GEORGE TOWN: Penang has been named among National Geographic’s "Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027”, making it the only state in Malaysia and one of the five in Asia to be featured on the list.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the list, officially unveiled on Tuesday (Oct 20), 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 Traveller’s international editorial teams,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 21).
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 Southeast 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
