Entopia by Night
Tiny as the island may be to outsiders, Penang has in its name a number of impressive feats under its belt. This now includes Entopia by Night, a dazzling nocturnal nature exploration launched by Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm that has been dubbed the world’s first bioluminescent garden.
Besides exploring the garden for its swarms of butterflies and plants, you can now amble through the attraction at night to see critters glow and have a glowing meal in the dark.
Explore a biofluorescent garden after hours
Sitting quietly at the fringe of the island at Teluk Bahang, Entopia is a nature-learning facility renowned for its massive butterfly park during the day. By night, it transforms into a humming sanctuary of glowing magic.
Image credit: Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm
When the sun dips and darkness falls, the lush jungle comes alive with a side of nature that most never get to see – unless you’ve visited Entopia by Night in Penang. Hailed as the world’s very first biofluorescent garden, this unique experience takes you into an enchanting discovery of nature’s hidden light under the cover of darkness.
Home to over 200 plant species and 15,000 butterflies that fly freely in daylight, the Natureland is the main attraction here. It’s a verdant space that has ponds, caves, and waterfalls where reptiles and insects lurk, and where the butterflies stay dormant and out of sight at night.
The dense foliage that you wander across may seem asleep, but cast the soft glow of ultraviolet (UV) light upon different corners inside, and you’ll come face-to-face with flora and harmless creatures illuminated with luminous hues.
These radiances aren’t just empty aesthetics. Staff will be stationed at various sections of the garden to answer any questions you may have and feed you with fun facts to use as small talk material with friends.
This includes how the plants glow red due to the chlorophyll, how frogs flaunt specks of yellow to attract insects, how scorpions pulse neon as a warning to predators, and how turtles fluoresce red to camouflage as algae for a peaceful night’s sleep – you’ll walk away more knowledgeable about the flora and fauna here.
A glowing-in-the-dark dining experience
Keeping up with the biofluorescent theme, the Tapestree Café @ Entopia presents a dining experience that’s more than just a meal. Named the Biofluorescent Odyssey, each course of your meal will be a glowing affair, much like the nature that surrounds you outside the cafe’s walls.
Guests can pick their main dish from a choice of two – the Tropical Harvest, which features a Hawaiian-style grilled chicken ham with pineapple, or the Seaside Herb Voyage that has fish piccata topped with luscious creamy butter herb sauce.
Tapestree Café opens from 7pm to 8.30pm for walk-in diners looking to fill up their tummies in the midst of their nocturnal exploration.
Fluorescent temporary tattoos & an interactive lab
There are other hands-on and interactive activities to take part in to amp up the magic of the glowing night. At the Fluorescent Lab, kids are invited to bring out their inner scientist through experimenting with various chemicals and how each reacts and glows under UV rays.
Head over to the Fluorescent Tattoo station and pick from a bunch of nature-inspired designs to be applied onto your arm. Your temporary body art will light up under blacklight, making you a part of the luminous landscape during the experience.
Admission fees for Entopia by Night in Penang
Image credit: Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm
Admission tickets to Entopia by Night can be purchased online via Entopia’s website.
There are two ticket types available. There’s the standard ticket that grants you admission to Entopia by Night, and the admission plus dining ticket that lets you explore the biofluorescent garden and have a Biofluorescent Odyssey experience. Their prices are:
- Entopia by Night admission: RM40/adult (13 years & above) | RM30 per child (4 to 12 years old) and senior citizen (60 years and above)
- Entopia by Night admission & Biofluorescent Odyssey: RM98/pax
Entopia by Night opens from Thursdays to Sundays every week, from 7pm to 10pm. Last entry is scheduled at 9pm.
How to get to Entopia by Night in Penang
Entopia by Night may be tucked away from the bustle of the George Town area, but reaching the facility is rather straightforward with plenty of transportation options available.
If public transportation is your choice, the Rapid Penang buses offer convenient services from various areas within the island:
- Bus 101: Weld Quay to Teluk Bahang
- Bus 102: Penang Airport to Teluk Bahang
- Bus 501: Balik Pulau to Teluk Bahang
Those with a private vehicle can take the coastal route to Batu Ferringhi from George Town that’s about a 45 minute to an hour journey to Teluk Bahang, but grants you with the most picturesque sea view.
Entopia has a huge parking bay with plenty of spots for vehicles, including spaces for handicap parking. The parking rates here are free of charge.
Visit Entopia by Night’s Biofluorescent Garden
Not all things in nature sleep when we do, and a visit to Entopia by Night will show you a luminous proof of that. Whether you’re marveling at glowing creatures or dining within a radiant garden, you’ll be all at once enchanted and educated.
Address: 830, Jalan Teluk Bahang, Teluk Bahang, 11050 Tanjung Bungah, Penang
Opening hours: Fri–Sun, 7pm – 10pm (Last entry at 9pm)
Contact: 04-888 8111 | Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm website | Instagram
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia & Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm
Photography by Jia-Ju.