Sailing Penang
This quick guide is intended for anyone Sailing to Penang.
It includes information on anchoring, provisioning, getting around, and recommendations on some of my favorite things to do in this wonderful city.
The island of Penang and Georgetown specifically is one of our favorite destinations in Malaysia.
Enjoy a safe and protected anchorage, great food, friendly locals, and fun nightlife, all affordable for the budget sailor!
First of all, become a member of the AHOY Penang -A Hub of Yachting Facebook Group.
It is full of useful information in files provided by the admin Cecilie Murray.
And if you have a question, post it in the group, and someone will help you!
There are several anchorages in Penang, however not all offer good protection in all weather.
The two anchorages mentioned here are all-weather anchorages.
Alternative anchorages are
- The Junk anchorages in front of the Clan Jetties, this anchorage only lies about 1.5nm north of the DUMP ANCHORAGE mentioned here.
- Outside Strait Quay Marina, this anchorage is not protected in northerly weather
- And there is also an anchorage north of Rimau Island in the very south which is convenient as a stopover when coming up from the south, however, this anchorage looked open to the west.
For more Malaysian anchorages and tips on sailing the Malacca Strait click HERE
05°19.065’N 100°18.487’E 6m mud LW
Good Holding
It seems that anchorage can be found pretty much anywhere along the west side of Jerejak Island or even along the Pinang side of the channel.
It was a little shallow rounding the south end of Jerejak, but following the depths showing on Navionics (which seemed to be accurate), the shallowest we registered was about 3m.
Make sure to anchor relatively close to shore as fishermen with drift nets might come by here. One certainly did just as we had anchored and we had about 5 minutes to get the anchor back up and move further in before the net was upon us. We ended up at the anchorage provided above, approved by the friendly and apologetic fisherman.
I have read many accounts of people being told by the Marine Department that anchoring here is not allowed. However, we were left undisturbed for a good night’s sleep.
05°23.703’N 100°19.781’S 4m mud LW – Good Holding
Despite the fact that this anchorage is located right north of the City Dump this is an excellent anchorage.
It offers both great protection and “easy” access to the shore, in walking distance of food courts and shops, and is only a short bus ride from George Town.
Be aware of the great sandbank (marked on Navionics) which runs parallel to shore from the top of Jerejak Island to a channel marker (pass north of) west of the Clan Jetties in George Town. We saw one sailboat get stuck on this bar near high tide and dry out completely before they could get off on the following high tide at 3 am. (We picked up most of the crew with a fishing boat and took them to shore while the captain and a crew stayed onboard waiting for 12 hours).
Fisherman’s Wharf
The most convenient place to land the dinghy is on the fisherman’s wharf, which has floating pontoons though in a very poor state.
The only issue with this landing is that the gate gets locked at night (sometimes as early as 17.00 though there might be fishermen around to let you through.)
If no one is around you can go and ask security at the Fisherman’s plot (marked on the map below) nicely, if he can come down and open the gate for you. (Remember, this is a private fishing jetty, so it is a good idea to ask permission to use it first)
Sungai Pinang
Alternatively, you can take the dinghy up Sungai Pinang. There are a few places the dinghy can be left, the best we found to be, as marked on the satellite image, at a small fishing boat dock next to a house on stilts. The house belongs to Cat who is very friendly, and if not her, someone is usually around to approve of your parking and probably offer you a shower.
From here it is only a 15-20 minute walk to George Town or 10 minutes to the Chinese market and the bus.
Port Clearance have to be obtained with Jabatan Laut (Habour Master), Jabatan Kastam (Customs) and Immigration in that order within 24 hours of arrival.
As the Jabatan Laut office is located quite far from the other offices, the form can be filled out online. (You will have to print it for the next office).
However, if you wish to go to the office in person, it is only a 7 min bus ride from Sungai Pinang with buses 301, 302, 304, or 401 for a cost of RM 1.40 per head.
Documents required
- Port Clearance from the last port
- Vessel Registration
- Insurance
- Passports
The process went smoothly and the staff was very helpful, we will however do it online next time to save the trip. As always wear appropriate clothing.
Customs were not where they are marked on google maps, instead, they are located here at the International Penang Pier, where the cruise ships berth. Ask security at the gate and he will point you in the right direction.
Documents
- Port Clearance from last Port
- Vessel Registration
- Passports
- Insurance
- Form provided and filled by Captain at location
Again the process was easy.
Immigration is within walking distance from Customs just on the opposite side of the roundabout. On google maps this address is listed as being Permanently Closed, however, this is not so.
The office is a little inconspicuous, and the door is always locked. Ring the bell or ask the security guy who might be sleeping in his chair out the front.
