🍃 With temperatures 3’C lower than the coast, it is a reprieve from scorching Georgetown.
Previously a hill station to the British, today Penang Hill is enjoyed by locals and tourists.
The fastest (and easiest) way to Penang Hill is with the (Swiss-made) funicular train. Tickets are RM60 for adults and RM5 for children aged 4-6years. There are discounts for seniors and students (both foreign and local) upon presentation of ID or Student Card.
🌳 Penang Hill or Bukit Bendera is a resort area on the peak that is surrounded by dipterocarp forest. It is a haven for many endemic species along with botanists worldwide who visit to collect specimens of plants.
With my love of orchids, no surprise I remember this fun fact:
The Penang Slipper Orchid which used to grow rampant is now endangered due to over plucking.
Good news is they grow with wild abandon here
and can be spotted when hiking the many trails.
The area is great for kids to tire themselves out or stroll/hike with a loved one.
So Penang Hill doesn’t just offer treks or pretty views over Penang, it’s got a food court, Owl Museum (unspectacular), Viewing Deck and Love Locks if you’re into that sort of thing.
Highlights in Pictures:
🦉Owl Museum.
The Owl Museum is a novelty museum featuring artefacts and crafts from 20 countries (Indonesia, Japan, France, Uruguay, etc).
👁Viewing Deck and ❤️Love Locks.
The Viewing Deck and Love Locks are basically the same area.
No sky bridge for me however, it was closed when I got there. This was probably a good thing with the terrible haze situation that smothered Penang (and the rest of Malaysia).
Also the reason why I couldn’t get a decent photo of the view from Look Out Point - couldn’t see a thing!
End Note.
You could probably skip Penang Hill on a tight schedule.
Unless you’re an avid botanist or want a decent view, I don’t see the appeal.
A nice spot to idle but not necessary visit. The nicest bit about this was the cooler temperature (Georgetown was a furnace this afternoon!) and being around nature after a long day.