Penang, Malaysia, 2025

Travel Dates: February 27th - March 3rd

Our days in Penang

We had very high hopes for Penang; both in our research and while speaking to people in KL, people said they like Penang more than Kuala Lumpur. On reflection, KL was more of our type of city. Penang was great, though. One of our favorite things was discovering chendul and eating it as often as possible — both because it's delicious but also because it's very refreshing in the heat. Penang was the hottest of the three places we stayed in Malaysia. The afternoon sun and humidity was no joke. This made it difficult to be outside for lengthier periods of time during the afternoon; often walking through malls to stay cool. There were plenty of malls to walk through, though we didn't enjoy them as much as the malls in KL.

One of my favorite subjects to photograph around Penang was the unique home/building fronts, alleyways, colorful buildings, and strong shadows found throughout the city. Truly remarkable textures, color, and just plain interesting.

Our favorite day in Penang was spent at Kek Lok Si Temple and Penang Hill.

Around Penang

Look through sidewalk overhang, Penang, Malaysia

Look through alleyway and motorcycle, strong light, Penang, Malaysia

Business front with parked motorcycles, strong light, Penang, Malaysia

Look through allyway, hand gestures, strong light and shadows, Penang, Malaysia

Flowered pedicab and driver, Penang, Malaysia

White building, stairwell and light, Penang, Malaysia

Zoomed in white building, stairwell and light, Penang, Malaysia

Street corner store different angle, Penang, Malaysia

Street corner store and selfie reflection, Penang, Malaysia

Wire street art about Jimmy Choo, Penang, Malaysia

Bicycles in front of the blue mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Blue mansion exterior details, Penang, Malaysia

Mirror selfie in the blue mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Blue mansion interior details, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, lanterns, Penang, Malaysia

Street views and selfie reflection, Penang, Malaysia

Great Shanghai Dry Cleaning, street art and sidewalk awning look through, Penang, Malaysia

Hippie didn't mean happy, Penang, Malaysia

Child and turtle street art, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful buildings and intense clouds, Penang, Malaysia

I've been trying to describe you to everyone I meet, Penang, Malaysia

Harsh light, entrance and motorcycle, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful storefront with lanterns, Penang, Malaysia

Kids on a bike street art, Penang, Malaysia

Kids on a bike street art details, Penang, Malaysia

Kids in prison street art, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful umbrella street, Penang, Malaysia

Street art and mirror selfie, Penang, Malaysia

Street art cat bubbles, Penang, Malaysia

Penang Road Famous Teochow Chendul, Penang, Malaysia

Couple on a bike street art, Penang, Malaysia

Give me your liver, I'll give you my heart street art, Penang, Malaysia

Windows and reflections, Penang, Malaysia

This Pancake hawker is right outside the Campbell House Hotel. Their pancakes are so chewy, fluffy, and delicious! Penang, Malaysia

Super Star Koay Teow Soup hawker, Penang, Malaysia

Boon Wah, striking blue-green building, Penang, Malaysia

Lanterns strung over the road, striking blue-green building, Penang, Malaysia

If I put my hands together and close my eyes, will I see your face every night?, Penang, Malaysia

Night time mosque and restaurants, Penang, Malaysia

Hema Hema ice cream, fairly delicous ice cream and flavor options, Penang, Malaysia

Bikes lined up at a hotel, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful buildings and leading light, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful buildings, leading light, shadows, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful and ornate Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah statue, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah statue, exterior view, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Dragon mosaic details, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Reclining buddah, one of the longest in the world, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Exterior temple details, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Another view of the ornate entrance archway, Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Across the street from the Wat Chayamangkalaram Thai Buddhist Temple, is a more understated Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Globe statue with dragons, around the template grounds, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Baby buddah statue, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah statue, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah statues and ornate wood details, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Another shot of the temple entrance, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah wall inlays, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Ceiling and buddah wall inlays, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Entrance hallway, Burmese Buddhist Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Hin Bus Depot Market and rainbow boy mural, Penang, Malaysia

