Located on the northwest coat of the Malaysian peninsula, Penang consists of Penang Island and Seberang Perai on the Malay Peninsula. Our guide to running in Penang is focused on Penang Island. As the island is quite urbanized, finding good spots to run can take some doing. In the capital of Georgetown, we’ve put together a ‘runseeing’ tour of the city’s newer and historic sections. Some of the best running on the island is just to the west of Georgetown, combining the Botanical Gardens, City Park, the Jesselton neighborhood, and Penang Hill if you’re up for that. For some good off-road running, head to Air Itan Dam, just north of the city. Penang National Park has some runnable spots, as well as some rugged and hilly trail running options. The best beach for running in Penang is Batu Ferringhi Beach.
Notes: Be aware that there can be stray dogs on Penang Island. In some of the more remote sections, such as the National Park, monkeys might be part of your run. Also take note of Penang’s year-round hot weather, with distinct wet and dry seasons.
