Balik Pulau tour: Paddy fields, street art, sunset

Sip fresh nutmeg juice and savor banana cakes at a cozy local café in Balik Pulau

A guided tour of Balik Pulau, the rural southwestern corner of Penang Island, takes you through fruit farms and past container art murals, stops at a working nutmeg factory, and ends at Malindo Beach for the evening light. The tour runs four hours with an English-speaking guide and hotel pickup included. Children from age two are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Balik Pulau's culture and nature

• Visit Church of the Holy Name of Jesus
• See Balik Pulau Container Art murals
• Tour Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory
• Explore Sungai Pinang village
• View art on containers in paddy fields
• Take photos at Stairway to Heaven

The experience

The tour starts in Balik Pulau, a farming town halfway between the airport and the fishing villages on Penang Island's southwestern coast. Your guide drives you past the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, a 160-year-old stone building set in a garden, then into the paddy fields where container art (disused shipping containers painted with murals by Leonard Show, Aries Kong and Marat Danilyan) sits among the crops. The art celebrates the farming community itself, and you'll have time to take photos at the Stairway to Heaven, a scenic spot where the river meets the sea.

The tour stops at the Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory, run by Mr. Chang Kun Mim since 1953, where you can see how pickled nutmeg, pickled papaya and banana chips are made. Afterward, you'll visit the LoveUU cafe to drink fresh nutmeg juice and eat banana cakes, then taste Penang Assam Laksa, the local noodle soup, in the heart of town. The route also passes through Sungai Pinang, a Chinese village with pre-war shophouses lining the streets, and takes in the street art of Julia Volchkova and other artists around the area.

The tour ends at Malindo Beach for the sunset. An air-conditioned vehicle and parking fees are included. Your guide speaks English and pickup from your hotel is arranged.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with driver.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• English-speaking guide.
• parking fees.
• stops at the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, container art in the paddy fields, the Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory, the LoveUU cafe for nutmeg juice and banana cakes, Sungai Pinang village, and Malindo Beach for sunset.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 11:00 and 16:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Child (2 to 17 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 19 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Magical Moments

Is this one for you?Four hours leaves the rest of your day free if you start in the morning, or fits neatly into an afternoon and evening if you prefer to explore George Town or other parts of Penang Island first. The fixed schedule means you'll catch the sunset at Malindo Beach, so book an earlier departure if you want daylight left afterward.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 17 years).

What is the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Balik Pulau?

The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus is a 160-year-old stone building in Balik Pulau, first built in 1854 when a growing Catholic community needed a proper place to celebrate mass. Today it sits in a garden-like setting with a parish house, grotto, funeral parlour and formation centre, and still serves parishioners across Penang Island.

Where is the container art in Balik Pulau?

The container art is at Kampung Terang, off Jalan Pulau Betong, in the middle of the paddy fields. The installation was created for the Penang International Container Art Festival 2020 and features murals painted on disused shipping containers by artists Leonard Show, Aries Kong and Marat Danilyan.

What happens at the Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory?

The Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory, run by Mr. Chang Kun Mim, processes pickled nutmeg, pickled papaya and banana chips. Mr. Chang has worked in the business since 1953, and the factory is located in the Teluk Bahang area of Balik Pulau.

How long is the tour and what time does it end?

The tour runs four hours. It ends at Malindo Beach in time for the sunset, so the exact finish time depends on when the sun sets on the day you book.

Is pickup from my hotel included?

Yes, hotel pickup is included in the tour price. An air-conditioned vehicle will collect you and return you after the sunset at Malindo Beach.