The best time to visit Penang largely depends on what you’re after. Are you looking for a quieter vacation with fewer crowds, or when the island is at its liveliest?
And while you may not escape Malaysia’s tropical humidity and heat, you may want to consider how to avoid the rainy season.
Other things to bear in mind are the annual festive events in Penang! We’ll cover all these and more down below!
Table Of Contents:
So Is There An Ideal Time To Visit Penang?
To be honest, there is no particular month that is optimum to visit Penang.
With a warm and humid climate for the entirety of the year, you can expect a shower every few days.
Note: Except at the beginning of the year (February to March) when they usually suffer from water shortages.
The real downpours tend to be between August and November and from April to May.
If you prefer a drop in temperature (regardless of how small):
It is a few degrees cooler around the last few months of the end of the year, coinciding with worldwide holidays. Hence, this is the peak season that many tourists will want to visit Penang!
Be warned – things get more expensive too!
Monthly Weather In Penang
Naturally if you only have a few days in Penang, it may ease your mind to examine Penang’s climate month by month according to average temperatures, rainfall, and humidity.
1. Average Temperatures By Month
As you can see from the table below, the average temperatures in Penang are around 30°C.
It only starts to get slightly cooler towards the end of the year (after August). Although there is only a difference of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius! In any case, prepare to sweat a lot when sightseeing on foot.
| Month | Average High Temperature Over The Year (°C) | Average Low Temperature Over The Year (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 32 | 24 |
| February | 33 | 24 |
| March | 32 | 24 |
| April | 32 | 25 |
| May | 32 | 25 |
| June | 32 | 25 |
| July | 32 | 24 |
| August | 32 | 24 |
| September | 31 | 24 |
| October | 31 | 24 |
| November | 31 | 24 |
| December | 31 | 24 |
2. Average Rain By Month
To be on the safe side, you can avoid the rainy season that occurs between April to May and between October to November.
October typically has the rainiest days, while January and February and June to July tend to be the driest months.
| Month | Average No. Of Rainy Days Over The Year |
|---|---|
| January | 5 |
| February | 4 |
| March | 8 |
| April | 11 |
| May | 12 |
| June | 8 |
| July | 9 |
| August | 11 |
| September | 13 |
| October | 15 |
| November | 13 |
| December | 8 |
3. Average Humidity By Month
The humidity usually hovers around 80%. Although, if you go in January and February, this can be down by 10%!
There is more breeze at the start of the year too. Even if it’s only around 8 km/h!
Rain adds to the humidity so the rainy months like October and November do have higher humidity than other months of the year.
| Month | Average Relative Humidity (%) |
|---|---|
| January | 71.6 |
| February | 70.8 |
| March | 75 |
| April | 78.3 |
| May | 77.3 |
| June | 76.9 |
| July | 77.7 |
| August | 78 |
| September | 80 |
| October | 80.8 |
| November | 81.4 |
| December | 78 |
Data Sources:
- https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,Penang,Malaysia
- https://championtraveler.com/dates/best-time-to-visit-penang-my/
Overall Travel Experience By Month
Before you book your trip solely on the weather, here’s what to expect when it comes to festivals and crowds of tourists!
1. Peak Season
Don’t be alarmed to see attractions full of visitors during November and all through February, as this happens to be peak tourist season for the island!
This is due to a more festive city atmosphere. And hence, you can expect malls, hotels, and bars to be packed and pricier than usual.
2. Off Season
April and May have some downpours and showers, but these are usually later in the day. But while they don’t last long, it’s still a major inconvenience if you plan to spend most of your time outdoors.
The serious downpours, however, occur between September to November, so you might want to avoid visiting Penang at the time.
But besides the smaller crowds, an unexpected positive point are the lower accommodation prices, alongside good deals for certain activities and attractions as well.
3. January & February
Lower temperatures (relative to the middle of the year) and lower humidity make New Year events much more enjoyable:
The Chinese New Year display at Kek Lok Si Temple is a crowd puller during this time since the temple is open for longer too.
Additionally, there are the vibrant Thaipusam festivities as well as the last day of Chinese New Year (Chap Goh Meh) which is coincidently, Chinese Valentine’s day!
Kek Lok Si Display Of Lights
A sight to behold during Chinese New Year, visitors will be treated to beautiful lights hanging throughout the temple complex up to the Kuan Yin statue and pavilion temple!
Lights are usually put up a few weeks before Chinese New Year. And visitors can go see them for the duration of Chinese New Year. The lights will be up for the whole month that Chinese New Year takes place too.
Read our post on Kek Lok Si for more tips on how to visit the temple during Chinese New Year.
4. March, April & May
It’ll be very hot in March, but you’ll find less crowds too after all the New Year festivities have ended!
Some rain in April will help to keep temperatures more bearable in the evening.
Furthermore, the month also plays host to the lively Vaisakhi Celebrations (or Sikh Harvest Festival) in the second week.
As for May, there may be a higher risk of rain, but you can look forward to a 10,000-strong holy procession on Wesak Day (The Buddha’s Birthday)!
At the end of May there may be durian buffet events to look out for too.
