What's on in Penang (George Town), Malaysia through the year

Peak crowds — Thaipusam, Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh

• Festival

  Thaipusam

  20 Jan – 15 Feb · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  A silver chariot is pulled from Little India up to the Waterfall Temple over three days, with kavadi bearers, coconut smashing and a crowd well into six figures. Roads through George Town close and shops shut along the route. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh

  25 Jan – 10 Mar · usuallyLunar New YearClosuresCrowded

  Two weeks of clan-house open houses and temple queues, ending at Chap Goh Meh when unmarried women throw oranges into the sea at the Esplanade. Many kopitiams and hawker stalls close for the first three days. Source ↗

Still on: Malaysian year-end break (20 Nov – 5 Jan (usually))

Peak crowds — Thaipusam, Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh

• Holiday

  Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya

  18 Feb – 23 MarRamadan & EidClosures

  Bazaars set up on the padang and along the Jelutong road every afternoon of the fast and clear out by dusk, which is the best street eating of the Penang year. Malay stalls then close for several days at Hari Raya. Source ↗

Still on: Thaipusam (20 Jan – 15 Feb (usually)), Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh (25 Jan – 10 Mar (usually))

Peak crowds — Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh, Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Meh (25 Jan – 10 Mar (usually)), Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya (18 Feb – 23 Mar)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Sumatra squalls

  1 Apr – 15 Nov · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  A line of thunderstorms forms over the strait overnight and comes ashore before dawn with a hard wind ahead of it, which is what takes down trees and cancels the early ferries. It is over by breakfast. Source ↗

Still on: Ramadan bazaars and Hari Raya (18 Feb – 23 Mar)

Busy — Mid-year break in Malaysia, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Wesak Day

  31 MayMajor festivalClosures

  A public holiday when Kek Lok Si and the Burmese and Thai temples on Burma Road run dawn ceremonies and an evening float procession. Vegetarian stalls appear outside every temple for the day. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually))

Busy — Mid-year break in Malaysia, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually)), Wesak Day (31 May)

Busy — Feast of St Anne, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Feast of St Anne

  15–28 Jul · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  A ten-day novena at the basilica in Bukit Mertajam ending on the feast day, and more than a hundred thousand pilgrims come for it from across Malaysia and the region. The crush is on the mainland side, not the island. Source ↗

• Festival

  George Town Festival

  1–9 AugMajor festivalBook early

  Nine days of theatre, installation and street work through the heritage zone, most of it free. It is the one time the shophouse quarter is programmed rather than just wandered, and hotels inside the zone fill. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually))

Busy — Term-2 break in Malaysia, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Haze season

  1 Aug – 15 Oct · usuallySmoke season

  In a dry year, smoke from land clearing across the Strait drifts over and the hill and the bridge disappear for days. It is not every year, and when it comes it is the air rather than the rain that spoils a week. Source ↗

• Festival

  Hungry Ghost Festival

  5 Aug – 25 Sep · usuallyMajor festival

  The seventh lunar month brings street-side altars, joss paper burnt on the kerb and loud getai stages in the housing estates most nights. The front row of seats is left empty on purpose. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually)), George Town Festival (1–9 Aug)

Busy — Term-2 break in Malaysia, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Nine Emperor Gods Festival

  25 Sep – 25 Oct · usuallyMajor festival

  Nine days when hundreds of stalls and coffee shops switch to vegetarian, temples run processions and the Kew Leong Tong shrine burns incense round the clock. The easiest festival here to stumble into by accident. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually)), Haze season (1 Aug – 15 Oct (usually)), Hungry Ghost Festival (5 Aug – 25 Sep (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Festival

  Deepavali

  10 Oct – 20 Nov · usuallyDiwaliClosures

  Little India is strung with lights and open houses for a fortnight, and the day itself is a public holiday when much of the island closes. Kolam patterns go down outside the shophouses on Lebuh Queen. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually)), Haze season (1 Aug – 15 Oct (usually)), Nine Emperor Gods Festival (25 Sep – 25 Oct (usually))

Busy — Malaysian year-end break

• Festival

  Penang Bridge International Marathon

  13 DecMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  Tens of thousands run the first Penang Bridge overnight, starting before three in the morning. The bridge and the Batu Kawan approaches close from the Saturday evening. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Malaysian year-end break

  20 Nov – 5 Jan · usuallySchool holidaysCrowded

  The long school holiday brings peninsular families and Singapore weekenders to Batu Ferringhi and the hill, and the ferry and bridge traffic goes with them. George Town's guesthouses fill last but they do fill. Source ↗

Still on: Sumatra squalls (1 Apr – 15 Nov (usually)), Deepavali (10 Oct – 20 Nov (usually))

Peak crowds — Penang Bridge International Marathon, Malaysian year-end break

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Penang Bridge International Marathon (13 Dec), Malaysian year-end break (20 Nov – 5 Jan (usually))