Hin Bus Depot Market hawker, Penang, Malaysia

Flowered pedicab on Cannon street, Penang, Malaysia

Owl street art on Cannon street, Penang, Malaysia

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan house, Penang, Malaysia

Interior of Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan house, Penang, Malaysia

Details - Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi Clan house, Penang, Malaysia

Cat with butterfly wings, Penang, Malaysia

Hard light and long shadows, Penang, Malaysia

Boy on a chair street art, Penang, Malaysia

Boy on a chair street art - tighter composition, Penang, Malaysia

Cat in the window street art, Penang, Malaysia

Cat on a swing street art, Penang, Malaysia

Cat on a swing street art, alternate view, Penang, Malaysia

Four cats in a window street art, Penang, Malaysia

Boy and girl in a dog head slide street art, Penang, Malaysia

Now Yee Hong building front, Penang, Malaysia

Lai Saik Kum building front, Penang, Malaysia

Little India arch signage, Penang, Malaysia

Selfie reflection in the interior of the Green Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Interior of the Green Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Chandellior inside the Green Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Exterior of the Green Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Building angles exterior of the Green Mansion, Penang, Malaysia

Panasonic corner and fruit truck, Penang, Malaysia

Green diamonds house front, Penang, Malaysia

Ramadan Food Festival signage, Penang, Malaysia

Plenty of room for a motorcycle, Penang, Malaysia

Another sidewalk awning lookthrough, Penang, Malaysia

Another interesting front door, Penang, Malaysia

Flower arrangements at Hock Huat Heong SDN. BHD., Penang, Malaysia

Another colorful house front, Penang, Malaysia

Weathered and textured building, Penang, Malaysia

Another weathered and textured building, Penang, Malaysia

Weathered and textured shutters, Penang, Malaysia

One of my favorite long shadow captures of the trip, Penang, Malaysia

Another view of one of my favorite long shadow captures of the trip, Penang, Malaysia

Third view of one of my favorite long shadow captures of the trip, Penang, Malaysia

Colorful street awning with wonderful light, texture and shadows, Penang, Malaysia

White and red house front, Penang, Malaysia

Kek Lok Si Temple

One of our favorite days in Penang was spent at Kek Lok Si Temple followed by Penang Hill. We probably could have spent a full day at Kek Lok Si. There is something so special, so relaxing, about visiting temples.

Heng or Ha, Dharma protector of Kuan Yin and Kuan Yin, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Making our wishes for the year, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Heng or Ha, Dharma protector of Kuan Yin, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Zoomed in view of the city from the first stop at Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temples and pagodas, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, so many buddahs, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, so many buddahs and lanterns, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Pagoda, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Taking the funicular to the next level, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Lanterns hanging above the walkway, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah statue and surroundings, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Lanterns and temple details, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Cityscape through temple architecture, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details and architecture, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, buddahs, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah and sculptures, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Chestnut-headed bee-eater perched on temple grounds, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, architecture and cityscape, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, interior architecture, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, buddahs interior architecture, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Cityscape through pagoda arch, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details through pagoda arch, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddahs lining the pagoda walls, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddah in the pagoda, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Baby buddah statue surrounded by animal statues, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Baby buddah close-up, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, car park, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Temple details, interior, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Large lotus, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Buddahs lining walls of a temple, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Pagoda and temple grounds architecture, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia

Penang Hill

Penang Hill offers some wonderful wildlife and nature, in contrast to the city. We feel it would have been more impressive to us had we not spent so much time in Sabah right before going to Penang and Penang Hill. It was still a wonderful and worthwhile experience.

Another cityscape from the top of the funicular, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Authorized Colugos only sign, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

City view from the top of a 360 elevated walking track, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Boy with firecracker artwork, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Indian girl artwork, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Anthurium andraeanum, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Spathiphyllum Cannifolium, The Habitat, Penang Hill, Penang, Malaysia

Conclusion

We would go back to Penang, but spend less days in favor of also visiting Malacca; which looks to be Malaysia's Burano. That is, if we were re-doing this trip itinerary. Penang has a lot to offer, from scenic views, to excellent food, coffees, teas, chams, to the friendly people.