Penang is South-east Asia’s only pick on Nat Geo’s 2027 must-visit list

People ride in trishaws in Unesco heritage city, George Town (left) and a hawker fries up ‘char koay teow’ on the streets of Penang (right). — Pexels pics

First Published: Thursday, 22 Oct 2026 10:34 AM MYT

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 22 — Penang has earned international recognition after being named among the destinations featured in National Geographic’s “The Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027”, making it the only state in Malaysia and South-east Asia to be included in the list.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the list, officially unveiled yesterday, features 25 destinations and travel experiences worldwide recommended for travellers to explore next year.

“Penang is proud to be among the destinations featured in this prestigious annual list, which offers travellers inspiration and compelling reasons to explore the world in the coming year.

“Penang’s inclusion followed a robust nominating, researching and reporting process, with the destination selected by National Geographic’s team of travel experts and Nat Geo Traveler’s international editorial teams,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Wong said National Geographic highlighted Penang’s distinctive character, shaped by the relationship between Penang Island and mainland Seberang Perai, including George Town’s Unesco-protected historic streets, rainforest-fringed beaches, traditional villages and winding, mangrove-lined rivers.

Penang was previously featured in National Geographic’s 2025 coverage of the best islands in South-east Asia for food, in recognition of its celebrated culinary heritage.

Other destinations featured in the 2027 list include Vestland in Norway, Luxor in Egypt, Niigata in Japan, Chengdu in China, Jaipur in India and Melbourne in Australia.

The list also includes Catalina Island, California which was selected as the Readers’ Choice destination. — Bernama