The hike
The highest point of Penang Hill (known as Western Hill) is 830 metres above sea level, making it the 239th highest peak in Malaysia (see list of Malaysia’s highest mountains).
There are various hiking routes, a couple of which start near the entrance to the Penang Botanic Gardens.
One route is a jungle trail beginning at Moongate (a circular-shaped entrance on the left as you approach the carpark to the Gardens).
The other is the “Jeep track”, a tarmac road to the summit open only to the cars of residents who live on Penang Hill and other authorised vehicles.
The jeep track is straightforward but steep whereas the jungle trail has a number of forks where it is possible to take the wrong path.
The jeep track really is quite a steep road in places and fairly tiring. After an hour or so, you will come upon a path signposted to Batu Feringgi.
About half way up, next to a tea stall, is a sign for Moniot Road which, according to the sign, was one of the earliest bridle paths laid out around 1825.
It was here that early botanists in Penang collected many of the hill flora specimens that found their way into herbariums around the world, including Penang’s own Botanic Gardens established in 1884.
Eventually, as you near the peak, you will see the first of the old colonial bungalows built by the British as getaways to rest and recuperate from the sweltering heat of Georgetown below. The first building bears the inscription Grace Dieu 1927.
Finally, after walking over five kilometres and for two and a half hours, you will reach the main Bukit Bendera area.
Things to do
The main attraction of making this trip is the superb views from the top encompassing Georgetown, the Penang Bridge over to the mainland and as far as Gunung Jerai in Kedah.
Apart from enjoying the panoramic views, fresh air and cooler temperatures, there are a few sights to see along the narrow paths that cover the peak area.
These include a Hindu temple, a mosque, some old colonial bungalows (mostly in private hands but some are available to rent for the night), an old post office and police station, food and souvenir stalls, a mini bird park, Segway rides and so on.
Places to stay and eat on Penang Hill
Besides the food stalls, there is a restaurant called David Browns close to the funicular railway station.
There is also another called Bellevue – The Penang Hill Hotel, a 1950s era bungalow which operates as a small hotel. Its pretty outdoor terrace has excellent views and lunch was truly tasty.
However, it was slightly disconcerting to see a snake curled up on a trellis above our heads. Apparently it is a permanent resident of the hotel and poses no danger to guests but even so, you’ll probably find yourself keeping one eye on the snake the entire time you’re lunching there.
The Bellevue is the only hotel on the Hill at present. It also runs an annex called The Nature Lodge which offers budget hostel-style accommodation.
There used to be a Crag Hotel many years ago (before World War II) but the building has been in disuse since 1977. Prior to that, it served as the Uplands School for a number of years.
There are reports that it was recently acquired by the Aman Group who run a number of luxury resorts in places like Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
They plan to restore the building into an upmarket hotel so there will hopefully be more accommodation choices in future.
Funicular train
The funicular train is a great way to head back down after a tiring hike up. The new version of this train is much faster than its predecessor, and the downward journey can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
The fare was as steep as the gradient. They charge RM17 per adult and RM15 per child for the one-way, 10-minute journey.
Most visitors will travel both ways by train. The return fares are:
Malaysians: Adults RM10; Child RM4 (ages 3-12)
Foreigners: Adult RM30; Child RM15 (ages 3-12)
The funicular train station at the foot of Penang Hill is located in Air Itam. From here you will need to take a bus or taxi back to Georgetown or to the Botanic Gardens if you left your car there.
This article first appeared in malaysia-traveller.com