Table of Contents
In this article we will review and recommend the best Penang Hill attractions to visit in 2026. Many of the Penang Hill attractions that we recommend in this article are based at the summit of Penang Hill 833 m of the sea level. However, we will also recommend some amazing attractions in the Penang Hill area.
There are loads of things to do on Penang Hill. In this guide we will try to give you all the information you need to visit these awesome Penang Hill attractions such as opening times, prices and how to get there.
If you are visiting Penang, a visit to Penang Hill is an absolute must do. Penang Hill is one of the main attractions to visit in Penang and we have included it on our One Week Penang itinerary. You may also be interested in these AMAZING things to do in Penang. Or if you’re looking for something unique that everyone else misses? Don’t miss these amazing hidden gems in Penang
What you need to know about Penang Hill Attractions
There are a few big boys on Penang Hill – The Habitat, Kek Lok Si temple and the Mountain Railway are the MAIN Penang Hill attractions. Many of the other Penang Hill attractions are sites of interest and viewpoints. In this article we cover the main attractions and some smaller hidden gems. Many of these places only require 20-30 minutes to see – but they are still with checking out if you are planning to visit Penang Hill.
Map of THE BEST Penang Hill attractions
How do you get to the top of Penang Hill?
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on how to get up Penang Hill
There are three main ways to get to the summit of Penang Hill. Walk, take a taxi or use the Penang Hill Railway. If you plan to walk you can start from Air Itam or the Botanical Gardens. There are many walking routes leading up Penang Hill. If you plan to take the Penang Hill Railway you must start from Air Itam. If you would like to take a jeep taxi you need to start from the Botanical Gardens. This is a convenient option but is relatively expensive.
Hike up Penang Hill
If you choose to hike up Penang hill, bring plenty of water and wear light loose clothing. You can either start from the Botanical Gardens or from Air Itam.
If you start from the botanical gardens there are two routes up Penang Hill. Either walk up the Jeep track and keep following it all the way up to the summit. This is the shortest route but is still challenging and will take a few hours. The jeep track is a steep paved road that leads all the way from the botanical gardens to the summit of Penang Hill.
Alternatively, you can start from the moon gate and walk up to rest station 5. From here you can follow a path along the ridge but leads to the Jeep track. When you reach the Jeep track keep following it up, all the way to the top of Penang Hill. Habitat Penang Hill is only a few minutes walk from the top of the jeep track.
Another way to get to the Habitat Penang Hill is to hike from Air Itam. This is likely to take 2-3 hours. The hike up Penang Hill from Air Itam is over 4 km and involves a mixture of jungle pathways and paved roads. This route is challenging, especially in the tropical heat. However, this is a great option if you are up for a challenging and rewarding experience. The trek up Penang Hill from Air Itam starts at Jalan Lintang.
Take the mountain railway from Air Itam
The most popular way to get to the top of Penang Hill is to take the Penang hill mountain railway which starts in Air Itam. The Habitat Penang Hill is only a short walk from the top station. The Penang hill mountain railway is a lot of fun and allows great views over Penang as you ascend. However, be aware that the Penang hill mountain railway can be very busy even on weekdays. We recommend arriving early (if possible before 9 a.m). be prepared to queue, even if you do buy a fast track ticket. During busy periods a fast track ticket is highly recommended. You will probably still have to wait but your waiting time will be much reduced. Tickets can be purchased on arrival at the Penang hill lower station (in Air Itam). Trains run through the day and into the evening.
Adult standard ticket (13-59 years old)
- RM15 one way
- RM30 return
- Fast lane RM45 one way
- Fast lane RM80 return
Children’s standard ticket (4-12 years old)
- RM8 one way
- RM15 return
- Fast lane RM20 one way
- Fast lane RM40 return
Take a jeep taxi from the Botanical Gardens
The most expensive way to get to the Habitat Penang Hill is to take a jeep taxi from the Botanical Gardens. This is a very fast and convenient way to get up Penang Hill, however it is also quite expensive. Expect to pay around 150 ringgits to take a cheap taxi up and back down Penang Hill. If you plan to get to the Habitat Penang Hill this way, you do not need to book the taxi in advance. Just turn up at the botanical gardens and you will see people waiting.
