With a hidden location behind an unmarked door – ask at the nearby Good Friends Club – and a unique marketing angle (it claims to be an 'overpriced pin shop'), Backdoor Bodega might be the most elusive of George Town's speakeasies. There really are pins for sale, and a purchase comes with a free cocktail, many using locally inspired ingredients such as Thai tea.
Backdoor Bodega
George Town
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.77 MILES
The most photographed building in George Town, this magnificent 38-room, 220-window mansion was built in the 1880s and rescued from ruin in the 1990s…
9.04 MILES
At 23 sq km, this is Malaysia's smallest national park, but it's beach-fringed forests are home to silvered leaf monkeys, flying lemurs, leopard cats and…
7.3 MILES
Facing a beautiful white-sand beach on the 101 bus route, this beautifully landscaped oasis preserves 500 species of tropical flora, spread across 200…
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0.97 MILES
Lovingly restored, this ostentatious, mint-green structure was one of the most stunning private residences in George Town. Every door, wall and archway is…
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3.88 MILES
Malaysia's largest Buddhist temple is a colourful explosion of statues, pagodas and pavilions, cascading down a hillside in Air Itam, around 8km from the…
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0.64 MILES
The most spectacular clanhouse in George Town, Khoo Kongsi is an explosion of colour. Intricate ceramic mosaics of immortals, carp and dragons dance…
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0.84 MILES
Dedicated to Kuan Yin, goddess of mercy, this temple is the liveliest place of worship in George Town. The current temple was built in the early 19th…
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4.22 MILES
Bordering one of Penang's two virgin rainforest reserves, the spine of this fantastic addition to the Penang Hill experience is a finely crafted 1.6km…
Nearby George Town attractions
0.02 MILES
The industrial remains of this former bus station have become a vibrant hub for George Town's burgeoning contemporary art scene. There are cafes and pop…
0.17 MILES
More than 120 science and technology exhibits form the basis of this highly interactive, educational museum aimed squarely at school kids. It's all pretty…
0.17 MILES
This commercial-feeling museum offers a rather breezy overview of the state's history.
0.17 MILES
There are all kinds of attractions – most targeted at families – in this major revamp of part of George Town's iconic KOMTAR tower. The biggest draw is…
0.18 MILES
Located at the tippy top of George Town's iconic but homely KOMTAR tower, Rainbow Skywalk offers a variety of elevated activities, from a rooftop…
0.19 MILES
If you don't know your Lat from your Tezuka Osamu, then this is the place to become more closely acquainted with the dynamic work of comic-book artists…
0.26 MILES
Some of the Penang Museum's temporary exhibitions can be seen here at their main offices in the buildings of a former hospital.
0.26 MILES
Penang's state-run museum includes exhibits on the history, customs and traditions of the island’s various ethnic groups, with photos, videos, documents,…