Next to the Esplanade Park, Fort Cornwallis happens to be both the largest and oldest fort in Malaysia. It is one of the primary reasons why George Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Built in the the 18th century, this star-shaped fort has been through a lot since the 18th century and represents great historical significance to Malaysia!
History
Fort Cornwallis was built upon the very first place in which the founder of Penang, Captain Francis Light, landed on back in 1786.
Named after the then-governor-general of Bengal, Marquis Charles Cornwallis, it was made of nibong palms rather than bricks during its early years.
There were also numerous cannons present at the fort, with the intention of warding off unsavory intruders such as pirates and armed forces from Kedah or France.
Some 20 years later in the 1800s, the structure was fortified with bricks by Indian prisoners, and a moat was also added sometime later.
Note: This moat was later filled in the 1920s in the wake of a malaria epidemic, although there are plans to restore Fort Cornwallis’ Moat!
However, the military status of the bastion was eventually removed due to its more prominent administrative role. It was subsequently converted into a police station in 1886.
During World War II, the Japanese used the fort and the opposite park as both a supply store and detention centre.
The 1970s saw the introduction of both a sewage system and electricity into the old fort, with an Amphitheatre being built to host cultural shows as well!
Today, only a handful of the original 77 cannons and the 10-ft high outer walls remain along with the flagstaff and the lighthouse!
Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse
Located besides the fort, the Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse which was built in 1882.
With its 21m-tall steel frame construction, Fort Cornwallis is a little unusual compared to the other solidly built lighthouses around Malaysia!
The flagstaff was used to communicate with its corresponding flagstaff on Penang Hill the arrival of ships or dignitaries!
Note: Light from this lighthouse can reach up to 16 nautical miles!
Still in operation, Fort Cornwallis is the second oldest in Malaysia after another (Tanjung Tuan) in Malacca!
If you like a view or a challenge, it takes 80 or so steps to climb up to the top for an aerial view of the fort and the Malaccan Strait.
Note: When we visited, the gate to the lighthouse was locked.
Entrance Fees
Entrance to the heritage site is not free.
If you walk along the promenade, it’s possible to peer over the walls at the fort but you won’t be able to get close or inside!
The fort is open until night so if you happen to walk by after sunset, the walls and flagstaff are lit up!
See the table below for the current Fort Cornwallis ticket prices:
| Ticket Type | Adult | Children |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Mykad | RM20 | RM10 |
| Mykad | RM10 | RM5 |
Tickets come with a bottle of mineral water.
Note: The fort is still ongoing a major upgrade (for the moat installation) so
some areas are restricted for now.
There used to be free 30-minute guided English tours (included with the entrance fee) throughout the day that were as fun as they were informative, they don’t appear to be running anymore.
Unfortunately, these tours don’t appear to be running anymore. Which is a shame since they make a visit to the fort worthwhile!
What Is Inside The Fort?
We visited Fort Cornwallis on a sunny Monday afternoon in July 2023. And during our visit, we didn’t see anyone offering walking tours for the fort.
Everything is outdoors. There is no shade except for the old stables. The stables are in relatively good condition – not all have doors. But they are empty except for one which had a poorly lit exhibit.
After wandering around the fort to see the cannons, gunpowder house, and the lighthouse (not as big as we imagined), we were thinking how nice it would be to sit down and relax in a nice, air-conditioned café!
On a side note, the grounds here are very well-kept. We couldn’t help but admire the condition of the grass here. It was only us besides one or two other couples.
There are several rest spots that you can sit at (i.e., benches), including one close to the lighthouse on the higher level of the fort. The first one you’ll see is right after you enter the fort. It’s a quaint outdoor coffee shop in their well-landscaped garden. It is a pity that the fans don’t do much to reduce the heat outside.
Besides these, there are picnic tables on the same level as the amphitheatre.
We feel that there’s really not much to see and nothing to do here. There are only a few information signboards around (some at the cannons and another at the gun powder house).
Maybe, it’d be a little more interesting if we could check out the lighthouse, but it was closed off during our visit. But from what we saw, you would not get very nice views from the top of the lighthouse since it is not very tall.
Altogether, it took us less than 30 minutes to see everything here.
Kota Dine & Coffee – When Francis Meets Rempah
This contemporary café in the fort grounds serves local flavors with wonderful food presentation. And they have delightful non-alcoholic fruit mix drinks!
Specializing in fusion and western food, the pasta box take-away set ranks high on novelty. It features local variations such as chicken rendang, green curry spaghetti, and turmeric pasta too.
Note: Request for no plastic spoon and straw if you don’t need them!
And if you spend at least RM20 on food per person here, you can get RM10 off your Fort Cornwallis entrance fees!
It looked like a very nice spot to have lunch but we already had ours that day so we chose to skip this place.
Esplanade Park Food Court
Although unassuming from first impressions, this open-air food court is famous for the fried noodles from one stall, Hameed Pata Mee Sotong.
You can request a non-spicy variation if you prefer.
Note: Mee rebus is the version with sauce while mee goreng is the dry version! Both are equally appetizing!
A few stalls away is a drinks and dessert stall that has the perfect beverage to accompany the renowned noodles too:
In our opinion, the creamy yet refreshing coconut shake drink is worth trying on a hot day. It is topped with vanilla ice cream.
The food court is walking distance from Fort Cornwallis. Just go around the fort in the opposite direction of the sea. The food court faces Light Street (Lebuh Light).
Recommended Dishes:
- Hameed Pata Mee Sotong
- Coconut Shake
Nearby Attractions
We recommend checking these landmarks out. You can see all of them if you walk around the perimeter wall of the fort.
1. Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower
2. City Hall
3. Town Hall
4. Esplanade Walkway
5. Penang State Art Gallery
We recommend a visit to Penang State Art Gallery if you have time. This free-to-enter art gallery has air conditioning and is within walking distance from Fort Cornwallis. Plus, you can walk along the Esplanade and enjoy some sea breeze.
Getting Here
Now, let’s go over some transport options you have to get to Fort Cornwallis! If the following is not detailed enough, you can check out our separate post on how to get around Penang instead.
Bus To Fort Cornwallis
Look out for the free CAT bus as it stops close to Fort Cornwallis (Kota Cornwallis):
- Padang Kota Lama (5 minutes’ walk)
- Bank Negara (7 minutes’ walk)
Self-Drive
There is sufficient parking in this area in the form of a concrete open-air car park. But the rates are considerably higher than the standard RM0.80/ hour!
You can also park around the fort but there are limited side parking slots and plenty of birds to shit on your car too.
E-hailing Service
Don’t want to have to deal with parking? Then use an e-hailing service like Grab. It’s reasonably affordable if you’re not traveling within peak hours.
Conclusion
We think that unless you are a history buff that doesn’t mind missing out on a guided tour, we would not make a visit to Fort Cornwallis a top priority. Especially if you only have a few days in Penang.
The original moat around the fort is currently still under renovation but visitors can pay to enter the grounds and learn about the fort’s background.
But if you’re not keen on history, you can admire it from a distance with a stroll around the exterior!
Maybe in future, the fort might gain more visitors once the moat is complete.
Other Penang Attractions
We’d only suggest Fort Cornwallis if you have finished your bucket list of attractions to visit in Penang! As it is one of the few world heritage sites in Malaysia that can stand up to the A’Famosa fort in Malacca!
Penang Travel Guide
Take a look at our travel guide for Penang if it’s your first time visiting this city. We’ve got tips and suggestions on what you should see and do here depending on how long you will be here for.
