Table of Contents
Which destination is better to visit in 2025 – Penang or Langkawi? In this article we are going to review both Penang and Langkawi in order to help you decide which destination is best for you.
Penang and Langkawi are both islands located off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. both Islands offer amazing food, beautiful beaches and plenty of excellent activities. Deciding which place is best to visit can be quite tricky.
We have lived in Penang and visited Langkawi many times. We’re excited to share our recommendations with you to help you plan the best trip for you.
Don’t miss our step by step itineraries to help you plan an amazing trip: Don’t miss a thing with our 5 day Langkawi itinerary. AND you will love this epic 7 day Penang itinerary
Which is better to visit: Penang or Langkawi? Summary table
| Penang | Langkawi |
| Bigger island with more shops, malls and communities. Cheaper on average. | Small island with less shops, some nice tourist towns. More expensive on average. |
| More heritage, history and culture. Amazing temples and beautiful hills for trekking | Some beautiful rice paddies, hills, trekking and waterfalls |
| Very good public transport connections | No public transport. Use taxis or car rental to get around |
| Lots of cheap amazing street food | Some cheap amazing street food |
| Nice national park and some nice beaches including a turtle sanctuary | Better beaches – very scenic – especially on the north coast |
| Can access by road (two road bridges), by ferry and by air | Langkawi can only be accessed by ferry or by air. Car ferries available |
| Very big range of accommodation around the island | Lots of lovely beach resorts. Slightly less accommodation options |
How do you decide which location is best for you?
We recommend considering the things that are most important to you personally. For example, some people find it important to have good, convenient and cheap transport connections. Other people are much more interested in the range of different activities available in each destination. Every traveler has their own set of aspirations, goals and needs; therefore, when you make a decision we recommend weighing it up from the full range of information available. Hopefully this article will help you make an informed decision.
Penang overview
Transport in Penang
Penang has an excellent public transport system with local buses running around the island. Local buses are cheap, regular and convenient. Penang also has an abundance of taxis. You can flag taxis at the edge of the road. alternatively use the grab taxi app to order a taxi online. this guarantees a fair price for a taxi ride. Penang is well connected to the mainland by two Road Bridges. Penang also has an airport offering cheap domestic flights to other destinations around Malaysia. Overall, the transportation in Penang is much better than Langkawi. Transport in Penang is more quick, cheap and convenient than in Langkawi.
Penang Culture
Penang is more culturally diverse than Langkawi. in Penang there are Malay Chinese and Indian Communities living around the island. These beautiful diverse Communities have their own unique dress, temples, customs and of course amazing food. We see this as a massive advantage of Penang. If you are planning a trip to Malaysia, we recommend spending some time in Penang, purely to immerse yourself in these rich diverse cultures.
Penang food
We have already mentioned the rich cultural diversity in Penang. As a consequence there is also a very diverse range of amazing, cheap local street food in Penang. If you are staying in Penang, we strongly recommend experiencing some of the incredible Penang hawkers. Penang hawkers typically serve plenty of Chinese food. You can also find Malay and Indian stalls too. Penang has one of the strongest Street food cultures in Malaysia and perhaps one of the strongest street food cultures in the world. You can literally find delicious affordable food on every corner. Penang is famous for a shaved ice dessert called Chendul, a spicy noodles soup called laksa and a very bizarre pungent fruit called durian.
Activities in Penang
There are so many amazing things to do in Penang it’s hard to know where to start. For example, you can take a heritage walking tour of Georgetown; enjoying Little India, temples, street art and street food. Not far from Georgetown you can also visit the very impressive Kek Lok Si temple – a very impressive Chinese hill temple in Air Itam. If you are hoping to do some shopping don’t miss Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon mall. Penang Hill is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Penang. The beautiful Penang Hill has stunning views over Penang Island and is great for Trekking. Penang Hill is also home to the Habitat sustainable eco Project. The Habitat has a series of pathways and canopy walkways through the jungle, affording breathtaking views of the canopy and over Penang Island. There are loads of hidden gems in Penang – you can even explore some of hidden hill temples.
If you are looking for adventurous activities in Penang don’t miss the amazing Escape adventure park. Escape has a full-size water park and an outdoor adventure park with high ropes courses, swings and physical challenges. Near escape you can also visit the innovative Entopia butterfly and insect farm. This large conservatory has an education centre and plenty of species to admire. Not far from here is the Tropical Fruit farm and Tropical Spice Gardens. Don’t miss the Penang National Park with amazing trekking and beaches. If you go to turtle beach there is a small turtle sanctuary. If you visit monkey beach there is a lighthouse and some chilled macaque monkeys.
Hotels in Penang
Penang island is larger than Langkawi and therefore has a wider range of hotels and guest houses available. This island offers a very good range of accommodation from cheap budget guest houses in Georgetown to large luxurious and 5 star resorts. Penang also offers some very charming heritage hotels, bursting with character and history.
