On this page, I list out the major bookstores in Penang. As a traveler, one of the places I usually check out, whenever I visit a place, is its bookstore. What you can find in the local bookstore tells you a lot about the people living there. If their bookstore has no books about the destination, it means that nobody cares to write about it.
While this is true of many insignificant cities, I have also visited important tourist destinations where there's hardly any books by local writers. It is as though the locals are not interested in their own city, that I have to rely on outside writers (and in the other way, many people who are looking for information on cities end up reading what I write).
If you are running a business in Malaysia or Singapore, you may add your business to this directory for a one-time fee, making it easier for people to find you, when they are seeking products and services provided by your business.
Oyumi Stationery Shop Jalan Aston
14000 Bukit Mertajam
SBC Pen Book is a bookshop along Lintang Angsana in Farlim.
45C Lintang Angsana, Farlim
Bandar Baru Air Itam
11500 Ayer Itam, Penang
PhoneL 04 828 2626
SBC Pen Book, Farlim (15 September 2012)
Leading Books Store is a suburban bookstore serving the Farlim neighbourhood.
Leading Books Store, Farlim, Air Itam (15 September 2012)
Vetrivel Book Depot is one of the few Indian bookshops in Penang.
8 China Street
10200 George Town, Penang
Phone: +60-4-262 8113
Vetrivel Book Depot, China Street, Penang (15 September 2012)
Carnarvon Street
This is traditionally the street to go to buy school books. Some of the bookshops here are still operating. They cater to a niche clientele. It is the place to go for Chinese school books and art supplies. Among the bookshops here include Nanyang Book Company and Cosmorama Educational Supply, among others.
Chowrasta Market Second-hand Bookshops
This is the place to go if you are looking for old books. I used to go there to look for old issues of National Geographic Magazine which I collect.
MPH Gurney Plaza This is store with a wide selection of English language books.
Borders Queensbay Mall This is one of the best bookshops in Penang for English language books.
Popular Bookstore - Gurney Plaza Gurney Plaza This is the flagship Popular Bookstore branch in Penang. It has a wide selection of books in English and Chinese, as well as a children's section, school revision books and stationery.
Popular Bookstore - Komtar This branch of Popular Bookstore was the first in Penang. It relocated to Prangin Mall when the latter opened, but moved back to its original location in Komtar in 2010.
Popular Bookstore - Queensbay Mall
The Popular Bookstore at Queensbay Mall is small. It has a good selection of Chinese titles, children's books and stationery, but the English section is quite limited. Popular Bookstore - Lotus's Penang
The Popular Bookstore at Lotus's Penang is geared towards serving the local needs, hence an emphasis on Chinese language titles and school revision books as well as stationery. Popular Bookstore - Bukit Jambul Complex
Popular used to operate at two separate lots at Bukit Jambul Complex but has since consolidate to one outlet.
If you are seeking private guided tours of Penang, message Penang Tour Guides at penangtourguides@gmail.com and enquire with them.
Buy, rent or sell properties in Penang
Do you have a property for sale or to rent out? Are you looking to buy or rent a property? Get in touch with me. WhatsApp me (Timothy Tye) at 012 429 9844, and I will assign one of my property agents to serve you. I will choose the agent for you, according to your property needs. So when you message me, provide me some details of what you need, whether to sell, to buy, to rent or to rent out, and what type of property, is it condo, apartment, house, shop, office or land.
Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.
About this website
Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.
While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.