Top 10 Things To Do In Penang At Night: Enjoy Penang’s Vibrant Nightlife With These Fun Attractions!

Jacey Hen

Last updated 21 Mar 2024

Photo Credit: @khairulazmas, @evontmy, @_kengky

Look Out For Penang’s Best Night Time Activities & Unique Sights

Come nightfall, the beautiful city of Penang doesn’t go to sleep. In fact, exploring Penang at night is as exciting as it is during the day (maybe even more!), with their vibrant nightlife scene and unique night time destinations. This bustling hub of delicious food and cultural delights is surely a destination you would want to discover and stay awake for.

From colourfully lit-up gardens to mysterious hidden bars, there will never be a dull moment on this island state. Here on Klook, we’ve rounded up a list of top 10 things to do in Penang at night, including our recommendations on where you can enjoy them!

#KlookTip: Make discovering Penang at night even easier for you by booking a scenic night tour through Klook, which includes round-trip transfers from your hotel.

Book A Scenic Penang Night Tour Now!

1. Try Out Penang's Hawker Food

There’s no better way to experience the flavours of Penang than through hawker stalls! From bustling food courts to humble vendors that line the streets at night, each plate of delicious food served by them is extremely affordable and bound to leave you satisfied. Indulge in what the New Lane Hawker Centre and Gurney Drive Hawker Centre has to offer. These two famous outdoor hawker centres are great places to sample some of the best local delights - char kuey teow, ikan bakar, laksa and many more!

At night, Chulia Street is another hot spot that you must visit for the best hawker food. Along the street, vendors set up their push-cart stalls and serve irresistible dishes like wan tan mee and lok lok. Meanwhile, those of you who are spending time in Batu Ferringhi can also visit the Long Beach Food Court for a great selection of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine.

Eat your way throughout the city with the best local eats by joining an exciting night food tour in Penang!

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2. Indulge In An Atmospheric Dinner

A great night isn’t complete without having a wholesome dinner. If hawker food isn’t exactly up your alley, there’s no need to worry as Penang is also home to many beautiful locations for an elegant dining experience. Enjoy a beautiful garden dinner at Ferringhi Garden, a dining spot famous for its enchanting garden setting. Dig into their wide selections of barbeque and seafood for the night amidst lush greenery and cosy warm lighting.

Another of our favourite dining spots would definitely be the Indigo Restaurant. Not only can you have a tour of the beautiful blue Cheong Fatt Tze mansion, you can also now enjoy an elegant fine dining experience within the iconic heritage building. Influenced by East meets West cuisine, be prepared to be served mouthwatering and extraordinary fusion dishes in this beautiful location.

Book a 3-Course Dinner At Indigo Now!

3. Party At Penang Beach Bars

Penang is home to a myriad of bars to suit every visitor’s taste, making these spots one of the main highlights of the city’s exciting nightlife scene. As an island state, there are beach bars aplenty where you can sink your toes into the sand while sipping on cocktails, or if you’re not one to drink, you can still enjoy the sea breeze as you indulge in a fancy meal at these venues.

The Batu Ferringhi beach is the place to go to find good beach bars. One of our favourite spots is BoraBora, the perfect beachside restobar to wine and dine. As the sun goes down, catch up with your friends over drinks and enjoy the bar’s lively atmosphere. If you’re looking for a place with a more sophisticated vibe, Beach Blanket Babylon is an alfresco restaurant and bar set in a beautiful heritage mansion, with a wide cocktail menu and choices of international cuisine.

Dreaming of having a romantic dinner by the beach instead? Enjoy a memorable beach dining experience with your very own private chef, available through Klook!

Book A Romantic Beach Dinner With A Private Chef Here!

4. Look For Penang's Hidden Bars

Add a little adventure to your bar hopping experience by going on a hunt for hidden bars. Frequent visitors of Georgetown would be no stranger to the various speakeasies hidden across the beautiful heritage city. From dim-lit venues that bring you back to the Old China era to homely spaces that exude chill, laid back vibes, Penang’s hidden bar scene surely knows how to keep visitors excited.

Step into Chinese Old World architecture and decor as you visit a couple of hidden bars that beautifully nail this oriental theme - Magazine 63 and Manchu Bar. Sip on inventive and tasty cocktails whipped up by their talented bartenders, as you immerse yourself in what feels like a very different era. Out Of Nowhere is another speakeasy that has one of our favourite hidden entrances - an orange refrigerator! This super elusive spot is warmly-lit and operates with style, making it the perfect place to lounge and mingle around.

#KlookTip: Book a hidden bar hopping activity through Klook, which includes round-trip transfers from your hotel to 3 selected hidden bars, bar games and welcome drinks!

Tempah Pengalaman Tersembunyi Lawatan Bar Di Pulau Pinang Sekarang!

Interested to add more of our recommended speakeasies onto your list? Read to find out more:

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The Best Speakeasies & Hidden Bars In Penang You Must Visit

Look for these 7 unique speakeasy bars when you are in Georgetown, Penang! Enjoy their fun, creative cocktails and Instagrammable spots.

