> Quick view: Trip.com's Hello Penang campaign runs until 27 October 2026. If you are booking a Penang hotel for two nights or more, claim the 50% off code (capped at RM120) in the Trip.com app before you pay. If you want cheap attraction tickets, be on the app at 12pm on Thursday 22 October, when Tropical Spice Garden, the Cool Ghost Museum and the Penang History Gallery go on sale at buy 1 free 1 for Malaysian adults.

*Image: Trip.com*

We read Trip.com Malaysia's Hello Penang campaign page on the evening of 17 October 2026. The campaign carries the logos of Tourism Malaysia's Cuti-Cuti Malaysia and Visit Malaysia 2026 and of MyBHA, the Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association. It was launched in Penang on 5 October, with the aim of filling the state's 1- to 3-star hotels.

The four hotel codes

The page lists four hotel codes. All of them are app only, for Penang hotels, and marked "limited uses only":

  • 50% off, capped at RM120, minimum 2 nights
  • RM50 off with a minimum spend of RM200, minimum 2 nights
  • 50% off, capped at RM100, minimum 2 nights
  • RM30 off with a minimum spend of RM200, no minimum night count shown

There is also a "3-night discount" of up to 5% off for longer stays. Trip.com says codes drop every Wednesday at 12pm, and that there may be top-ups. Within the campaign window, that leaves Wednesday 21 October as the last scheduled drop.

Which code to use, with real numbers

A percentage code with a cap only beats a flat code when the bill sits in the right range. Using rates the campaign page showed on 17 October:

  • Travelodge Georgetown, Superior Twin, RM141 a night. Two nights is RM282. The 50% code takes off RM141, but the cap stops it at RM120, so you pay RM162. The RM50 code would leave RM232. Use the 50% code.
  • Chariton Hotel Alma, Standard Single, RM100 a night. Two nights is RM200, so the 50% code takes off exactly RM100 and you pay RM100. That is the same as one night at the listed rate.
  • Sunway Hotel Georgetown, Superior Twin, RM190 a night. Two nights is RM380. The 50% code is capped at RM120, so you pay RM260, or RM130 a night.
  • Gurney Bay Hotel (a PARKROYAL partner hotel), RM248 a night. Two nights is RM496, and after the RM120 cap you pay RM376.

The rule of thumb: on a two-night bill above RM240, the 50% code is always worth its full RM120. The RM50 and RM30 codes only matter if the 50% codes are gone by the time you check out.

Step by step

  1. Install the Trip.com app and sign in. The terms say the campaign is only open to users with a valid Trip.com account, and the hotel codes are labelled app-only.
  2. Open the Hello Penang page and tap Claim on the code you want. Do this first, before you search.
  3. Book a prepaid, room-only rate for at least two nights at a Penang hotel. The terms describe the hotel offers as "prepay room-only discounts".
  4. Pick the code at checkout and check the total before you pay. A claimed code only counts once the booking goes through.
  5. Check the cancellation policy on the room you pick. Trip.com says it varies by product.

The buy 1 free 1 attraction flash sales

The 15 October round has already gone. Here is what was on it, so you know what to expect:

  • The Habitat Penang Hill: buy 1 free 1 at RM54 for 2 tickets (reference RM120). Sold out. It is now selling at 10% off, RM48.60 against RM60.
  • The TOP Penang: buy 1 free 1 at RM79 for 2 tickets (reference RM176). Sold out. It is now RM58.19 against RM88.
  • ESCAPE Penang: a flash price of RM93 (reference RM202.40) sold out. It is now RM176.70. RM202.40 is ESCAPE's RM184 counter rate plus Penang's 10% entertainment tax, which ESCAPE says is charged on its tickets.

The 22 October round opens at 12pm and lists three George Town and Teluk Bahang stops, all buy 1 free 1 for Malaysian adults:

  • Tropical Spice Garden: RM30 for 2 tickets (reference RM60)
  • Cool Ghost Museum Penang: RM24 for 2 tickets (reference RM48)
  • Penang History Gallery, Basic Package: RM27 for 2 tickets (reference RM54)

Trip.com limits each transaction to one set of 2 tickets. Also listed is Xventure Penang, opening on 29 October, with its X-Plorer admission at RM30 instead of RM60.

Who it is good for, and who should skip it

Good for: anyone booking two or more nights in Penang over the coming months who does not mind paying up front, and couples who want two cheap attraction tickets on the same day.

Skip it if you need free cancellation or breakfast. The headline deals are prepaid room-only rates. For tickets, compare with the attraction's own site first. The Habitat's own 7-days-ahead rate is RM54 for an adult, so Trip.com's current RM48.60 is RM5.40 cheaper, but that gap will not hold for every attraction.

Fine print that trips people up

  • Codes run out. Every code is marked limited uses only and first come, first served. If one is gone, wait for the next Wednesday drop or a top-up.
  • Prices move. Trip.com says displayed prices are dynamic, and its crossed-out price is its own reference price, which may not match the hotel's own website.
  • Two nights minimum. Three of the four codes need at least two nights, so a one-night bill will not qualify.
  • Malaysian adult only. The 22 October tickets are the Malaysian adult tickets. Children, seniors and foreigners pay normal rates.
  • The car rental and airport transfer code tabs were empty when we checked on 17 October.

Full terms are on Trip.com's Hello Penang page.

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