Penang may be an eating city, but it’s also important to check out some of the local attractions in between meals. Penang Hill is a famous location for a half-day trip easily accessible by bus from the main Georgetown area. It offers views galore and cooler temperatures, as well as attractions so it becomes an easy half- or even full-day trip. Even so, make sure to bring plenty of sun protection, as while there are trees to provide shade, much of the hill is still exposed.

Getting There

The top of Penang Hill is inaccessible by public transport so it is necessary to go to Penang Hill Lower Station first. There are two main options for this: by bus, or by Grab. Taxis are also an option but Grab, the Southeast Asian equivalent of the popular rideshare app Uber, is much more reliable, and in most cases cheaper.

With Grab, prices will obviously vary, but I checked the app on the day I intended to leave and received an estimation of RM11 (US$2.80) one way from a fairly central Georgetown location. However, just like Uber, it will depend on the availability of drivers and the distance, so this can fluctuate.

Alternatively, taking a bus is fairly easy as well. Google Maps provides reliable bus route information, even if the timetable and frequency is a little flawed. We took the 204 bus from its starting station (Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia) for RM2 per person, and arrived at the lower station around an hour later. This is the terminal stop, and is a huge modern building that is clearly labelled, so it is hard to miss.

Penang Hill Lower Station and Surrounding Area

Penang Hill Lower Station has many shops selling souvenirs and gifts as well as places to eat and drink, including the popular coffee shop chain Old Town White Coffee. Around 1-2km from Penang Hill is also a small village with many places to eat and drink, including the famous Sister Curry Mee and Penang Air Itam Laksa. Many of the famous places to eat close at noon, so make sure to check the times before going to ensure you don’t miss out.

Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to stop there and eat. As it is also around 15 minutes’ walk from the Lower Station, be sure to apply sunscreen or other sun protection if you do decide to stop for a meal and walk to the station as it can become very hot.

Getting Up (and Coming Down) Penang Hill

There are two methods of reaching the peak of Penang Hill. The first is to hike. There are various blogs which outline how you can do this, and they place an estimate time of around 2 to 3 hours.

While we enjoy walking, hiking up in hot, humid weather is not our cup of tea, especially as we were still acclimatising to the heat. As such, we happily forked up RM30 per adult (return) for the train. This is a daily train which runs frequently starting 6.30am, with the last leaving the top hill at 11.00pm. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket counter upon arrival.

Fastlane tickets are also available for RM80 per adult (return). This is a recommended option during high travel seasons as a local informed us that the queue for the train both going up and returning can be a 2-3 hour wait at its busiest. The Fastlane tickets allow you to bypass standard ticket holders, though it will still require you to queue with other Fastlane ticket holders.

Tickets are scanned at gates to allow entry onto the train. Seats are limited, and we suspect that at peak season the carriages can become quite full. Otherwise, it is a smooth, scenic route up the hill which takes only a few minutes.

During the return trip, there are no gates to board the train. Rather, the cards are returned at the exit at the bottom of the hill. If you purchased a one-way ticket up the hill and require a return ticket down, you can take the train down the hill, purchase a card at the counter, and use this at the exiting gate to go through.

On Top Penang Hill

Upon exiting the hill there is plenty to see and do. As it is a common tourist spot many stands are set up along the short paths up to the higher areas selling a range of refreshments and souvenirs. There are platforms for viewing scenery, animals for petting (though I would not recommend participating in animal tourism), and a couple of small attractions that are fairly reasonable in price.

There is also a platform with a LOVE monument and a bridge for locks, as well as a cafeteria with plenty of food options in a covered platform. Unsurprisingly, the prices of these are much higher than if you were to buy them in the city centre, but it’s not completely outrageous.

Masala Snack

There is a famous snack stand on the top of Penang hill located just at the top of the path going up from the Penang Hill Train station. According to Penang Foodie, this is a unique snack due to the special masala sauce that they make, which is mixed with crispy bhujia, sliced shallots, and lime juice to make a light but flavourful dish. These can be mixed with boiled chickpeas, corn, or puffed rice, though they also sell boiled corn for those who want something lighter.

It is interesting as a dish, complex in both the texture and flavour. As expected, there are crunchy pieces as well as firm, creamy chickpeas as well as a refreshing crisp from the sliced shallots. It is sweet, savoury, tangy, and slightly spicy from the combination of masala spices and what seems to be a tamarind sauce. At only RM5 (US$1.30), this is a snack that is both cost effective and tasty.

Penang Hill is definitely a place to visit if you have free time in the city. One hour is a good length of time to take in the sights, though there is plenty to see and do in the Ayer Itam area, such as the Kek Lok Si Temple.