MalaysiaPenang Free All Year Outdoor
Garden

Avatar Secret Garden

A serene, rocky beach by day that turns into a scene from James Cameron's 2009 movie "Avatar" by night. Visit around sunset to walk amongst stone statures on the beach and get close to the water on a rocky groin. As the last rays of daylight turn to darkness, notice hints of pink, blue, and green as LED lights flicker to life opposite the sea.

A section of Penang's natural rainforest has been decked out in colorful LED and optic fiber lights, creating a mystical setting centered around a large banyan tree bearing an uncanny resemblance to the movie's sacred spirit tree, Eywa. Spend a night in Pandora as you follow the designated path, stopping for plenty of photo opportunities along the way.

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Price

Free

Time Spent

30-90minutes

Fitness level: Light effort

Hours

8am-12am7 days

Look Around

Stone statue at carpark entranceStone statue at carpark entrance
Hedged archway on the beachHedged archway on the beach
Horse-shaped hedge on the beachHorse-shaped hedge on the beach
Rock groinRock groin
Beach area at sunset
Optic fiber lights resembling the Optic fiber lights resembling the "Avatar" tree
Entering the Avatar GardenEntering the Avatar Garden
Stone statue near the entranceStone statue near the entrance
Entrance to Avatar Secret Garden at night
Wooden walkway leading through the gardenWooden walkway leading through the garden
Coloured lights illuminating natural plantsColoured lights illuminating natural plants
LED tulipsLED tulips
Stone statue with floral offeringStone statue with floral offering
Walking around the Avatar Garden

Who Will Like Avatar Secret Garden

Nature Lover

Watch a colorful sunset as you wander along the nearby stretch of sandy beach before the garden lights come to life.

Entertainment Specialist

Walk in the footsteps of Jake Sully as you meander through the Pandora-inspired garden and relive your favorite scenes from "Avatar". Sorry, you won't find any mountain banshees to ride.

Bucketlist Bandit

Pose for a selfie under optic fiber lights resembling Eywa from the movie "Avatar".

Photography Whiz

Capture a romantic sunset at the beach before setting up your tripod for stunning night scenes that you won't find anywhere else.

Fun Expert

Climb the rocky groin and explore beachfront statues before exploring the magical, illuminated garden that springs to life from the imagination.

Insider Tips For Avatar Secret Garden

  • The garden is technically open all day, but there's not much point visiting during daylight. Lights turn on at 7:30pm.
  • Watch out for scammers trying to charge tourists a phony entrance fee. There's a small charge for parking but entrance is free.
  • Watch the movie Avatar before visiting to refresh your memory.

Video

Where Is It

336, Jalan Tokong Thai Pak Koong, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Open map...

How To Get There

Rideshare

Drivers drop off and pick up near the beach entrance.

Map for rideshare...

Motorbike

Small parking lot manned by locals. RM2 parking fee for scooters and motorbikes.

Map for motorbike...

Trishaw

Get dropped near the beach entrance.

Map for trishaw...

Bus (101, 102, CAT 5Tanjung Tokong, Jalan Tanjong Tokong)

Walk 4 minutes northeast from bus station.

Walking directions from bus...

Carpark area

What To Bring

Do:
  • Insect repellant to keep mosquitos away.
  • Tripod and camera suitable for night photography.
  • Cash for parking fee.
Don't:
  • Swimsuit. The beach isn't suitable for swimming.

Tech & Photography

Wifi

Public wifi access: None

Photography

Photography allowed: Yesflash is ok

Tripod allowed: Yes

Selfie sticks allowed: Yes

Best time to shoot: Blue Hour

Tips: If you use a tripod, manually set the ISO to 100 in order to keep your shot grain-free. Turn on a 2-second timer so that any vibrations in the camera from releasing the shutter do not add a small amount of blur. With limited lighting conditions, shooing in RAW makes all the difference for post-production.

Drones

Drones allowed: Not encouraged

Bags

Backpacks allowed: Yes

Secured bag lockers available: No

Food & Drink

  • Pearl Garden Café - Beachside restaurant serving seafood. Signature dishes are coal-baked crabs and salt-baked prawns.

Backstory

The Avatar Secret Garden opened during Chinese New Year 2017, combining Penang's natural beauty with the world of Pandora from the 2009 movie "Avatar". The garden is mostly visited by locals and Malay tourists and is lesser-known by international tourists.

Etiquette

Do:
  • Watch your step walking up and down the wooden paths at night.
  • Make room for other visitors to pass you on the narrow walkways.
  • Stay on the designated path. Don't wander into private property.
Don't:
  • Hog the best photo spots. Take turns with other visitors and be considerate.

Scorecard

Best Parts:
  • Feeling that you've stepped into another world and resemblance of Pandora.
  • Less crowded than most tourist attractions.
  • Free entry.
Could Be Better:
  • Entrance fee scam. Locals try to trick tourists into paying a phony entrance fee.
  • Humidity and heat. You'll probably feel sweaty walking around the garden.
  • Narrow walkways easily congested.
My itinerary Save View

Oh, you're so close

The awesome itinerary feature is only for VIP Members.

But that's ok! You're welcome to join the cool club for free.

Joining only takes a minute and it's... um... free! Plus you get other perks like badges, points, and unicorns.

Let's do this! I'm already cool, let me in Nah, I am boring.

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