Luxury holidays in Penang

When to go

Penang is a year-round destination with constantly high temperatures (around 20–30°C) and tropical humidity. The rainiest period is May to October, but it’s fun to visit in July when the event-packed Georgetown arts and culture festival is in full swing. Chinese New Year (January or February) is another fab festival time, but it's also a big draw for locals so things can get hectic.

Getting there

• Planes

  Penang's Bayan Lepas International Airport, 18 kilometres south of Georgetown (RM40 in a taxi), receives plenty of flights from capital Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru in the south of Peninsular Malaysia and Langkawi island to the north, as well as international connections from Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney. The main carriers plying these routes include Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com), AirAsia (www.airasia.com) and Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com).

• Boats

  Ferries shuttle between Butterworth on the Malay mainland and Georgetown on Penang around the clock and take 15 minutes. Fares are charged only for the journey from Butterworth to Penang. Langkawi Ferry Services (www.langkawi-ferry.com) and Ekspres Bahagia (+60 (0)4 263 1943) both run ferries to Penang from nearby Langkawi island, as well as offering connections between Penang and Belawan on north-east Sumatra, Indonesia (with onward bus journeys to nearby capital Medan included in the ticket price).

• Trains

  Butterworth train station on the mainland is next to the ferry terminal for Penang, with connections from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to the south and from Hat Yai in Thailand to the north (for details see the North-South Train timetable at www.ktmb.com.my). There are no trains on Penang island.

• Automobiles

  You can drive to Penang island from Butterworth on the mainland via the 13.5-kilometre Penang Bridge (there's a RM7.70 toll payable at the toll plaza on the mainland, but no charge to return). By mid-2012 it will be joined by a second link from mainland Batu Kawan to Batu Maung at the south-eastern tip of Penang.

• Taxis

  The meters in Penang's taxis are redundant as the drivers flatly refuse to use them; negotiate the fare before you set off. Typical trips around town cost about RM6–RM15. A ride to or from the airport should be about RM40. To navigate Georgetown's laneways, commandeer one of the island's ubiquitous bicycle rickshaws, dubbed trishaws (again, agree a fee for an hour's exploring or for your specific journey, before hopping on board).