The verdict
The Light Collection I was the first residential phase of IJM's The Light Waterfront in Gelugor, completed in 2012: four 8-storey blocks on freehold land, with layouts from about 1,368 sq ft to 3,132 sq ft.
- Price
- RM1.30M–RM4.50M
- Tenure
- Freehold
- Land title
- Residential
- Completion
- 2012
The Light Collection I was where IJM's Gelugor seafront started. Completed in 2012, it was the first residential phase of The Light Waterfront, a 152-acre freehold masterplan. Fourteen years on, with Penang's biggest mall opening next door on 29 October, the question is whether the original still holds up against the newer buildings around it.
Key takeaways:
- 152 apartments of about 1,367–1,582 sq ft in four 8-storey blocks, plus 24 four-storey water villas of about 3,132 sq ft.
- Launched in 2010 from about RM823,600; 2026 asking about RM1.3M–4.5M.
- Rents about RM2,000–10,000 a month, depending on the home.
- A low-rise, settled seafront address; views and renovation vary a lot from unit to unit.
What you get
The Light Collection I is really two products. Most of it is apartments: 152 homes of about 1,367 to 1,582 sq ft in four blocks of only eight storeys, so it feels more like a resort than a tower. Then there are 24 water villas, four storeys and about 3,132 sq ft each, which are about as close to a house on the water as strata title gets in Penang.
It's freehold on residential title, built by IJM Land through Jelutong Development. The landscaping has had over a decade to mature, and many owners have lived here for years.
What has changed since launch
IJM soft-launched Collection I in May 2010, with prices from about RM823,600 to RM3.18M. In 2026, apartments ask from about RM1.3M, roughly 1.6 times the launch entry price, and the villas reach about RM4.5M. That's asking, not transacted, so look for recent sales of the same layout before you offer.
Prices and rents in 2026
Asking prices ran from about RM1.3M to RM4.5M, roughly RM822 to RM1,750 per sq ft. That's a wide range: the top belongs to a few water villas and well-placed apartments with a clean sea view, not to the building as a whole.
Rents run from about RM2,000 to RM10,000 a month, a range wide enough that you should ask for recent lets of the exact layout. Don't price a purchase on a rent you haven't seen achieved.
Living here once the mall opens
The Waterfront Shoppes soft-opens on 29 October 2026, with about 1.6 million sq ft and around 300 shops beside the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre. For a settled, low-rise estate, it brings everyday shopping and dining within walking distance, and it should help with tenants. It will also bring more traffic into the precinct, especially at weekends. More in my Waterfront Shoppes opening guide.
Getting around
The Light Waterfront sits beside the island end of the Penang Bridge. Measured road distances at free-flow speeds (rush hour takes longer):
- Lam Wah Ee Hospital: about 8 km, 11 minutes.
- Komtar, George Town: about 10.5 km, 12 minutes.
- Penang airport: about 11 km, 13 minutes.
- Gleneagles and Island Hospital: about 12.5 km, 15 minutes.
The Mutiara Line's Penang Waterfront (The Light) station is planned beside the precinct, due in December 2031. In Klang Valley, new stations added only a small premium to nearby prices.
The catches
Not every home faces the sea. Some look at the neighbouring block, and they should be priced accordingly. Walk the exact unit before you offer.
Renovation states range from original 2012 finishes to fully redone homes, so listing photos can mislead.
A low-rise estate has fewer homes to share the running costs, and the water villas have their own maintenance needs. Ask for the current service charge, sinking-fund balance and management accounts.
Which Light building suits you?
The Light Collection II and III offer the same low-rise character a few years newer, with more layouts and bigger homes respectively. The Light Point is the precinct's boutique tower, with 88 homes. Mezzo, completed in 2025, is the brand-new option from about RM1M. The Light Waterfront guide compares every phase.
Zac’s Take
Zac Ong
The Light Collection I is the original Light Waterfront address, and its low-rise, settled feel is something the newer towers can't copy. The apartments suit downsizers and families who want a big home by the sea without living in a tower; the water villas are a rare near-landed option on strata title. Pick the unit for its view first and its price second, because that's what will decide your resale.
Average response: under 1 hour, 9am–7pm Mon–Sat.
📲 Get current Light Collection I listingsCurrent details and listings are on The Light Collection I project page.
Sources: Apartment and villa counts, sizes and launch prices from EdgeProp's 2010 coverage of the launch. Asking prices and rents from portal listings (September–October 2026). Road distances measured on OpenStreetMap routing; LRT station from MRT Corp's Mutiara Line site.