According to ehealthfacts, Penang (Malaysian: Pulau Pinang) is an island in the Andaman Sea of Asia that is part of Malaysia. The capital of Penang is George Town.
Penang is the only island in Malaysia that is connected to the mainland by a bridge. This ensures that Penang is one of the most visited islands. Tourists often visit Penang for the beautiful beaches (with water sports facilities), shopping streets, cozy atmosphere and the food. The capital George Town is the center of the island. Here you will find most hotels, shops and entertainment venues. You will also find a wide range of religious temples and protected nature reserves on the island. See campingship for 10 magical temples in Asia.
Where is Penang located?
Travel information of Penang
Official name: Pulau Pinang
Continent: Asia
Area: 295 km²
Capital: George Town
Country code: MY, MYS
Population: 678,000 inhabitants (2015)
Form of government: Federal constitutional monarchy (Electoral Kingdom)
Highest point: 735 m (Penang Hill)
Distance (Amsterdam – George Town): 9,913 km
Flight time: approximately 13 hours and 15 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Penang that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Penang, please visit Countryaah.
Best time
January, February, June, July and August are the best months to travel to Penang. This avoids the months with the most rainfall.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Penang. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Penang?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Penang at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Penang has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 22 to 33 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Penang can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Penang can be found at Climate info.
Language
Malay is the official language in Penang. In addition, English and Chinese are spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Malay for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Penang.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Penang for less than 3 months.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Malaysia in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Penang it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency matters
Penang is used to pay with the Malaysian ringgit (MYR).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Penang can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices in Penang are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -34% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (69% cheaper), food (5% cheaper), imported beer in catering (3% cheaper), cigarettes (43% cheaper) and public transport (85% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Penang, tipping is normally already included in the bill. Nevertheless, an extra tip of around 5-10% is expected, especially in Western eateries.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 6 hours later on Penang.
During our winter time it is 7 hours later on Penang.
Penang has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Penang can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
On Penang you have to drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Penang.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Penang.
Electricity
On Penang you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Penang can be found on our electricity page (see Malaysia).
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999
– Fire: 999
– Ambulance: 999
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Penang can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Penang can be found on Abyznewslinks (look under Pulau Pinang).
Internet
Websites from Penang end in.my.
Official website of Penang: www.tourismpenang.net.my and mypenang.gov.my.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Penang is 0060 or +60.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Penang? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Penang.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Penang.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Penang can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Penang, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Penang?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Penang. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Penang can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites on Penang can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Penang? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported from Penang.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Penang, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Penang, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant laws and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Penang.
– Alcohol: Buy from the age of 18, drink at all ages. Forbidden for Muslims.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence more than 10 years.
Did you know that…
…Penang is connected to the mainland by two bridges?
…Penang is the most touristic destination in Malaysia?
…The population of Penang is mainly from China?
…There are a large number of shopping centers in Penang?
…There is a lot of street art in Penang?
