Penang Botanic Gardens
Visited Sep 2018

Penang Botanic Gardens are the Pride of Penang. This beautifully manicured 50 hectare park, also known as Waterfall Gardens, Penang Botanical Garden or Kebun Bunga has been a feature of George Town life since it was established way back in 1884.

History

The British colonial administrators in Malaya had their faults but one thing they were good at was creating lovely parks such as KL Lake Gardens, Taiping Lake Gardens, Singapore Botanical Gardens and this one in Penang. One advantage that Penang Botanical Garden has over the others is its wonderful setting with Penang Hill as a backdrop and a cascading stream running through it to provide some welcome cooling breezes.

Angsana or Burmese Rose Wood (Pterocarpus Indicus)

The park's first curator, Mr Charles Curtis, worked tirelessly to transform an abandoned granite quarry into a magnificent park stocked with thousands of native and exotic trees, shrubs and herbs.*  Some of those earliest trees still survive and are now fully mature.

Aquatic Garden

Since Independence the park's management has maintained and enhanced the gardens and added new features to make it the popular attraction it is today for locals and tourists alike.

Bromeliad House

*Botanists and gardening fans may like to read this detailed guide to the garden written in 1934 and reproduced on the botanical gardens' official website.

Kayu Arang or black and white ebony (Diospyros Embryopteris Ebenacaeae)

Main Attractions

  • Aquatic Garden
  • Formal Garden
  • Orchidarium
  • Begonia and Bromeliad House
  • Fruit Arboretum
  • Cactus Garden
  • Secret Garden
  • Herb Garden
  • Aroid Trail
  • Lily Pond
  • Sunken Garden
  • Japanese Garden
Cascading Stream

You can enjoy a relaxed stroll on the park's paved footpaths, or, for more exercise, take the up and down hilly trails, where you might see not just plants  but occasionally wild animals such as monkeys (mostly macaques but some dusky langurs), monitor lizards, squirrels, wild boar, snakes and of course birds.

Formal Garden

Facilities

  • Shop
  • Surau
  • Toilets
  • Bandstand
  • Gazebos
  • Buggy/Tram Rides are available for those who are unable or unwilling to walk. A fee applies except for registered disabled persons.
Ipoh Tree (Antiaris Toxicaria). The Perak city of Ipoh is named after this tree which has a toxic sap from which poison darts and arrows are made.

Opening Hours 

Open daily from 5 am to 8 pm. 

The early start and late finish are to allow Penang's many health-conscious residents to enjoy a brisk walk or jog before and after work.


The plant houses (Fern House, Cactus & Succulent House, Orchidarium and Bromeliad House) are open as follows:

  • Tuesday & Thursday
  • 9.30 am - 12.30 pm
  • 2 pm - 4.30 pm
  • Saturday & Sunday 
  • 9.30 am - 12.30 pm
  • 2 pm - 6 pm.
Mahogany Tree with bandstand behind.

Ticket Price

Admission is free!

Penang Botanic Garden entrance

How To Get to Penang Botanic Gardens

The exact location is marked on this map:

Address:

Penang Botanical Gardens, 673A, Jalan Kebun Bunga, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

GPS:

5.437732, 100.290698

Show the Way

By Bus: 

Rapid Penang Bus No. 10 from Weld Quay to the Botanical Garden


For Inquiries, please contact:

Phone: 04-2264401

Email: botani@penang.gov.my

Nearby

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