Towering high above bustling George Town on Penang Island is Penang Hill. Come here for cool sea breezes and amazing views. You’ll also get to see the remaining rainforest on Penang Island.
Penang Hill is an area that also includes Flagstaff Hill (or “Bukit Bendera”), Government Hill, Tiger Hill, Bukit Laksamana and nearby Western Hill, the tallest peak of all. The connecting ridge at the top is known as Strawberry Hill, although the planned strawberry fields never eventuated because the thick vegetation proved to hard to tame. Some trees on the hill station are over 100 feet (30 meters) high.
Don’t miss Bel Retiro, a bungalow from 1789 that proudly sits on Government Hill. The still operational Bellevue Hotel at the top is another local icon and so is the Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan, an ornate Hindu temple.
Treat yourself to a Penang laksa in the foodcourt of the Cliff Café or to a high tea on the al fresco terrace of the hilltop restaurant. If you are on a budget, simply bring a picnic and have lunch among the pitcher plants in the Monkey Cup Garden.
From the lookout you can see Langkawi’s emerald mountains on a clear day. If you come here at night you’ll be treated to mesmerizing views of the thousands of lights in the valley below, outlining the shape of George Town.
A ride on the Penang Hill Funicular Railway is the highlight of any visit to Penang Hill. It is one of Asia’s steepest and longest funicular tracks. Its antique, wooden cars have gradually been replaced by faster, motorized wagons of Swiss design. Leaving from the base station at Air Itam, you will reach the top of Penang Hill in under 5 minutes.
The first funicular train from 1897 is on display at the upper station. You could spend all day here because the first ride up is early enough to catch the sunrise and the last ride down is late in the evening.
You can also hike the nearly 5 miles (8 kilometers) to the top if you follow the trail up from the quarry at Penang’s Botanical Gardens. Bring enough bottled water and sun protection.
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