Where to Stay in Penang

Editor's Guide to Recommended Hotels in Penang

An amalgamation of state and island, Penang is Malaysia’s smallest state. Faded two-storey shop houses, markets, British colonial architecture and ornate temples dominate its capital, Georgetown, which is known for housing one of Malaysia’s most vibrant Chinatowns as well as a veritable smorgasbord of food offerings.

While most visitors choose to make the city their base during a stay on Penang, the beaches of Tanjung Bunggah and Batu Ferringhi merit exploration along the north coast. No longer the hippy hangout of the 1970s, this is now prime five-star resort territory.