Penang Countryside Cycling Tour. PPA2 by Matahari
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
Your escapade through the bucolic side of Penang Island provides breathtaking scenery with the opportunity to connect with ordinary folks, taste the simple lifestyle or even try out your hands on local tasks and trades.
Your cycling adventure in the first sector sets you off with a gradual approach and provides you with a rare opportunity to witness our diverse culture and ethnic race. Navigating on trails and back paths that run along waterways towards contrasting hamlets, villages, and farmlands lands you an opportunity to witness the local community while being entertained by our guide and the ever-gracious countryside folks.
We issue excellent bicycles that work precisely as they should.
Each bicycle is issued to you to suit your height.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Balik Pulau
Transfers from Georgetown to Balik Pulau by car /MPV or Van.
Balik Pulau
Wheels roll out on the first sector along paths making your way passing various hamlets to reach the goat farm. Observe the diversity of the multicultural community living in each hamlet as you embrace this authentic side of the island. The journey takes you along the village asphalt path and dirt tracks that snake along a waterway. Nutmeg processing by women folks and the products made from mangrove palm leaf “Nipah” are some of the folk’s industries available in this sector.
What‘s Included
Air-conditioned vehicle
Helmets
Use of bicycle
Local Delicacies & Snacks
Coffee and/or Tea
Options
Penang Countryside Cycling Tour. PPA2 by Matahari
Pickup included
Reviews
110 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great cycle tour with authentic experiences
Sharon J,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My daughter (17) and I joined the half day cycle tour around Balik Pulau where we visited a palm oil plantation and some local hamlets. The bikes were great quality and Princilia our guide was very knowledgeable and made it wa very enjoyable and interesting experience.
Wonderful countryside adventure
happyfamily12,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We spent a morning cycling during our two day stay in Gergetown. It was a huge highlight. We were collected early from our hotel and drove to ‘another world’ of lush green countryside and tiny hamlets. The bikes were in great condition and easy to ride. The cycle tracks were quiet and definitely off the beaten track. We saw huge amounts of wildlife and varied vegetation. Princilla’s guiding was informative and helped us understand how the local community live and work the land and sea. We stopped for delicious coffee and snacks in a small hamlet and were given a fascinating tour and first hand explanation from SJ of growing up in rural Malaysia. Our group was small (6people) and we enjoyed chatting about our travels over the morning. All in all highly recommended! A great experience
Fun and Fabulous adventure ride
tanyaoR5460ZS,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a very fun and fabulously memorable adventure! 13/10 and 5 GOLD stars! Princilia and SJ were amazing guides and hosts. We rode through stunning rural countryside and learnt a lot about Penang especially its nature and culture. Princilia is a very warm and lovely person and extremely passionate about sharing her knowledge, delivered in a very interesting way! The tour was very well organised, with well communicated details. The bikes were very well maintained and safety explained well and the price great value! We will DEFINITELY be back!
Fabulous cycling adventure in the countryside around Penang
Doug C,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a fabulous way to get out and about in the surround of Penang, to see something of the countryside, nature and real village life. Although you always wonder whether a bike tour is going to suit you. Will it be too far / not far enough, will it be dull, what will others on the trip be like etc. We really needn’t have worried, our guide Princilia, together with SJ and the rest of the crew, were quick to get us all comfortable on the bikes and allowed us the opportunity to do more or less, while still keeping things interesting and the group together. Just BTW I have no idea how Priscilla managed to do all that while taking some fabulous photos of us while we all rode along. Amazing. We had a great time and learnt lots while getting a little exercise. We couldn’t recommend the trip more highly.
Do it
mattsU9631PC,Mar 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great way to spend a morning outdoors in Penang. We were picked up from our hotel and dropped back off by 1PM. The tour was informative, our guide (Princilia) was experienced and personable, and the weather was perfect. Highlights for me were the palm plantation, and learning a bit about Hokkien Chinese culture in the village. If I’m back in Georgetown I would definitely sign up for a longer tour!
Excellent cycle tour in Penang
Patrick O,Mar 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent cycle adventure! Princilia and SJ from Matahari are great guides and were very knowledgeable about plants and animals of the area around Balik Pulau. She sent many photos of the trip. The cycle trip took place over quiet country roads, paths and mainly flat, so felt very safe. Very authentic cultural experience at a local village for coffee.
A very enjoyable cycling tour around Balik Pulau
Disappointed501,Feb 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you wish to do a short cycling trip in the Penang countryside, I would highly recommend this tour. Princilla and CJ from Matahari are fantastic guides, very professional and knowledgeable about the area, flora and fauna of Penang. The cycling is not too strenuous, with plenty of stops along the way. Thank you, Matahari, for a thoroughly enjoyable cycling tour.
Best Cycling in Penang
lyndao243,Feb 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The ride was one of my favourite activities in Malaysia. It was so good to visit the local communities of Balik Pulau. Matahari Cycle Tours are very professional and safe. They went out of their way to give us a unique and authentic experience.
a lovely way to spend 3 hours on 2 wheels!
Climber24744349622,Feb 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Princilla and SJ. The tour of their local part of rural Penang was interesting, informative, relaxing and organised with great care. We concur with the other reviews on this website and recommend it wholeheartedly. Many thanks, Debbie & Peter.
Take a Break from the Georgetown Scene for a 5-Star Cycling and Cultural Experience Through the Villages of Penang
John M,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Everything about this adventure is 5-star! Outstanding pre-trip communication; prompt, friendly transportation to / from hotel; quality of the bicycles; small group size; excellent experience riding through varied landscapes and terrain; and, a nice tour-ending lunch in the "wild" of the rice paddies. Finally, there has been a great WhatsApp group available for the week after the tour to share photos and memories of the experience. Tour guide an business owner Princilia really made the tour special, as did her right hand man, J. Her knowledge of the local people and communities through which we rode was incredible - it seems that she knew everyone personally, so many friendly waves and greetings from dozens of villagers and folks riding by on motorbikes. She even knew the crew "boss" whose team we encountered working in the palm plantation. This is a testament to her business model of giving back to, and supporting, the people and communities which are so central to the experience. The ride was quite manageable, initially from village to village along shady bike paths, then through a working palm plantation on dirt and gravel pathways, finishing on small roads through the mangrove swamps. Total distance covered was about 23 KM, with very little change in elevation. We encountered more birds than you can imagine, monkeys, a large monitor lizard, and, of course, many wonderful local villagers who welcomed us into their villages, shops, and workplaces. We will definitely put another tour with Princilia and her team on our schedule next time we visit Panang, and will recommend that all of our friends who visit do so as well.
From MYR 290.00
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Operated by Matahari cycle tours and travel sdn bhd