Fort Cornwallis

Visited the fort because I love history and saw that it was listed as UNESCO heritage site. Slightly disappointed as half of the fort is under maintenance/renovation. So you will not be able to visit the Store rooms, Statue, Gunpowder room. I think some of the existing structures and facilities do need improving or maintenance though. E.g. Toilets dirty, some of the information panels were almost too worn out to read (see pic). Surprisingly there’s also a restaurant inside that’s on Michelin guide. Overall for Rm10 per entry for locals can’t really complain.

The heritage people and authorities did a really fine job with the restoration of the moat along the southern and western edges. The lighting successfully evokes a majestic yet mysterious vibe. It was definitely the right decision to relocate the Padang Kota food court to ‘free’ up this part of the fort to make it more visible. The new landscaping, mature trees that were retained in the park-like setting is sensitively done and quite beautiful. Here’s a couple of suggestions to fine tune it further perhaps: 1. Install more low level lighting along the walkways - currently still dark at night and does not feel so safe 2. Not enough signage - couldn’t find any documentation to explain the restoration and findings when they excavated 3. A traditional gazebo or bandstand appropriately located in the garden would be a nice touch especially when it gets too hot or rainy. Otherwise, it is definitely a right step forward in the historical preservation.

We visited Fort Cornwallis in the afternoon. The staff was friendly and informed us that some areas were under renovation, so only limited parts of the site were accessible. We paid RM60 per person—fortunately, kids can enter for free. The place has historical charm, but with restricted access, the experience felt a bit short. The ticket price would feel more worth it if the entire site were open to explore.

This site is not well preserved. There’s no real historical atmosphere when walking inside. Much of the fort is under ongoing renovation, and many parts have been built over with new concrete, stairs, and structures, which takes away from the original significance and meaning. It's not worth the rm10 entrance fee, at least whilst it's still undergoing renovation. I feel like it shouldn't even be open to the public, given the extremely disappointing experience

Half the place is under renovation, which is good to see but meant I could only explore half the battlements. Staff are friendly, and sitting in the shade of a tree sipping a beer on a clear day looking at history, makes a pleasant change of pace.

Currently under major renovation. Most of the fort is closed to visitors. Besides a few cannons there is very little to see. From a military perspective it's not much of a fort. The walls are quite low and a slightly motivated ground attack would quickly overwhelm the defenders. Tickets are 20RM which is too high for such limited viewing. For some unknown reason this place is listed as a world heritage site. My guess is they had an empty slot to fill or owed somebody a favor. Don't go out of your way for this place. Across the street is a scenic sidewalk along the ocean for free.

I only went there to see the statue but the person behind the ticket booth didn't tell us that the statue is on the left side of the park which is under construction. The right side was accessible but other than 4 cannons and gun powder vault there was nothing else to see. Tickets cost $10 USD (40 ringgit) per person which was pretty expensive. Not worth visiting given the high ticket price.

A fort of fraud. Pay so much and see so little! Half of the place is under renovation, and highly doubtful that it will be worth the 20RM per person even after it opens. You cannot even enter the lighthouse and ammunition room to see, and most of the cannons can be seen outside without needing to go in at all. There is a tour guide but he's basically useless 'cause nothing to guide 😂 The toilet is also very bad! People can see into the ladies toilet from outside, uncomfortable! Ladies please be careful. Best to take a walk Esplanade instead from 5-6pm to enjoy sunset, sea breeze and watch the fishermen in action for free.

I've done my shares of military installations, this is very simple. Located just across the street from the cruise terminal, it was a last minute tour before getting back on the ship. A bastion fort built in the late 18th century by the British East India Company. It was built to protect Penang from pirates and nearby Kedah. Currently it appears the fort is used as an event venue. While I was there they were setting up for an evening concert. Also as of December 2023, they are putting back the most. So tourists will see the main magazine, a few old cannons, the skeletal lighthouse (looks a lot like the main mast of a ship), and a row of old barracks. They accept credit card. And even offered a free bottle of water.

Decent historical site. Some good interpretative content. Interesting history. Grounds are relatively well maintained. Not much to see (can probably get through entire site in 20 minutes). Not a destination, but not a bad place to stop by if in area.

Not really worth stopping in here as there's nothing to see. The walls are nice and original, still in good condition, but don't waste your money. There are glorious places to visit so take a picture of the walls and cannons and keep on. Yes, British history ...

The British originally had this place slated for destruction, because, well, it was too expensive to maintain. Fortunately for us tourists and historians they didn't quite get around to it, due to things like wars and Japanese invasions. By the time they got around to arranging the bulldozers it had become such an historical icon that they decided they might as well keep it for posterity. Look, there actually isn't all that much here, and they are still in the process of restoring it, but it is interesting to wander around. Oh, and don't forget to look out for the resident cats.

Move along, not much to see. Basically this was a bust, paying an entry fee for what amounts to a city park. There is not much of historic interest here, just a legendary cannon, few ramparts, green lawns and a central plaza. The chapel has a short film loop on Penang. At least it was cooler in there. I did wonder why the British named the fort after a losing general of the American Revolutionary War. Turns out it was another Cornwalls in the same era.

Fort Cornwallis (Kota Cornwallis in Malay) is a star fort built in the 1700s by the British and is one of the oldest standing forts in Malaysia. It is one of the attractions located in the core zone of George Town that is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort is in a prime location in George Town with a great view of the Selatan Strait which is the body of water between Penang Island and mainland Penang. To view the fort, there is an admission fee of RM 3. Inside the fort, there aren't any buildings aside from the existing fort. Meaning you will be walking in the sun around the site except in the few covered areas in the fort which you will find historical descriptions and artifacts on display. These covered areas don't have much ventilation, so the outside heat is still a factor. I made the error of visiting at mid-day which was the worst time to visit the fort. I would recommend visiting early in the morning instead when it is not as warm out. Aside from the view of the water and the numerous cannons here, I found this attraction to be underwhelming. I would call it underdeveloped. Though I wouldn't want this site to become commercialized like attractions are in the US. I think it would destroy the historical value of the fort. Honestly if this site was in the US, it would have probably been bulldozed and converted into a waterfront highrise so I am glad that this site has been preserved. Still it would be nice if they could make this fort a bit more appealing to visitors. Maybe play up the British roots of the fort a bit more and build an outdoor tea parlor for visitors to take in the history of Fort Cornwallis. It would commercialize the fort a little bit, but I think it would also make it a more appealing place to visit. As it stands now, I would say to skip Fort Cornwallis as there are other sites in Penang worth visiting more than this one.

To be honest, we only went here because my 5 year old wanted to see a real cannon. While the area was well run, it was largely closed off due to renovations, so there was little to see for the entrance fee. And no credit card for tickets or gift shop!!