5. Visit Penang's Cultural Sites

Penang isn’t just a hub for contemporary entertainment - this state is deeply rooted in culture as well. The island has its fair share of cultural sites, especially beautiful temples that call large crowds to its front steps daily. These magnificent landmarks aren’t just places to visit when it’s bright outside; when nightfall comes, these temples light up and become a sight to behold.

The Kuan Yin Floating Temple, also known as Hean Boo Thean, is a beautiful floating temple near the famous jetties on Weld Quay. As it hovers over the water, an enchanting sight is created as the temple’s twinkling lights reflect on the water’s surface. If you’re in Penang during Chinese New Year, you should also visit the famous Kek Lok Si Temple. This elaborate marvel of a building lights up at night with its beautiful light display during the annual celebration!

Enjoy temple sightseeing at Kek Lok Si with a guided tour package on Klook!

Book A Guided Penang Temple Sightseeing Tour Here!

6. Marvel At Penang's Best City View

Level up your exploration of Penang by catching the best views of Georgetown at night. One of the best places to enjoy the dazzling city lights would be from the rooftop of the island’s landmark, THE TOP Komtar. From 68 floors above, their Rainbow Skywalk is a semi-circular glass bridge that offers stunning seamless views of Georgetown, with its clear glass bottoms and sides. Enjoy discounts off your admission to THE TOP Komtar if you book through Klook!

Book a Discounted Admission Up THE TOP Komtar Here!

If you prefer a wider and more distant view of the city, head on over to Penang Hill. Enjoy the feeling of being on the top of the world at this popular tourist attraction, amidst the cooling night air. We suggest taking the 30-minute funicular train ride up and having a walk around as you watch the sun set and the city light up.

#KlookTip: Go right to the highest viewing point of Penang at the top of Penang Hill, by visiting The Habitat and its Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk. Enjoy exclusive admission rates by booking on Klook, inclusive of a Honeymoon Zipline experience!

7. Explore Magical LED Gardens

Enter into a magical realm for the night as you find Penang’s Avatar Secret Garden. Tucked away behind the Thai Pak Koong Temple is this pocket of greenland transformed into a realm of neon fantasy. LED lights drape off branches and wrap around trunks of trees, while tulip fields beautifully glow in bright LED colours - a truly magical sight that makes you feel as if you were in the actual Avatar world of Pandora.

One of Penang’s hidden gems, Pulau Jerejak, is a colourful little island you should also discover. Dotted with beautiful photo spots, this island has their very own mesmerising LED garden nestled on their grounds as well. Stay till night time to catch the Jerejak Island Resort LED Garden come to life. You'll be able to stroll amongst trees lined with sparkling lights and be surrounded by blooming flowers and manicured bushes.

Book Your Jerejak Island Guided Tour Here!

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Pulau Jerejak: A Colourful Gem 10 Minutes From Penang Island

Pulau Jerejak is a colourful island in Penang with a long, turbulent history. Learn about this laid-back enclave and pop by the next time you're in Penang!

8. Enjoy Penang's Live Performances

Penang’s local arts scene has been flourishing on both domestic and international levels. Being a vibrant hub of both classic and contemporary performances as well as creative arts, you should definitely take some time off during the night to witness the different types of entertaining and engaging live performances that the island has to offer.

From impressive dance recitals to family-friendly theatrical acts, PenangPAC is a performing arts centre on the island that offers an exciting line-up of live performances to keep you entertained. If you’re more into listening to live bands over a meal with your friends, The Canteen at China House is a must-visit spot to get some of the best local music performances. Their nightly live acts include a diverse selection of music from jazz and soul to R&B and indie.

Find out more entertaining spots to visit in Penang:

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9. Walk Around Penang's Famous Night Markets

The authentic Malaysian night time experience would never be complete without visiting any local pasar malam, and Penang has their fair share of famous night markets with many stalls to explore. On the island, there’s almost a night market for every day of the week so make sure you check which day each night market operates on.

Some night markets you should definitely check out would be the Batu Ferringhi Night Market, the Farlim Night Market or the Macallum Street Night Market. These locations are local favourites where you can see staggering amounts of tents pitched up selling hot food and a variety of affordable goods. From cheap accessories and beach wear to local collectibles and knick-knacks, these night markets are perfect for your after-dark shopping needs.

10. Go Shopping At Penang's Best Malls

Looking for more shopping options? End your night in the cold comforts of Penang’s huge and air-conditioned shopping malls, that offer stores selling anything you would need, along with many late-night eateries. The largest of them all is Queensbay Mall, a waterfront shopping complex located in Bayan Lepas that’s also the longest on the island. With 5 levels of retail stores, you can surely shop to your heart’s delight.

A unique Penang shopping centre that’s worthy of a mention as well is the Straits Quay, a popular seafront retail marina with over 100 shops, bistros and boutiques. You should definitely visit this place at night for its beautiful colonial architecture and the luxurious seafront view flanked by private boats and yachts.

The Gurney Paragon mall also offers plenty of shopping opportunities for those of you looking to shop in Georgetown. This mall is also home to a Bookxcess outlet with the tallest and longest bookshelf in Southeast Asia, a must-visit for bookworms! Read more about it here:

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