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| From a sleepy fishing village, Pulau Redang (Redang
Island) has grown into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the
east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The reefs of the Redang archipelago are
home to over 55 genera of corals and 100 species of fish. Every year, Pulau
Redang attracts thousands of visitors who come to enjoy the sun, beaches
and spectacular marine life |
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Also known as Bukit Bendera, Penang Hill is the highest peak on Pulau Pinang. At
830m above sea level, it is one of the best places to catch a bird's eye view of
the island's expanse, including the panorama of George Town, the Penang Bridge
and the Straits of Melaka.
One of the peaks on Penang Hill called Flagstaff Hill, is accessible via a
healthy hike up via several hiking trails, including one from the Penang
Botanical Gardens. Alternatively, visitors may also opt for a more leisurely
trip up via the Penang Hill Railway which stretches just over 2km long and
departs from the station at Air Itam, a mere 10 minutes' walk from the Kek Lok
Si Temple. The 30-minute ride on the funicular railway takes place every 30
minutes and makes its way up a thrilling, at times near-45 degrees angle, with
spectacular vistas along the way before reaching the top hill station at 701m
above sea level.
Along the way, visitors will see a few stately mansions said to date back to
colonial times, and at times, troops of monkeys scouring along the route of the
train, hoping for visitors to throw out treats to them. Once at the top of the
hill, arguably the most popular attraction is the Bellevue Hotel which boasts
some of the best views from Penang Hill, a charming garden and aviary. The
surrounding parks and gardens here are perfect for photography. You can also
arrange for a leisurely tour of Penang Hill at Bellevue hotel. Another notable
landmark that might interest visitors is the former Crag Hotel, built in 1890 by
the famous Sarkies brothers who also built the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in
George Town. Today, the Crag Hotel building serves as the office of the Public
Works Department.
History
Just like Frasers Hill, Bukit Larut and other hill stations in Malaysia, Penang
Hill was a favoured destination by the British in the late 1800's, who seek
reprieve from the humid tropical climes. One of the earliest hill stations in
the country, it is believed that Francis Light himself first trekked up Penang
Hill from the grounds of the current Penang Botanical Gardens way back in 1788.
Later, some of the British colonials of the time made their way up, using
single-passenger sedans carried by at least six coolies. In the mid 19th
century, a few bungalows were built by the British for private use. These
include the Bel Retiro, Convalescent, Grace Dieu and Fairmont.
The Penang Hill funicular railway (railway operated by cables which
counterbalances the ascending and descending train coaches) was completed and
began its operations in the mid 1920's. The simple carriages originally used by
the railway were replaced with four modern coaches in 1979. One of the old
carriages can still be seen today at the Penang Museum, used as the Penang
Heritage Trust souvenir kiosk.
Food
You will not have any problems finding a place to eat on your visit to Penang
Hill. From the Lower Hill Station at the bottom to the top of Penang Hill, you
can always find a snack vendor, food stall or restaurant at stations where the
train stops along the way. There are also plenty of places to eat once you're on
top of Penang Hill.
Travel Advice
If you're planning ot hike up Penang Hill, remember to wear comfortable shoes
and light clothing like t-shirts and tracksuits. Make sure you drink lots of
water and bring a water bottle with you for the hike. Start your hike early in
the morning when it is not too hot. And most importantly, before you go, be sure
to inform someone that you are off on the hike and let them know when to expect
you back. Tracks that are available for your hike includes the stepped walk and
jeep track near the Botanical Gardens (takes about 1 hour to get to the top),
through the Hye Keat Estate in Air Itam, via Tiger Hill Trail (an 8km trail that
starts near Kek Lok Si temple) and the Moon Gate which starts about 5 minutes
away from the Botanical Gardens.
Getting There
By Bus
From Georgetown, take a Transit Link bus No 1, or No 101, or Lim Seng bus No 91,
or minibus No 21 from Lebuh Chulia to the Air Itam Terminal.
Express buses ply the route from Penang to / from Kuala Lumpur and major cities
in the country. Please visit (http://www.plusliner.com/) for more info. The main
bus terminal in Penang is located next to the Ferry Terminal.
By Taxi
To get to Penang Island, long distance taxi service can be hired at Weld Quay,
Penang. Tel: +604-2625721
By Plane
Daily flights via Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com, tel:1 300 88 3000
) and AirAsia (www.airasia.com, tel: 1-300-88 9933) to / from Penang to major
cities in Malaysia. Penang's Bayan lepas International Airport is roughly 20km
(45-minnute drive) from the Georgetown city centre.
By Rail
Train service start at about 6.30am during school holidays and about 7.00 am on
normal days, every half hour, until about 9.15pm. On Saturdays, the trains
depart at 6.30am every half hour, until about 11.30pm. Tickets are RM4 for
adults, RM2 for children under 12. For more information, please call the Penang
Hill Railway Station at +604-828 3263 (Lower Station) or +604-829 9412 (Upper
Station).
You can take the train from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, where it stops at the Penang
Railway Station, close to the ferry terminal. For more information, visit
www.ktmb.com.my or call their call centre at +603-22671200.
By Boat
Ferries can be boarded at Butterworth, in the mainland portion of Penang. Among
Ferry Services available are:
Langkawi Ferry Services (Tel: +604-2643088
Ekspress Bahagia (Tel: +604-2636255)
From the Ferry Terminal you can easily get a taxi ride to the bottom station of
Penang Hill, in Ayer Itam.
A trishaw ride is also an ideal way to negotiate Georgetown's backstreets, and
it costs around RM1.50 per kilometre.
To drive to Penang, from Kuala Lumpur, get onto the North-South Expressway
heading north. Get onto the Penang Bridge (Tol is RM7 for cars), then head for
Ayer Itam.
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