Luxury Escapes Guide to Penang

Cunningly concealed at the heart of a sprawling durian plantation, Bukit Genting Hill Leisure Park & Restaurant is a true Penang hidden gem.This breathtakingly authentic eatery offers soulful, open-air dining, backed by some of the island’s best panoramic views. Fiery Thai classics such as seafood tom yum, green chicken curry and pineapple rice are perfectly matched with the restaurant’s nostalgia-filled atmosphere – dine among wandering peacocks, sprawling gardens and a refreshing hilltop breeze.

There’s no better way to taste the culinary soul of Malaysia than with a stop at one of Penang’s iconic hawker centres, and George Town’s New Lane Hawker Centre is one of the very best. Smoke and steam dance mirage-like in the air and the sounds of raucous cooks and hungry patrons ring out eagerly in the night sky. Grab a roadside table and feast your way through Malaysia’s most beloved dishes, including cosy Chinese-style congee flavoured with seafood and ginger, flat rice noodles with prawns and chilli and sumptuous skewers of meat, grilled to perfection.

Showcasing an electrifying combination of traditional Chinese wok cookery with sizzling Malay flair, every bite of Peranakan cuisine at CEKI Nyonya Restaurant is a taste of Penang history. Wander through the outer terrace’s garden courtyard and into a cosy restaurant featuring dishes from Malaysia’s heart, including its most famous dish, laksa nyonya – a coconut curry that’s a dazzling blend of spicy, sour and sweet, often topped with a heaped serving of crimson sambal chilli paste. Other favourites include chicken stewed with shallots, garlic, palm sugar and soy sauce, and prawns stir-fried with pineapple and tamarind.

Elegantly furnished in mahogany and teak and dripping with old-world Indochine splendour, Kebaya Dining Room serves Peranakan cuisine that’s as sumptuous as its surroundings. Expect family recipes showcasing local produce, combining French haute cuisine meticulousness with tremendous respect for Malaysia’s rich heritage. Try the wild-caught fresh swimmer crab served with black bean sauce, fried egg ribbons and pickled green chillis, or the sticky plum duck legs cooked confit-style for twelve days and seared to perfection – you won’t be disappointed.

Bustling, beguiling and bursting with brilliant food, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre is an iconic Penang institution boasting the most vibrant and eclectic collection of street food vendors on the island. This is the perfect chance to try some of the island’s most revered plates: try white radish stir-fried with bean sprouts, egg and pork and nasi lemak served with cucumber, peanuts and fried anchovies, or head to the centre’s barbecue pavilion, filled with more tantalising grilled treats than you can poke a skewer at.

Just minutes from Penang’s northern coast, Long Beach Food Court offers a wide variety of international treats under the open skies. Hit up local favourites like spicy beef rendang or enjoy classics from abroad, including pad thai, satay and Italian pizza and pasta. After you’re done tasting your way around Asia and abroad, head to the Batu Ferringhi Night Markets adjacent for midnight deals and Penang souvenir steals.

Reach the summit of Strawberry Hill – a small hillock resting just above Penang Hill’s Upper Station – and you’ll be rewarded with David Brown’s Restaurant & Tea Terrace, one of the island’s most picturesque eateries. Take high tea in Penang’s highest open-air restaurant, wander the beautiful gardens and yearn for halcyon days spent beneath the warm Malaysian sun. The menu is small but flawless – savour dishes like the dry-aged black Angus sirloin, charred to perfection and served with Thyme brown butter and caramelised onions, or French lamb racks coated in pistachio nuts and dolloped with mint yoghurt.

Top-rated on Tripadvisor and a beloved Penang institution, Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery serves upscale Pernakan plates that perfectly encapsulate the deliciousness of Malacca Straits cuisine. Dishes are easily shared among friends or family and dance seductively between spicy, sour and sweet – think omelettes stuffed with seafood, beef rendang caramelised to silky perfection and heaped plates of spiced fried chicken.

A quiet enclave within the luxurious, heritage-inspired façade of The Prestige Hotel, Gēn leverages unique Malaysian ingredients and bold culinary techniques to produce fine dining plates brimming with passion and old-world charm. The secret ingredient is nostalgia – Gēn artfully evokes memories of the Penang of the past, to create a dining experience that’s at once familiar, mysterious and utterly personal. With a simple tasting menu highlighting underutilized ingredients such as aged pumpkin, ginger flower and sugarcane, Gēn effortlessly whisks guests away from today and into the sumptuous Malaysia of yesterday.

Boasting six generations of George Town culinary heritage, Jawi House celebrates the early spice routes that brought Persian, Arabian and Indian spices to the Malacca Straits and birthed Jawi-style Peranakan cuisine. Step behind the restaurant’s unassuming lacquer doorway and savour the telltale, spice-filled aroma of Jawi Peranakan cuisine – cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and the rich, earthy fragrance of toasted basmati. Jawi House’s specialties are designed to be shared among friends or family – try the kerabu mangga (a salad of chilli, lemongrass, torched ginger, dried shrimp and peanuts) or Jawi hummus, for a uniquely Peranakan spin on an old Levantine classic.

If you are looking for an intimate restaurant with an emphasis on the natural and seasonal ingredients of Penang, Restaurant au Jardin is the place for you. Showcasing a chic, industrial feel with natural lightand lush plants, this historical venue offers Franco-Asian fare in the dining room and liquid alchemy in the upstairs cocktail bar. Try its signature pan-seared red snapper with white wine sauce, steamed clams and scallop tartare, or the short rib of Angus veal, with caramelised onion soubise, pickled shallots and jus. It’s only open from Thursday to Sunday, so reserve early to secure a spot.

The day’s end over Straits Quay brings a beautiful sunset over the coastline. George Town, the easternmost city of Penang Island, enjoys the absolute best. Looking out over uninterrupted sea from a sunset cruise, watchers will witness an atmospheric glow as the sun sinks over the horizon. The biggest cheer is reserved for the wonderous marine life, including pods of dolphins — a rare phenomenon to these waters. With an experienced skipper and deck hand to take care of the navigation and safety details, you can sit back and savour the freedom of being on the open sea in capable hands.

After an adventure-packed day out on the white-sand beaches, visiting famous temples or exploring the street murals, a little R‘n’R could be just what your mind, body and soul calls for. Day spas specialising in luxe treatments include Hard Rock Hotel Penang’s Rock Spa®, Shangri-La Rasa Sayang’s Chi, The Spa and PAÑPURI Organic Spa Penang. Whether you're in the mood for a scrub, wrap, massage or a facial, you’re sure to melt away at one of these ultra-luxe oases. Many use only the highest quality, authentic organic spa products, and promise a cocoon of luxurious comfort and relaxation.

The only 18-hole championship golf course on Penang Island, Penang Golf Club attracts avid players from all corners of the globe and is one of Malaysia’s most enjoyable and attractive courses. Designed by world-renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr, the course’s technical layout and undulating terrain makes for a highly challenging round, where accurate shot-making is paramount. The adjacent 32-bay, two-tier, 250-metre-long driving range may be better suited for budding golfers and those who want to either hone their skills or swing the day away.