Documents
- Passports
- Vessel Declaration
- Crew List
- Port Clearance from last Port
- Papers just obtained at Customs
- Insurance (We have never before been asked for our Insurance from Immigration)
The officials are helpful and will make copies of your documents.
Public transport is quite good in Penang, and traveling by bus is no doubt the cheapest way.
Only about 10 min walk from the Fisherman’s Wharf you will find several bus connections which will take you both south to Jabatan Laut in Gelugor or north to George Town for less than RM 2 per person.
Bus 301, 302, 303, and 401 all go between Gelugor, Sungai Pinang, and George Town.
All the buses and routes come up when you search for public transport in Google Maps, we even found the ETA to be rather accurate.
THE 101 BUS
Should you feel like venturing a little further from town to Batu Feringghi, Hidden Beach, the Tropical Spice Garden, or Penang’s National Park, the 101 bus goes regularly between the Jetty and Hub Teluk Bahang, which will drop you right at the doorstep to any of these popular tourist spots.
When visiting the best temples, which are located a little further out, or if you are a larger group, a grab might be more convenient and still affordable.
Download the Grab app onto your phone and the rest is almost too easy. The fares vary quite a bit depending on time and demand.
There is a Shell Petrol Station not too far from the Fisherman’s Wharf, however, it does not seem they will allow you to fill up jerry cans here.
Instead, you can go to the PB Petrol, however, it is quite far from the anchorage, and you might want to hire a grab or scooter to help transport it.
As it is in most places in Malaysia, subsidized fuel is only to foreigners at a maximum of 20L per person per day.
Maybe in the case of Penang, the best option is to ask a local for assistance, in which case he might be able to get a larger amount for you.
We had help from Botak, who is a fisherman working from the Fisherman’s Wharf next to the Dump Anchorage.
There is a tap at the corner of the building straight ahead from the gate at the Fisherman’s wharf. Here you can help yourself.
But as it is everywhere in Malaysia, tap water, although treated, is not filtered and therefore not recommended for drinking. However, it seems that most Sailors happily drink this after running it through a filter on their own system onboard.
Alternatively, you can boil it.
For those who already have the gear and need to decant gas to their foreign gas bottles, the easiest might be to acquire a bottle from a gas supplier and fill it yourself somewhere out of view.
We have a hose with fitting for Indonesian/Malaysian to Australian gas bottles as shown in the picture. (This we bought in Sorong in Indonesia)
We went to the Seng Lay Lpg supplier a short walk from the fisherman’s wharf (go left when exiting the gate and follow the path around the southern end of the foot court)
The smallest bottle they had was 10kg and cost RM 21 for the gas and RM 80 for deposit which was refunded at the return of the bottle. (Get a receipt)
As our bottles only hold 8 kg, we had to return the bottle with a bit of gas still in it, which was not a problem, however, there is no refund on the gas.
There are several smaller supermarkets along Lebuh Sungai Pinang 1 within walking distance from the Dump anchorage.
Here you can get the most common Malaysian items and a decent selection of fresh produce. However, the fresh produce is a little pricier than at the markets.
There are several great Fresh Produce Markets in Penang, so just choose one which is in the most convenient location from your anchorage.
However, the cheapest market is no doubt the Pasar Borong Night Market
which is best visited late in the evening when all the stalls are receiving fresh deliveries.
Another market is the Cecil Street Market which offers lots of Chinese Street Food, a good variety of vegetables and fruit, and fish and meat.
Both of these markets are within reasonable walking distance from Sungai Pinang Creek where you can bring your dinghy up. See the description above in the Anchorage Section.
It was at this kiosk that I spent my evenings drinking beer and meeting the locals and fellow travelers last time I was in Penang 8 years ago. This time I returned to find the place just the same.
Antarabangsa Enterprise is a small kiosk hidden on a small inconspicuous street not far from Love Lane in George Town. It is a popular drinking place for locals and long-term visitors who enjoy a cheap beer in a cheap setting with great people. You buy your beer in the kiosk and drink them on plastic chairs out the front in the street.
This is no doubt the cheapest place to drink and buy takeaway, and the little kiosk offers a great selection of beer, cider, spirits, and wine from all over the world. You can easily buy whole cartons of beer from here.
To give you a comparison: The standard price for a small can of Tiger beer in Penang is RM 7, but here you get a big can for the same price.
If you are on your way to Thailand, you probably already know that you do not need a visa to enter. (This of course depends on where you are from, but counts for most nationalities)
However, the visa exemption for most of us is only granted for 45 days on arrival with an option to extend 1 time 30 days.
