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Only have 3 days in Penang in 2026? The great news is you can have an amazing trip! This Penang itinerary is designed to show you the BEST things to do if you only have 3 days in Penang.
If you can only afford 3 days in Penang it is still possible to see all the best bits. However, you will need to be well planned, prepared and intentional with your time. This is where we can help.
If you only have 3 days in Penang it is essential not to miss the amazing unique experiences and activities that this beautiful island has to offer. How do you make sure that you see all the best bits and don’t miss out?
Looking for a ONE WEEK itinerary? Don’t worry we have it covered EPIC 7 DAY Penang itinerary
ALSO Don’t miss our guide on THE BEST areas to stay in Penang
This 3 days in Penang itinerary is a packed, high paced and adventurous itinerary. We have lived in Penang and found some amazing things that we think you should definitely see even if you only have 3 days in Penang. In this Penang itinerary we will share what to do and how to do it to help you plan an amazing short trip to Penang.
Map of your 3 days in Penang itinerary
Day 1 Explore Georgetown, visit Entopia and a night market
Your day starts in Georgetown
If you only have 3 days in Penang, exploring the history and culture of Georgetown is a MUST DO activity. If you are purposeful and intentional it is possible to explore Georgetown and also visit Entopia in one day. Entopia is a fantastic eco-project located in the north west of Penang.
Start your day exploring Georgetown which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Georgetown is well known for its impressive street art, its diverse range of temples and its tempting street food.
We recommend starting your day early. If you are already based in Georgetown this should be very easy and convenient. There are various ways to explore Georgetown:
One option is to do a walking tour. Another way to explore Georgetown is to take a taxi between several different attractions. Alternatively, you could rent a bicycle and cycle around Georgetown (if you choose this option be careful of the traffic).
Another iconic way to explore Georgetown is to use a rickshaw bicycle. This normally costs around 30 ringgits for one hour. Remember to negotiate for the price. A bicycle rickshaw can normally take around 2 or 3 people depending on size. Rickshaw bicycles can be found waiting all around Georgetown. However, there are many rickshaw bicycles waiting opposite to Yap Kongsi Temple.
Here are some of the main attractions to see in Georgetown
1 Fort Cornwallis
2 St George’s Church
3 Peranakan mansion
4 Little India and the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple
5 Kapitan Tandoori restaurant
6 Kapitan Mosque
7 Yap Kongsi Temple
8 Famous Penang street art.
9 Jetties and the Hean Boo Thean Kuan Yin Temple
10 Komtar tower and shopping mall
11 Penang road street food (Lebuh Keng Kwee) – laksa and chendul
12 Blue Mansion (Cheong Fatt Tze)
These attractions are roughly in a loop measuring around 6 km. The street art can be found around many parts of Georgetown. However, a lot of art can be found around: Muntri Street, Weld Quay, Lebuh Leith, Armenian Street, Ah Quee Street and more. The most 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.
Because you only have 3 days in Penang, don’t worry if you don’t manage to see all of these attractions. It’s more important just to enjoy the experience of Georgetown.
Visit Entopia in Teluk Bahang
Entopia is an impressive indoor insect and reptile conservatory and sanctuary. If you only have 3 days and Penang we do recommend a visit to Entopia if possible. This is a great way to see, experience and learn about the beautiful biodiversity of this lovely tropical island.
Entopia has a large conservatory with plants, bushes, trees and even indoor waterfalls. Butterflies and insects are free in this area. They also have reptiles and other insects on display. Don’t miss the indoor Cocoon education centre.
The entry fees for Entopia are as follows: Adults tickets are for 13 – 59 year olds RM69 (around £14 or $18). Entrance tickets for children and senior citizens cost RM49 (around £10 or $13). Children’s tickets are required for 4-10 year olds. Senior citizens are 60 years and over.
Entopia Penang are currently offering discounted tickets. At the discounted rate: Entrance tickets to Entopia Penang cost RM55 (around £11 or $14) for adults. Entrance tickets for children and senior citizens cost RM39 (around £8 or $11).
