Transportation

Going Out

Movies:

Cathay Theatre - On Penang Street and Jalan Hutton. An old theatre with cheap tickets for first run movies and quite good sound. 
Bukit Jambul - A new shopping center on the outskirts of Georgetown containing a Cineplex with all the latest movies. 

Bars:

Chulia Street - All the traveler cafes are located here. Popular ones include Hard Life Cafe (includes a pool table) and Hong Kong Bar (billiards and lots of rowdiness). 
Let's Get Fat - 5th Floor BHL Bank Building, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. A bit far out but if the traveler scene doesn't interest you, this is a pretty popular local pub, particularly later at night.
Modesto's / Mix Cafe - Located along Burma Road past Pulau Tikus. Newly opened and highly popular among locals. This one row of shoplots is probably THE place to go out for Penangites. However, difficult to get back unless you take a taxi. Most buses to Tanjung Bunga pass by here. 
Jalan Gottlieb - Across the street from the Chinese Private Girls School at the corner of Jalan Burma, a row of pubs and discos have recently opened. This is right around the corner from the Modesto's area so same directions to get there. Definitely a happening place on a Friday or Saturday night. Brix disco is especially busy.

 
Other Interests:

Asian Reading - A good collection of material on Malaysian and Southeast Asian cultural topics 
was recently set up at the Asian Centre, 201 Jalan Datuk Keramat not far from Komtar. the materials come from a private collection, but you can read through the books for a small fee by all visitors. Those who are intellectually and culturally inclined are likely to find it fascinating, and highly rewarding. The contact number is 657-1371. 
Lion Dances - Take place RANDOMLY around the town around festival times or even for the opening of new businesses. You might be lucky to see one in front of the Penang Chamber of Commerce building on Lebuh Pitt next to Kuan Yin Temple. 
Meditation - The Malaysian Buddhist Meditation Center is very well known. It is located near the State Mosque near the Green Lane Convent Girls School in Air Itam. 
Dragon Boats - Penang is always full of interesting events during all months ranging from Dragon Boat Festival in May/June to the Penang Arts Festival (August). 
Chinese Medicine - A popular place is Eu Yang Sen - a big store at the base of Lebuh Chulia across from Kapitan Kling Mosque. Here you can get your fortunes told, your palms read or your various maladies treated the traditional way. 

Other Stuff Around Town: 

Balik Pulau - Take yellow bus #66 or Transit Link bus #351 from Georgetown. The center of the island is home to a small town, famed through Malaysia for its durians. Also has an old church in the small town. If you walk back along the main road in the summer months, you'll be surrounded by durian, rambutan, mangosteen, cempedak and banana trees and pineapple plants. 
Teluk Bahang - A community to the west side of the island. Home of the Penang Cultural Center. Unfortunately, prices for the show are not much in the budget category. Still, as a small town, it’s a bit off the tourist beaten path. Take bus #93 from Ferry or Komtar. 
Batu Ferringhi - This is where most of the beach resorts on Penang are located. Beach isn't great by overall standards but there's a good night market and a couple of famous restaurants there like "The Ship" (which actually is a ship) and Eden Seafood. Apparently, both restaurants have been locked in a battle to be bigger for years and have done all sorts of things to flow the fortunes of prosperity toward themselves and away from their next door neighbors. Also take bus #93. 

Getting around

Buses operate from two main terminals. The first is in front of the Penang Ferry terminal, also known as the jeti. From Little India, just keeping walking toward the water and continue even after you get to Leboh Pantai. The other is under Komtar Building, the highest and most recognizable building in Penang. There are various buses and all aside from red and white Transit Link buses will give you change. All services charge you by distance and very few places will cost you more than RM2. The entire route is usually written on the signboard of the bus. If you take a Bas Mini, the fixed fare is 70 sen and no change is given. 

As mentioned before, there is a ferry service between Penang and the mainland. The ferry is free from Georgetown and 60 sen from Butterworth. It operates 24 hours and takes about 15 minutes. If you want to take a taxi around, they do have a metre which the drivers never use. For any trip around Georgetown, don't let them squeeze you for anything more than abot RM5.