Furthermore, you will also automatically be registered as Captain or Crew unless listed as a Passenger. To change your status from crew to Tourist you might have to pay a fee. If you are listed as crew you will not be able to leave the country without your boat, meaning that you have to take your boat with you across the border when you want to do a visa run.
Okay, the alternative to all this trouble is to apply for a Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang.
This visa inserted into your passport gives you 3 months to arrive in Thailand to activate it. It grants you an initial 60 days, commencing on the day you check in with immigration in Thailand, and allows you to extend it another 30 days, giving you a total of 90 days in Thailand.
This Guide to Thai Visa is very helpful.
As you are a sailor and therefore most likely have no proof of onward travel from Thailand or Accommodation, instead provide your Vessel Declaration and maybe a photo of the Yacht as proof of living onboard.
Make sure you have all of your paperwork in order (Visa Form can be acquired and filled at the entrance to the Consulate. But the rest, copies of documents, passport, and at least 2 passport photos will have to be prepared elsewhere)
The consulate is only open for visa applications on work days between 09.00 and 11.00 so show up early to make sure that you have enough time for error.
The processing of your application takes about 2-3 working days and costs RM 160.
There is endless fun to be had in Penang: Temples, Street Art, Food Courts, Night Markets, Museums and Good Bars. Here are some of our personal favorites.
If anchored at the Dump Anchorage, this is a great place to know about.
Located in the middle of the Food Court just ashore from the Fisherman’s Wharf, this super cheap Nasi Campur stall no doubt offered some of the cheapest food in the area and in our opinion also some of the best.
They had a great selection of food: Various vegetable dishes, tofu, egg in all forms, fried foods, and meat curries. This was definitely the best place for vegetarians/vegans.
The impressive Kek Lok Si is the biggest Buddhist Temple in Malaysia and it is no doubt worth a visit.
Located on the very outskirts of the city almost an hour’s bus ride from George Town, it is worth jumping in a Grab which will take you there in 15 minutes.
You can easily spend half a day here exploring the site’s labyrinth of Temples and Gardens.
Entrance is Free, only the elevator to the top Temple and it’s giant Buddha Statue costs RM 3.
If you read the bit about buying cheap Alcohol, you’ll already know about this place.
But I wanted to add it to our Personal Favorites for Good Measure.
Enjoy the lively Street Atmosphere with a cold beer in the Company of Jolly locals and tourists in front of this little Kiosk and Alcohol Store.
This place has been around for a few decades and is a well-known place among Penangites. I came here 8 years ago and returned to find the place just the same.
This got to be the cheapest place to buy booze in town.
If you like sweet, icy, coconut-milk-based deserts with Jelly, pudding, glutinous rice, and tropical fruits, you should definitely try Tong Sui’s colorful desert bowls. Located in the Food Court at the Fisherman’s Wharf, this is the ideal snack for cooling down in the afternoon before returning to your boat.
If you want cheap delicious snacks, the street stalls, such as ‘Penang Famous Samosas’ located in Little India, is the place.
Here they sell a variety of delicious Indian baked savories and deserts.
The Samosa cost as little as RM 0.80 !!
I don’t know if I would recommend going out of your way to visit this museum. But if you happen to be in the area and have an interest in History and War Relics, this War Museum could be something for you.
My favorite part of this was walking/crawling through the confined underground tunnels in the pitch dark.
If I was to visit again, I would do it at night, when a ‘Spooky Tour’ might make it a little more exciting.
This humble but super popular street stall has been around for more than 40 years and everyday people flock to the stall to taste their special Rojak sauce. We noticed this place because there was a queue of more than 20 people waiting to buy their Rojak.
If you love Indian Food Woodlands Vegetarian Restaurant is well worth a visit.
Located in Little India in George Town, Airconditioned Woodlands is a great place to stop for lunch on a sweaty day.
They offer very delicious and affordable dishes, with special deals at lunch time.
Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the food here, I guess I was too distracted with enjoying it. But close your eyes, and imagine now a big platter with your roti of choice in the middle surrounded by lots of little bowls filled with different mouth-wateringly delicious gravies, dahls, and sauces. You got it!
This Chendul cart has a surprisingly long queue all day long. The reason is, their Chendul is awesome!
The whole street, which was full of little shops and restaurants selling all kinds of specialties, seemed to be a very popular destination for culinary explorers.
Armenian Street, Love Lane, and Umbrella Alley are all found in the UNESCO World Heritage-protected part of George Town.
This popular tourist area is packed with cafes selling frozen deserts, souvenir shops, and George Towns’ famous STREET ART, such as the popular works of Ernest Zacharevic (like the one seen below) and ‘the 101 Kittens’ by Thai artist Natthapon Muangkliang and Malaysian artists Louise Low and Tang Yeok Khang.
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