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If you are looking for a Georgetown walking tour in 2026 here is a route for you to make sure you see all of the main Georgetown sights and attractions. Georgetown in Penang is a beautiful UNESCO world heritage site with temples, street art, street food, colonial buildings and its own little India.
DON’T MISS our ULTIMATE GUIDE ON The Best Georgetown Heritage Hotels – you will be amazed by the history, style and culture you can immerse yourself in. Alternatively there are also some great BUDGET hotels in Georgetown.
The following walking tour is a loop including many of the main attractions of George Town. On this tour we have included some amazing Georgetown street food too… it wouldn’t be Penang without some great food!
SHORT OF TIME IN PENANG? Don’t miss our 3 day Penang itinerary
One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the smells, sights, history and culture of this beautiful town is to take a walking tour. There are other alternative ways between these attractions. For example you can take bicycle rickshaw rides around Georgetown. It costs around RM 30-40 for a 1-hour rickshaw tour of Georgetown.
Rickshaws can normally take up to 3 people. You can find Rickshaws waiting all around Georgetown. The most reliable spot to find them is opposite to the Yap Kongsi temple (this is included on the walking tour route). Alternatively consider renting a bicycle to do this Georgetown walking tour route.
Route map of the Georgetown walking tour
How far is the Georgetown walking tour?
The total distance of this Georgetown walking tour is around 6km (or 4 miles). The total time for the loop will take 3 – 5 hours if you stop and enjoy each attraction. And if you don’t want to walk the whole route? It is possible to use Grab taxis to get a ride between some of these attractions (this should cost around 5 ringgits (around £1 or $1.30) for these short journeys and it is usually pretty easy to get Grab taxis in Georgetown. We have suggested a couple of longer sections where you may wish to take a Grab rather than walking.
1 Fort Cornwallis
Our Georgetown walking tour starts at Fort Cornwallis. You could start this loop at any point that is convenient for you. If you visit the destination in order (from any start point) you will minimize the distance you need to walk. Visit Fort Cornwallis (North East corner of George Town). This is a colonial fort with nice views of the jetty and little India. Opposite Fort Cornwallis is the Penang Trick Art museum. Fort Cornwallis was built by the British East India Company in the late 18th Century.
2 St George’s Church
As you walk up Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling you will see St George’s church. St George’s church is a 19th century Anglican Church. It is the first purpose-built Anglican church in Southeast Asia. This is just one landmark that reflects the rich heritage and diversity of Georgetown Penang. Near St George’s church you can also see the famous Goddess of Mercy temple. This is an impressive Chinese temple.
3 Peranakan mansion
The next landmark on this Georgetown walking tour is the Peranakan Mansion. This is a beautiful ornate mansion located on church street. The Peranakan Mansion with its striking green is a celebration of the Baba and Nonya culture in Penang. The Babas and Nonya’s are descendants of Chinese and Malay people who intermarried many generations ago.
They formed their own unique culture, dress and food. This landmark is a slight detour, so alternatively you could miss this and just walk up Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling past the Goddess of Mercy Chinese temple and past the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple. Entrance to the Peranakan Mansion costs 20 ringgits per person (roughly £4 or $5).
4 Little India and the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple
As you walk through little india keep your eye out for excellent indian food. Walk past the impressive Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple on Queen Street. You will also see shops selling Indian Spices and ornaments. If you have time we recommend exploring some of the fascinating shops in little India Georgetown. After this, our Georgetown walking tour takes you to Kapitans restaurant – a great place to stop for a drink and some food.
5 Kapitan Tandoori
Kapitans is based on Jalan Chulia and serves amazing tandoori and Indian food. They also offer amazing Biryani sets and have various curries and breads on offer. We love the range of drinks available at Kapitans too. Try Teh Tarik (spicy, sweet Indian tea or Badam Milk – Indian Almond milk). This is a great place to enjoy the vibes and tastes of Georgetown.
6 Kapitan Mosque
The Georgetown walking tour then passes the famous Kapitan mosque. This large and prominent mosque was built in the 19th century by Indian Muslim traders and is a testament to the rich heritage of Georgetown.