There are also the numerous Ramadan Bazaars, which will be happening from April to May this year during the Ramadan period.
5. June, July & August
Brave the occasional mid-afternoon showers and the heat during this period. Because there are a lot of festivals to look forward to!
Plus, this is peak durian season! Sample the many types of durians (D16, Ang Bak, Ang Jin, Ang Hae, and D700) we have in Malaysia.
Other popular fruits that are in seasons such as custard apple (locally known as nona), langsat, and mangosteen are also worth trying.
Here are the top places to eat durian in Penang!
George Town Festival
This is held yearly in honor of the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During the festival, expect a celebration of local art, music, theatre, dance, and film featuring creative talents and exciting programs.
- Website: https://www.georgetownfestival.com/
Penang Hill Festival
Penang Hill Festival (PHF) sees the return of their Music on the Hill event (21 Jul 2024).. Here, you can get some education on the history and nature surrounding Penang Hill too through exhibitions and workshops right on Penang Hill.
- Website: https://www.penanghill.gov.my/phf/
Hungry Ghost Festival
For the Chinese community in Penang, August is an important month for prayers and offerings. Because this month is time when the Gates Of Hell are open and ghosts can travel to our world.
During this month, there will also be opera shows for the public (and ghosts) every night around George Town.
Merdeka Day
The end of August marks the Independence Day of Malaysia. And Penang celebrates it with a yearly Merdeka parade at Penang Esplanade.
- Event Date: 31 August
6. September, October & November
There will be more rain in September and October. It’s possible for the rain to last for days! As such, there won’t be many tourists during these months.
But those who do decide to visit the city anyways can take advantage of better prices for accommodation, food, and activities!
Nine Emperor Gods Festival
Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand recognize this 9-day festival. During which, believers will follow a vegetarian diet.
There will be vegetarian food stalls, a fire walking ceremony, and herbal medicine demonstrations. You will also get to witness a colorful float procession on the last day!
Penang International Dragon Boat Regatta
Penangites love their dragon boats! There will be dragon boat races at the end of the year at Teluk Bahang Dam!
7. December
With December comes cooler temperatures. This is the busiest time in Penang with Christmas and New Year’s Eve to look forward to!
Penang Bridge International Marathon
Penang Bridge International Marathon is another annual event that has been held since 1984.
These full and half marathons will take place on either the First or the Second Penang Bridge.
Registrations are now open!
Christmas & New Year’s Eve Countdown Party
We recommend heading over to either Penang Hill or The Top Penang to celebrate both Christmas and the New Year countdown.
In previous years at The Top Penang, there was a line-up of live music entertainment and other performances leading up to a spectacular fireworks show!
Whichever venue you choose, try to go before sunset if you don’t want to fight with the crowds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How many days should you stay in Penang?
Plan to stay for at least 2 full days. Better yet, stay for 3 or 4 days for a more relaxed pace! Extend your trip by visiting Langkawi, Cameron Highlands or Ipoh!
Read our suggestions for how to plan your itinerary for Penang.
Q2. What are the best things to do in Penang?
There are heaps of things to do in Penang such as trying out the local food, exploring the clan jetties or clan houses. And hunting for famous street art. There are also lots of interesting museums.
Outside of exploring George Town, you can visit Penang Hill (The Habitat), Kek Lok Si temple, ESCAPE theme park, Penang Botanic Gardens and Entopia by Penang Butterfly Garden!
Q3. What are Penang’s best beaches?
Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah are the most accessible with luxury beachfront accommodation while Penang National Park has more isolated beaches like Monkey Beach!
Q4. What can you do in Penang at night?
Book a slot for The Habitat Sunset Walk – you can have a guided nighttime jungle trek right after!
Or take some lovely photos at the KOMTAR Rainbow Skywalk that overlooks the whole Penang city. Follow that up with a drink at one of Penang’s many bars! Love Lane has popular bars.
Or you can go check out Kimberley Street Food Night Market, a famous local night market.
Q5. What are some must-try Penang food?
Penang dishes that you should try includes Assam Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Oh Chien (Oyster omelette), White Curry Mee, Chendol, Char Koay Teow, Rojak & more!
Recommended Tour Services For Penang
It’s great to have someone who actually lives in Penang to show you the sights first-hand!
And the benefit of a tour service is that you don’t have to worry about how to best utilize your time. Or use up your energy planning and deciding where to go (and how to get there).
Here are 2 different but highly-rated tour services if you want to have a better understanding of the food, history, and culture of Penang:
- 4-hour Walking Food Tour – mixed group (9 pax max), food and drinks included, pick-ups not provided
- 6-hour Tour Plus Transport – private tours, customizable itinerary, pick-ups (anywhere on Penang Island) included
Conclusion
To conclude, we think that the best time to visit Penang is between November to January. The weather is a tad cooler and thus, more comfortable if you plan to explore the city on foot.
But with the year-end festivities, there are also more people, and you must anticipate queues and higher prices for everything.
For a more peaceful visit, consider going between February (after CNY) to April or in May to October! The latter is the low season period and the wettest time of the year!