Top tip: Discounted tickets must be booked at the ticket office on arrival and they are NOT available for online bookings.
Entopia is located in Teluk Bahang on the northwest tip of Penang Island. It will take around 40 minutes to get to this area by car, taxi or bus. You can book tickets on the Entopia website.
The cheapest way to get to Entopia Penang is to take a bus. Buses are pretty regular and convenient in Penang. The 101 bus route from Georgetown to Teluk Bahang has buses every 15 – 20 minutes. Take the 101 bus: Weld Quay (Georgetown) to Teluk Bahang via Tanjung Bunga and Batu Ferringhi. Bus tickets in Penang are very cheap and cost in the range of RM1 – RM5 (roughly £0.20 – £1 or $0.25 – $1.30). The buses drop you off at a stop just opposite to the ESCAPE adventure park. From here walk around 50m along the road towards the Teluk Bahang dam (take care there is not a proper footpath here). Entopia is a large impressive building on the left.
The most convenient way to get to Entopia Penang is to take a taxi. There are plenty of taxis in Penang. You can use the Grab App to book taxis in Malaysia. It is likely to cost around RM10-15 (roughly £2 – £3 or $2.50 – $4) for a Grab taxi if you are traveling from Batu Ferringhi. From Georgetown expect to pay RM30 – 40 (roughly £6 – £8 or $8 – $10). Prices and availability depend on the times (it may be more expensive in the evenings, weekends and public holidays).
Alternatively, you can rent cars in Penang and drive to Entopia Penang. If you are traveling on a budget we don’t recommend car rental in Penang as availability can be quite low and prices are quite high. If you do drive a car in Penang make sure you are appropriately insured and qualified to drive. There is plenty of free parking on site at Entopia.
AND FINALLY, don’t miss the Batu Ferringhi night market on the way home. This lovely market runs along the main strip of Batu Ferringhi and sells gifts, clothing, accessories and food. This normally starts around 6-7pm each evening.
Day 2 Kek Lok Si Temple Penang Hill
Start your day at Kek Lok Si temple in Air Itam
Day two of your 3 days in Penang is an epic day trip to a beautiful hill temple and then up Penang hill. If you only have 3 days in Penang we highly recommend a visit to Kek Lok Si Temple and also to the summit of Penang Hill. Kek Lok Si Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia.
Your adventure starts in Air Itam. You can take the 204 bus from Georgetown to Air Itam. You can get off near Kek Lok Si temple. The 204 bus terminates at the Penang Hill lower station. Alternatively a taxi from Georgetown to Air Itam is likely to cost RM10-15 (around £2-3 or $2.50-$4).
Kek Lok Si temple is located on a hill overlooking Air Itam. It is free to enter and explore this beautiful Buddhist temple. Kek Lok Si Temple has a range of different buildings, statues and monuments. The temple itself is genuinely very impressive and the location is remarkably panoramic.
After you explore the lower part of the temple there is also a hillside funicular railway that takes you up a steep hill to the upper part of the temple complex. Adult tickets (13 years old and above) cost 3 ringgits one way and 6 ringgits two ways. Children’s tickets (7-12 years old) cost 1.50 ringgits one way or 3 ringgits two ways. The funicular railway operates from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
In this upper section you can see the large Goddess of Mercy statue known as the Guan Yin statue. This statue stands at 83m tall and is a prominent landmark in Air Itam. It is likely to take 1 – 2 hours to explore Kek Lok Si temple.
Visit Penang Hill
After exploring Kek Lok Si temple, take a Grab taxi to the lower Penang Hill railway station. This is the start of the Penang Hill funicular railway. The short journey from Kek Lok Si Temple to the funicular station should only cost around 5-6 ringgits by taxi.
