Penang National Park (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang), Penang, Malaysia

5Lucrezia C. 5:00 PM Dec 24, 2020

Great combination of rainforest and beaches
Visiting one of the smallest national parks in the world was better than expected. Due to COVID-19, not many people were around. We came on a weekday, so this helped too. Registration requires a QR-code scanner because an online form has to be completed (separate version for foreigners and Malaysian citizens). Rangers were friendly and provided helpful tips for the trails, explained the different types of rainforest to be found in this national park and provided guidance on which trail to take. We did not take any boat trip because we love to hike. The trail to Monkey Beach is still closed for hiking, so if this is your destination, then you have to book a boat. The lighthouse can be visited until 3pm too (nearby Monkey beach). The first trail from the entrance to the meromictic lake next to Kerachut Beach took us 1.5 hours (the trail can be also take up to 2.5 hours depending on your speed and fitness). Signs are available at crossroads in the jungle, so the risk of getting lost is low. The trail is a mixture of uphill and downhill, can be quite steep at times but always manageable especially when the ground is dry. The turtle hatch as Kerachut Beach was closed unfortunately, but we saw traces of adult turtles in the sand. From Kerachut beach, we took another trail to Teluk Kampi beach (another hour away, mostly uphill) where we stayed for 2 hours to relax. Most people don’t hike there because they use a boat instead. Better for us because we had the trails to ourselves. Bring a lot of water and some isotonic drinks because it’s usually sunny and hot.

4aboyle92 5:00 PM Jan 5, 2023

Brilliant Hike
My wife and I chose to visit the National Park to do some hiking and see some of Penang's off the beaten track forests and beaches. If your motives are similar then it is definitely worth a visit! It costs 50 ringgit per person to enter the forest and you can boats direct to each of the beaches (if you want a boat just for the way back then organise this before you start walking, as they don't wait around at the beaches). We chose to walk to Turtle beach and back, which was about a 2.5 hour journey. The forest is great and there is plenty of wildlife to see. The trails are well marked and sign posted, so getting lost is not an issue. Nevertheless the routes are challenging enough that you feel completely immersed in the forest, which is awesome! If you are the adventurous type or simply fancy getting out of the hotel for a morning, then I would definitely recommend visiting the National Park. Wear long trousers though as it is a proper forest and there are leaches and loads of ants.