1 The Habitat Penang Hill (Penang hill summit)
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on the Habitat Penang Hill
The best way to connect with the 130 million years old rainforest at the summit of Penang Hill is to visit The Habitat. The habitat is a celebration of the Natural History and heritage of Penang Hill. It is possible to see a wide range of trees, plants, fungi, animals and insects at the Habitat. The habitat is part of a UNESCO World biosphere Reserve and it is one of the most beautiful and impressive Penang Hill attractions.
The habitat has a series of canopy walkways and pathways bleeding around the beautiful jungle. This is the perfect location to experience and explore this remarkable and unique ecosystem. Currently the awesome Langur canopy walkway. It is very common to see beautiful dusky leaf monkeys playing in the trees around this area.
The incredible Curtis crest walkway is a circular walkway affording breathtaking 360 views over Penang Island. They also have 1.6 km of trails with various gardens, viewpoints and beautiful seating areas. The Habitat Penang Hill also offers a wide range of additional experiences such as the sunset walk (RM75 adults and RM55 children).
Guided tours (RM200 for up to 10 people), the Wild Immersion VR experience (RM20), the Flying Colugo Ziplines (RM30), and forest bathing experiences on Saturday and Sunday at 10.40am (RM100).
Also make sure not to miss the beautiful cafe (located just outside the exit) which serves pastries, cakes and a selection of drinks. The Habitat really earns it’s reputation as one of THE BEST Penang Hill attractions.
Opening hours: Daily 9am – 7pm
Prices: Adults RM60 and Children (4 – 12 years old) RM40
2 Kek Lok Si Temple (Air Itam)
Kek Lok Si Temple is a beautiful Chinese Hill Temple located at the base of Penang hill overlooking Air Itam. Kek Lok Si Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. This is one of the Penang Hill Attractions located at the BASE of Penang hill. The Kek Lok Si Temple has a range of different halls, pagodas, buildings, statues and monuments.
The temple itself is genuinely very impressive and the location is remarkably panoramic. There are two sections to the Kek Lok Si Temple complex: The lower section of Kek Lok Si temple has beautiful pagodas, statues, pathways and buildings. The upper section of Kek Lok Si has beautiful gardens, a fish pond (Freedom Pond) and the very tall Goddess of Mercy statue known as the Guan Yin statue (83m tall).
We recommend allowing around 1 – 2 hours to explore the Kek Lok Si temple. After exploring Kek Lok Si temple you can get picked up at the top section.
TOP TIP: Visit Penang Hill summit in the morning using the Penang Hill Railway (before it gets too busy) and then visit Kek Lok Si temple later in the afternoon when it cools down a little.
Opening hours: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Prices: Free (or if you want to use the life between the lower and upper section it costs RM3 for adults and RM1.50 for children)
3 Penang Hill Gallery @ Edge Cliff (Penang Hill summit)
If you are looking for Penang Hill attractions to help you learn about the rich culture, heritage and history of Penang Hill then don’t miss the Penang Hill Gallery. The Penang Hill Gallery is located at the summit of Penang Hill. This Tranquil location affords excellent views over Air Itam and Georgetown.
The Penang Hill gallery has a range of exhibitions celebrating the history of Penang Hill and featuring artwork and photography of this spectacular area. The Penang Hill Gallery is one of the smaller Penang Hill attractions and is only likely to take around 30 minutes to explore.
Opening Hours: 9am – 4.30pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Prices: Adults RM10 and children RM5 (4 – 12 years old)
4 David Brown’s Hilltop Garden Restaurant (Penang Hill summit)
If you are looking for luxurious and decadent Penang Hill attractions there aren’t many to choose from. The most prestigious Penang Hill restaurant is David Brown’s Hilltop Garden restaurant. This beautiful restaurant is located right at the summit of Penang hill (close to the top station of the Penang Hill railway). This stylish restaurant has a classical and traditional Colonial ambience with incredible views. The David Brown’s Hilltop Garden restaurant serves a wide range of international and local cuisine including afternoon tea sets, burgers, fish and chips, meat grills and more. The David Browns Hilltop Garden restaurant is relatively expensive. Most dishes range between RM25 – RM50 plus tax and service charges.