At the Penang Hill lower station you can buy tickets for the funicular to the top of Penang Hill. Ticket prices are as follows:
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
Adult mykad local price (13-59 years old)
RM6 one way | RM12 return
Fast lane RM25 one way | Fast lane RM40 return
Children’s mykad ticket (4-12 years old)
RM8 one way | RM6 return
Fast lane RM3 one way | Fast lane RM10 return
Alternatively it is possible to hike from Air Itam to the top of Penang Hill. However, be aware this is a pretty long, steep and challenging hike. The trekking route up Penang hill from Air Itam starts at the end of Jalan Lintang. An alternative hiking route up Penang Hill is to start at the Penang Botanical Gardens.
The top of Penang Hill you can find cafes, restaurants and shops selling refreshing drinks and ice cream. There is also an attraction called the Habitat.
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on the innovative Habitat Eco-Project
The Habitat is committed to conservation and preservation of the unique Penang Hill ecosystem. They offer a range of immersive wild experiences including a nature trail and impressive canopy walkway.
Standard adult ticket RM60
Standard child or senior citizen RM40
Family pass (2 adults and 2 children) RM160
- Curtis Crest treetop walk
- The Langur Way canopy walk
- The trail and gardens
- Flight of the Colugo zipline experience (3 ziplines, 1 abseil and a rope bridge) for RM105
Day 3 ESCAPE Adventure Park (or trekking in the National Park)
The final day of our 3 days in Penang itinerary is a visit to the incredible and epic ESCAPE Adventure Park. If you do not want to visit the ESCAPE Adventure Park a great alternative is trekking in the Penang National Park located nearby.
Read our FULL GUIDE to ESCAPE to find out more
ESCAPE Penang is home to THE LONGEST zipcoaster in the world (a stunning 1.1km) AND THE WORLD’s Longest tube slide (also 1.1km). So if you fancy breaking a few records, this is your day!
If you only have 3 days in Penang, we do recommend a visit to ESCAPE if possible. This is because ESCAPE is genuinely a unique and incredible adventure park in Penang. ESCAPE is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.
The ESCAPE theme park in Penang has two parts. Firstly, there is the adventure park with high ropes courses, swings, ziplines, games, a trapeze and much more. Many of the activities in the ESCAPE Adventure Park are designed to test and build your confidence, courage, balance and skill. And give you an epic adrenaline rush.
Secondly, there is a large water park with jump boards, slides, a lazy river, boats, kids play houses, a small diving pool and more.
We recommend spending a full day at the ESCAPE theme park. The best way to experience the amazing activities at the ESCAPE park has to offer is to see the adventure park in the morning and then visit the waterpark in the afternoon. Be prepared for a fun, challenging and active day.
If you are visiting the ESCAPE theme park in Penang, remember to wear comfortable clothing suitable for being active in a hot climate. For the ESCAPE adventure park you will need to wear trainers. For the ESCAPE water park remember to bring swimming stuff and a towel. Penang also has a hot sunny climate so it’s very important to bring sun cream.
Visitors are allowed to bring their own food for the ESCAPE theme park in Penang. Also remember to bring a water bottle because there is a place to fill your bottle. There are a couple of small food outlets at the ESCAPE park too.
If you want to visit the ESCAPE theme park in Penang it is a single ticket for the whole site. It is not possible to buy individual tickets for the adventure park or water park separately.
The exact ESCAPE ticket prices depend on how and when you book:
| Category | Age range | Rough prices |
| Future kid | 0-3 years old | FREE |
| Junior kid | 4-12 years old | RM 80 – 100 (roughly £16 – £20 or $20 – $25) |
| Big kid | 13-60 years old | RM 120 – 150 (roughly £22 – £30 or $26 – $38) |
| Super kid | 60+ years old | FREE |
The cheapest way to buy tickets for ESCAPE Penang is the book in advance online directly from their website. Ideally aim to book tickets at least 2 months in advance for the cheapest prices. Ticket price gradually increases if you book within two months of your intended visit date.
The tickets for the ESCAPE theme park in Penang are surprisingly good value for money relative to other theme parks in Malaysia. Especially when you consider how much you can do at ESCAPE Penang.
