Medical Travel to Penang from Batam
Travelling from Batam to Penang for hospital care: the new Batik Air direct flight from 18 October 2026, entry rules for Indonesian citizens, hospitals with Indonesian-language support, airport transfer and companion stays.
Batik Air is scheduled to start the first direct Batam to Penang flights on 18 October 2026. This page covers the travel side of a hospital visit: flights, entry rules, which hospitals say they support Indonesian patients, getting from the airport to the hospital, where a companion can stay, and halal food. It is not medical advice.
Flights
Schedules change. Book with the airline and match your flight to your confirmed appointment date. Penang is one hour ahead of Western Indonesia Time (WIB).
Announced, starts 18 October 2026
Batik Air
Hang Nadim International Airport (BTH) → Penang (PEN)
4 flights/week from 18 October 2026, then 3 flights/week from 27 October 2026
Direct flight time: about 1 hour 25 minutes (per the filed schedule)
The Penang state government announced it as the first scheduled direct air link between Batam and Penang, and said it could support the state’s medical tourism sector. Flight OD359 is scheduled to leave Hang Nadim at 11.30 am local time and land in Penang at 1.55 pm (Penang is one hour ahead). Book and check days on Batik Air’s own website.
Sources: Bernama (Aug 2026) · AeroRoutes · batikair.com.my (Checked 6 October 2026)
Before the direct flight starts, or if its days do not suit: airasia.com lists Batam to Penang with one stop, on AirAsia via Kuala Lumpur or Lion Air via Medan (Kualanamu).
Sources: airasia.com (Checked 6 October 2026)
Hospital office near you
IHH Healthcare Malaysia, the group behind Island Hospital, Gleneagles Penang and Pantai Hospital Penang, lists a representative office in Batam.
Sources: IHH Healthcare Malaysia — Representative Offices (Checked 6 October 2026)
Entry for Indonesian citizens
You do not need a visa for a stay of less than one month. Malaysia’s Immigration Department (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia) states that a visa is not required for a stay of less than one (1) month for ASEAN nationals except Myanmar, and that a visa is required if the stay exceeds one month (Brunei and Singapore nationals excepted).
Sources: imi.gov.my — Visa Requirement by Country (Checked 6 October 2026)
Before you fly, submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online; the Immigration Department lists it for foreign visitors. MDAC
If treatment takes longer: the Immigration Department says an extension of a short-term social visit pass may be given on special consideration, for example due to illness. You apply in person with your passport, Form IMM.55, supporting documents and a confirmed ticket home.
For longer treatment it also lists a long-term social visit pass “for treatment at medical institutions in Malaysia including an escort”. Its page says this is limited to treatment at government hospitals or specialist hospitals, allows one escort, and is applied for by the patient, a hospital representative or the escort, with a letter of support from the hospital (and a letter from MHTC for MHTC-registered hospitals).
Sources: imi.gov.my — Short Term Social Visit Pass · imi.gov.my — Long Term Social Visit Pass · Island Hospital (Checked 6 October 2026)
Approval is up to the Immigration Department. If you think you may need more than a month, tell the hospital’s international patient team before you travel; Island Hospital, for example, lists visa extension arrangements among its services.
Check your passport’s remaining validity with your airline and the Immigration Department before you book.
Penang hospitals and their support for Indonesian patients
Name, area, type and accreditation come from our hospital data, where accreditation is taken from the accrediting body’s own register. The Indonesian-support notes are only what each hospital’s own website says.
Island Hospital
Georgetown · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: ACHS, MSQH, MHTC Flagship 2025
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Lists a toll-free phone number for callers in Indonesia. Source
- International patient services include foreign-language translators, on-demand airport transfer to the hospital, and visa extension arrangements. Source
- Part of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, which lists representative offices in Medan, Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya and Pontianak. Source
Gleneagles Penang
Georgetown · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: JCI, MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Its website has a Bahasa Indonesia version. Source
- Part of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, which lists representative offices in Medan, Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya and Pontianak. Source
- Says it accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay cards, and names Indonesian insurers it works with; cashless admission needs a Guarantee Letter from your insurer at registration, otherwise you pay a deposit and claim later. Source
- Runs an airport shuttle for patients in stable condition who can move independently; request it 2 business days before you fly. Source
Penang Adventist Hospital
Georgetown · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: JCI, MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
Loh Guan Lye Specialists Centre
Georgetown · Specialist hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital
Tanjung Bungah · Specialist hospital
Accreditation / membership: None confirmed on a register
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Its international patient page has a Bahasa Indonesia version and says patients from Indonesia may contact the hospital directly. Source
Lam Wah Ee Hospital
Georgetown · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Its website has an Indonesian-language version. Source
Pantai Hospital Penang
Bayan Baru · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Part of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, which lists representative offices in Medan, Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya and Pontianak. Source
Sunway Medical Centre Penang
Seberang Jaya (mainland) · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Its website has a Bahasa Indonesia version. Source
Bagan Specialist Centre
Butterworth (mainland) · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
- Offers a complimentary pickup from Penang International Airport and a currency exchange service through its Patient Relations International Office. Source
Penang General Hospital (Hospital Pulau Pinang)
Georgetown · Government hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
We found nothing Indonesia-specific on its website. Contact the hospital directly.
KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital
Bukit Mertajam (mainland) · Private hospital
Accreditation / membership: JCI, MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
We found nothing Indonesia-specific on its website. Contact the hospital directly.
Northern Heart Hospital
Georgetown · Specialist hospital
Accreditation / membership: MSQH, MHTC
Hospital details (English) →For Indonesian patients (hospital’s own website)
We found nothing Indonesia-specific on its website. Contact the hospital directly.
JCI = Joint Commission International. ACHS = Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. MSQH = Malaysian Society for Quality in Health. MHTC = Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (a government agency; membership, not an accreditation).
Checked 6 October 2026
From the airport to the hospital
Penang International Airport (PEN) is at Bayan Lepas in the south of the island. Most private hospitals are in George Town; Sunway Medical Centre Penang, KPJ Penang Specialist and Bagan Specialist Centre are on the mainland. Several hospitals say they arrange the transfer themselves: Penang Adventist (free, book ahead), Bagan Specialist Centre (free pickup), Island Hospital (on demand), Loh Guan Lye, and Gleneagles Penang (for stable patients, requested 2 business days ahead). Otherwise use Grab or an airport taxi.
Sources: Penang Adventist · Bagan Specialist Centre · Island Hospital · Loh Guan Lye · Gleneagles Penang (IHH) (Checked 6 October 2026)
Travelling with a companion
A family member with an Indonesian passport enters on the same terms as you: no visa for a stay of less than one month. The Immigration Department’s long-term pass for treatment allows one escort, and Gleneagles Penang’s airport shuttle takes one companion per patient. Ask the hospital whether a companion can stay overnight in your room.
Sources: imi.gov.my · Gleneagles Penang (IHH) (Checked 6 October 2026)
Paying the hospital
Hospital bills in Malaysia are in Malaysian ringgit (MYR). None of the hospital websites we checked says it accepts Indonesian rupiah. What hospitals do state: Gleneagles Penang accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay, and works with named Indonesian insurers if you bring a Guarantee Letter; Loh Guan Lye and Bagan Specialist Centre offer currency exchange to international patients; Lam Wah Ee takes cash, online transfer and major credit or debit cards. Before you travel, ask the hospital for a written cost estimate and how it wants to be paid.
Sources: Gleneagles Penang (IHH) · Loh Guan Lye · Bagan Specialist Centre · Lam Wah Ee (Checked 6 October 2026)
Halal food and prayer
Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country and halal food is widely available in Penang. Do not assume every outlet near a hospital is certified: look for the JAKIM halal logo, or ask. Our halal guides list certified restaurants by area and where to pray.
School holidays in 2026/27
Our 2027 school-holiday planner tracks the Jakarta and North Sumatra calendars. This province is not listed yet, so check your school’s own calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indonesian citizens need a visa to visit Penang for treatment?
Not for a stay of less than one month. Malaysia’s Immigration Department states that ASEAN nationals except Myanmar do not need a visa for a stay of less than one month. Submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online before you fly.
What if my treatment takes longer than a month?
The Immigration Department says a short-term social visit pass may be extended on special consideration, for example illness: apply in person with your passport, Form IMM.55, supporting documents and a confirmed ticket home. It also lists a long-term social visit pass for treatment at government or specialist hospitals, with one escort. Approval is at its discretion; ask the hospital’s international patient team early.
Which Penang hospitals offer support in Bahasa Indonesia?
On their own websites: Penang Adventist Hospital has an in-house Indonesian interpreter; Loh Guan Lye lists an Indonesian-language WhatsApp line and Indonesian interpreters; Island Hospital lists a toll-free number for callers in Indonesia; and Gleneagles Penang, Penang Adventist, Sunway Medical Centre Penang, Lam Wah Ee and Mount Miriam have Indonesian-language pages. IHH Healthcare Malaysia (Island, Gleneagles Penang, Pantai Penang) lists offices in Medan, Batam, Jakarta, Surabaya and Pontianak.
Can I pay the hospital in rupiah?
None of the hospital websites we checked says so; bills are in Malaysian ringgit. Hospitals state other options, such as international cards (Gleneagles Penang), currency exchange for international patients (Loh Guan Lye, Bagan Specialist Centre) and Guarantee Letters from Indonesian insurers (Gleneagles Penang). Ask the hospital before you travel.
More for Indonesian patients
This page is general travel information for Indonesian visitors. It is not medical advice and does not replace a consultation with a qualified doctor. Visa rules, flight schedules and hospital services change: confirm with the Immigration Department of Malaysia (imi.gov.my), your airline and the hospital before you travel.