Penang 3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary: Day-by-Day Plan With Food Stops

Morning (9 Am – 12 Pm)

9:00 am — Start at Penang cafes for your first coffee. Urban Daybreak on Lebuh Bishop opens at 7:30 am and serves brunch until 4 pm (RM18–35 per plate).

10:00 am — Walk to Armenian Street (5 minutes). This is the heart of George Town's street art trail. Look for Ernest Zacharevic's "Children on a Bicycle" mural on Lebuh Armenian and "Boy on a Motorbike" on Ah Quee Street. The walk through surrounding lanes takes about 45 minutes at a casual pace.

11:00 am — Visit Khoo Kongsi (Cannon Square, RM10 entry). This ornate Hokkien clan temple is one of the finest in Southeast Asia. Allow 30 minutes.

Afternoon (12 Pm – 5 Pm)

12:00 pm — Lunch at Chulia Street or Lebuh Kimberley hawker stalls. Try lor bak (RM5), popiah (RM3) or wantan mee (RM6). See our Penang hawker food guide for the full list.

1:30 pm — Walk south to the Clan Jetties (15 minutes from Chulia Street). Chew Jetty is the longest and most visited. Stroll the wooden boardwalk over the water — 20 minutes is enough. Free entry.

2:30 pm — Walk to Fort Cornwallis and the Esplanade (10 minutes north along the seafront). The fort reopened in July 2026 after restoration and costs RM20 for non-MyKad visitors (free during the 2026 reopening period) (card only; open daily 9 am – 6 pm); the surrounding Padang Kota esplanade is free and offers good harbour views.

3:30 pm — Walk to Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul on Lebuh Keng Kwee (10 minutes). A bowl costs RM3.50. Queue moves fast.

4:00 pm — Cool off at ChinaHouse on Beach Street (5-minute walk). Order a slice of cake (RM12–18) and coffee. Rest up before the evening.

Evening (6 Pm – 10 Pm)

6:30 pm — Dinner at Gurney Drive Hawker Centre. Grab ride from George Town is RM8–12 (10 minutes). Try char koay teow, oh chien (oyster omelette, RM8) and assam laksa (RM7) from different stalls. Budget RM20–30 for a full hawker dinner.

8:30 pm — Grab back to George Town. Walk along Upper Penang Road for a drink at one of the bars, or head to Love Lane for a low-key beer. See our Penang bars guide for options.

Morning (8 Am – 12 Pm)

8:30 am — Grab to Air Itam (RM10–15 from George Town, 20 minutes) and start at Kek Lok Si Temple, which opens at 8:30 am. The main grounds are free. Climb the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas (RM2) for views. Take the inclined lift to the Kuan Yin statue pavilion (RM3 one way, RM6 return). Allow 1.5 hours for the full complex.

10:30 am — Walk down to Pasar Air Itam (10 minutes) for Air Itam laksa. A bowl costs RM6–7. The famous stall trades mainly at weekends from about 11 am until sold out, and weekday trading varies; other laksa vendors around the market are a fallback.

11:30 am — Grab or bus to Penang Hill Lower Station (10 minutes from Air Itam).

Afternoon (12 Pm – 5 Pm)

12:00 pm — Take the Penang Hill funicular to the summit. Foreigners: RM40 return (children RM20); MyKad RM16. Fast lane: RM80 to skip the queue. The train runs every 15–30 minutes and the ride takes 5 minutes. At the top, walk the summit loop (30 minutes), visit The Habitat canopy walk (RM60 adults, last entry 6:30 pm), and enjoy the view. Allow 2–3 hours total on the hill.

3:00 pm — Take the funicular back down. Grab to George Town (RM15, 25 minutes).

4:00 pm — Snack at Lebuh Presgrave hawker stalls, or rest at your hotel. If you skipped dessert on Day 1, try ais kacang at one of the Kimberley Street stalls.

Evening (5 Pm – 10 Pm)

5:30 pm — Wander Armenian Street and the street art lanes once the day-trippers have left; the shops and stalls stay open until about 10 pm.

6:30 pm — Dinner at Tek Sen Restaurant on Lebuh Carnarvon. Dinner service runs 5:30 – 8 pm and it is closed on Tuesdays; this place fills up fast, so do not arrive later than about 6:30 pm. The double-roasted pork (RM16) and claypot tofu (RM14) are the go-to orders. Cash only.

8:30 pm — Walk to Sphere Rooftop Bar at 403 Chulia Street (about 10 minutes). Space-themed cocktails RM42–48, open daily until 2 am, with a low-rise view over the heritage rooftops. Stay for one or two drinks.

Morning (9 Am – 12 Pm)

9:30 am — Check out and store luggage at your hotel. Walk to Pinang Peranakan Mansion (29 Church Street, opens 9:30 am, RM25 adults). This museum is packed with Peranakan antiques and takes 45 minutes to walk through.

11:00 am — Walk 15 minutes to the Cheong Fatt Tze Blue Mansion on Lebuh Leith. Guided tours run at 11 am and 3:30 pm daily (RM25, 45 minutes). Book online in advance — tours cap at 24 people.

Afternoon (12 Pm – 3 Pm)

12:00 pm — Walk or Grab to Siam Road Char Koay Teow (82 Jalan Siam), which opens at noon Tuesday to Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday. If Day 3 falls on a closed day, go to Ah Leng Char Koay Teow instead (343 Jalan Dato Keramat, 11 am – 4 pm, closed Wednesday and Thursday). A plate costs RM8–12. Queue for 15–30 minutes.

1:00 pm — Grab to Him Heang on Jalan Burma (Grab RM6). Buy tau sar piah (flaky mung bean biscuits, from RM7 per box; open Monday to Saturday until 4 pm, closed Sunday). This is the most popular local product to take home from Penang.

1:30 pm — Head to Chowrasta Market on Jalan Penang (Grab RM6 or walk 15 minutes). Browse pickled nutmeg, dried goods and local snacks on the ground floor. The upstairs second-hand book section is worth a quick look.

2:00 pm — A last coffee at Norm Micro Roastery on Church Street Ghaut.

2:45 pm — Collect luggage. Grab to airport (RM25–35, 30 minutes). Arrive 2 hours before your flight.