Book tickets directly at the ESCAPE website
Alternative: Visit the Penang National Park
An alternative to visiting the ESCAPE theme park is to go trekking in the Penang national park. If you only have 3 days in Penang, the Penang national park is a fantastic location to visit. Especially if you are interested in experiencing the beautiful Penang jungle and wildlife. The plank national park is located close to ESCAPE on the north west tip of Penang Island. The national park it’s smallest national park in the world.
The Penang National Park has two main beaches. One option is to trek over the hill to Turtle Beach. The other option is to take a boat to Monkey Beach (sadly the trail is in disrepair at present so you cannot do this route as a trek).
Trekking in the Penang national park is relatively challenging. Trails are uneven with rocks and roots. At Point there are some fairly steep sections. Also the climate in Penang is very hot and humid making it more challenging to trek.
If you plan to go trekking in the Penang National Park, bring plenty of water, food and dress in comfortable light loose-fitting clothing beautiful for being active in a hot climate. Sun protection such as sun hats and sunscreen. However it is worth being aware that many of the sections of the trek are covered by jungle.
Entrance to the Penang national park is RM50 for Non-Malaysians and RM10 for Malaysians. For children 3 – 12 years old it costs RM15 for non-Malaysians and RM5 for Malaysians. Both Malaysian and Non-Malaysian Senior Citizens (60 years and older) are FREE. Student discounts are available – bring a student card as proof.
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on getting to turtle beach.
What is the best way to get around if you only have 3 days in Penang?
If you only have 3 days in Penang there are several to get around. The best option for you will depend on your budget and desire for convenience.
The most convenient way to get around in Penang is to use taxis. The most common way to get taxis in Penang is to use the Grab app. This can be downloaded onto your phone and it’s very simple to use. You do not need to pre-enter any card details, you can just book a taxi to pay with cash. The Grab app is reasonably cheap and quite reliable. Expect to pay between 5 – 40 ringgits (roughly £1 – £8) for most taxi rides, depending on the length of journey and availability. Grab taxis tend to be more expensive in the evenings, on weekends and on public holidays.
The cheapest way to get around in Penang is to use the public bus service. There is a pretty good bus service running many routes around the island. The buses in Penang are relatively cheap, normally costing a few ringgits for a journey. Buses in Penang are fairly regular (normally every 20 minutes). Buses are well maintained and pretty fast and comfortable. They have air conditioning. Drivers speak good English and are very friendly.
It is possible to rent a car in Penang, however car rental can be quite expensive in Penang and also you may find there is not a lot of availability depending on the time you want to rent. Expect to pay at least 100 ringgits per day (around £20 or $25).
Where is the best place to stay if you only have 3 days in Penang?
If you only have 3 days in Penang we recommend choosing convenient accommodation. The most convenient location to stay in Penang is Georgetown. This is a great hub for public transport, taxis and also an amazing place to explore. Also Georgetown is included in the first day of our itinerary.
Another great place to stay if you only have 3 days in Penang is Batu Ferringhi. Batu ferringhi is located on the north coast of Penang and is a top spot for large hotels and great resorts. This is the more classic beach holiday that you may have been dreaming off. However, be aware that these hotels & resorts are more expensive dancing with the guest houses and hostels in Georgetown.
BEST HOTEL FOR CULTURE AND CLASS: Eastern and Oriental Georgetown (pictured above)
BEST HOTEL FOR FAMILY FUN: Hard Rock Hotel Batu Ferringhi
BEST HOTEL FOR STYLE, DESIGN AND TRANQUILITY: Angsana Teluk Bahang
BEST VALUE BUDGET HOTEL: Summer Tree Hotel, Georgetown
What are the best places to eat if you only have 3 days in Penang?
Penang is well known for its street food culture. Don’t miss our complete guide on THE BEST places to eat in Penang.
If you only have 3 days in Penang here are some places we recommend eating at:
- New World Hawkers Georgetown
- Kapitans tandoori restaurant
- Penang road Chendul and Laksa
- Roti at Transfer Road (breakfast)
AND FINALLY don’t miss these amazing things to do in Penang