7 Yap Kongsi Temple
A short walk from Kapitan Mosque you can see the colorful and charming Yap Kongsi temple. Just opposite this temple you can also see bicycle rickshaws. This is a very beautiful part of town. The Georgetown walking tour now leads you down into the street art district of Georgetown. This is perhaps the most iconic part of Georgetown.
8 Famous Penang street art
Keep an eye out for the famous Penang street art. The most famous and iconic piece of street art in Penang is the children on the bicycle. This is located on Armenian Street, just a minute or two walk from the Yap Kongsi temple.
The awesome pictures are found on buildings along Muntri Street, Weld Quay, Lebuh Leith, Armenian Street, Ah Quee Street and more. Once you have explored the street art walk southbound on Armenian street until you meet the coat road (Pengkalan Weld) where you can explore the jetties and settlements that overlook the ocean.
9 Jetties and the Hean Boo Thean Kuan Yin Temple
The jetties and settlements run for around 0.5km south of the Penang ferry terminal. These jetties (wooden piers) were built for trade and transportation by Chinese migrants who moved to Malaysia early in the 19th century to trade.
We love the fact that this is still a beautiful community. You can explore wooden winding alleys – over the water.
Don’t miss the Hean Boo Thean Kuan Yin Buddhist Temple (on the of Pintasan Pengkalan 1). You may want to take a Grab taxi for this next section of the walk.
10 Komtar tower and shopping mall
After exploring the jetties, walk up Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong towards Komtar tower. Komtar tower is a central shopping and transportation hub in George Town. You will see Komtar shopping mall on your left and Komtar tower behind it. If you enjoy shopping, take a little time to explore the Komtar shopping mall. At the end of Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong turn right onto Penang road and then immediately turn right again on to Lebuh Keng Kwee.
TOP TIP: If you have a head for heights don’t miss the KOMTAR Rainbow Sky Bridge! A great spot for a dizzying selfie!
11 Penang road street food (Lebuh Keng Kwee)
We mentioned that the Georgetown walking tour will include some food stops. During the day Lebuh Keng Kwee street has lots of small streetside stalls (hawkers) and small cafes serving Malaysian Chinese food. Don’t miss Assam Laksa (spicy noodle soup with fish).
This is an amazing intense Nonya dish. It costs around 6 ringgits for a bowl of laksa. Also make sure you try Chendul (a sweet shaved ice dessert with coconut, pandan noodles and palm sugar)
And definitely don’t miss char koay teow (Malaysian fried noodles with vegetables and seafood). After enjoying some Chinese Malaysian treats, keep walking along Penang road (away from Komtar) until the road splits. Go right along Leith street until you see the Blue Mansion on your right.
You may want to take a Grab taxi for this next section of the walk
12 Blue Mansion (Cheong Fatt Tze)
The final attraction on the Georgetown walking tour is the Blue Mansion. The Blue Mansion was built by an influential Chinese businessman and politician called Cheong Fatt Tze, who aimed to celebrate and preserve the beautiful Chinese culture and heritage. Construction started in 1896. Cheong Fatt Tze used the finest materials and builders to construct the blue mansion, which became an iconic attraction of Georgetown. The blue mansion now offers boutique accommodation, fine dining and tours of the property. You can now do daily tours in English at 11am and 2pm. The cost is RM 25 for adults and RM 12.50 for children. You can book Blue Mansion tickets online.
At the end of the Geogetown walking tour you could also drop by Upper Penang Road (on the junction of Penang road and Jalan Sultan Ahmed Shah) where you will find several bars offering outdoor seating areas.
Why not take an official Georgetown tour?
Did you know you can actually book a half day tour of Georgetown on Klook? Learn more about the unique culture, history and heritage of Georgetown from an expert guide.
NEED SOME MORE INSPIRATION?
Why not visit the STUNNING Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang. This Chinese style hill temple is genuinely one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL temples we have had the pleasure of visiting (AND as full time travellers we have visited a lot of beautiful temples).
