Penang Hill — Attraction in George Town

November 30, 2024 @ 8.30am - 4.08pm

Hiking Trans Penang Hill via Tiger Hill to MOONGATE

Distance: approximately 18km

Durations : approximately 7.5 hours

The common way to enjoy scenic views at Penang Hill is by using cable car. We have chosen to do hiking to enjoy the spectacular views of Penang Hill.

0830H arrival to air itam dam 0900H entering trail head at air itam dam 1043H arrival to Tiger Beer Checkpoint 1101H arrival to junction to route 1&2 and route 4&5 1113H arrival to Tiger Hill peak 5＆4 1141H arrival to PBAPP 1226H arrival to Monkey Cup Garden Penang Hill 1300H arrival to Penang oldest victorian Post box 1321H arrival to penang Hill top 1410H journey continued 1441H arrival to Checkpoint P84 1505H arrival to Checkpoint 39 campsite but camping not allowed 1533H arrival to Checkpoint 5 coffee station 1545H Downhill via Jalan Chuan by staircases 1605H arrival to end of trail MOONGATE

Hiking trails at Penang Hill is popular by drawing the route maps in animals shape. The popular route are Unicorn, Giraffe, and Rabbit. We met a group of Hikers who had done all animals route by the time we reached MOONGATE.

Trans Penang Hill via Tiger Hill is less popular. Very deserted all the way from trailhead at air itam dam to Tiger Hill peak 5&4 and also from Tiger Hill Peak 5&4 to PBAPP.

We started to see more humans after passing by PBAPP. Along the way from PBAPP, we met more and more people. Some local, some foreigners. Some in groups other in solo trip. Highly recommended to do hiking in groups.

Monkey Cup Garden Penang Hill is a popular tourist spot. This is a cafe, which can only accessible by private buggy car or by walking. Highly recommended to go by buggy car because it's approximately 50 minutes walking and sightseeing distance. Many of the tourists get exhausted after walking 30% of the distance to the cafe.

30 minutes of walking and sightseeing distance from Monkey Cup Garden Penang Hill, stood Penang Hill's oldest victorian Post box.

Another 20 minutes of walking from the penang hill oldest post box, will arrive to Penang Hill top.

There's a restaurant there which is popular with ABC ice kacang and avacodo milk. Quite crowded. Service was fast. Seatings were limited.

After we had 1 hour of break, we continue our hiking from penang Hill to MOONGATE. Around 2 hours walking distance.

I need to make a highlight for Checkpoint 39. AED HEARTSTART defibrillator is available here. Apart from that, I also saw water station, and toilet available at this Checkpoint. This is very new to me, and I have to admit this is my first encounter of such facilities in the middle of a hiking route. Good views of Penang Bridge from here. I also saw a beautiful staghorn fern hanging on the tree.

At Checkpoint 5, there's a sepak takraw field and also water/cofeee station guarded by Jason.

From Checkpoint 5, you can choose staircases route or trail route to complete your hiking to MOONGATE. I heard from the locals, the material to build the staircases are bought by donation from the locals.

Love the clean trail all the way from air itam dam-penang hill-moongate. We were. Lucky to had great sunny weather for our day hike.

By the way, the guardian at Checkpoint 5 mentioned there're many who get lost during their hike. Please do hiking with experienced locals.

Would love to...

Before I begin the review, I would like to persuade visitors to the hill station to use public transport. I took a RapidPenang bus from Jetty Bus Terminal to the Penang Hill station. It was an enjoyable 50-minute ride. No worries about narrow streets and parking.

I bought my ticket online, and it saved me from having to queue up. Avoid weekends and public holidays if possible. The funicular train ride was faster than I thought it would be. Perhaps to accommodate the massive numbers of visitors. Upon reaching the hilltop station, mist blew in and obscured views of Georgetown. However, it didn't last very long. As the sun rose higher, the mist disappeared.

On the hill, you will find some construction going on. A cable car route is being built connecting the Penang Hill station to the Botanical Gardens below. Walking away from the funicular station, there is a viewing deck. It can get very crowded. Photography will be a challenge if you don't want people in your photos. Please be aware of the many primates in the area. The juveniles are cheeky and may snatch some things.

Moving further away, there are several places of interest. You will pass two restaurants, David Brown's, on the upper terrace and Kota Penang Hill on the lower terrace. When you reach Festival Square, a large open plaza, you will notice some renovation and construction work to Cliff Cafe. This isn't a serene place to be. You need to walk further up the path. There will be some men hanging around electric vehicles just before a junction. You can pay to be driven around the hilltop, or you can walk should you prefer to work out.

I chose to take the path to the left and walked up a steep flight of stairs. That led me to a Hindu temple. According to some people, the view from behind the temple during sunset is amazing. I left the temple and walked up more steps to the left of the temple. A mosque appeared. Apparently, Friday prayers are held in this mosque. So, visitors don't have to rush downhill to pray on Fridays.

I walked further up a narrow path towards a well-preserved British structure, the Gate House. It was built in 1789 as a holiday bungalow for the British governor in those days. Perhaps it should be used as a cafe now. A missed opportunity.

I didn't have the time to continue walking towards more places of interest on the hill as I had to rush back into town. But I do know that I will be back soon. In summary, if you want to find some peace and quiet up here, avoid weekends and school holidays. Walk as far away as possible from the station to get away from crowds. Then and only then will you enjoy the time up on...

Kitty and I recently took a trip up Penang Hill, a popular destination in Penang. We were joined by two friends who had never been there before, and we were excited to show them this iconic landmark.

The highlight of the trip was definitely the funicular train ride up the hill. It's a bit of a thrill, especially since the trams are much faster than they were when we last visited eight years ago. The ride takes you through three stations: the lower station, the mid station, and the top station. The views from the windows are breathtaking, and it's a great way to get a glimpse of the beautiful scenery of Penang.

Once you reach the top, you'll enjoy the hill top view, but it's important to note that the hill is not very accessible for people with mobility challenges. There are lots of steps and hills, so it's not ideal for those who use wheelchairs or have difficulty walking.

We decided to visit the Habitat, a place that offers stunning sunset views. We arrived around 5:30 PM, which was perfect timing because the weather was cooling down. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, and we spent a good amount of time taking photos and enjoying the view.

However, we did have to contend with some long waiting times for the tram. The wait to go up to the Hilltop can be around an hour, and the wait to come back down can be anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. It's definitely something to keep in mind if you're planning a trip.

Here's a tip: If you're heading back down, make sure to get your queue number at the station first. They'll give you a number and let you know when the tram is ready to go downhill. This way, you can explore the area around the tram station while you wait.

Overall, Penang Hill is a great place to visit for a day trip. The tram ride is fun, the views are beautiful, and the Habitat offers a unique sunset experience. Just be prepared for the long waiting times, and make sure you have comfortable shoes for all the walking!

Kitty's Take:

Kitty loved the tram ride as well. She said it was like a mini-rollercoaster! She also enjoyed the views from the top, especially the sunset from the Habitat. She agreed that the waiting times were a bit of a challenge, but she said it was worth it for the experience.

Final Thoughts:

We would definitely recommend a visit to Penang Hill, especially if you're looking for a scenic adventure. Just remember to plan your time wisely and be prepared for some waiting. And if you're visiting with friends or family who have mobility challenges, you might want to consider...