China Street (Lebuh China), George Town, Penang

China Street, at junction with Penang Street. (7 January 2022)


China Street (Malay: Lebuh China; Penang Hokkien: Tua33 Kay1 ) is one of the commercial streets in George Town, Penang. It is located within the core zone of the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site. It connects two major roads, Beach Street and Pitt Street, and is intersected by Penang Street, King Street and Queen Street.

Land reclamation toward the end of the 19th century extended China Street, creating China Street Ghaut.

China Street is said to have been established by Koh Lay Huan, the Chinese community leader and pioneer settler who had arrived with Francis Light when the latter landed in Penang in 1786.

Map of Lebuh China, Penang

Hotels on China Street

Street Art along or near China Street

Sights & Buildings of Significance along China Street

Eateries on China Street

Businesses along China Street

Old China Street roadsign (12 November 2008)

In Other Words ...

Being the main street to the early Chinese community of George Town, it was known in Hokkien as Tua33 Kay1.

Property Numbering

Starting from Beach Street, properties with odd-number addresses are on the left side of China Street while those with even-number addresses are on the right.

China Street was laid out not long after Light Street and Beach Street, and is therefore one of the oldest streets in Penang. The Koh family featured prominently through the 18th and 19th century history of Penang. Koh Seang Tat, the grandson of Koh Lay Huan, was the one who presented the Municipal Fountain to the government in the late 19th century, on the occasion of the construction of Town Hall.

Until the third quarter of the 19th century, China Street faces the sea. It was the main commercial street for the Chinese. The Hokkien called it Tua Kay, meaning "main street". The Hokkiens and the Cantonese jointly established their earliest place of worship at what was then a mount at the head of China Street. This is the beginning of the Kuan Im Teng temple, the oldest Chinese temple in Penang.

Getting there

From the Weld Quay Ferry & Bus Terminal, cross Pengkalan Weld and then turn right. Walk a short distance until you reach China Street Ghaut. Turn left, walk along China Street Ghaut until Beach Street, and you will see China Street across the road.

China Street, at junction with Beach Street. (7 January 2022)


China Street viewed in the direction of Beach Street. (12 November 2008)


New roadsign for China Street with caption in Tamil (15 September 2012)


China Street plaque (12 November 2008)

List of Streets in Penang and Streets in Malaysia

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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.