easy and hassle-free. We felt very well taken care of and appreciated the wonderful service and great recommendations.
The details are what always matter, and it’s the details where Jacada’s people excel - they were available throughout the trip to make sure even the little things click and our questions about logistics answered. It’s why we keep coming back and, each time we wonder if we should try to arrange things on our own, we realize they’re worth…
We used Jacada for our honeymoon to Malaysia and they exceeded our expectations. All of our accommodations were excellent and even had a little surprise waiting for us in our room at each stop. The itinerary they build was exactly what we were looking for and our guides and drivers were very friendly and professional. Sarah Kounnou, our Travel Designer,…
My partner and I were utterly delighted with the fantastic trip around Malaysia that Jacada put together for us. The planning was above and beyond, all our guides and drivers were wonderful, the hotels were blissful and the schedule was evenly paced with a perfect balance of activities and relaxation. The attention to detail was noticeable, right down to the…
Excellent in all ways. Responsive to our thoughts about what we wanted, but expert enough to suggest improvements we didn't know about. Thorough, fantastic knowledge of countries and towns visited, great knowledge about local sights, tours, operators, restaurants, hotels and experiences. Jacada are very, very good. Highly recommended. (We have used Jacada in South America more than once and in…
Plan with peace of mind
When you book a trip in today’s world there’s a lot to think about. But with the right advice and expert planning, you can do it with confidence.
If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.