Here are a few of our favorite hotels in Penang
The Hard Rock Hotel – TOP PICK hotel for families located in Batu Ferringhi – Book the Hard Rock on Agoda or on Booking.com
The Angsana Teluk Bahang – amazing 5 star hotel – great location for adventure – The Angsana Teluk Bahang can be booked on Agoda or on booking.com
The Eastern and Oriental Hotel – Best hotel for luxury – located in Georgetown – you can reserve rooms and the E&O on Agoda or on find the E&O on booking.com
The Lost Paradise – Best hotel for unique character – very picturesque location. Find the Lost Paradise on Agoda. The Lost Paradise in also on booking.com.
Blue Mansion – Best hotel for heritage and culture – located in Georgetown. Reserve the Blue Mansion on Agoda or reserve the Blue Mansion on booking.com.
Penang disadvantages
If you’re trying to decide whether to visit Penang or Langkawi, it is worth being aware that there are a few disadvantages of Penang. For example, Penang is a larger island and can be crowded and intense at times. The traffic in Penang is much busier than Langkawi and some of the roads around Georgetown can get very congested – especially at peak times. Penang does have plenty of beaches but they are not as nice as Langkawi. Another disadvantage of Penang is the low water quality. Around Penang island the water is murky, polluted and jellyfish encounters are common.
Langkawi overview
Transport in Langkawi
Langkawi is a smaller and less developed Island than Penang. Langkawi does not have a public transport system at all. The only way to get around Langkawi is to use taxis or car rental. Getting to Langkawi is harder than Penang. You can only take a ferry or fly. Car rental is cheap and readily available in Langkawi starting at around RM60 per day. There are plenty of rental companies at the pier. Some people choose to drive to Langkawi using the car ferry. Be aware that the car ferry is actually quite expensive and it is likely to be cheaper to park and rent a car in Langkawi. If you are using taxis to get around Langkawi we strongly recommend downloading the Grab taxi app to book your taxes and get a fair price.
Langkawi Culture
Langkawi is more culturally homogeneous than Penang. The main cultural ethnicity in Langkawi is Malay. There are Chinese and Indian communities in Langkawi – but they are not as big or as established as they are in other locations.
Langkawi food
We mentioned that the predominant culture in Langkawi is Malay. As a result, most of the cheap local street food is Malaysian. However, Langkawi is a very popular tourist destination in Malaysia. Therefore, you can also find a wide range of international cuisine especially around tourist locations (e.g. Cenang Beach). On average, food in Langkawi is slightly more expensive than food in Penang. This is partially due to the fact that food is slightly less available in Langkawi.
Langkawi activities
There are also loads of amazing things to do in Langkawi. Don’t miss the Perdana Marine park – a conservation project with artificial saltwater pools and a range of sea creatures. You can even swim with sharks here! You can swim and explore the pools. There are also cable cars leading up the hill and you can trek to some beautiful waterfalls nearby. Don’t miss Skytrex Adventure Langkawi – a high ropes course. Many people visit Langkawi to enjoy the beautiful beaches. Don’t miss the stunning Tanjung Rhu beach. You can also take a boat tour of the mangroves nearby. On the north coast you can visit the impressive Temurun Waterfall. Langkawi also has its own water park. Don’t miss the super fun Splashout waterpark.
Langkawi hotels
Langkawi has a very good range of hotels. It is worth noting that most of the hotels are on the more expensive side. For example Langkawi has LOADS of resorts with private pool suites. In contrast, Penang has some hotels with private pools. If you’re traveling on a low budget it can be more challenging to find good affordable accommodation in Langkawi.
Here are a few of our favorite hotels in Langkawi
Four Seasons – TOP PICK superlative luxury – stunning location on the north coast. Find the Four Seasons on Agoda and the Four Seasons on booking.com.
The Datai Langkawi – the best hotel for natural jungle vibes and luxurious living. Reserve Datai on Agoda or Reserve Datai on booking.com
The Ritz Carlton Langkawi – breathtaking sea views – you have to see it to believe it. You can find the Ritz on Agoda or the Ritz on booking.com
Shell Out Resort – TOP PICK budget hotel – excellent location on Cenang Beach. Check out Shell Out on Agoda or Shell Out on booking.com.
Langkawi disadvantages
Here are some of the disadvantages of Langkawi. Firstly, Langkawi is a little bit more expensive than Penang therefore it is less suitable for budget travelers. Secondly, Langkawi can be quite a touristy destination – which may not appeal to you if you are hoping to get off the beaten track. Finally, Langkawi is more challenging for transportation. Remember, you will need to use taxis or car rental to get around Langkawi. This adds to the price of Langkawi.
Summary – which destination is better – Penang or Langkawi?
Penang or Langkawi? It all depends on your specific preferences and needs. In our opinion Penang is more suitable for backpackers and budget travelers. Langkawi is more suitable for holidaymakers and luxury travelers. For example, if you are on a family holiday or a honeymoon and you have a larger budget we recommend Langkawi. If you are backpacking around Southeast Asia and you want to immerse yourself in some intense culture then we recommend Penang. On the other hand, you may be attracted to specific activities in Penang or Langkawi and this may be a bigger consideration than price and convenience. If you do have time we recommend visiting both Penang and Langkawi. Both destinations are unique, beautiful and have their own awesome activities to offer. Wherever you choose to travel we hope that you have a safe and enjoyable trip.
