George Town UNESCO Heritage Zone
George Town
A UNESCO World Heritage old town where colonial buildings, Hokkien and Cantonese clan houses, Indian temples and mosques crowd along several shophouse-lined streets. You can walk through three cultures here, and it is also the heart of Penang's food scene.
George Town's Old Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Its core zone (about 110 hectares) and buffer zone contain colonial buildings from the 18th to early 20th centuries, Chinese shophouses, mosques and Hindu temples. A suggested walking route starts at the seafront Fort Cornwallis (where the British landed in 1786; admission about RM 20) and the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower. It passes City Hall and St. George's Church (1818, the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia), then turns into Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, the 'Street of Harmony.' Within a few hundred meters you'll find the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kong Hock Keong, 1800), the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the Kapitan Keling Mosque and the Khoo Kongsi, four faiths side by side. Next, walk into Armenian Street and the mural area around Pen Tow Kong Lane, and finish at the Clan Jetties to enjoy the sea view. The other half of the Old Town's appeal is food: the Swatow Street night market (the four 'heavenly kings': char kway teow, oyster omelette, duck porridge with kway, and four-fruit soup), the Toh Soon café on New Street, the old tea houses on Lebuh Cintra, banana leaf rice and teh tarik in Little India, and Nyonya dishes and laksa. Most streets in the Old Town are walkable during the day. The free CAT bus loops around the core, bicycles rent for about RM 20 per day, and trishaws cost about RM 40 to 60 per hour. Plan on 1.5 days, walking early in the morning (7 to 9 am) and after 4 pm, and retreating to a museum or café at midday. Note: the midday heat is intense, so carry water and use sun protection. Most museums are closed on Mondays. At religious sites, cover your shoulders and knees and remove your shoes. The Old Town has many one-way streets, so watch out when cycling.
Opening hours
Open all day (sights and shops approx. 09:00–18:00; night market after 18:00)
Nearby sights
- Kapitan Keling Mosque
- Little India, George Town
- Kuan Yin Teng (Goddess of Mercy Temple)
- Penang Street Art – Armenian Street
- Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang
- Khoo Kongsi
- St. George's Church
- Chulia Street & Love Lane