MY · Penang · 5.42°N 100.34°E

fort cornwallis

Penang's star-shaped British fort, with its moat refilled and new galleries in the old storerooms.

Best time
Any time of year; December to March is usually driest. The ramparts and moat paths have little shade, so go in the morning or late afternoon, and there's little cover between the galleries, so bring an umbrella in the rainy months.
How long
1–2 hours
Getting there
Penang is about 4 hours' drive from KL over the Penang Bridge, or about an hour's flight. The fort faces the Esplanade (Padang Kota Lama) at the northern tip of George Town, a short walk from the clock tower and Weld Quay.
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MY · Penangfort cornwallis5.42°N 100.34°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Penang's star-shaped British fort, with its moat refilled and new galleries in the old storerooms.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingFort CornwallisMY, Penang
KLfort cornwallis
≈ 294 km from KL, as the crow flies
Fort Cornwallis, Penang in 2023.

Photo: Pangalau · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Francis Light put up a palm-log stockade here when he landed in 1786, and the brick, star-shaped fort replaced it by 1810. After a decade of conservation it reopened in July 2026, with its moat holding water for the first time since 1921 and ten old storerooms turned into galleries on the fort's story.

Makan

  1. Mee sotongFried noodles in a sticky squid sambal at the food court on the Esplanade beside the fort, a George Town favourite for decades.Map ↗
  2. KapitanThe nasi kandar and tandoori restaurant on Lebuh Chulia, about 10 minutes' walk, does tandoori chicken with cheese naan.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The moatFilled in during a malaria outbreak in 1921, the west and south sides hold water again.Map ↗
  2. The storeroom galleriesTen vaulted brick rooms along the south wall tell the fort's story with audio and displays, including bicycles used by the invading Japanese army in the Second World War.Map ↗
  3. Seri RambaiThe biggest of the cannons, cast in 1603. It passed through Johor, Aceh and Selangor before the British brought it to Penang.Map ↗
  4. The chapel and magazineThe 1799 chapel saw the fort's first recorded wedding, of Light's widow. The powder magazine is the oldest roofed colonial building left on the island.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Bring water and a hat; the ramparts and the moat paths are exposed.
  • The Penang State Museum on Farquhar Street is about 10 minutes' walk away, but it's closed on Fridays.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.