Morning Visit to Penang Hill

Penang . 2013 . Jan 17 - 20

This post is a continuation of our previous post on Feasting @ Gurney Drive Hawker Centre. You may also read the full review of our 4 Days 3 Nights short getaway trip to Penang here.

Penang Hill also known as Bukit Bendera or Flagstaff Hill is a hill resort and one of Penang’s most famous attractions.  Because of its elevation, the climate at its peak tend to be a lot cooler than ground level and winds could get strong sometimes.  Penang Hill offers a panoromic view of Georgetown and Penang mainland, the surrounding waters and the Penang Bridge.

Although Penang Hill is easily accessible by public transport, we decided to do away with the hassle and got on a cab from G Hotel instead. In Penang, taxis come equiped with a meter, but most cabbies don’t impose a metered fare.  Instead, they’ll quote you a price before boarding.  To avoid getting fleeced, always check with the hotel staff on the taxi rates to major attractions.

Tip: If you are planning on taking a hike, be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a windbreaker, wide-brim hat, and wear lots of sunblock.  It helps to begin your hike earlier in the morning, when the sun is not at its strongest.

It took us less than 20 mins to reach the ground station at Penang Hill.  It seemed that we came at an inconvenient time where extensive renovations are being carried out.  Note that this is also the place where the bus-stop is stationed, and you can take Rapid Penang Bus 204 to Kek Lok Si after your visit to Penang Hill.

The steep funicular railway from Air Itam to the top of Flagstaff Hill. Not for the faint hearted..just joking..it looks steep but the whole ride was safe and comfortable.

Ticketing counter at Ground Station.  The return tickets on the rail cost RM30 per adult, a hefty price compared to the RM8 that locals pay.  If you are planning on visiting Penang Hill, It always pays to be here early.  We were told the queues for the train could get quite impossible in the afternoon.

The funicular train. Note the steepness of the slope even in the train.  There were really not many people for we were relatively early (9am), and we had a spacious cabin to ourselves.

The scenic railroad up Penang Hill. 

 
Finally, the 20 min train ride brought us to the top of Penang Hill where we could enjoy the cool breeze out in the open.

Looking down the steep railway tracks at the Top of Penang Hill. It still looks quite steep from there!

Penang Bridge linking Penang Island to its mainland. It was quite a foggy day but the outline of the bridge can still be seen.

Directions and Signages on top of Penang Hill. If you are lost, there are signages to guide you along.

David Brown’s Restaurant and Tea Terraces

There’s a David Brown’s Restaurant and Tea Terraces café at the summit which we sneaked into.  The scenery up here is even more awesome.

 There's even a lush garden in the vicinity of the resturant.

Penang Owl Museum

A new attraction on Penang Hill is the Penang’s Owl Museum, which is South-East Asia's first museum dedicated to owl-themed art and craft. It boosts a fascinating collection of over 1,000  exotic and unique arts and craft artefacts collected from 20 countries including Japan, South Korea, Uruguay, China, Vietnam, Thailand, England, Indonesia and France.

Opening Hours: Daily 9.00am-6.00pm
Entrance Fee: RM 10.00 for Adults, Free for children.

We did not visit the museum but you may want to give it a try if you are at Penang!

Old coach of Penang Hill Railway, used 1923-1977. It is just beside the Owl Museum, so do pay a visit and take some photos with it!

There is a cannon on Penang Hill made of bronze. According the various Penang sites that we came across, this cannon was probably transported from town to hill as an ornament or to warn the presence of pirates.

Buggy rides are available at the summit for those who are tired of walking, but it comes at a high price of RM30-60 per buggy.  It is a lot more affordable for big families. For couples like us, think walking is still the best way..

We do not have a plan as to what to do at Penang Hill, but we saw the banners of the Monkey Cup Garden and attracted by the name, decided to follow the signages to check out what it is.

Follow us on our next Post: Monkeycup @ Penang Hill - Eco-garden in Malaysia

If you are interested to follow our 4D3N shortgetaway Penang Trip, click here for our trip itinerary and the links to all our posts!

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