20 Interesting Places in Penang Island, Malaysia

Penang Island is called the "Food Paradise of Malaysia" in the Southeastern Region of Asia. Aside from their local foods, all interesting places in Penang are another pride of this island. These interesting places include historical places, parks, and natural attractions. Due to these developments, Penang became a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enumerated below are 20 Interesting Places in Penang, Malaysia.

1. Air Itam Dam

2. Batu Ferringhi

3. Batu Maung Fishing Village

4. Entopia

5. Esplanade

6. Firefly Sanctuary

7. Gurney Drive

8. Mengkuang Dam

9. Meromictic Lake

10. Penang Bird Park

11. Penang Botanic Gardens

12. Penang Ferry Service

13. Penang National Park

14. Pulau Aman

15. Taman Rimba Bukit Mertajam

16. Taman Perbandaran or Penang Municipal Park

17. Tanjong City Marina

18. Teluk Bahang Dam

19. Tropical Fruit Farm

20. Tropical Spice Garden

1. Air Itam Dam
The Air Itam dam was opened in 1962. It then became a popular recreational and picnic venue of both locals and tourists. It is located right next to Penang Hill.

2. Batu Ferringhi
The Batu Ferringhi is one of the most popular beaches in Penang. Some attractions in this beach are horse riding, parasailing, water sports and night bazaar.

3. Batu Maung Fishing Village
The Batu Maung Fishing village is a community located in the Southeastern side of Penang. It became popular because of the mysterious giant footprint on a boulder at the beach. Some believed that the footprint belongs to Admiral Cheng Ho, while some believed that it belongs to God Hanuman. The village is also known as “Tapak Gedembai”.

4. Entopia
The Entopia is a tropical sanctuary of butterflies, dragonflies and fireflies. It is a multi-storey Indoor Discovery Centre that runs interactive activities and workshops. The place opens from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, last admission at 5:30 pm.

5. Esplanade
The Esplanade is a paved public walk along the seafront. It is the common location to celebrate local events and festivities. Found within the area are the War Memorial for the fallen soldiers and the Fort Cornwallis.

6. Firefly Sanctuary
One of the most interesting places in Penang is the Firefly Sanctuary. It beholds the rare sighting of fireflies in Penang. The sanctuary offers other activities as well such as octopus catching and bat cave exploration.

7. Gurney Drive
The Gurney drive was named after Sir Henry Gurney, a Commissioner of Malaya. This seafront promenade has been famous for its hawker place and Gurney Plaza, an upscale mall in the area.

8. Mengkuang Dam
The Mengkuang dam was opened in 1985. The storage capacity of this dam is ten times larger than Air Itam Dam.

9. Meromictic Lake
The Meromitic Lake is a National Park of Penang. The lake consists of both freshwater and saltwater, which qualified it as one out of three rare case in Asia.

10. Penang Bird Park
The Penang bird park is the home of over 300 different species of birds from all around the world. The garden has ponds and waterfalls, which houses both floras and faunas. The park opens from 9:00 am to 6:30 pm daily.

11. Penang Botanic Gardens
The Penang Botanic Gardens has been a popular place for recreation. It is the place where visitors can enjoy two beautiful gardens, a Japanese Garden and a Bamboo Setum. The garden opens from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.

12. Penang Ferry Service
The Penang Ferry started to operate in 1920 that made it as the oldest ferry service in Malaysia. The ferry carries both passengers and vehicles around Mainland, Perai, Penang, and Seberang.

13. Penang National Park
The Penang National park is considered as the best among all interesting places in Penang, which offers nature trails for adventurers and hikers. Found in the place are the beaches of Teluk Duyung, Muka Head and Pantai Kerachut. The park is the nesting site of turtles.

14. Pulau Aman
The Pulau Aman or Island of Peace is a fishing village in Penang. The place offers different activities such as fishing, jungle trekking, and water sports. There is also a floating restaurant in the area.

15. Taman Rimba Bukit Mertajam
The Taman Rimba Bukit Mertajam is a recreational forest that houses native floras and faunas. The place opens from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

16. Taman Perbandaran or Penang Municipal Park
The Taman Perbandaran is a popular venue for sporty activities such as skating. The location of it was developed as a park in 1970. The park opens from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm daily.

17. Tanjong City Marina
The Tanjong City Marina is the first ever inner marina city is located near Penang Ferry terminal. It is formerly known as Church Street Pier.

18. Teluk Bahang Dam
The Teluk Bahang dam is one of the most favorite picnic spots in Penang Island. The dam also served as the regular location of the annual race of Penang International Dragon Boat.

19. Tropical Fruit Farm
The Tropical Fruit farm offers both tropical and subtropical fruits. The place became operative in 1993. The farm opens from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

20. Tropical Spice Garden
The Tropical Spice is just another garden included in the list of the most interesting places in Penang, which houses more than 500 different exotic plants. The garden opens from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.

Aside from all the parks and natural attractions listed above, there are other best places to visit in George Town, Malaysia. These places exhibit the historical background as well as the culture of Penang Island. These wonderful structures and places are something that every tourist should not miss to visit. Aside from all the interesting places in Penang, tourist will surely also enjoy Penang because of their foods. As the island offers the best food selections in Malaysia, which made the island as the Food Paradise of the country.