Attractions in Malaysia

Location

Penang Hill is located in Ayer Itam, Penang, Malaysia. The hill is situated about 6km away from the city centre of Georgetown. It is a hill resort that consists of a group of peaks. It is 830 meter high and is cooler than the city beneath it. It is said to be approximately 3 degrees cooler in comparison the places near to coast.

Overview

Penang Hill is also known as Bukit Bendera in Malay Language. It is the getaway from the concrete jungle in the hustle bustle of the city of Georgetown. Penang Hill is Malaysia's first hill station. It was discovered by the legendary Francis Light when he commissioned the area to be cleared for plantation. Most tourists visit the hill as it offers serenity and tranquility with mesmerizing view of Penang and friendly nature. There are quite a number of activities that can be done on Penang Hill. You can spend some time to get a taste of the diversity of Malaysian's cultures by visiting both mosque and Indian temple on the hill. There is a bird sanctuary and a canopy walk up there too. If you plan to spend a night or two on the amazing hill, there are bungalows available for rent with affordable price.

Apart from Penang Hill, there are other forest recreational parks such as Botanical Garden and Tropical Spice Garden, Both of them situated not far from the hill. The Botanical Garden is a place where locals and also foreigners exercise and jog around. It is famous for the monkeys there. Monkeys are to be seen everywhere in the Garden but it is advised to not feed them or they will turn aggressive. The Tropical Spice Garden is an award winning spice garden in the whole of South East Asia. There is a Spice museum and cafe where you can gain some knowledge on spices and enjoy some food there. There are cooking classes conducted from three times per week and this is one of the attractions of the Garden.

Speaking of cultures earlier, near to the hill, there is a famous temple with the name of Kek Lok Si Temple. It is a Buddhist temple. The main attraction of the temple is the huge bronze statue of the Goddess of Mercy Kuan Yin. You can take the incline lift all the way up to get a close look of the breathtaking Goddes of Mercy's statue. To taste the wide variety of foods in Penang, go to Gurney. There are stretches of hawker stalls selling local delicacies at Gurney Drive. Hotels in Penang that are famous and packed with tourists situated nearby too, there are G Hotel and Evergreen Laurel Hotel. Finally, for all the shopaholics, shopping in Penang is great. Penang's second biggest shopping mall, Gurney Plaza Mall is just a stone's away from the hotel and the food paradise.

Transport

The best way to travel from Georgetown to Penang Hill is by bus. Take a Transit Link bus numbered 1 or 101 to get to Ayer Itam Terminal. There are other buses that can bring you the same destination too. They are Lim Seng bus No. 91 and minibus No. 21. They will go through Lebuh Chulia and to the Ayer Itam Terminal. Rapid Penang 201 can get you to Penang Hill too. There, take the funicular train to the top of Penang Hill.