Opening hours: Open daily from 12pm – 9pm
5 Ngor Hean Temple (Penang Central Hills)
This is one of the less well known Penang Hill attractions. The beautiful Ngor Hean temple is located in the Central Hills region – and cannot easily be accessed from the summit of Penang Hill. Rather you will need to start by the dam in Air Itam to get to the elusive Ngor Hean temple – and be prepared for a few hours of hill trekking.
This one is definitely well off-the-beaten-track. If you follow the trail above Air Itam dam in Penang, you can reach a very beautiful Hill temple. Ngor Hean temple has a beautiful flower garden and an amazing view over balik pulau (the back of the Island). It is free of charge to visit this beautiful Temple. However, you will need to get there on your own steam and be prepared for some hill trekking. We recommend bringing good shoes, light loose fitting clothes and a bag with snacks and plenty of water.
6 The Toy Museum and Dinosaur Exhibition (Penang Hill summit)
If you are trying to find family friendly Penang Hill attractions don’t miss the Toy Museum and dinosaur exhibition located right at the summit of Penang Hill a few minutes walk from the top station of the Penang Hill railway. The Toy Museum dinosaur exhibition also has a Spooky zombie exhibition downstairs.
This Penang Hill attraction is relatively small and a lot of fun. This is a great option for families with kids. The Toy Museum has a range of fascinating toys sculptures of superheroes for children to enjoy exploring and looking at. They also have a section with a range of costumes and clothing for children to enjoy fancy dress fun-filled photography.
Opening hours: Open daily 9am – 6pm
Prices: Adults RM10 and children RM8
7 Sri Aruloli Hindu Temple (Penang Hill summit)
If you are looking for Penang Hill attractions but reflect the beautiful cultural diversity of Malaysia, don’t miss the Sri Aruloli Hindu temple located right at the summit of Penang Hill a few minutes walk from the top station of the Penang Hill railway. Best Hindu temple built in the classic colorful artistic style typical of Hindu temples in Malaysia.
Just outside this beautiful Hindu temple there is also a children’s playground. A visit to the sample is not likely to take very long, however it is well worth stopping by if you are on Penang Hill and have a little bit of time to explore.
8 Stay at the Hickory Hotel (Penang Hill summit)
Penang Hill attractions also include some great accommodation options. Our top pick place to stay on Penang Hill is the stylish Hickory Hotel. Rooms typically range in price from £50 – £130 per night. We love the simplistic, stylish, traditional colonial country house feel of this resort. Basic rooms are relatively small and come with double beds and twin bed options. The Hickory hotel also has family rooms and suites. We particularly love the duplex quadruple family suite for its space and impressive style. The best thing about staying on Penang Hill is the stunning morning and evening views over Penang.
What is the BEST way to book the Hickory Hotel? Use Agoda or Booking.com for a secure booking and great deals. Watch out for deals at the Hickory Hotel on Agoda and you can also find deals at the Hickory Hotel on booking.com
9 Bellevue Tropical Gardens and Avery (Penang Hill summit)
The Bellevue Hotel has a lovely little garden that is open to the public to explore. This is one of the more discrete and tranquil Penang Hill Attractions. It is still well located a few minutes from the top station of the Penang Railway – but it is also a little out of the way concealed on a small side road.
The Bellevue Tropical Gardens has a range of beautiful tropical plants. It also has a small Avery with tropical birds to see. Don’t miss the lovely viewpoint nearby at the Bellevue Hotel.
Ticket price: Adults RM15 and children RM10
10 Cliff Cafe (Penang Hill summit)
The Cliff Cafe is one of the main Penang Hill attractions for affordable food and drinks. Located right next to the Penang Hill upper railway station, the cliff cafe is hard to miss. In fact The Cliff Cafe is not a single cafe but is a hawker center with lots of small food outlets serving a range of local food for reasonable prices.
Most dishes range from RM5 – RM15. There is also a beautiful viewing Terrace on the top of the cliff cafe where you can take in the view and get some amazing photos.
11 The Secret Rest Station (Above the Moongate)
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on how to get to the secret rest station
This is one of our favorite Penang Hill attractions. Hidden on the ridge of Penang Hill is the Penang Hill exercise park and rest station (known to locals as Rest Station number 5). The locals are also very welcoming and are likely to share coffee with you. To get to the Penang Hill Rest Station 5, you need to start from the road just before the Penang Botanical Gardens. Before you get to the main park in the botanical gardens there is a moongate (to the left) with a trail leading up Penang Hill. Follow the steep trail up the hill, keep trekking up the steps and eventually you will get to the Penang Hill rest station 5. You will find exercise machines, seats and beautiful views. There are also toilets and locals often share coffee and snacks here.
