Category: Nature

Penang Isle: Titi Kerawang Waterfall

Located along the stretch of Teluk Bahang road, the Titi Kerawang Waterfall is another popular place for both locals and tourists looking for an escape from city life. Fruits stalls are also set up along the sides of the narrow road nearby the the waterfall area. Surrounded by the rainforest and green lush nature, the waterfall can be reached by taking an approximate 100 meters walk from the main road. One can also notices pipe running along the path to the waterfall area and it was said that due to the increasing island population, the Penang Water Supply Corporation has to tap some of the water from the area.

Penang Isle: The Teluk Bahang Dam

Located almost towards the end of the north western coast of Penang island, the Teluk Bahang Dam is the largest dam on Penang Island which was built to provide an alternative source of water supply to the people of the island. Walking along the dam’s crest, one can enjoy a scenic view of the northern coast of Penang Island. The dam ican be seen right after the Butterfly Farm. The dam is usually used as the venue for the annual dragon-boat race.

Penang Isle: The Quarry Recreational Park

The Quarry Recreational Park is a recent extension to the Botanic Gardens of Penang. In addition to provide a venue for recreational activities, the park also often serves as a venue to various events organised by the state such as hosting the World Music Festival. Besides that, during the weekends, music performance (usually by school bands or music groups) are also held at the park in the evening.

Penang Isle: National Park

The Penang National Park located at Teluk Bahang (or sometimes referred locally as ‘End of the World’) is the first protected area legally gazetted under the National Park Act of 1980, which signifies the State and Federal Governments’ efforts in protecting the environment. Also the smallest national park in the country, the park is unique due to its landscapes, wildlife and beaches. Teluk Bahang is a few kilometers further up from Batu Feringghi and the location of the National Forest is here.

Some of the the unique features of the park include meromictic lake, wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches. The eight beaches located at the park are among the nicest beaches in the island due to their almost untouched nature. These beaches are Teluk Bahang, Teluk Tukun, Tanjung Aling, Teluk Duyung (Monkey Beach), Teluk Ketapang, Pantai Kerachut, Teluk Kampi and Pantai Mas. To get to the beaches, one can hike and walk up the jungle trails or alternatively hire a boat to reach there via the sea.

There is also a lighthouse in the park which is located at Muka Head and is accessible through the far end of Teluk Duyung. Built in 1883 at a cost of £37,929 by the British, it is located 242 metres (794 ft) above sea level.

Visitors will need to register (for free) before and after entering the park at the reception area as shown above. An information counter as well as public shower rooms are available there too.


The beach is also home to monitor lizards which like to take a stroll on the sands and swimming at the sea on sunny days.


The trees of the forst is also home to Dusky Leaf monkeys resting or swinging at the branches on sunny days.

Just in front of the National Park Office, is the nearby fishermen jetty where fishing boats dock and also where one can find boat-for-hire to travel by sea to the beaches located at the National Park area.

Penang Isle: Beach Views

As one of the main tourist hubs of Malaysia, Penang island boasted an array of beautiful beaches located along it northern tip as well as its southwestern tip. Most of the popular beaches, as well as hotels and resorts, are located along the coast of Batu Feringghi. Here are some of the random shots of beaches at Batu Feringghi.

Penang Isle: The Municipal Park

The Penang Municipal Park or commonly known as Youth Park here, is a huge recreational park which is made of gardens, a large football field, a skateboard ring, an amphitheatre, a foot reflexology path, jogging tracks, outdoor as well as indoor gyms. There’s also a small cafeteria within the park itself. Hiking trails can also be found around at the hilly area of the park.

The park can be accessed via a single one-way route, entering through Persiaran Kuari and is also located nearby the Botanical Garden. A shuttle service that goes to the Botanical Garden is also available at the car park of Youth Park.

Penang Isle: Penang Hill

Penang Hill (or Bukit Bendera in Malay) is a hilltop area comprising a group of peaks and is located approximately 6 kilometres from the city centre of George Town. It stands out prominently from the lowlands as a hilly and forested area.

The most convenient way up to Penang Hill is by means of the Penang Hill Railway, a funicular railway from Ayer Itam district to the top of hill. Construction of the railway took place between 1906 to 1923, at a cost of 1.5 million Straits dollars. The railway was opened to the public on October 21, 1923. The 2,007 m (1 mile 435 yard) journey takes about half an hour and the train may stop at intermediate stations upon request.

In 2010, the hill railway service was upgraded and the old funicular trains were replaced by newer ones, which are air-conditioned as well as carrying heavier load. The new train is faster and does not stop halfway at the middle station of the hill (unlike the old one). The ride up to the top of the hill will take around 15 minutes.

For Malaysians, the fare for a return (round trip) ticket is RM8 per adult and RM4 per child aged between three and 12. For foreign tourists, the return fare would be RM30 for adults and RM15 for children aged seven to 12.

The old funicular train

The new train as shown above

Penang Mainland: The Old Mengkuang Dam

A Brief Intro

The Mengkuang Dam is the biggest dam in Penang with a storage capacity of about 23,639 million litres of water. Besides the obvious of providing water to the people, the dam serves as a recreational park with benches decorating along the waters as well as roads for joggers. The area provides an excellent view of waterscape and the surrounding hills. The dam is located at the mainland side of Penang, north-east of Butterworth town.