The best street art in Penang (and where to find it)
Today’s famous street art in Penang started as a street art project called Mirrors Georgetown by Georgetown Festival in 2012.
Since then more and more murals and other street art are added every year.
While some of the most popular ones already lose their color, others are shining in the brightest ones.
We did a Mural hunt through the city and created the perfect guide to show you where to find the best street art in Penang, Georgetown.
At a glance:
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Facts about Penang
Penang Island is a Peninsula on the northwest side of Malaysia.
It’s very multicultural with the majority of inhabitants being Chinese (over 50%), followed by Malays and Indians.
The capital Georgetown was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, because of the many original colonial shophouses.
They are really beautiful.
Make sure to stroll around the city to explore them as well.
Best transportation in the city
There are many ways to get around in Georgetown, Penang.
Apart from buses and taxis, there are more convenient ways to get through the narrow streets to discover the street art.
You can either walk through the city, rent a motor scooter, hire one of the Trishaws or rent a bicycle.
Walk through the city
In Georgetown, you can easily walk through the city.
Especially along the inner city (which is the UNESCO Site).
We walked most of the time because we love to get the sense of the city.
It’s also nice to check all the cafes out and have a look at the menus. ;)
But since it gets really hot during the day, walking through Georgetown can get exhausting.
Rent a scooter
There are several garages along the streets which offer motor scooter rent.
We would not suggest this option for exploring the street art since the city is not that big and there are more convenient rides. ;)
But it’s a good choice if you want to go explore a different part of the peninsula.
Hire a Trishaw
This three-wheeled vehicle was a common sight in the past but nowadays Trishaws are mostly used by tourists.
The drivers know all the popular sights and murals so this option is one where you don’t have to worry about missing any.
Make sure to agree on a price before starting your tour and don’t forget to negotiate.
This is definitely one of the coziest ways to check out the murals in Georgetown (if the seats are cushioned). ;)
Rent a Bicycle
Another popular vehicle is the bike.
There are also plenty of bicycles shops in Georgetown.
We rented our bikes for 2 days to get out of the city and for our street art tour.
The bike is, as well as the Trishaw, a more comfortable way to get around compared to walking.
During the hot day, the airstream on our way from one mural to the other was a welcomed delight. :D
We got our bikes from Love Bike and paid 40MYR for 2 bikes and a 48h rent.
Tip: the bike can be a fun accessory for your mural selfies. ;)
Street art in Penang – detailed map of the best 11 murals
As mentioned we did our Street art tour by bicycles.
It’s easy to get around in the city and for us, it was the most convenient way to drive from one mural to the other.
You can stop whenever you want to and take enough time to get some cool pictures. ;)
11. The Awaiting Trishaw Paddler
10. Little Girl in Blue
9. Fisherman
8. Girl on Turtle
7. Boy on Chair
6. Kids on Bicycle
5. Orange Cat
4. Kids on a Swing
3. Kid with Dinosaur
2. Boy on Motorbike
1. Bruce Lee
How to get to Penang
You can either fly to Penang, take the train or a bus.
Either way, it takes about 4 to 6 hours overall to get to Penang from Kuala Lumpur.
The bus is the cheapest option, followed by train and flight.
We took the bus from Kuala Lumpur, which leaves from South Kuala Lumpur, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan and costs about 8€.
-> Check out “Things to do in Kuala Lumpur in 3 days”
From the city center of Kuala Lumpur, we took a Grab car for 17RM (3,52€) to get to the Bus Terminal.
The train cost approximately 16€ per person and flight is about 40€.
We arrived in Butterworth from where you can either take the local ferry to the Peninsula of Penang or a taxi.
We recommend the ferry, it’s cheaper and the most direct way to get to Georgetown.
The ferry departs from the mainland between 05:20 AM and 12:10 AM.
It’s an additional 1,20RM (0,25€).
We booked our bus tickets through 12go.asia a few hours before we left, but would advise booking a day in advance.
You don’t need any booking for the ferry – just pay on arrival.
Where to eat in Penang
There are a lot of great cafes in Georgetown.
With good food and good wifi.
Wheeler’s Coffee
Ask if you can sit upstairs – we had the lovely balcony all to ourselves. Awesome Breakfast!
Bean Sprout Cafe
From upstairs you have a great view over the hustle of the city including 2 temples right next to the cafe.
A great place to cool down and enjoy the view of the bustling streets.
The Alley
Best Churros in town!
Opens at 12 PM, get there before they run out of the delicious sweets.
Another thing you need to try when in Penang is the local food (well, the mix of it).
The many Hawker stalls offer a big variety of local food at super affordable prices. ;)
Hawker Stalls at Gurney Drive
Gurney is a little bit north (10min drive) of Georgetown next to a roundabout, you can grab your food and sit at the boardwalk to watch the sea.
Red Garden Hawker Stalls
Red Garden is right next to the Chocolate & Coffee Museum, stay for the Celine Dion Show. ;)
Kimberley Street Hawker Stalls
Where to stay in Penang
Our resume
We arrived in the middle of the night and at first, we were shocked because so many buildings have gone to rack.
On our first day wandering through the city we learned to appreciate the old buildings and were stunned by the great murals, which lead through the city.
After all, we stayed much longer than expected after our first impression.
One week in total.
Enjoyed great food and discovered Georgetown and it’s surroundings by bike.
Let us know how you like the city in the comments and if the murals are still accurate on our map.
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