Penang Hill & Kek Lok Si Temple Half-Day Tour, Penang

Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) and the Funicular

Penang Hill rises to about 830 metres behind George Town and has been the island's cool retreat since the late eighteenth century, when the British built bungalows on its summit to escape the lowland heat. The funicular railway, first opened in 1923 and modernised in 2011, climbs the steep slope in a few minutes, and the fast-lane tickets included in this tour let you skip the longest queues. At the top the air is usually several degrees cooler.

From the summit terraces you see the whole of George Town, the Penang Bridge stretching to the mainland and, on clear days, the mountains of Kedah. Free time lets you stroll past colonial bungalows, a small mosque and a Hindu temple, or simply enjoy the view. Penang Hill opening hours start early, which is why we come in the morning, when the air is clearest.

Kek Lok Si Temple

On a hillside in Air Itam, Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia, begun in the 1890s and expanded ever since. Its most famous building is the seven-storey Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, whose design combines a Chinese base, a Thai middle section and a Burmese crown, a reflection of the many Buddhist traditions found in Penang. Prayer halls, koi ponds and gardens climb the slope in terraces.

Your licensed guide explains the symbols and stories of the temple, then the inclined lift, included one way, carries you up to the bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, which stands about 30 metres tall under an ornate pavilion. Is Kek Lok Si worth visiting? With its views over Air Itam and the sheer scale of the site, it is one of the highlights of any Penang trip.

Assam Laksa Lunch in Air Itam

Air Itam, the town at the foot of Kek Lok Si, is closely linked with Penang's most loved noodle soup. Assam laksa is a sour and spicy broth made with flaked mackerel and tamarind, served over thick rice noodles with slices of pineapple, cucumber, mint, onion and torch ginger flower, finished with a spoon of dark prawn paste. It is fresh, tangy and unlike the creamy laksa found elsewhere in Malaysia.

Lunch is served at a favourite local eatery with a cup of local coffee or tea. The dish is prepared to its traditional recipe with fish and seafood, so it is not vegetarian and ingredients cannot be swapped; please tell us your dietary needs before booking. After lunch, the half-day options end at Armenian Street, while the full day continues into George Town.

George Town's Heritage Core and the Clan Jetties

George Town was founded in 1786 as a British trading post and, together with Malacca, was listed by UNESCO in 2008 as a historic city of the Straits of Malacca. On the drive along the waterfront you pass reminders of the colonial era such as the Padang, St George's Church and Fort Cornwallis. The afternoon then begins at Chew Jetty, the largest of the Clan Jetties, where Chinese families still live in wooden houses built on stilts over the sea.

From the jetty you explore the historic core on foot with your guide, through lanes of shophouses and along Chulia Street, where murals and iron-rod cartoons hide in alleys and on walls. Your guide explains how traders from China, India, the Malay world and Europe shaped the town, and points out the best places for photos.

Khoo Kongsi Clan Temple

Hidden in a courtyard behind a narrow gateway, Khoo Kongsi is the grandest of George Town's clan houses, built by the Khoo clan from Fujian in China as a temple, meeting hall and symbol of their success. The present building was completed in 1906 after an earlier hall burned down, and its gilded beams, carved granite pillars, painted door gods and roof covered in porcelain figures make it one of the finest examples of Chinese architecture in Malaysia.

Entry is included on the full-day option. Around the square in front of the temple stand the old row houses where clan members once lived, and a small museum on the ground floor tells the story of the clan's migration to Penang. Allow about 30 minutes here to take in the details.

Trishaw Ride, Little India and the Street of Harmony

The full day ends with a relaxing trishaw ride, two guests per trishaw, through George Town's old quarters. You roll through Little India, with its spice shops, saree stores and Tamil music, and along the Street of Harmony, where the Kapitan Keling Mosque, the Goddess of Mercy Temple, the Sri Mahamariamman Temple and St George's Church stand within a few hundred metres of one another.

The tour finishes at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a green-painted former merchant residence that showcases the lifestyle of the Straits Chinese. There is no hotel drop-off, as you are in the heart of George Town with cafes, shops and halal restaurants all around. The best time to visit Penang for this tour is from December to March, when the weather is usually drier.