Getting away

Note that for all guesthouse and travel agent details, prices quoted are about RM1-2 higher than if you bought the tickets directly but this includes transport directly from your guesthouse. The train station for Penang is located next to the Butterworth Bus Station, a hefty two minute walk from where the Penang Ferry will let you off.

To KL: As a general rule, bus tickets prices will be about RM 2.50 - 3.00 per hour of your travel journey plus maybe a bit of an addition for a more comfortable 24 or 28 seat bus. Buses to KL (RM18 - 6 hours) run quite frequently during the day and may also be booked at your guesthouse. Most are pretty good including Plusliner and Gunung Raya. The main terminal is under the Komtar shopping mall. 

If all direct buses to KL are full you have two choices. First, you can ferry to Butterworth and go from there hoping that they will still have tickets. Alternatively, most buses to Singapore, Melaka and past KL will stop off in KL so you can hitch a ride on these companies as well. Trains to KL and other points leave about 3 times daily. Unless going overnight, it is best to just ask for a 3rd class seat for RM19 as other seats may cost double or triple. The journey to KL takes about 7 hours. 

To Singapore & Melaka: Buses to Singapore (12 hours - RM36) depart in early morning and also overnight. It's ok to book these at guesthouses. Some we have taken have been more like big limousines than buses. To Melaka, the trip takes about 10 hours and costs RM25. Most buses also leave about 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

To Cameron Highlands: There are direct buses to Tanah Rata twice a day. We recommend taking the 8:00 a.m. bus from Ekspres Kurnia Bistari (6 hours - RM14.10). There is also a 3:00 p.m. bus. We also do not recommend eating from the time you reach Tapah until you arrive. It's a rough ride up the hill. The other option to bus to Tapah via Butterworth and then take Regal Bus Company (RM3.70 - leaves every 60-90 minutes until 5:30) to the highlands.

To Kota Bahru and Kuala Terengganu: Buses available from Georgetown or Butterworth. Both take about 8-9 hours and generally run overnight. You can also train down to KL and then transfer for the overnight Wau Express that leaves KL at 10:00 p.m. only (RM48 second class KL-KB).

To Kuantan: There are direct buses (about 12 hours) but you will go via KL so you can also choose to break your journey there.

To Thailand: Buses and minivans to Hat Yai (4 hours, RM20) , Bangkok (20 hours, RM73), Koh Samui (10 hours, RM43), Phuket (9-10 hours, RM43) and all points in between are also available through guesthouses and travel agencies for buses departing up to three times daily. Unfortunately, many leave in the middle of the night or late evening so it's sometimes a bit of a rough ride. Remember if busing to Thailand on non-exclusively tourist buses, you should be mindful of your belongings in the bus. We have heard of stories of people who have had things taken on these buses while they were sleeping. Most of the travel agencies can be found along Chulia Street.

There is a train to Bangkok departing from Butterworth at 2:30 p.m. each day and arriving in Bangkok the next morning at about 9:30 a.m. local time. Try to book far in advance in order to get a sleeper, particularly during high months during the winter and on weekends. The cost is about RM95 (sleeper) and can be purchased at travel agencies and guesthouses in Georgetown (for which they will charge you a premium) or any train station in Malaysia including Butterworth. To get to the train station, take the ferry to Butterworth (free). The train station is in the same place. There is also an overnight train to Hat Yai from KL but it leaves Penang at about 3:00 a.m. arriving at 9:00 a.m. Thailand time. There's no reason for really taking this train.

To Indonesia: The ferry port is across the street from Fort Cornwallis off Leboh Pantai. Ferries to Medan cost RM90 one way and are available from guesthouses and also the travel agents next to the jetty. There is a daily service operating at 9:00 a.m daily and also service Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 a.m. and the other days (except Sunday) at 10:00 a.m. The ride takes about 5 hours and transport from Belawan port in Sumatra to Medan town is included in the price.