Pit stops, and what they cost you in time

Northeast District

George Town

• The TOP Penang at Komtar

  Observation deck and the Rainbow Skywalk on the Komtar tower. Several attractions are ticketed separately, so check which one you are buying.

  Allow 1.5 to 2 hours

  Eat in George Town →

• Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion

  Entry to the courtyard is by guided tour at set times, so this one has to be planned around rather than dropped into.

  Allow 1 hour

  Eat in George Town →

• George Town street art trail

  Armenian Street and the lanes around it. Walkable, and most of it is free.

  Allow 1 to 2 hours

  Eat in George Town →

• Khoo Kongsi

  Clan house off Cannon Square. Small site, so it slots between meals easily.

  Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour

  Eat in George Town →

• Pinang Peranakan Mansion

  Indoors and air-conditioned, which matters in the middle of the afternoon.

  Allow 1 to 1.5 hours

  Eat in George Town →

• Fort Cornwallis

  Mostly open ground with little shade. Not a midday stop.

  Allow 45 minutes

  Eat in George Town →

• Chew Jetty

  A working clan jetty, not an attraction built for visitors. Busiest late afternoon.

  Allow 45 minutes

  Eat in George Town →

• Street of Harmony

  Kapitan Keling Mosque, Sri Mahamariamman and the Goddess of Mercy temple on one walk.

  Allow 1 hour

  Eat in George Town →

Air Itam

• Kek Lok Si Temple

  Hillside temple complex. The inclined lift and the pagoda are separate tickets.

  Allow 2 to 3 hours

  Eat in Air Itam →

• Penang Hill

  Funicular queues are the variable. Going early or late changes the wait more than the day of the week.

  Allow 3 to 4 hours

  Eat in Air Itam →

Tanjung Bungah

• Tanjung Bungah beachfront

  A stop on the way north rather than a destination in itself.

  Allow 1 hour

  Eat in Tanjung Bungah →

Batu Ferringhi

• Batu Ferringhi beach and night market

  Beach by day, stall market along the main road from early evening. The two are really separate visits.

  Allow 2 to 3 hours

  Eat in Batu Ferringhi →

Teluk Bahang

• Penang National Park

  Either the canopy walk or the trail to Monkey Beach, not both comfortably. Register at the entrance and carry water.

  Allow 3 to 4 hours

  Eat in Teluk Bahang →

• Entopia Butterfly Farm

  Largely indoors and covered, which makes it one of the few stops that works in heavy rain.

  Allow 2 hours

  Eat in Teluk Bahang →

• Tropical Spice Garden

  A shaded hillside walk. Guided tours run at set times and take longer than the self-guided route.

  Allow 1.5 hours

  Eat in Teluk Bahang →

• Escape Penang

  A theme park, so it takes the whole slot. Plan to eat before you go in or after you come out.

  Allow half a day to a full day

  Eat in Teluk Bahang →

Pulau Tikus

• Penang Botanic Gardens

  Best early. It is a walking stop, so plan the meal after it rather than before.

  Allow 1 to 2 hours

  Eat in Pulau Tikus →

• Wat Chaiyamangalaram and Dhammikarama

  Thai and Burmese temples facing each other on the same road.

  Allow 45 minutes

  Eat in Pulau Tikus →

• Gurney Drive seafront

  The promenade walk, not the hawker centre. Sunset is the reason to time it.

  Allow 1 hour

  Eat in Pulau Tikus →

Southwest District

Bayan Lepas

• Snake Temple

  Small. Worth pairing with something else rather than making the trip for it alone.

  Allow 30 to 45 minutes

  Eat in Bayan Lepas →

Balik Pulau

• Balik Pulau countryside

  Padi fields and orchards. Durian season changes both the traffic and the reason to go.

  Allow half a day

  Eat in Balik Pulau →

Teluk Kumbar

• Teluk Kumbar seafront

  Quiet stretch on the south coast, usually combined with an evening meal nearby.

  Allow 1 hour

  Eat in Teluk Kumbar →

Batu Maung

• Penang War Museum

  Outdoor hillside site. Hot, uneven underfoot, and further out than it looks on a map.

  Allow 1.5 to 2 hours

  Eat in Batu Maung →

North Seberang Perai

Butterworth

• Butterworth waterfront

  The ferry terminal and the promenade beside it. Short by design.

  Allow 45 minutes

  Eat in Butterworth →

Central Seberang Perai

Bukit Mertajam

• Bukit Mertajam Recreational Forest

  A walking and climbing stop. Go early and eat in the old town afterwards.

  Allow 1.5 to 2 hours

  Eat in Bukit Mertajam →

Seberang Jaya

• Penang Bird Park

  The main reason most visitors cross to Seberang Jaya during the day.

  Allow 1.5 to 2 hours

  Eat in Seberang Jaya →