After you have enjoyed the Penang Hill Rest Station 5, you can continue to trek along the ridge. Stay on the main trail. Eventually you will reach the Penang Hill jeep track which connects the top of the hill with the Botanical Gardens (close to your starting point). Remember to wear good shoes suitable for trekking in the jungle. We recommend trainers. Also bring plenty of water and snacks for the route. Due to the hot climate and steep hill this is a pretty challenging route. The total distance is approximately 6km and will take 2-3 hours.
12 Monkey Cup Garden (Penang Hill summit)
Monkey Cup Garden is a charming nature cafe located on the summit of Penang Hill. This cafe is surrounded by lush green jungle and also has a monkey cup garden (the tropical pitcher plants). These iconic plants are carnivorous plants that feed on insects. Monkey cup garden serves coffee, sandwiches and cheese cake.
The food is very tasty – however, it is worth getting there early as they can sometimes run out of stock. Monkey cup garden is a few kilometers from the Penang Hill Railway top station. This is around a 30 minutes walk of a 5 minute drive.
13 The Penang Hill Railway (Air Itam – Summit)
The Penang Hill Railway is a great way to get up Penang Hill AND it is also one of the Penang Hill attractions in its own right! The Penang Hill railway starts in Air Itam. The steep tracks lead up the side of Penang hill all the way to the summit. The Ascent, which is around 800m, affords impressive views over Penang. You may even notice your ears pop due to the change in pressure. The Penang Hill Railway is a lot of fun and is worth the experience. It is also one of the quickest and most convenient ways to get up Penang Hill. We mentioned the prices earlier in this article – but by way of reminder – it costs RM30 for an adult return ticket and RM15 for a child return ticket. We recommend arriving early (before 9am if possible) to avoid the queues.
14 Bat Cave Temple (Air Itam)
Bat Cave Temple is one of the Penang Hill attractions near Air Itam (at the base of Penang Hill). The Bat Cave Temple is a small temple with a little cave frequented by bats who like to hang out on the roof. Sadly most of the temple building has been destroyed by a fire and they are in the process of raising money to rebuild this temple.
You can still visit the cave and see the famous resident bats in the cave. It is free to visit the Bat Cave Temple – however, they are always keen for donations for the rebuild.
15 Explore by buggy (Penang Hill summit)
AND finally – an article on Penang Hill attractions would not be complete without a mention of the electric buggies. This is a great way to buzz around and see Penang Hill attractions and take in the scenery, without getting a sweat on. The Buggies are available at the summit of Penang Hill in the main area next to the Penang Hill Railways station.
It costs RM30 for a whole buggy to explore a few kilometers around the summit of Penang Hill. This is a great option if you are short of time or you need an alternative to walking.
The BEST places to stay to enjoy the Penang Hill attractions
If you are planning to enjoy these AMAZING Penang Hill attractions – make sure you find a GREAT place to stay.
Hickory Penang Hill Resort
If you actually want to stay on Penang Hill itself then check out the excellent Hickory Penang Hill Resort. Located at the summit of Penang Hill, the Hickory offers peace, tranquility, comfort and GREAT views. AND of course very close to all of the BEST Penang Hill attractions. They also have an excellent range of rooms and suites available – including a family suite that sleeps up to 4 people. This property is stylish and elegant and is our TOP PICK Penang Hill hotel.
Eastern and Oriental Hotel Georgetown
If you want to stay relatively close to Penang Hill but also visit some other attractions in and around Penang – Georgetown is probably the best bet for you. Georgetown is around 30 minutes from Air Itam (the base of Penang Hill). If you are looking for something super stylish in Georgetown, then check out the AMAZING Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Georgetown. This is one of the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in Georgetown and the food is amazing too.
Hard Rock Hotel Batu Ferringhi
If you’re looking for something with loads of FUN, FRIENDLY, FAMILY vibes – then check out the Hard Rock hotel. Located in Batu Ferringhi this is an awesome location for a holiday (BUT be aware that this is a long way from Penang Hill so you will need to travel a bit on your Penang Hill day). STILL we think this hotel is well worth a stay.
