IsisMnroe

BKK to Penang - Mini Trip
We are thinking about a mini trip to Penang.
Is it better to fly round trip from BKK or go to Hua Hin, then take a train to Penang.
If we decide to fly, which airline would you recommend? We have not been to Hua Hin yet. How many days should we allow for Penang? Any other nearby places to visit, besides Georgetown? Thank you!

Kathie

Isis, we're going to Penang this year (November). We're flying from Bangkok, and found that there is only one flight per day on Thai, which leaves in the evening and the return flight is early in the morning. We ended up adding a day to our stay in Penang because of this. (We had Eddie at SeaTours book our tickets.) You might search for my post asking for recommendations for Penang. TravelTwaddle gave lots of ideas for places to visit near Penang. We pan to spend most of our time in Georgetown. When are you going?

IsisMnroe

Thanks, Kathie. I found your thread on Penang. Most helpful!

Just in the planning stage of early next year's trip itinerary and trying to determine whether or not to add Penang to the trip.

The thread answered my questions. Thanks again.

TexasSlim

I'd take the train, if time permits, it's an enjoyable old-world-travel experience with some remarkable scenery down the southern peninsula. You can sit in the dining car with some Thai grub and a cold beer and watch the jungle unfolding from the train window. Another alternative is train to HatYai, minibus to Satun (100K) then boat to Penang via Langkawi. I did this a few years back and enjoyed it.

JamesA

You can fly, 1 hrs 40 mins with Thai or Air asia or take the train. Train leave bangkok ( The 'International express' ) at something after 2 pm, it leaves Hua hin about 6.40 pm getting you into Butterworth( Mainland station for Penang ) something like 11 am.
If you take 1st class sleepers you can get 2 joined together, last car on the train, but note that once you cross into Malaysia you change to malaysia railways with doesn't have 1st class.

www.seat61.com is a great source for rail travel. has times, details of classes etc.

You can of course train one way and fly the other, cheap getting one way on Air Asia.

Thai has an evening flight down from bangkok and a morning flight back. I don't know off hand the Air Asia schedule

www.airasia.com

Penang has Georgetown plus other areas, some beach areas, Batu ferringhi is the best beach area, quite a lot of reasonable beach hotels.