Attractions

Penang

Penang has several established attractions for visitors to enjoy. The Penang Hill is Penang's most prominent and popular natural landmark, being a series of mountain peaks that forms the backbone of the island. The Botanical Gardens is a pleasant recreational park that is popular with locals and tourists alike. Other destinations to visit on holiday include the Penang Bird Park on the mainland side, Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden, Butterfly Farm, Tropical Fruit Farm and much more. Children will love these attractions, being suited for the whole family.

Penang Hill

The Penang Hill has been a popular tourist attraction ever since colonial days, being one of the oldest hill stations in Malaysia. It is also known as Bukit Bendera, which means 'Flag Hill'. Back in those days, the British built bungalows here to escape the heat and malaria in the lowlands at that time. Today, the series of peaks that define Penang Hill have been developed into a resort area, with residential homes and parks scattered around.

The highest peak on this range is Western Hill, which stands at 833 meters high, while other peaks include Laksamana Hill, Tiger Hill, Government Hill and Flagstaff Hill. The temperatures in Penang Hill range between 20°C to 27°C, providing a cooling climate and welcome retreat from the heat of Georgetown.

The most well known way to get up there is by the Penang Hill Railway, a funicular train that starts from Air Itam at the base of the hill. The tram service has been established since 1923, when the British first built it, but it has undergone numerous repairs over the years due to its outdated design and construction. Efforts to modernise it have been met with resistance by those who want to preserve the heritage of the ancient trams.

The tram service runs from early mornings till evenings, and gets very crowded on weekends, so come early to ensure you do not ride in a packed tram. Besides the tram service, there is a tarred road that leads to the peak from the Botanical Gardens, but only vehicles belonging to residents of Penang Hill may ride on it. Visitors have to walk on foot if they wish to use the road, taking between 1-2 hours to do so. There also several hiking trails that cut through the forest which lead to the top, starting from places like the Air Itam Dam and Youth Park. Trekking on these paths will allow you to walk through the lush forest and spot wildlife such as birds, squirrels and insects.

At the peak, there are restaurants, rest houses, cafes, bungalows, souvenir stalls and the Bellevue Resort, the only hotel on Penang Hill. From the top, visitors and tourists get an amazing panoramic view of the landscape, where one can see Georgetown below, the Penang Bridge, surrounding seas and Gunung Jerai, a mountain across from the mainland. Another activity to try is the canopy walk, a 150 meter wooden suspension bridge that winds across the tree tops, giving you a chance to spot animals in the forest.

Botanical Gardens

The Penang Botanical Garden is one of the island's perennial favourite tourist attractions, being a recreational park that was established since 1883. The gardens can be reached in 10 minutes from Gurney Drive in Georgetown City, at the end of Waterfall Road and near Air Itam. Originally, it was a granite quarry site, but was developed and landscaped over time to become a vast 30 hectare park enclosed in a valley surrounded by lush forest.

A stream meanders through the park, fed by a 400 foot waterfall located in a catchment area which is off bounds to public, unless with permission from the park authorities. This is why the Botanical Gardens was once called the 'Waterfall Garden'. Today, it is more often referred to as 'Monkey Garden', due to the huge numbers of pesky long tailed macaques that visitors are reminded not to feed. The park, being a botanical center, has been planted with many trees, shrubs and plants, some of them ornamental and exotic in origin. Hundreds of visitors come to the park everyday, thousands more on weekends. Families take picnics, people exercise by jogging and lovers cuddle on the grass. The gardens are well landscaped with paths and ponds, providing a welcome green lung to the people of Penang. Admission is free.

Penang Bird Park

Situated on the mainland section of Penang in Seberang Perai, the Bird Park is a new tourist attraction that houses over 3000 birds from 300 different species in numerous aviaries, including two gigantic ones where you walk inside to explore. The park covers 5 acres of landscaped gardens, decorated with orchids, hibiscus flowers, bamboo shoots and other ornamental plants. Some of the birds that visitors can see here include from the biggest to the smallest; macaws, eagles, owls, swans, ostriches, emus, pheasants, finches, kingfishers and much more. Over half of the species found here are of local origin. From the Penang Bridge, it is only 5 minutes by car to the Penang Bird Park.

Butterfly Farm

The very first Butterfly Park in the country, the Penang Butterfly Farm was established since 1986. It is located in Teluk Bahang, about 15 minutes away from Batu Ferringhi. The farm is about 1 hectare in size, and is home to over 4000 butterflies on average at any one time from 120 different species, including the rare Indian Leaf and the famous Rajah Brooke Birdwing, the most well know local butterfly with its huge wings imbued with green stripes. Along with the garden of butterflies, there is a mini zoo with reptiles and insects, an insect museum, art gallery, souvenir shop and caterpillar club for children to learn more about these magnificent insects.

Tropical Spice Garden

Located between Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang, the Tropical Spice Garden is a relatively new tourist attraction that boasts over 500 species of flora, including local and exotic herbs and spices used in cooking, flowers and ornamental plants. Several trails lead around the landscaped garden that is simply draped with lush vegetation and shadowed by pretty trees. Many of the plants grown and put on display here are also used in spa therapy, while the villa houses a museum, souvenir and cafe for visitors to relax in. The Balinese styled surroundings and landscape along with the refreshing environment of shrubs and trees make it relaxing for visitors and tourists.

Tropical Fruit Farm

The Tropical Fruit Farm located in Teluk Bahang covers an area of 25 acres and offers visitors the chance to see the cultivation of tropical fruits as well as to eat them. Many different types of fruits, covering 200 local and exotic tropical species, are grown here, some imported from as far as South America, India, Middle East and Pacific Islands. In addition to fruits, the orchard also grows over 200 species of rare orchids. Organic fertilisers are much touted by the farm to be used in most of their fruit cultivation. On weekends and public holidays, visitors and tourists can sample the fruits on a vast BBQ spread prepared by the farm.

Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden

The Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden is more like a zoo, as it houses various species of animals along with the flowers from which it is named after. Various types of orchids, hibiscus, cactus and other flowers can be found in the garden section, some of which can be bought. The other interesting sights in the park include a reptile section which has snakes, crocodiles and lizards on display as well as a small zoo with Bengal tigers, deer, peacocks and huge tortoises. Located at Persiaran Bukit Jambul, the garden is only five minutes away from the international airport. Open from morning till evening, there is also a tea cafe and pottery corner.

Youth Park

The Penang Youth Park, also known as Municipal Park, is another recreational area that is actually an extension of the Botanical Gardens. It is an ideal venue for young people to come out and play, engaging in sports such as skating, football and archery in a safe environment. Events are often organised in the park, that has campsites, a swimming pool and outdoor gym.