I often tell my private clients that when it comes to travel in Southeast Asia, there are no “wrong” answers. Whether you spotlight Vietnam or Malaysia, for example, your trip will prove nothing short of unforgettable.
With this being said, not all places are the same, and the distinctions between them can be the difference between a destination that meets your needs and one that leaves them neglected. It’s crucial to weigh your options before you arrive, and ideally before booking anything.
In particular, I’ve found that whether someone prefers Penang or Phuket can suggest many things about their overall personality as a traveler. If you’re struggling with this decision, I encourage you to continue reading.
How I Came to Know Penang and Phuket
Although I’ve now been to Phuket more times than I can count, it wasn’t one of the first places I visited in Thailand. In fact, I didn’t visit Phuket for the first time until 2017, nearly a decade after I got the first Thai stamp in my passport. I’d had a feeling the island would disappoint me, based mostly on things I’d read online. In fact it impressed me, though I imagine some of that was because I explored it with a local friend of mine.
With Penang, on the other hand, I went precisely because of how many great things I’d read—well, at least from Asian travelers. It didn’t used to have much of a reputation at all among Westerners. Well, except for the fact that it has physical casinos, which were a big draw for a certain sort of travelers in the days before you could easily access a casino online and play your favorite games from the palm of your hand.
Ways to Compare Penang with Phuket
Beaches
While I have my criticisms about Phuket’s beaches, the reality is that it is a superior destination to Penang in this regard. Penang’s west coast is mosquito-ridden, with brown sand and (mostly) pines instead of palms. By contrast, Phuket beaches like Mai Khao and Rawai are legitimately wonderful, even if busy Kata and Karon (and, especially, Patong) leave something to be desired.
Culture
When comparing Penang vs Phuket in this regard, there are some surprising similarities. Namely, both Penang’s Georgetown and Phuket Town are home to Chinese-style shophouses, which add a charming, old-world quality to both. On the other hand, aforementioned Patong Beach is home to a decidedly seedy kind of “culture” whose details I won’t explain here, and which is mostly—thankfully—missing from Penang.
Cuisine
Although you can appreciate the diversity of Malaysia’s cuisine in Penang, it’s Chinese-style cuisine that really shines here, due to the large Chinese-descendent population. I’m thinking particularly about char kway teow fried noodles, and oyster omelets. In Phuket, meanwhile, beachgoers can enjoy all manner of fresh seafood, including local Phuket lobster; Thai Muslim cuisine (such as khaaw mok gai Chicken biryani) also takes center stage.
Accommodation
This aspect of Phuket or Penang is more or less down to personal preference. On one hand, Phuket definitely wins out on beach hotels, whether up north in Mai Khao or down south in Kamala. On the other hand, boutique colonial-style hotels like Noordin Mews in Georgetown are superior to anything you find in Phuket Town, even if I do have a soft spot for the Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel.
Getting there and around
Phuket, unlike Penang (which is mostly linked to Asia, and particularly within Southeast Asia), Phuket enjoys direct air connections to destinations as far away as the Middle East and even Europe. On the other hand, it’s much easier and less stressful to get around Penang—Grab works well here, whereas a taxi mafia more or less controls Phuket. Georgetown, as I mentioned, is also easy to navigate by foot.
How Long Do You Need in Phuket? What About Penang?
Phuket is an absolutely massive island, and since transportation is so dubious, it takes longer than you think you’ll need. No matter where on the island you end up staying, I’d say you need a minimum of three nights. This gives you a day to get your bearings, plus a day each exploring the beachy west coast, and one in Phuket Town and along the south coast. Add one more day if you want to take any day trips.
Penang, on the other hand, requires slightly less time. This is because almost all travelers will stay in Georgetown, which is easily navigable by foot; you can see everything there in one full day. While there are some excursions you can take from there, you realistically only need a day extra in Penang-proper; anywhere else you might go (namely, Ipoh or the Cameron Highlands) would require moving to another destination entirely.
Other FAQ About Phuket vs Penang
Is Penang cheaper than Phuket?
Malaysia is cheaper than Thailand, at least as of 2025, so it makes sense that Penang would be cheaper than Phuket. From hotels to street food, you’ll spend less on daily life in Penang than you would in Phuket. Transportation is also more available in Penang, which not only decreases costs, but also stress.
Which is better, Malaysia or Phuket?
When considering Malaysia in a broad sense, there’s virtually no competition: This diverse and dynamic country is much more interesting than the lone Thai island of Phuket. It’s a bit harder to say when comparing Phuket to Penang (which is similar in size), or when comparing Malaysia to Thailand as a whole.
Why is Thailand more popular than Malaysia?
Thailand is more popular than Malaysia primarily because of name ID—more people know Thailand (both as a travel destination, as well as because of the global ubiquity of Thai food), and therefore want to go there on vacation. I believe that if more people knew Malaysia, more people would put it on their lists.
The Bottom Line
Is Penang or Phuket a better choice for you? The decision is not as easy as it may seem. While Phuket is certainly the better known of these two islands, Penang offers an alluring mix of cuisine and culture that makes up for its comparable obscurity (and, frankly, its extremely inferior beaches). At the same time, Phuket is an ideal starting point for hopping through Thailand’s famous islands, if beaches are a top priority for your trip in general, even once you finish up on your island of choice. Need personalized help putting your Southeast Asia adventure together? Consider hiring me as your Travel Coach!
